The person

Ada is a third culture individual having grown up in various countries across the world. Ada completed her LLB at University of Birmingham and completed her LPC with MSC in Law, Business and Management at University of Law.

Ada is multi-lingual and in addition to English, she is also fluent in speaking Cantonese and Mandarin.

In her spare time, Ada has an interest in reading, traveling, baking and playing the violin.

Meet Yan Ying (Ada) Chu

Associate Solicitor

Ada is an Associate Solicitor at Witan Solicitors. She joined the firm as a Litigation Executive in August 2020, became a Trainee Solicitor in 2021 and qualified as a Solicitor in 2023.

Ada works across the full breadth of litigation work at Witan Solicitors with a particular focus on commercial and civil litigation. Ada has led and assisted with various high-value disputes for both individuals and companies, including shareholder and director disputes, breach of directors’ duties, partnership disputes, Insurance disputes, joint venture disputes, construction disputes, insolvency disputes among others.

Ada strives in dealing with cases that are challenging and technical which would require diligence and thoroughness in the cases she undertakes. Ada provides concrete commercial advice so that they can make informed commercial decisions.

Ada has experience of acting for complex, high-value commercial disputes at all stages of litigation and adept at changing her hand at various areas. Ada also has experience as a sole advocate and assisted on numerous hearings in both the High Court and County Court.

Some of Ada's notable cases:

Commercial Disputes

B and Ors v N & M [2024] – Claim for specific performance regarding share buyback agreements for the value of circa £7 million.

G v T [2024] – Defending forfeiture proceedings from the landlord for a pub and successfully resisted forfeiture at the first hearing

W v R [2024] – Defending dilapidations claim from the Landlord which was successfully settled

T v S and Ors [2023] (Commercial Court) – Seeking recovery of a large unpaid loan involving cross border matters and foreign jurisdictions.

N and M v P and Ors [2023] – settled a shareholders dispute in a large company which led to a demerger in part of the group and a share buyback in the trading company.

A v M [2023] EWHC (Chancery) - Acting on behalf of a company in a breach of Directors duty claim and successfully obtained a freezing order.

K v A [2023] – Breach of director duty claim against a former director of a company

W & Ors v S [2023] - Defended a claim regarding the ownership of a commercial property and successfully negotiated a settlement

J v X [2023] - Successfully resisted an application to set aside Default Judgment

Advice to a private equity firm relating to their investment in Turkey [2022].

D v I [2022] EWHC (TCC) - Joint venture dispute between 2 commercial parties relating to 5 residential developments.

M v S [2022] – Defending large dilapidations claim and pursuing the undertenant under a Part 20 claim.

A v L [2022] - Successfully set aside Default Judgment and was granted permission to rely on Defence

V v H and Ors [2021] BPC – dispute between two large haulage companies relating to ownership of plant.

O & Ors v M & Ors [2021] BPC – Successfully settled a long running business dispute at the start of a 5 day hearing where Qarrar was the instructed Advocate.

H v A [2021] - Bought a claim against a supplier for breach of contract and settled the matter shortly after CCMC

Construction

Adjudication

Ada has been instructed on adjudication matters at various stages including drafting adjudication pleadings and documents and depending on complexity and value of the claim, to work alongside Counsel to commence or defend adjudication claims.

H v R [2024] – Enforcing an adjudication award of around £100,000.

R v R [2024] – Contested the jurisdiction of the adjudicator and filed a reservation of rights

D v CCH [2023] – Pursued 3 simultaneous adjudications with a total value of over £1.2million.

B v W [2022] – Successfully defended a smash and grab adjudication against a subcontractor.

Court Proceedings

Ada has been instructed on various construction matters at different stages of Court proceedings by a variety of clients such as residential and commercial clients as individuals and companies. Such as but not limited to:-

R v W [2024] – Dispute with landlord over breach of planning permission for the development of neighbouring land

C [2024] – Advising on the development of Leaseholder’s flats and the communal area whilst considering the extent of permitted development and any of the neighbour’s rights

W v E [2023] – Disputing monies due under a building contract for a residential home and successfully settled the claim

R v Ors [2023] – Claim for damages and loss arising from aborted works on a construction site due to breaches of easements and rights of way after 2 successful injunctions against the neighbour

K v B [2022] (TCC) – Issued claim for breach of contract regarding a new build property against a developer

G v L [2022] – Represented the client at court and successfully obtained judgment and costs for breach of contract against a sole trader builder for defective works

D v L [2022] – Dispute under a JCT Design and Build Contract (2016) which was successfully settled after the CCMC.

A v R [2022] – Defended a breach of contract claim for a wraparound house extension.

K v R [2021] (TCC) – Defended a breach of contract claim for a house extension.

M v M [2021] - Negotiated a settlement with the other side to stop an application for an Order for Sale, remove the Final Charging Order and setting aside a Final Charging Order

F v M [2021]– Negotiated a settlement with the other side to set aside a Final Charging Order and Default Judgment

Z v M [2020] – Defended a breach of contract claim regarding extension and refurbishment works and settled the matter before trial

TOLATA

B and Ors v N & M [2024] – TOLATA claim for a property which has been used for a family business over significant amount of time

G v A [2023] – TOLATA dispute for a property for a previously cohabiting couple and negotiated a successful outcome for the client

V v R [2023] – TOLATA dispute for a property for a previously cohabiting couple and negotiated a framework for settlement for the client

Insolvency

4 v P [2024] – Petitioning for the winding up petition of the defendant company over the unpaid sums arising out of an overage clause

T v C [2024] – Petitioned for the winding up of a London based trading house over unpaid sums due to an American Software company under an English contract

G v L [2024] – Successfully settled a winding up petition over sums due under a leasehold agreement

Z v S [2023] EWHC (Chancery) – Successfully petitioned for the winding up of the defendant company for an unpaid costs order.

H v S [2021] - Assisted on a matter and was successful resisting an individual bankruptcy application for a KC

Contentious Probate (Will Dispute Solicitors in Northampton, London & Birmingham)

M & Ors v B & Ors [2023] BPC – defending a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

B v B [2021] EWHC (Chancery) – defended a Section 50 Administration of Justice Act application to have an Administratrix removed from office.

B v B [2021] BPC – Enforcement application in a long running family dispute concerning properties in Birmingham.

K v S [2021] BPC – successfully defended a breach of Trust claim against an Administrator.

A v J [2022] - Defended a claim regarding the distribution of an Estate and Trust from a sole beneficiary and successfully settled this at an FDR

Costs

G v L [2024] – Defending a claim for costs which was approaching £200,000.

A v G [2024] – Seeking costs of over £30,000

A v RG [2023] – Defending a claim for costs which is approaching £100,000.

D v P [2023] – Defending a claim for costs which was over £50,000.

Defamation

Ada has experience from representing individuals such as a solicitor and companies against defamation, illustrating the serious harm suffered and the losses incurred.

Regulatory

Ada has been instructed on various regulatory work which involved queries and interviews from the local Council.

C v H [2023] – Made written representations to the local Council regarding HMO licensing and negotiated a satisfactory outcome for the client

C v A [2023] – Made written representations to the local Council regarding HMO licensing and negotiated a satisfactory outcome for the client

D v A [2022] – Successfully appealed the local Council’s financial penalty regarding failure to comply with Improvement Notice and negotiated a satisfactory outcome for the client

D v W [2021] – Successfully defended the local Council’s queries regarding breach of trading standards

Land (Boundary, Easements and Covenants)

Advising on the development of Leaseholder’s flats and the communal area whilst considering the extent of permitted development and any of the neighbour’s rights [2024]

Advising an individual with freehold interest in land regarding rights of way and any other easements and covenants in relation to their land in light of their neighbours’ actions and conduct [2024]

Advising individuals with freehold interest in land regarding the rights of way and likely boundary in light of their developments on land and their neighbours actions and conduct [2024]

Advising a company with freehold interest in land regarding whose obligations it is to undertake repair works [2022]

T - M [2022] Drafting skeleton arguments for trial regarding a boundary dispute regarding an easement and was praised by opposing Counsel for ingenious arguments

Advising individuals regarding the easements and covenants in their land following various changes to the historic title and plans following a land surveyor’s report [2022]

Merger & Acquisitions

Ada has experienced assisted in merger and acquisitions for sole traders, individuals and companies.

Professional Negligence and Professional Standards

S v C [2023] - Defending against allegations of breach of professional standards

S v A [2023] - Defending against allegations of breach of Architecture Code

M v T [2023] - Bought a claim for breach of contract and professional negligence against a family solicitor