Lauren Day

My Approach

I take pride in delivering concise, robust and commercially viable advice. I appreciate that whether my client is a business or an individual, most of the time their best interests are served by avoiding court based proceedings. I am a keen advocate of mediation but in cases where proceedings are unavoidable, I enjoy taking the initiative and pushing hard for the right result.

Area of Expertise

I have a split practice between contentious trust and probate claims and high value contractual/property related disputes. Including:

• Complex contractual disputes often relating to property development
• Acting for residential property developers in relation to boundary disputes, Party Wall Act claims and other related contractual claims
• Acting for commercial construction companies including Arbitration and Adjudication proceedings
• Professional negligence claims
• Restrictive covenant disputes
• Planning related disputes - including Judicial Review
• Challenging the validity of Wills
• Claims concerning Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
• Court of Protection applications
• Removal of executors
• Probate actions relating to estate administration
• Challenging unauthorised transactions & Life-time gifts
• Undue influence
• Proprietary estoppel claims

Recent Work

• Acting for a property developer in a complex contractual dispute valued in excess of £12m
• Advising a beneficiary of a will with regard to prospective equitable contract claim with an estimated value of £1m
• Successfully pursuing a proprietary estoppel claim regards a farm with a value of £6m
• Successfully defending a Judicial Review application concerning a significant residential development on Bournemouth Overcliff
• Recovering significant damages for a client arising from negligent solicitor advice relating to the purchase of a property for residential development
• Pursuing an Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claim on behalf of a spouse
• Successfully challenging the validity of a Will on the grounds of lack of testimony capacity
• Defending a claim by a spouse for entitlement under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
• Representing an executor in dispute with their co-executor including advice regards unauthorised transactions and alleged gifts
• R (Meyrick) v Bournemouth BC (2015) Lauren acted for the successful developer in this Judicial Review case that examined the proper approach to viability and heritage assets under para.133 of the NPPF

Professional Associations & Qualifications

• Recognised as a key contact for Litigation in Chambers & Partners UK Guide 2025 - "Ellis Jones is one of the only firms I know where you can guarantee their partner quality is excellent. They only seem to hire people who have that client care quality that is so important."
• Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 UK 2025 for Commercial Litigation - 'Extremely knowledgeable, client-friendly and experienced in commercial litigation’, Contentious Trusts & Probate - noted for her wide-reaching knowledge of property and inheritance disputes, and finally for Property Litigation - "Lauren Day is a very experienced solicitor that often deals with high value and complex property disputes. She is excellent with clients, personable, yet thorough in her work."
• Ranked in Band 2 for Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide 2024 for Private Wealth Disputes - "Lauren has a good way of dealing with people. She is clear and concise on what the law is and how it should be applied - being fair, firm and reasonable and bringing humanity to the situation." and "Lauren has a wealth of expertise and she makes me feel confident. She involves me in the process by keeping me up to date and she is prompt to respond to my enquiries. She provides excellent service."
• Leading Individual in The Legal 500 (UK 2024) for Commercial Litigation - noted to have “encyclopaedic knowledge of commercial litigation”
• Ranked as an Individual in Band 3 for Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide 2023 for Private Wealth Disputes - "Lauren clearly is outstanding, she has made me feel valued." "Lauren Day has been absolutely superb during a stressful situation. She has not only supported us during the legal process, she has always shown a real interest and understanding of the impact on her clients' lives.”
• Ranked in Chambers & Partners (UK 2023) for Litigation - "In multiparty cases against difficult opponents they have kept impressive control of where the case is going."
• Leading Individual in The Legal 500 (UK 2023) for Commercial Litigation - noted to have "an outstanding reputation for driving high value disputes" as well as "vast experience in commercial litigation, and is always calm and unflappable."
• Leading Individual in Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide 2022 for Private Wealth Disputes - described as “fiercely determined and a wonderful advocate for her clients. This strength and determination is almost hidden behind her friendly and humorous exterior, but she is definitely the person to have on your side in any dispute!"
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2022) for Contentious Trusts & Probate and Commercial Litigation - highlighted as a leading individual as well as the litigation department being described as "one of the best litigation firms in Dorset, Hampshire and the south-west".
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2020) for Contentious Trusts & Probate and Commercial Litigation - described as having 'excellent judgement and great interpersonal skills' .
• The Times Top 200 Law Firms (2020) - 'Lauren Day, head of dispute resolution, successfully defended a judicial review application about a significant residential development in Bournemouth Overcliff. She also acted for a property developer in a complex contractual dispute worth more than £12 million.'
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2019) Contentious Trusts & Probate, Commercial Litigation and Wills, Trusts & Probate. Recognised for particular experience in dealing with high-value contractual disputes in high-net-worth.
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2018) Contentious Trusts & Probate, Commercial Litigation and Wills, Trusts & Probate - being described as 'highly competent and pragmatic'
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2017) for leading Commercial Litigation as well as Contentious Trusts & Probate - the team is recognised as being able to handle 'a broad range of commercial disputes'
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2016) for Contentious Trusts & Probate law - described as being ‘excellent' and her department as 'streets ahead'
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2016) for Commercial Litigation
• Member of the Charity Law Association
• ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust & Probate Solicitors - Associate Member)
• Qualified as a solicitor in September 2009
• Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Commendation)
• LLB Law Degree (2:1)