Gwydion Hughes

Gwydion Hughes

Year of Call: 1994
Clerk: Michael Lieberman

Gwydion specialises in commercial, chancery and public law work. 

His practice includes company law and insolvency, land law, probate and trusts, inheritance and family provision, local government, planning, landlord and tenant and professional negligence as well as public inquiries. He handles advisory and advocacy work for the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and is a fluent Welsh speaker.

His public law work includes advising and representing local authorities in local government vires matters concerning the consultation and legality of decision making as well as social care obligations and continuing care. 

Gwydion has been appointed to the A Panel of the Attorney General’s Civil Counsel Regional Panel for five years from 1st March 2021. He sits as a Fee-Paid Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber).

Chambers UK 2022 recommend him in Band 1 for Chancery they comment "He is very user-friendly and great with clients.  He is the safe pair of hands I would go to for chancery matters.  He is focused and very precise." 

"Previously Chambers UK reported that "he is very impressive, very reasonable, clever and a smooth operator,” “an excellent advocate, he is very bright and gives very clear advice” and that he is "a leading chancery practitioner who is particularly acclaimed for handling property and contentious trusts cases. He is also an expert in partnership disputes." Amongst his strengths is that  "intellectually he is very sharp and his written advice is always very accurate and to the point.  "He is prompt when dealing with matters and he has a great ability to deal with clients. He pays attention to detail whilst at the same time sees the wider picture." "He is very easy to deal with as an opposition barrister.   In court he is able, competent,  He's got a long-established reputation and a good relationship with the local bench"  he  is "experienced and extremely approachable." 

The Legal 500 2021 list that "he stands alone as the best barrister in South Wales for Chancery work."  In previous editions they report that "his advocacy skills are brilliant." They have commented that "his practice includes restrictive covenants, insolvency and contentious probate," that he is "experienced in Chancery cases involving contentious trusts and probate," that "his expertise spans company and partnership disputes, insolvency, trusts and probate" and that he i "an extremely able commercial and Chancery practitioner, knowledgeable in private client, insolvency and company law.

Previous Commercial Dispute Resolution recommendations include that he is "Super, he is a very balanced and coherent advocate who takes good points," that he "has a broad commercial practice which covers professional negligence claims and contractual disputes concerning the supply of goods and services. He receives instructions from a range of clients including major corporations and local government authorities" that he is a "a stellar practitioner; an effective opponent with a patient, strategic mind" and that "he's a quite formidable jury advocate,"

His recent reported cases include:

Edwards v Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC [2015] J.P.L. 237 - appellate jurisdiction of the Upper Tribunal (Land Chamber) regarding Certificates of Alternative Development in the context of compulsory purchase

Heesom v Public Services Ombudsman for Wales [2014] All E.R. 269 - compatibility of Welsh devolved standards in public life regime with Article 10 rights 

Evans v Lloyd [2013] 2 P. & C.R. DG21 - applicability of the doctrine of unconscionable bargain to gifts

R (Calver) v The Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 - compatibility of Welsh devolved standards in public life regime with Article 10 rights 

Gwydion’s Commercial and Business Disputes caseload includes: 

  • Commercial property including dilapidations and rent review
  • Common law contractual disputes
  • Company law including directors’ duties and shareholders agreements
  • Insolvency
  • Partnership
  • Professional negligence
  • Residential property including landlord and tenant and leasehold enfranchisement

Gwydion’s Chancery caseload includes

Land 

  • Adverse possession
  • Boundaries
  • Easements
  • Land Registration
  • Map Rectification
  • Planning
  • Restrictive covenants
  • Sales and Trust of Land 

Trusts & Probate 

  • Administration of estates
  • Contentious Probate
  • Implied, constructive and resulting Trusts
  • Inheritance Act
  • Wills 

Gwydion is a member of the Chancery Bar Association, Treasurer of the Wales Commercial Law Association and Secretary of the Wales & Chester Circuit Specialist Court Bar Association. He was educated at Llanidloes High School before going on to study law at University College Cardiff and for the Bar at the Inns of Court School of Law. He accepts instructions under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme.