John Pugh-Smith MA (Oxon) FSA is a barrister and CEDR accredited mediator practising from Thity-Nine Essex Street Chambers. He has been instructed by many developers and local authorities for a number of years on planning, environmental and related local government work and is highly regarded as a leading and experienced junior in these fields. As well as Shackleton’s Law of Meetings, John has been the originating author, editor and contributor to a range of other titles including Neighbours and the Law , Archaeology in Law, OUP’s Environmental Law, the Planning, Property & Compensation Reports (“P&CR”) and the Journal of Planning & Environmental Law. He regularly lectures at seminars on both planning and environment law and practice, including Sweet & Maxwell’s Annual Planning Law Conference.
Madeleine Cordes, LLB, FCIS, has over 20 years’ experience as a Chartered Secretary in industry and professional practice which has included significant hands-on involvement in company board, committee and shareholder meetings. Her previous roles include acting as Company Secretary of Carpetright, a FTSE 250 company, interim roles with Standard Chartered and Orange where she organized an AGM attended by 1000 shareholders in Paris, Senior Manager in Ernst & Young's Company Secretarial Group where she acted as vote scrutineer for several contentious shareholder meetings and Director of Capita Registrars' company secretarial business. Madeleine is currently senior manager at TMF where she supports clients with their board and shareholder meeting processes. Madeleine is a member of the QCA’s Legal and Corporate Governance Committees which represents the interest of smaller UK listed companies, a trainer in company secretarial and board practice for MBL, a regular contributor to Governance & Compliance journal and a speaker at conferences.
Jonathan Darby (MA, MPhil, PhD Cantab) is a barrister practising from Thirty Nine Essex Street chambers. His broad practice encompasses all aspects of public and administrative law, with a particular interest in planning, environmental and property law. Jonathan is instructed by a wide variety of domestic and international clients, including developers, consultants, local authorities and the Treasury Solicitor. He is listed as one of the top junior planning barristers under 35 in the Planning Magazine Guide to Planning Lawyers. Before coming to the Bar, Jonathan taught at Cambridge University whilst completing a PhD at Queens’ College.
Daniel Stedman Jones MA (Oxon) Phd Penn. Is a barrister practising from Thirty-Nine Essex Street Chambers. He is regularly instructed by developers, local authorities and campaigners on planning, environmental and local government matters. As well as the 13th edn. of Shackleton, Daniel is one of the contributing editors to The Encyclopaedia of Environmental Law and is a regular commentator on planning and environmental issues both in print and in seminars and events. Daniel is also a published historian and is the author of Masters of the Universe (2012) on the recent history of economic policy and regulation.
James Burton is a barrister practising at Thirty Nine Essex Street Chambers. He specialises in planning and environmental law, for which Chambers & Partners rank him as a leading junior. James appears regularly at public inquiry and in the higher courts. He is also frequently called upon to advise regarding the administrative law aspects of the planning process, in particular in relation to meetings of local authorities’ planning committees. His clients range from developers and local authorities to action groups and private individuals.
