KEITH Songhurst, a partner at Birkett Long LLP, has been accepted as a member of the Property Litigation Association (PLA). There are only three members of the PLA in Essex, with Mr Songhurst becoming the only member based in the county town of Chelmsford.

KEITH Songhurst, a partner at Birkett Long LLP, has been accepted as a member of the Property Litigation Association (PLA).

There are only three members of the PLA in Essex, with Mr Songhurst becoming the only member based in the county town of Chelmsford.

The PLA is an organisation for professional lawyers who specialise in all aspects of commercial, residential and agricultural property litigation. Membership is only available to those who are able to demonstrate a full caseload of property litigation work and who have a particular specialism in this field.

Mr Songhurst, who was made a partner at Birkett Long in 2008, is widely experienced in both commercial and residential property litigation and has dealt with disputes in the county court, high court, leasehold valuation tribunal and lands tribunal.

He has appeared before the adjudicator to HM Land Registry and is skilled in dealing with contested lease renewals of business premises.

The PLA's members are drawn from a wide range of legal practices across England and Wales. The association provides a network for professionals acting in this arena, but also encourages education and training and interacts with the media and government in a lobbying capacity.

Mr Songhurst said: “The PLA is a well respected organisation that promotes the skills of property litigators. Becoming a member will enable me to stay at the forefront of an area of law that is under constant review - especially appropriate at a time of volatility in the property markets.”