Christopher Moss

Christopher has a particular interest in planning and environmental work. His work in practice includes:

• Being led by Richard Wald KC to advise local authorities on their powers in relation to restricting advertising of ‘high carbon’ products;
• Being led by Richard Wald KC to advise a local authority in relation to proposals to dock an asylum barge in their area;
• Being led by Daniel Stedman Jones in a statutory review of a refusal by the Welsh Ministers to grant planning permission for a solar farm on best and most versatile agricultural land;
• Acting as sole counsel for a local authority defending a subsidence claim; and
• Regularly working with a local authority to advise on rights of way related issues.

He is a headnoter for the Property, Planning and Compensation reports, a co-editor of Chambers’ Planning, Environment and Property Newsletter and frequently produces case analysis on planning and environmental matters for LexisNexis.

Christopher also gained experience in a variety of planning and environmental law matters during pupillage including:

• Resisting a series of judicial reviews to a major housing development on the outskirts of Canterbury.
• Assisting on a challenge in the High Court to a local authority’s grant of planning permission for a site in a special area of conservation on the basis that the authority had failed to properly consider the impact of development on nitrogen depositions
• Advising a homeowner on the enforceability of a restrictive covenant in the context of a planning dispute
• Advising a chain of companies owning a major renewable energy site on liability under the Electricity Act 1989
• Preparing an application to the High Court seeking a declaration as to the proper interpretation of a statute governing the management of a public park in the context of a proposed major development.

Christopher is particularly interested in construction and property law and was recently led by David Sawtell in an adjudication arising from the delivery of ~£10m of defective metalwork. 

During pupillage, Christopher worked on a range of commercial and construction matters including:

• Assisting Paul Darling KC and David Hopkins in the drafting of a skeleton argument seeking permission to appeal against a refusal to award summary judgment on enforcement of adjudication award;
• Conducting research for David Sawtell on the Building Safety Act 2022;
• Advising on the validity of a deed executed by only one party;
• Drafting a skeleton argument opposing an application to set aside a statutory demand.

Christopher hopes to develop a broad public law practice. As a member of the Government’s Junior Junior scheme he has:

• Advised the Department for Environment Farming and Rural Affairs on the implementation of secondary legislation under the Animals (Penalty Notices) Act 2022;
• Assisted in reviewing environmental legislation for a Government agency; and
• Regularly undertaken disclosure and document review exercises for several Government departments.

During pupillage, Christopher worked on a range of public law matters including:

• Drafting a skeleton argument seeking permission to enforce costs against a previously legally aided claimant;
• Advising on liability, quantum and next steps in relation to a claim for data breaches brought against a Government department;
• Assisting in seeking permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal in a judicial review of the Secretary of State for Education’s decision not to extend a ban on unregulated placements for looked after children to 16–17-year-olds;
• Responding to an application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal on the scope of
  Parliamentary Privilege in the context of the TOEIC English language tests scandal;
• Drafting particulars of claim alleging breaches of Article 8 by a local authority for their decision to initiate care proceedings and dismantling the Claimant’s Education, Health and Care Plan;
• Drafting a notice of objections in response to an application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court in the context of an entry clearance case raising Article 8 issues.

Christopher appears regularly in the County Court in civil matters, and frequently drafts pleadings and advices. During pupillage, Christopher gained experience of drafting statements of case, schedules, advices and legal research on a variety of matters including:

• Conducting research for Neil Block KC on the legal framework of Fatal Accidents Claims pre-1976;
• Drafting pleadings and schedules/counter-schedules of loss in personal injury, fatal accidents and clinical negligence matters;
• Advising a school on whether they were liable for personal injury suffered by a pupil during a PE lesson;
• Drafting a counter schedule and advising on parameters for settlement in a road traffic accident claim pleaded at over £3 million;
• Assisting in the preparation of a clinical negligence trial, focussing on whether informed consent was obtained from the claimant, including by drafting a supplementary skeleton argument responding to a legal point raised by the claimant.

Christopher has a particular interest in developing a practice in costs and litigation funding. He currently works with the costs team of a London law firm advising on, and drafting pleadings and witness statements in relation to costs and funding disputes. 

Christopher has appeared in the Court of Protection on the welfare pathway, having been instructed by local authorities, integrated care boards and the Official Solicitor.