The 12th Annual CPO Convention 2025
A Deep Dive into CPO Practice
The purpose of this CPO Convention is to focus on some of the prominent and key areas of CPO practice. It delivers a nuts and bolts review of important and contentious practical matters, aimed at those who do CPO work; whether advising acquiring authorities or representing claimants.
| Start Date | Venue | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 September 2025 | Burges Salmon LLP, London | £280 | BOOK |
Note: All prices are to be paid in GBP and are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate
Speakers
- Gary Soloman, Partner, Burges Salmon LLP; CPA Wales Chair
- Michele Vas, Counsel, Dentons
- Henry Church MRICS, Senior Director, CBRE
- James Boddington, Associate Partner, Fisher German
- Nikita Sellers, Senior Associate, Town Legal LLP
- Michael Humphries KC, Barrister, Francis Taylor Building
- Jen Ashwell, Director, Burges Salmon
Programme
Building a Robust Claim:
- Entitlement and understanding heads of claim: Rule 2 vs Rule 5, severance and injurious affection, disturbance
- Structuring the claim – telling the story: Aligning evidence, narrative, and valuation logic to form a coherent and credible submission
- Evidence, evidence, evidence: What’s persuasive? Valuation reports, business accounts, planning records, and contemporaneous documents
- Avoiding overreach: Common pitfalls: padding, double-counting or including losses not directly caused by the acquisition
Mitigating the Claim:
- Claimant's duty to mitigate – what does it actually mean?
- Negotiation strategies and documenting the steps taken
- The value of early engagement and transparent communications
- When mitigation fails
- When claims go to Tribunal, what behaviours and actions will undermine your case?
Using the MHCLG Model Claim Form:
- Purpose and expectations
- Key sections and what to include – a practical walkthrough
- Common mistakes and omissions
- Digital readiness - structuring claims to be audit-proof and easy to follow in digital or hybrid case management systems
- How the form can support negotiation and disputes
Claimant’s Time:
- Entitlement
- Business loss or personal loss (Thomas Newall case)
Rule 5 – Equivalent Reinstatement – What does it mean? Practical issues that arise
Whilst Rule 5 valuations are not frequently encountered in CPO work, it’s surprising the amount of litigation that arises from it
- When is Rule 5 triggered - the 4 tests
- Entitlement
- What is "equivalent"?
- Re-provision
- Burdens on claimants
- Preference for agreement
- Timing
- Issues arising
Hope Value:
- When does hope value arise?
- Evidencing value
- Planning assumptions and disregards and the premise of Market Value
The Problems Associated with Schemes that Don’t Proceed (whether delayed, refused or cancelled):
- Impact on AA
- Impact on claimants
How Long Should a CPO Take – a panel discussion:
- Avoiding the rush. Where does inertia originate?
- Why delay till tomorrow what can be done today? The benefits to expediting a scheme
- Managing and mitigating mental health
Case Law