Five minutes with…Deia Russell-Smith

As appeared in Property Week 6 September 2024.

The in-house lawyer and light obstruction notices lead at GIA Surveyors on how she got started in property, her number-one travel destination, her favourite book and album and what she would do with £1m.

How did you join the property industry?

I have been interested in property, planning and environmental law since my land law module at university. Joining GIA’s legal team in 2023 enabled me to start my career in property. My interest in the built environment stems from the impact property has on individuals and society.

What does your job entail?

A significant part of my job entails managing legal risk to the company by negotiating the terms of GIA’s legal contracts with our clients. The second component of my job involves the serving of light obstruction notices (LONs) with GIA’s surveyors. This is a very interesting area to work in as the law and procedure for serving LONs can be uncertain: there are ongoing debates about when a LON should be served, what constitutes a ‘building’ under the Rights of Light Act 1959 and whether you can extinguish individual leaseholders’ rights.

What do you like most about the property industry?

Citing case law from the 18th century, my land law tutor often joked that nothing in property law ever changes. I think this makes the industry interesting because there are a lot of unknowns. Many principles are yet to be tested in court and there is much room for interpretation, which is great for keeping me on my toes.

And what do you dislike most about it?

Unfortunately, the property industry still lacks diversity. This is also true of the legal profession working in property, real estate and planning generally. In my experience, property law is not very accessible for women or those from under-represented groups.

Organisations such as ALBA and PEBA as well as law firms and chambers are increasing diversity through methods such as guaranteed interviews and mentoring schemes. However, generally there is still a long way to go.

What would you change about the property industry?

I would make it more accessible – not only from a diversity perspective but also by increasing access to CPDs, talks and networking, which tend to be very expensive.

What barriers or challenges have you overcome?

I attended a state-run Steiner school where the focus was less on academic subjects and more on holistic learning through woodwork, knitting, sewing and crafts. Being the first in my family to attend university, I was behind my peers when I started at Oxford and struggled with imposter syndrome. I have learned to view these challenges in a positive light, however. For example, my unusual schooling made me patient and attentive to detail, as well as able to solve problems creatively and to think outside the box.

What are you most proud of in your career?

I am very proud to say I will be joining Cornerstone Barristers as a pupil in October 2025. Receiving pupillage is a huge achievement and something I am particularly proud of given the challenges I have overcome.

What do you value in people?

I value humility. The people I’ve learned the most from in my career are those who do not take themselves too seriously, value everyone’s opinions despite their seniority and are non-judgemental of stupid questions.

What advice would you give someone starting a career in the property industry?

It is important to develop a tolerance for failure. Resilience to failure is something that can certainly be practised and is essential if you are a high-achieving person.

In such a competitive career, there are going to be setbacks, so being able to bounce back with more determination than before is invaluable.

 

Favourite ALBUM

I love Definitely Maybe by Oasis – there isn’t a single song that isn’t fantastic. I played this album nonstop as a teenager and listening to it never fails to take me back.

FAVOURITE BOOK?

I recently enjoyed Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, a must-read classic reminiscent of the upper-class decadence in the period before the Second World War. Interestingly, this grandeur is explored through architectural motifs. The protagonist becomes an architectural painter, and the fall of the aristocratic Brideshead family is mirrored in the sale of Brideshead castle.

Favourite DESTINATION?

Montenegro is somewhere I absolutely love to visit. My partner and I have been twice and have celebrated many special milestones and events in Herceg Novi, the town we stay in, so it has become particularly special. Montenegro has an interesting and fraught history, which can be seen in the architecture and museums.

HOW TO SPEND £1m?

I’d invest it in property. My partner and I have already taken on medium-sized renovation projects and my dream would be to ‘flip’ a grade II-listed Georgian manor house in need of extending and renovating. I love restoring and revealing period features through texture and colour, as well as getting my hands dirty with a bit of DIY.