Garry’s broad litigation practice covers disputes in most commercial sectors and includes corporate, finance and property disputes, as well as professional negligence claims. Garry represents his clients in proceedings mainly in the High Court and County Courts of England & Wales.
Garry’s clients are based in the UK and overseas.
Garry's attention to detail has been meticulous, strengthening our position and greatly assisting us in securing a number of very successful outcomes. Whilst his advice is always pragmatic and measured, Garry has repeatedly gained the advantage in negotiations and takes advantage of every opportunity to put the other side on the back foot. We are very grateful for his stalwart support at often difficult times.
J Clarke, Managing Partner, Clarke Lawson Property, London.
For any contentious matter, we rely on Garry’s clear legal analysis and wealth of experience. He is our first and only call; our go-to lawyer for any potential dispute.
General Counsel – Declan Tarpey
TASC (The African Stove Company Limited)
Thank you for doing an incredible job. Excellent advice and guidance as always. Always a pleasure working with you.
Mary Cole, Managing Director
Whitespace Exhibitions LimitedI just wanted to thank you personally. Your hard work, dedication and your great support in this and in all those other matters has been terrific, and much appreciated.
Erik Pordes, Chairman
Imago Publishing Limited
Expertise
Commercial
- Sale of goods and services
- Professional/consultancy services
- Agency/distributorship agreements
- Restrictive covenants/confidentiality
- Cross-border/jurisdiction disputes
Corporate
- Share purchase agreements
- Asset sale agreements
- Directors’ fiduciary and other duties
- Shareholders’ rights/unfair prejudice
- Companies Act 2006
Finance
- Facility/investment agreements
- Guarantees and indemnities
- Factoring/invoice discounting
- Loan/mortgage enforcement
Property
- Landlord and tenant/breach of covenant
- Sale of land/agreements for lease
- Development agreements
- Residential leasehold disputes
- Building Safety Act 2022
- Property damage claims
- Trespass claims
- Noise and other nuisance claims
Professional Negligence
- Solicitors, legal advisers
- Architects, surveyors, property professionals
- Banks, financial institutions
- Accountants
- Financial advisers, investment managers
Experience
Commercial
- Advised and represented a substantial financial services group in a contractual dispute with an investment manager over provision of trading platform services to the manager.
- Advised a UK carbon credit trader on enforcement of contracts for sale of carbon credits.
- Acted for a UK watch distributor in a contract dispute with a Swiss watch manufacturer, involving mediation under the Swiss Mediation Rules.
- Represented a client defending defective product claims following the sale of specialist machinery in the garment industry.
- Represented an employer bringing claims for breaches of restrictive covenants and misuse of confidential information against former employees.
- Advised a victim of commercial fraud on potential negligence claims due to an inadequate cyber security system.
- Acted for a US film distributor in a dispute over sale of film rights.
Corporate
- Acted for a minority shareholder on the enforcement of a put option worth £20 million in a share purchase agreement.
- Acted for sellers of shares in their claim for deferred consideration which was challenged on grounds of breach of warranty in the SPA as to the value of the business.
- Defended claims for misrepresentation and/or breach of warranty brought under an asset sale agreement.
- Advised a minority shareholder on remedies for wrongful cancellation of shares due to invalid application of bad leaver provisions.
- Represented two shareholders of a deadlocked company in proceedings brought in the Business and Property Courts (Company and Insolvency) for declarations as to the rights of members to appoint directors and the validity of board and member’s meetings.
- Advised a private company board of directors regarding constraints on their management powers arising out of the shareholders’ agreement.
- Advised and represented a company in claims against its own directors for breaches of statutory duties causing the company losses exceeding £3 million.
- Acted for a company director faced with claims exceeding £15 million for breach of directors’ duties and wrongful trading.
Finance
- Represented a client enforcing a guarantee and other securities under an invoice discounting agreement.
- Challenged a residential mortgage enforcement on grounds of illegality under s.28 FSMA 2000 as a regulated activity.
- Represented a HNW individual in his claim against a wealth manager arising from mis-selling of investment products.
- Acted for an EU regulated financial adviser bringing indemnity/damages claims for breach of an appointed representative agreement.
- Advised a client on claims arising from mis-selling of financial products.
- Represented an IFA defending multiple claims of pension mis-selling and on contribution claims from other participants.
Property
- Enforced the terms of a development land sale contract on behalf of the landowner against a property developer.
- Acting for a professional landlord in claims as to reasonableness of service charges in the First Tier Tribunal.
- Acted for a garage business, defending proceedings which turned upon the application of redevelopment grounds under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
- Defended claims for adjoining property structural damage, following a central London flat refurbishment undertaken by a client.
- Represented a property developer in complex, multi-party litigation concerned with the improper exercise of a mortgagee’s power of sale over a residential development.
- Acted for a property developer in High Court proceedings on contractual claims arising from the disposal of a block of flats, settled for c. £1.5 million.
- Advising a professional freeholder of a block of flats on its rights and responsibilities under the new Building Safety Act 2002 and Regulations, including its duties to residential long leaseholders.
- Advising a professional property manager on lease interpretation to challenge a claim that parts of the property are the landlord’s responsibility as Common Parts.
Professional Negligence
- Represented a syndicate of shareholders bringing a £10 million negligence claim against their solicitors arising from the drafting of a share purchase agreement.
- Represented a publisher in a claim against its former solicitors for negligent advice given regarding a business sale agreement.
- Acted for a private investor in a negligence claim against his investment manager for losses on an investment portfolio.
- Advised a proposed liquidator on removal and replacement of the office-holder and thereafter advising on possible claims against the former liquidator for negligence.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Career
Garry qualified as a solicitor in 1979. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2015, he worked at the following firms:
- Taylor Wessing
- Kuits & Co