Helen is experienced in mediating disputes where there is a high degree of strong emotion, grievance and parties seem very far apart. Helen’s constructive approach begins at the first point of contact, prior to the mediation when she listens to what the parties are looking for from the process and she is noted for her relaxed style.

Helen previously volunteered with CALM and mediated community neighbourhood disputes covering issues of anti-social behaviour, noise nuisance and rehousing. Helen was on the panel approved for Court of Protection disputes during the pilot and contributed to ‘Making Mediation work for you: a practical handbook by Kate Aubrey-Johnson with Helen Curtis (LAG, June 2012).

Ian has over 30 years’ experience in the housing sector. He began his housing career at Southwark Council. He later joined Waltham Forest where he worked alongside residents on major regeneration projects. He then moved to Stoneridge Housing Action Trust as Development Director and later CEO. Ian went onto be Chief Executive for Shaftsbury Housing Association which joined the Sanctuary Housing Group where he remained for nine years leaving as Chief Operating Officer. Ian became Chief Executive at Aldwyck Housing Group and then Catalyst before joining Peabody as CEO in October 2021.

Trained as a chartered surveyor and an Alumni of Harvard Business School, Ian now sits as a member of the CIH Audit and Risk Committee. He co-chairs the Quality and Trust Steering Group which is committed to improving the quality of social housing. The Steering Group’s role has been to guide, challenge and support the development of an action plan for the sector to implement the Better Social Housing Review’s seven recommendations.  

He is the Vice-Chair of the G15 group of housing associations and co-chairs the Quality and Trust Steering Group which is committed to improving the quality of social housing. 

Ian was born in Runcorn and grew up in the North West. He is a keen musician, has run many marathons and is a passionate Everton supporter. 

Stephanie Lovegrove is an experienced barrister specialising in Housing, Landlord and Tenant law including related Property and Local Government law. She has extensive experience of litigation including in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and County Court and Property Chamber of the First Tier Tribunal around the country.  Stephanie has a broad advisory practice on complex cross-over housing/Local Government/property law matters with high value or risk. Author of several publications for Law Brief Publishing including ‘A Practical Guide to Succession to Social Housing Tenancies’.

Chelsea Kelly, Head of Community Safeguarding at Poplar HARCA

Chelsea Kelly is the Head of Community Safeguarding at Poplar HARCA, where she has worked for 9 years. With a degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology, Chelsea has extensive experience in the housing sector, as well as in domestic abuse support. She played a pivotal role in launching the first Housing First pilot in Tower Hamlets and now oversees a partnership delivering this model with three other support providers. Chelsea also developed the Community Safeguarding Team, which has gained sector-wide recognition for its success in safeguarding and supporting residents.

Donna McCarthy Partner – Devonshires

Donna’s 30 plus years of experience and excellent client relationships has made her a respected and trusted advisor to numerous housing and care providers.

Jessie Napier | Housing Investigations Manager | Housing Management Services Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Jessie has worked in housing fraud for many years and is instrumental in helping to improve detection within all social housing sectors. She is a committee member at the Tenancy Fraud Forum which is a not for profit organisation which shares best practice in tenancy fraud. She has a sound knowledge of housing law and is very passionate about recovering properties for those in need. She currently manages a team of housing investigators but was a housing officer and a housing investigator previously.  With such a high demand for social housing, tenancy fraud has never been such an important issue to tackle.

HHJ (Jan) Luba KC was in practice as a barrister in the Housing Team at Garden Court Chambers in London for over 20 years.

He was appointed as a Circuit Judge in December 2015 sitting as a resident judge at the County Court for Central London and the Mayor’s and City Court.

He later became a Senior Circuit Judge and a leadership judge (Designated Civil Judge) responsible for the civil work conducted at 13 other county court centres around London.

He retired from salaried office in April 2024 but occasionally sits ‘in retirement’.

Jan co-authors three major Housing Law textbooks: Defending Possession Proceedings; Housing Conditions; and Housing Allocation and Homelessness.

From 1985 to 2014, he co-wrote the monthly column Housing Law – Recent Developments for the journal Legal Action.

He is a Patron of the welfare benefits and housing advice charity ‘Z2K’.