Expertise
Biography
Layla is an experienced Partner in our Dispute Resolution team with a particular interest in Warehouse and Logistics law.
Background and Expertise
Layla joined Aaron & Partners in 2018 from an international commercial law firm. Layla has experience of a wide range of commercial disputes including breach of contract claims, shareholder disputes, partnership disputes, fraud and professional negligence issues and provides advice on drafting commercial agreements. She advises both businesses and individuals. Layla has worked for clients in many industries including warehousing, aviation, hospitality & catering, manufacturing, property and freight. More recently, Layla has acted as a trustee and non-executive director within the growing energy sector.
Layla’s success is driven by her client-focussed approach as an experienced litigator and pragmatic problem solver. Layla also uses alternative means of resolution through mediation and arbitration where appropriate.
Specialisms and Personal Achievements
Warehousing and Transport: Layla is an expert in warehousing and logistics law with experience in drafting warehousing agreements, resolving disputes between warehouses and their customers through negotiation, mediation and litigation. Layla acts for UK Warehousing Association and their members. Layla has advised the private hire taxi industry including in relation to statutory interpretation at the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Shareholders: Layla has acted on a plethora of shareholder disputes including for both petitioner’s and respondents in relation to claims for unfair prejudice and unlawful means conspiracy, including acting for shareholders of farming, quarrying, property, warehousing and manufacturing companies. She has also advised on disputes involving a number of family-owned companies.
Partnerships: Layla has advised partners in partnerships and resolved and litigated partnership disputes including amongst farming partnerships.
Layla has advised on partnership valuations and dissolutions on both a non-contentious and disputed basis.
Property: Layla represents numerous clients in property related disputes, including constructive trust, breach of lease, propriety estoppel, dilapidations, break notices and adverse possession claims.
Banking and Finance: Layla has successfully recovered unauthorised payments for her clients from financial institutions through successfully court judgments and the Financial Ombudsman Service. Layla has represented clients who have been victims of insider fraud and authorised push-payments.
Trade Regulation and Anti Competition: Layla has experience of anti-competitive market practice claims, including, anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations with the Trade Remedies Authority.
Confidentiality: Layla has litigated claims relating to misuse of confidential information including claims relating to HNW individuals.
Awards and Recognition
LEGAL 500 (TIER 2) - ‘Next Generation Partner’ and a ‘Recommended Lawyer’; “Layla Barke-Jones is outstanding, very attentive and very experienced”.
LEGAL 500 2023 (TIER 1) - ‘Rising Star’ and ‘Recommended Lawyer’ by the Legal 500: in 2023 and 2024. “Layla Bark-Jones is a top solicitor; her knowledge, professionalism and expertise are at another level compared to other firms and solicitors”.
Recent Work Highlights
- Shareholder dispute – Successfully represented the Petitioner in respect of a dispute over family-owned business worth c. £1m in the case of Davies v O’Keefe.
- Transport/Statutory interpretation - Delta v Uber, representing private hire operators in a case involving whether a passenger must enter a contract with the operator of a private hire taxi which has the potential far reaching consequences for VAT on passengers.
- Propriety Estoppel/ Constructive Trust matter - successfully claiming that property was held on trust for the occupier in a case relating to breach of promise to sell property.
- The Huntsworth Wine Company Ltd v London City Bond Ltd [2022] EWHC 97 (Comm) - case involving a warehouse contract, the limitation of liability and protection against adverse legal costs, High Court upholding the contract terms and the costs protection for the warehouse.
- Mediating a settlement in a family partnership resulting in six figure settlement for the client without the need for legal proceedings.
