Geraint Jones KC

PROFILE

Geraint pursues a thriving commercial and property practice. In silk he has been leading counsel in multi-million pound litigation, successfully defending allegations of commercial fraud arising from the collapse of the Versailles Group. He has been involved in long-running group litigation involving leaseholders in disputes with their landlord; a case of factual and substantial legal complexity.

As junior counsel, Geraint was counsel of choice for the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (western region) and has extensive experience in professional negligence issues, especially relating to property conveyancing matters.

Recently he has been leading counsel in a series of judicial review cases against H.M.R.C., successfully challenging its use (or misuse) of its statutory powers. He has also become an acknowledged leader in Proceeds of Crime Act challenges based upon article 1, first Protocol ECHR, lately overturning the long established rule of the common law that a Receiver can always recover his costs from assets subject to the receivership.

Geraint has extensive sports law experience and is an Arbitrator at the International Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

Geraint also has extensive experience of human rights and discrimination issues associated with his work in the Immigration Appeals Tribunal and The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

EXPERIENCE:

Property

Formerly junior counsel of choice for Solicitor's Indemnity Fund for South Wales area (real property/conveyancing matters)

Litigation relating to all aspects of real property disputes, mortgages and trusts

Advisory and advocacy work for numerous local authorities

Advisory and advocacy work for The Environment Agency & Dept the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Advisory and advocacy work for Sony (UK) Ltd, Texaco plc, Associated British Ports, Templar Properties Ltd, Eagle Star (Axa), Land Authority for Wales

Business & Commercial

Leading counsel in multi-million pound commercial fraud case arising from the collapse of Versaille Group

Advising upon and drafting standard contractual conditions for trade association members

Judicial Reviews in the business and commercial context.

Professional negligence

Counsel of choice for Solicitor’s Indemnity Fund (South Wales & the West)

SIGNIFICANT CASES:

Brandon Barnes v Eastenders Cash & Carry [2012] EWCA Crim 2436

Receivership Costs - Human Rights - Article 1 First Protocol - Order appointing receiver set aside by the Court of Appeal - It would be a breach of a company's human rights if it had to meet the remuneration and expenses of the receiver appointed over it.

R (First Stop Ltd) v HMRC [2012] EWHC 1106 (Admin)

Eastenders v HMRC [2012] EWCA Civ15, LTL 20.01.2012 [2012] 1 WLR 2912

Property rights - statutory interpretation - statutory powers to interfere with private property - detention of goods - forfeiture of goods - goods must in fact be "liable to forfeiture"; it is not sufficient that there are reasonable grounds to suspect/believe that goods may be "liable to forfeiture"

Windsor & Ors v The Crown Prosecution Service [2011] EWCA Crim 143; [2011] 1 WLR 1519; [2011] 2 Cr. App. R 7; [2011] Lloyds Rep. F. C. 23/2/11.

Goldberg & Oths v Foster Squires (a Firm) [2010] EWHC 450 (QB), LTL 19/3/2010 

Accountant’s liability for negligent investment advice - Fraud – Partnership liability - Partnership Act 1980, s.10 - Vicarious liability - The ordinary course of the business of an accountant includes expressing a view as to the risks associated with an investment.

Carter v Cole (2009) EWCA Civ 410; (2009) 33 EG 66

Nelson v Clearspring Management Ltd [2007] 1 WLR 962

Mercantile & Credit plc v Marks [2005] Ch 81

Greening & Sykes Ltd v Nelson & Hanley The Times [22/01/08]

Status of intervening bare trustee.

Awoyomi v Radford [2007] WHC 1671

Retrospectivity of Hall v Simons.

PRESCRIBED INFORMATION

Geraint Jones KC is a practising barrister, who is regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Details of information held by the BSB about him can be found here.

Geraint Jones KC’s clerks will happily provide no obligation quotations for all the legal services that he provides. Their contact details can be found here. It is most common for him to attend  Courts, Tribunals and Mediations for a fixed brief fee plus a fee for each refresher day. Advisory work, paperwork and conferences are usually charged at an hourly rate. Geraint Jones KC’s will typically return paperwork within 14 days, however professional commitments, complexity and volume of documentation can affect this approximate timescales.