John is an enthusiastic and capable property expert who can take a tough approach when required.”

Chambers UK 2025, Real Estate Litigation

John became a fully-qualified mediator in early 2015 and now specialising in mediating property, private client and related areas. He also lectures on aspects of mediation law and practice to solicitors in the South West and Wales. John is the Head of Property at St John’s Chambers and a barrister with nearly 25 years experience, almost entirely in the areas of property and private client.

John has a good success rate for achieving settlements at mediation. His style is friendly but direct and incisive. The qualities he most values in the mediation process are judgment, common sense and practicality. He looks to help the participants identify at an early stage what they can achieve from the process and explores ways in which they can do so.

In particular he applies his knowledge and expertise to help them evaluate their own case, where appropriate, and identify their real interests in order to achieve a principled and pragmatic solution.

He has been described as “very easy to deal with… very down to earth” and “particularly user-friendly and wise as can be” (Chambers UK 2015) and has been praised for his “commercial acumen” (Legal 500, 2015), attributes he brings to mediations.

Directory Quotes

John is a first-rate barrister. His advice is always clear, concise, and thorough. He is exceptional on his feet and also in dealing with clients. His broad, yet in-depth knowledge allow him to deal with the most complex of matters with ease. ‘He is my go-to barrister on important cases, and with clients he’s got an excellent manner and they trust him.’ “

Chambers UK 2024, Real Estate Litigation

John has a superb ability to identify and crystallise the issues and apply the law to them. He is thorough and decisive in his work and utterly reliable in this field.”

Legal 500 2023, Property & Construction

He is my go-to specialist in chancery. He is scarily intelligent and he will always find an angle that everyone has missed. He’s incredibly approachable, user-friendly and client-friendly. He is able to set out technical legal points clearly and concisely and in plain English. He is calm, collected and measured in his delivery.”

CHAMBERS UK 2022, CHANCERY

He’s incredibly approachable, user-friendly and client-friendly. He is able to set out technical legal points clearly, concisely and in plain English. He is also a very good trial advocate and never seems flustered; he is clam, collected and measured in his delivery. John is brilliant and a first choice in any complex and important property dispute.”

chambers uk 2022, REAL ESTATE LITIGATION

John has brilliant social and analytical skills. Quick both in terms of intellect and turnaround time. Solicitors wish he was able to clone himself.”

Legal 500 2022, Property and Construction

  • Qualifications & awards:

    • BA (Oxon) 1st Class 1986
    • LLM (Cantab) 1987
    • LLM (University of Pennsylvania) 1988
    • Thouron Scholar (University of Pennsylvania) 1987-8
    • Attorney-at-Law New York State 1991
    • Queen Mother’s Scholar 1992
    • Sachs Prize & Campbell-Foster Prize 1993 (all Middle Temple)

  • Professional memberships:

    • Member of Chancery Bar Association
    • Member of the Agricultural Law Association
    • Secretary of the Western Chancery & Commercial Bar Association

  • Additional information:

    Before joining the Bar, John practised as an attorney-at-law in a Wall Street law firm from 1989 to 1991. His practice there included contentious take-overs and major litigation for international banks, insurance companies and brokerage houses.

  • John Sharples is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please read here.