Gareth Reeds

• Barrister, England and Wales (Call: 2001 Lincoln’s Inn)
• Attorney and Counselor-at-Law of the State of New York, U.S.A. (Admission: 2012)
• Attorney and Counselor-at-Law of the District of Columbia, U.S.A. (Admission: 2018)

Gareth is a Barrister in London and Attorney and Counselor-at-law both in the State of New York and in Washington, D.C.. As a lawyer he practises in most areas of civil and commercial litigation and Employment law, regularly undertaking advisory work whilst maintaining a busy court practice.

Additionally, Gareth is currently one of only around one hundred self-employed barristers authorised by the Bar Standards Board to conduct litigation in England and Wales, meaning that his clients have access to a broader legal practice.

He often appears as sole advocate in a variety of courts and tribunals, including the County Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and employment tribunals.

Gareth has full rights of audience as an advocate and rights to conduct litigation in all courts in England and Wales, upto and including the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.  He also has rights of audience in the General Court (of the European Union), the European Court of Justice, New York State courts, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

His first degree is in Law. Whilst reading Law, he further studied German Law to be awarded a Bachelors in European Law with Honours. Having then come top of his year for his Masters, he won first prize in his Masters in European Business Law degree (which he undertook in The Netherlands). His Masters was taught by leading academics and practitioners in the EU, including the current President of the European Court of Justice. Gareth also obtained the highest marks amongst non-native German speakers for his Diploma in German Law. He subsequently went on to gain a very competent in his Bar Finals at Inns of Court School of Law, in addition to his Lincoln’s Inn scholarships.

Over the years he has engaged with German law professors by advising on the conflict of laws with English and German law.

Gareth’s commercial experience has included negotiation, mediations, employment disputes and various forms of corporate financing. He has widespread experience in dealing with particularly acrimonious commercial disputes and is highly regarded for his ability to bring a level-headed perspective to negotiations and resolve disputes on highly favourable terms to his clients.

His clients range from individuals and small businesses to larger international and domestic financial institutions and insurers, including FTSE 100, Fortune 500 and UK, EU and US startup companies, family offices as well as liquidators and administrators. 

Gareth is regularly instructed by prominent and world-renowned artists in the music entertainment industry in relation to his music law and entertainment practice.

Gareth is a Hardwicke Entrance and Walter Wigglesworth Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn.

He also provides pro bono legal assistance in certain situations.

Gareth has, over many years, also devoted time to various charitable matters and sits as trustee on International non-profit organisations and foundations.

Practice Areas

Gareth has broad experience of and takes instructions in England and Wales for:
 

• Applications and Hearings in the High Court  (Chancery Division, Commercial Court and TCC) (trials, CMCs and interim applications)
• Applications and Hearings in the County Court (trials, CMCs and interim applications)
• Employment matters in Employment tribunals and the EAT (both for employees and employers)
• Winding Up and Insolvency matters in both the Companies Court of the High Court and County Court
• Appellate Court work at various levels
• Mediations
• Drafting contractual and court documentation

He frequently practises in, and is therefore particularly able to advise on and be instructed to appear in court in, the following areas:
 

• Commercial law (including sale of goods, the law of mortgages and guarantees)
• Corporate/Company law (including shareholder disputes, share options and mergers)
• Intellectual Property protection
• Employment disputes
• Shareholder and Partnership disputes
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy law
• Consumer law (including the law of mortgages and guarantees)
• Professional Negligence
• Landlord and Tenant law

Select Cases

Gareth has worked upon many cases and deals over the years.  A few of these include:
 

• Advisory work on cross border multi-national oil and gas contracts with values in excess of $2bn
• Overseas takeovers by UK and EU entities of US corporations (including $500m hostile takeover of US-headquartered multi-national)
• Breaches of Music Copyright by Major International Music Label in relation to U.K. Top Ten Music Charts Number 1 hit
• Disputes between major figures in the Music Industry
• Reverse takeovers in UK and overseas
• FIA Formula One motorsport breaches of contract - including work on the FIA Concorde Agreement
• Successful Defence in respect of Enforcement of Judgment of Swiss court in England and Wales
• Establishment of Chinese subsidiaries in the UK
• Contentious litigation against Chinese State enterprises, including one in excess of RNB 4bn
• Advisory work on regulatory aspects of multi-million pound cross-border selling of pharma in the Federal Republic of Germany
• Contentious probate family disputes in the High Court concerning wills and overseas property
• Pakistani Family Share dispute in London courts
• Highly-Contentious removal of joint-controlling shareholder in UK company
• Contentious matters against UK-based Consulates and Embassies
• Advisory work on Russian corporate takeover worth RUB 6bn
• African mineral rights disputes worth in excess of NGN 3bn
• Settlement in major US Motor manufacturer cross-border dispute and breaches of contract in excess of $500m
• Advisory work on IPOs - including London Tech company IPO valued at £750m

Over the past 20 years Gareth also has experience of working with and is available to work as a junior to Silks or other senior practitioners. He has worked as part of the advocacy team on complex legal trials in the Commercial Court with leading QCs, in addition to high value appeals in the Court of Appeal.

Instructions from Overseas

Gareth has a Diploma in German law from the University of Bayreuth in Bavaria (one of the top German law faculties) and is able to advise on civil aspects of German law and the private international law of both England and Germany. He is able to take instructions in German, French, Spanish and Dutch and is frequently instructed to give advice to overseas clients, including on cross-border transactions.

US-based clients can instruct Gareth under his New York State or District of Columbia law license or in his capacity as a Barrister and Litigator in England and Wales. Please ask for further information.

Reported Cases

Significant reported cases include:

Punjab National Bank (International) Limited v Techtrek India Ltd. & ors [2020] EWHC 539 (Ch); [2020] All ER (D) 123 (Mar); 3 WLUK 221; evidential burden of proof in summary judgment applications; compliance with paragraph 18 of Practice Direction 32 of the CPR  

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals v Munur and anr. [2008] EWHC 199 (Admin); [2008] All ER (D) 05 (Jan); [2008] LLR 411; (2008) ACD 42; (2008) 172 JPN 403; (2008) 105(4) LSG 24; powers of confiscation under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Memberships

European Circuit                    

Bar European Group

American Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

The District of Columbia Bar

Languages

German
French
Spanish
Dutch (written)

Italian (basic)

For full details on Gareth's practice, both in relation to his qualifications as a barrister and attorney and regarding fees, please email using the link below or speak to anyone on the administration team.

Click to Email PA

(Rev: 12/20)

Barristers Chambers in London

Canary Wharf Chambers

Level 18 40 Bank Street

Canary Wharf

LONDON

E14 5NR

United Kingdom

DX 42659 ISLE OF DOGS

t: +44 (0)20 7183 8011

t: +44 (0)20 7183 8012

f: +44 (0)20 7183 8830

Also:

NY: +1 (212) 202-0822

DC: +1 (202) 800-9998

Or use our contact form.

Business hours

London:

08.30 - 22.00 (GMT/BST)

United States:

03.30 - 17.00 Eastern

00.30 - 14.00 Pacific

(thru Oct 27 2024)

Australia:

18.30 - 08.00 AEDT (Sydney / Melbourne / ACT)

(until Oct 27 2024)

18.00 - 07.30 ACDT

(Adelaide)

(until Oct 27 2024)

17.30 - 07.00 AEST

(Brisbane / Cairns)

(until Oct 27 2024)

17.00 - 06.30 ACST

(Darwin)

14.30 - 04.00 AWST

(Perth)

(until Oct 27 2024)

South Africa:

09.30 - 23.00

(until Oct 27 2024)

India:

13.00 - 02.30

(until Oct 27 2024)

China / Singapore

15.30 - 05.00

(until Oct 27 2024)

New Zealand:

20.30 - 10.00 NZDT

(until Oct 27 2024)

Full Litigation Services Available

Click here for further information

Barristers Chambers in London