Leigh Shapiro is a partner at Winckworth Sherwood where she heads up the Leasehold Enfranchisement and Residential Property team, specialising in the area of residential landlord and tenant law. Leigh’s particular focus, since qualifying as a solicitor in September 2004, is on leasehold enfranchisement, lease extensions and the rights of long leaseholders and has been involved in numerous complex matters in this area of the law.
Leigh works for all parties involved in this area of law including individuals and groups of leaseholders, private and institutional landlords and anyone involved in residential leasehold law.
Working on leasehold enfranchisement matters is somewhat of a family legacy for Leigh, with her father noted for his work on enfranchisement within the chartered surveying industry. However, Leigh’s true inspiration for her work comes from once being a leaseholder herself. Leigh states “I was very lucky as a leaseholder, my block of flats had an active residents’ association and it worked hard to ensure that the interests of the residents were protected. This is something I have taken away with me and I am of the view that residents’ associations need to be proactive and efficient to inform residents of the rights they have. At Winckworth Sherwood, Leigh is continuing to promote the importance of leaseholders understanding their legal rights and to make sure they know what it is they acquiring when they are buying residential leasehold property”.
When not at work, Leigh is kept busy playing netball and tennis and keeping up with her 3 sons and miniature schnauzer.