Adil Navaid

Adil has a rapidly growing practice in defamation law and has acted for and advised numerous clients across the country. He is sought after for his commercial approach to what is often a very costly process as well as his creative thinking in pursuing cases of this nature. As a result, he has managed to carve out a practice as a notable name in the north of England in such matters.

Adil recently pursued a novel point successfully in the High Court regarding the definition and scope of a ‘third-party’ in the context of conveying a libellous or slanderous statement from one party regarding another. He has provided a Case Note which is available here: Defamation: No Publication to a Third-Party for Intra-Company Communications.

In addition to defamation itself, Adil advises on and is alive to alternative causes of actions such as malicious communication/falsehood, data breach either in tort or statute, misuse of private information and harassment.

Adil is also regularly instructed on data protection and privacy cases and is well-versed in GDPR and DPA compliance. Adil provides advice to litigants who may have a claim in such areas with a realistic view of the damages they are likely to recover. This is a rapidly developing area of law and Adil keeps up-to-date with the novel arguments being put forward and is reasonably ambitious in his arguments where there is a scope for development in the law.

A number of the cases Adil is currently working on are still either in the pre-issue stage or pleadings stage and as such cannot be listed below, but recent cases include:

• Orekoya v Travelodge Hotels Limited: Successfully represented the Defendant at a strike-out application in a claim brought for defamation, both advising and pursuing a novel point of law regarding publication to a third party.
• Elliot v Lancashire County Council: Appeared for the Defendant at a strike-out application to successfully seek dismissal of a frivolous defamation claim.
• Campbell v Patel: Advised the Defendant in conference and assisted in settling the matter pre-issue in favourable terms.
• David Lomax v AR5 Group Ltd: Drafted defence with issues of relying on past criminal activity as a factor in assessing damage to reputation.

Adil is regularly instructed on various commercial disputes and enjoys a broad practice and expertise, including on the supply of goods and services, agency, unjust enrichment and other equitable causes of action, tortious causes of action such as harassment and nuisance, misrepresentation and partnership disputes. Adil regularly appears in the High Court on such matters and has been praised for his simplification of complex matters and submission advocacy.

In relation to chancery work, Adil has a keen interest and is regularly instructed to act for and against estates and other trust work. Adil has been praised for his ability to deal with contentious family disputes and his ability to approach issues with a wide lens, incorporating the breadth of his practice to pursue various avenues. Adil has been praised for how he deals with clients in often emotionally charged proceedings and has been called a ‘guiding light’ in conference.

Adil regularly attends urgent injunction hearings and was recently praised for successfully applying for the continuation of an injunction despite the client not having fulfilled its undertaking to the court. He is adept in working in time-pressured and difficult situations.

Recent cases include:

• The Great George Street Project (in Administration): Appeared in the High Court over the administration of a project worth £14 million, dealing with issues of priority of charges.
• Gibson v Telecom: Attended a freezing injunction application with issues of unfair prejudice, malicious prosecution and tortious interference.
• Sultana (as Executor) v Zaman: Issues of breach of fiduciary duty, accounting exercises and resisting a possession claim.
• Estate of Mr Dulvinder Singh: Issues including resulting/constructive trusts as well as promissory estoppel.
• Smith v Maxwell: Represented the Defendant in a four day trial where the claimant sought an order for sale pursuant to an express trust and/or constructive trust. Issues of clean hands doctrine, sham trusts, illusory trusts, undue influence and breach of contract.

Adil is regularly instructed on winding up and bankruptcy proceedings, both appearing at hearings as well as drafting advices and pleadings. Adil recently advised creditors on a matter in which a national construction company had gone into liquidation and the practical steps a creditor could take in recovering both the sums owed as well as any goods left on construction sites. The case involved dealing with Quistclose trusts, lien, bailor/bailee relationships and trespass to goods. Adil has also been instructed in partnership disputes and regularly advises as to issues arising from the same. Adil has a growing practice in shareholder and partnership disputes and director disqualifications.

Adil recently represented a city council in an application to extend the administration of a company involved in development project worth over £10 million. Adil also assisted David Berkley KC and Steven McGarry on a multi-million-pound fraud case in the High Court and in an application for an urgent freezing injunction regarding the fraudulent sale of PPE equipment to the NHS.

Adil is regularly instructed on personal guarantees and unwinding finance agreements, either in relation to loans or linked to properties.

Adil has a broad practice in and regularly acts for landlord and tenants in commercial as well as residential property cases. Adil has advised on business tenancies, residential tenancies, disrepair claims, service charge disputes, boundary disputes and easements, breach of covenants, property trusts and proprietary estoppel, construction cases, possession claims, adverse possession, wills and probate and Inheritance Act claims.

Adil has also appeared in the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) on matters relating to the Mobile Homes Act 1983 and is available for instructions on such matters. Adil also appears in the Property Chamber on matters concerning rent reviews and boundary disputes. Adil receives repeat instructions on matters concerning leases and licenses and is well-versed in the law.

Adil has recently successfully applied Pirelli General Cable Works Ltd v Oscar Faber & Partners [1983] 2 AC 1 on appeal in refuting a strike-out application on limitation grounds in a construction case. He wrote an article about its significance which can be read here: The peculiar case of Pirelli: Cracks showing but not doomed.

Recent cases include:

• Kaye v Zeeshan: Appeared in a five-day trial alongside Ghazan Mahmood, relating to property worth £1.2 million involving issues of express and constructive trusts, charging orders and beneficial title. Assisted in securing a very favourable settlement.
• Occasio Properties v Kerrigan (as fixed receiver): Successfully appeared in the High Court in an injunction application to seek re-entry into the property after tenants were evicted following appointment of receivers.
• Saila Ahmed v Soullamiya: Acted for the Claimant in seeking possession of a property, with issues of alleged unlawful rent increase and parallel proceedings in the First-Tier Tribunal regarding jurisdiction of the tribunal in retrospectively determining the same.
• Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Kendal Holy Trinity v Craig and Meyer and Ors: Successfully represented the Claimant in an appeal regarding limitation in tort in construction cases, applying the case of Pirelli General Cable Works Ltd v Oscar Faber & Partners [1983] 2 AC 1.

Adil has a growing practice in dealing with matters of IP and passing off. He has a breadth of knowledge in such matters and is regularly asked to advise on matters from the outset in relation to “reverse” passing off, breach of copyright and paternity rights as well as IP infringement.

Recently, Adil has advised clients on a passing off claim in relation to a bespoke artistic work as well as pursuing a claim for breach of paternity rights.

Recent cases include:

• Red Bull GMBH v Praqmatia Ltd: Advised and drafted pleadings for a trademark infringement, issues of director liability and accessory liability.
• Charles and Ivy v Chelsea Supplies Ltd: Acting for the Defendant, issues of innocent infringing and assessment of damages.
• Dodo Kadir v Rupert Cavendish Antiques: Advised and drafted pleadings for a “reverse passing-off” claim in relation to bespoke artwork, helping to achieve a positive settlement for the client.

Adil assisted Joseph O’Brien KC on a judicial review matter relating to a harbour authority ordinance and has been praised in his ability to navigate a complex limitation argument and forensic research on the substantial merits.

Adil also recently advised on a matter relating to a resident being charged under the wrong tax bracket due to an error by the local council in allocating a tax bracket.

Adil has acted both for and against local authorities in care proceedings with a commercial angle, such as overcharging the estates of deceased patients. Recently, Adil advised two clients on a complex estoppel point against an energy company and a local authority funding a care home.

Recently, Adil advised a local council on the consultation process for an amendment to a council tax scheme and whether the council were at threat of judicial review proceedings which would amount to £17 million in damages overall.

Further, Adil is sought after by local authorities for injunction hearings dealing with the exercise of the council’s powers over land owned by individuals.

Adil has written articles on public and criminal international law and is available for instructions on the same. Further, Adil achieved a distinction in his dissertation on constitutional law and is keen to grow his public law practice in this area.

• LLM, BPP University (2021)
• BTC, BPP University (2021)
• LLB, First Class Hons, University of Liverpool (2020)

• Lincoln’s Inn
• Northern Circuit
• Equality and Diversity team, Northern Circuit

“Adil is well-prepared for his hearings.”  Legal 500 2025