John was called to the Bar in 1976 and held the position of Deputy Registrar of Deeds and Title in the Property Registration Authority from 2004 to 2012.

Prior to that role he held a number of senior positions in the Authority including Chief Examiner of Titles and Ground Rents Arbitrator.

While Deputy Registrar he was actively involved in the considerations relating to the extension of compulsory first registration, the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 and the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, (which provided for the registration of easements and profits a prendre acquired by prescription).

He was also involved in the development of electronic services including the updating and online provision of the Land Registry Practice Directions, digitization of the Land Register and associated Title Maps, Electronic discharges of Mortgages and Electronic Registration of Nursing Home Charges.

Since leaving the Land Registry in 2012 he has practiced extensively as a Land Registration Consultant and has advised practitioners on a wide variety of complex land registration matters including applications for first registration of large multi-unit and office developments, applications based upon adverse possession, the registration of easements acquired by prescription, trusts and settlements, sales by receivers and mortgagees, boundary rectifications and applications to acquire the fee simple under the Landlord and Tenants Acts.