About > Bank of Bios
Abigail Walters, Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
I am a planning solicitor and for more than ten years a large majority of my work has been compulsory purchase related. Having acted both for promoters and claimants I feel this would enable me to represent you, the members of the CPA, in the best way possible. The work of the CPA in achieving recent law reform has been significant in bringing improvements to the system and I feel strongly about the need for further reform.
I am a partner within the planning team at Shakespeare Martineau based in their Leicester office in the East Midlands but also working out of our Birmingham and London offices. Having links with both London and the Regions will enable me to assist the CPA Committee and both the London and Regional members.
I qualified as a solicitor 17 years ago in Local Government and worked in two London Boroughs before spending nearly 11 years with Berwin Leighton Paisner in London. I have worked on the promotion of numerous compulsory purchase orders for acquiring authorities through to confirmation and beyond, in relation to mixed use town centre regeneration, estate renewal schemes and infrastructure provision for utility companies. This gives me a good understanding of the process from an acquiring authority’s perspective.
Since moving out of London in 2014, I have acted primarily for claimants, from utility companies to individuals, affected by compulsory purchase in all its various guises, whether CPO’s, DCO’s, TWAO’s or Hybrid Bills. This work has given me a very good insight in to the problems faced by claimants, and their advisors, in seeking equity in our compensation system and highlighted other significant issues faced by parties affected by the processes of compulsory acquisition generally.
I have been an active member of the CPA for over 6 years and regularly attend CPA events both in London and the Midlands. I regularly engage in CPA and law reform consultations generally and I am currently co-opted onto the law reform sub committee. If elected I would be honoured to give my time to the work of the CPA, as I feel strongly that the CPA has an increasingly important role to play in shaping the law, policy and practice relating to compulsory acquisition.