Paul Barker

Gowling WLG are most popular: within Wealth Management and Compliance topic(s) with Senior Company Executives, HR and Inhouse Counsel with readers working within the Business & Consumer Services industries The Law Commission has launched its second consultation on business tenancies and renewal rights under Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. It may sound like a technical sideshow, but it isn't.

We are delighted to announce that Paul Barker, partner in Gowling WLG’s Real Estate Litigation team, has been appointed Vice Chair of the Property Litigation Association (PLA) following its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 20 November 2025 at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London. In his new role, Paul will work closely with the PLA Chair and Executive Committee to advance the Association’s strategic priorities while continuing to lead as Chair of the Regions Committee.

Following its first consultation on the future of security of tenure for business tenants under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, the Law Commission published an interim statement on the direction of reform on 4 June 2025. The Law Commission has concluded that: The security of tenure remains relevant, and the contracting-out model is the right model of excluding security. The current excluded types of tenancy (e.g. agricultural tenancies) will remain, but no additional categories will be excluded.