Professor Graham Chase boasts a number of accreditations and certifications in this space, having begun his professional career in the commercial property sector in 1975 and specialised in retail and leisure property since 1978. After holding a number of coveted positions across several renowned law firms, Graham established Chase and Partners in June 1995, giving him the opportunity to work for himself across areas including the retail and leisure sectors, representing landlords, tenants, developers, and authorities. Across a 50-year career, Graham has advised the private sector on the letting and funding of retail and leisure schemes to a combined value exceeding £10 billion; counselled on the development of more than 150 shopping centres, leisure centres, retail parks, and other commercial properties; and guided both central government and more than 40 local authorities across policy and other property-related issues. Graham also sits as an arbitrator on a variety of property disputes, highlighting his skills in this environment. Chairman of Chase and Partners until the merger back in 2022, Graham today works closely within the Chase Sinclair team, supporting the firm across a number of cases relating to arbitration in particular. These include being appointed as an arbitrator on development land close to Oxford Airport for a dispute relating to appropriate calculation of overage payable in various planning permission options, as well as handling cases for the likes of pubs, hotels, and retailers alike from across the UK, helping them secure quick outcomes. Speed is just one benefit of investing in a property arbitrator, with another advantage being the cost-effective nature of this service compared to court proceedings. Settling out of court is also a more private way of handling a dispute, and with arbitrators like Graham being experienced in handling all kinds of cases, their services can be trusted by both parties. In Graham’s case, he has been a member of the RICS President’s Dispute Resolution Panel since 1998 and issued over 150 awards and determinations across his career. Though he has been named Arbitrator of the Year 2026 (England & Wales) in this programme, Graham’s expertise does not end here, as he also specialises in alternative dispute resolution and valuation. Regardless of which of these areas he is focusing on at any particular time, Graham’s approach always sees him put clients first. This is seen through him providing a bespoke service and ensuring fees are both proportionate and affordable, as well as ensuring that any arbitration decisions are both clear and fully explained. Going a step further, Graham told us: “All of the decisions I make are practical and reflect the reality of the property market, as well as being fully supported by both the law of the relevant jurisdiction and advice from other assessors in a measured and proportionate way.” As a result, the expertise and experience Graham Chase adds as either an arbitrator or an independent expert add weight to any decision and reasoning to the issue in dispute. The same distinction is seen across Chase Sinclar Clark more broadly. Shifting our focus finally to the firm, Graham believes that it is set apart as a result of the independence, action, and in-depth expertise it stands for in the field of commercial and retail property services. Moreover, commenting on its culture, Graham explained the close and professional relationships it thrives off of, with a mutual respect for the expertise and ability of the individuals behind it, as well as their profiles as human beings in the ‘real world’ outside of property arbitration, despite resolution, and valuation. As for the next steps of Chase Sinclair Clark, Graham shared that its future plans are to continue to learn and advise clients in a way that does not lead them to pursue a matter where they have little chance of success. Winning may be important, but it is not as crucial as seeing that it has of all the answers so that a client can make the right decision at the appropriate time and with minimal cost incurred. For embodying this across his work at Chase Sinclair Clark, it is our pleasure to champion Graham Chase here in this programme. Contact: Graham Chase Company: Chase Sinclair Clark Web Address: https://chasesinclairclark.co.uk/ Formed in late 2022, Chase Sinclair Clark combines the former practices of Chase and Partners and Sinclair Clark. The firm leverages the strong ethics, working practices, and expertise of both Professor Graham Chase and Vanessa Clark, and the strengths of their former practices complement one another and result in more services being made available for clients across both the public and private sectors. On the back of his recognition in this programme, we caught up with Graham for more. Arbitrator of the Year 2026 (England & Wales): Graham Chase
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