Lee Russell

Partner Head of Housing Management & Property Litigation

Areas of Expertise

Lee is Head of Devonshires’ Housing Management & Property Litigation team.

Lee was one of the first solicitors to qualify as part of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s fully qualifying law degree. He was one of the youngest qualifying solicitors at the time.

Lee advises on all aspects of housing management and property litigation, regularly advising private organisations, land owners, developers, investors, charities, local authorities and some of the largest providers of social housing in the United Kingdom.

Lee’s specialism in complex dispute resolution, both in and out of court, sits alongside his extensive experience in advising on non-contentious policy and procedure in addition to regulatory matters. Lee has a developed specialism in fire safety issues and property litigation aspects to contentious construction disputes.

Lee also deals with broader property litigation matters including adverse possession, service charge issues, lease disputes, trespass, restrictive covenants/easements and boundary issues. Lee leads our dedicated Wales team, advising registered social landlords on all aspects of housing management, property litigation and topical Welsh issues.

Lee’s background in mental health, safeguarding and capacity also sees him advising on litigation involving those who lack capacity to do so. In addition Lee is a specialist in advising on associated regulatory matters, including healthcare providers involving CQC regulation. Lee advises providers of social housing on health and social care aspects including regulatory proceedings and dealing with adverse incidents. Lee’s Welsh practice also sees him advising a number of registered social landlords on the Welsh care regime and matters involving the Care Inspectorate Wales.

Experience

Lee has previous experience in dealing with mental health matters involving capacity and detention under the Mental Health Act along with associated civil claims. Lee has also held a post as an associate lecturer in civil procedure.

Publications

Social landlords must be prepared for new regulations on flat entrance fire doors, Inside Housing, December 2022

The ban on Section 21 evictions should not apply to social landlords, Inside Housing, October 2019.

How housing associations should deal with mistakes made by contractors, Inside Housing, April 2019

Directories

Lee is recognised as a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500.

Conferences

Lee is regularly asked to speak at sector conferences and provides regular training sessions on topical issues of housing management property litigation.

Education

Lee graduated as a Master in Law from the University of Northumbria in 2012.

Lee has Higher Rights of Audience (Higher Courts Civil Proceedings).

Awards

Professional Membership