SHLA London

ROLE

Lee Russell

Co Chair of SHLA

London Committee Member
Partner at Devonshires Solicitors LLP

EXPERTISE

Lee is a Solicitor in one of the largest housing management teams with Devonshires Solicitors LLP in London. Lee advises on all aspects of housing management with particular specialism in litigation involving mental health aspects.

ROLE

Katrina Robinson MBE

Co Chair of SHLA

London Committee Member
Partner at Capsticks Solicitors LLP

EXPERTISE

A Partner, Katrina specialises in advising on a range of housing management matters including tenancy fraud, anti-social behaviour, disrepair, and access. Highly respected within the industry, Katrina has held a number of influential roles, including founding and chairing the Tenancy Fraud Forum, founding the Disrepair Focus Group, and was the Chair of the Law Society’s LGBT+ Division and the Independent Adjudicator for Grenfell.  In 2016 she was honoured with the MBE to services to Social Housing.

ROLE

Katerina Birkeland

Co Vice Chair of SHLA

London Committee Member
Home Ownership Manager at Hyde Housing

EXPERTISE

Katerina joined Hyde in June 2014 and is responsible for the management of homeownership and leasehold services for the organisation; ensuring that both Hyde and our residents comply with statutory obligations in a changing sector. Whilst overseeing the legislative procedures relating to consultations, lease extensions, right to buy/acquire, the variation of lease terms, alterations and all things leasehold.

ROLE

Mark Cooper

Co Vice Chair of SHLA

London Committee Member
Assistant Head of Law, Communities & Environment at South London Legal Partnership

EXPERTISE

Mark is responsible for Litigation matters on behalf of the five south London Boroughs that SLLP serves, specialising in Housing & Anti-Social Behaviour. He started his career as an outdoor clerk and, with four authorities, worked in conveyancing and child protection before returning to litigation.

ROLE

Dorota Pawlowski
London Committee Member
Senior Associate Solicitor at Trowers & Hamlins LLP

EXPERTISE

Dorota started her housing career at Birmingham City Council before moving into private practice. She is Senior Associate at Trowers and Hamlins LLP in Birmingham, where she advises on all aspects of housing management.

ROLE

Andrew Atkinson
London Committee Member
Freelance Solicitor

EXPERTISE

Andrew Atkinson has worked as a lawyer in local government for more than 30 years. Qualifying in-house, he has had a varied career working for London borough councils and, latterly, Home Counties’ authorities in roles centred on litigation and and all aspects of social housing law. He is a founder member of SHLA and was a member of the Law Society’s Housing Law Committee for ten years.

ROLE

Elizabeth England
London Committee Member
Barrister at Five Paper

EXPERTISE

Elizabeth is an established property practitioner, with particular expertise in the fields of residential landlord and tenant, and social housing law.

ROLE

Nick Grundy KC
London Committee Member
Barrister and Head of Chambers at 5 Paper

EXPERTISE

Nick is an experienced property and public law barrister. He is instructed by local authorities and housing providers to deal with complex property and social housing matter. He has particular interest in covenants and estoppel.

ROLE

Elaine Marshall

London Committee Member

EXPERTISE

Elaine has been involved in social housing for over 30 years as a lawyer for tenants and social landlords and more recently as a board member of two housing associations.

Elaine worked for 10 years at East Thames Group, a Registered Provider of social housing and care and support throughout East London and Essex, where she was Head of Legal. Her previous in-house role was at Family Mosaic Housing Association. Before that she was head of the housing team in a law firm which acted predominantly for a wide range of social landlords. Prior to that she had mainly represented tenants whilst working for a South London Law Centre after training and practising in private practice in areas including housing, crime, family, and immigration.

Elaine did the conversion course in law (CPE) and Law Society Finals to qualify as a Solicitor after studying modern history for her first degree at Oxford University.

She has been a member of the Social Housing Law Association (SHLA) and its committee since shortly after its inception and served as vice chair for several years. (She is currently working for the Government Legal Department on the Covid Inquiry).