In Memoriam LIONEL FYNN (CONTINUED)

In latter years, following the shift of licensing practice from magistrates to local authorities as the first tier for applications, Lionel concentrated far more on his expertise in planning law. He built up his planning practice to the extent that at one time he had 10 planning consultants and several planning solicitors working in the planning department of the firm with him. He would spend incredibly long hours preparing for planning appeals and conducting his own advocacy in public inquiries. He never baulked at challenging decisions which he thought were legally incorrect to the point where a well-known planning law King’s Counsel advised that outside London Lionel provided him with more High Court challenges and Judicial Reviews than all other instructions together that he received from outside London!

Lionel was recognised by Chambers and Partners as a leading individual in his field and in the Legal 500 as a Legal Expert. He was nominated by Planning Magazine as one of the top 50 planning solicitors in the country and has been referred to as “a wonderfully eloquent advocate”. Lionel loved his work, so much so he continued to practice with his planning expertise caseload until his death, which sadly came all too soon.

Outside the law, Lionel had a great number of interests and was always quick to assist anyone seeking his help on any issue. How he found time for all he did is hard to imagine. He had a great sense of humour and a caring and compassionate temperament. Lionel had an avid passion for all things aeronautical. He arranged many events for friends and clients involving gliders, hot air balloons, numerous aircraft including a prototype Tiger