The Lawyer Top 20 Cases 2026

Nicholas Dennys KC is instructed in one of The Lawyer ‘s Top 20 Cases of 2026, which have just been published.

Nicholas represents a group of respondents in Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government v Urban Splash and others.

In a test case, the Housing Secretary, has applied for a remediation contribution order against 11 respondents over the cost of remedying of seven iconic buildings in Manchester. The case, one of three announced by the Government in March 2024, seeks nearly £50m from companies in the Urban Splash group and Shed KM, making it the largest of its kind to date.

The action stems from the Building Safety Act 2022, which was designed to require landlords to pay for building safety improvements that the Grenfell disaster had highlighted. The Government argues that freeholders should recover their costs from developers. 

The respondents are set to challenge whether the buildings were actually unsafe, and whether the Government’s retrospective legislation is a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.

For the respondents, Urban Splash and others
Atkin Chambers’ Nicholas Dennys KC and 39 Essex’s David Sawtell, instructed by RPC partners Alan Stone and James McKay, and senior associate Harry Langford-Collins

For the respondents, Urban Splash Residential and Urban Splash UK Residential
3VB’s Catherine Gibaud KC and Tanfield Chambers’ Robert Bowker, instructed by Charles Russell Speechleys partner James Worthington, and associates Mark Barley and Oliver Park

For the respondents, Shed KM and another
4 Pump Court’s Jennie Gillies, instructed by Keoghs partner Charlotte Smith and solicitor Ellicia Williams

For the applicant, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
39 Essex’s Kerry Bretherton KC and Alexander Burrell, instructed by Walker Morris partner Martin McKeague, and directors Asia Munir and David Manda

Read the full list of cases on The Lawyer’s website here (behind paywall).