Having over twenty years of practical experience in private practice in Central London, Michael Reason has a wide range of legal services and knowledge available to offer to clients and contacts.

Prior to coming to London he qualified with a firm acting for major banks and utilities where he was engaged primarily in civil litigation.

On arrival in London,  he gained broad experience in music business, civil litigation, commercial and company commercial.

He managed a multi-jurisdictional practice and in 1994 set up Michael Reason Solicitors; has been a limited partner of the firm as an LLP from 1st June, 2006.

Litigation

• civil and contract litigation;
  

• criminal litigation including reported decision on penalty for false advertising;

• litigation over a joint venture Heads of Agreement for the purchase from a government department of a freehold building the City;

• proceedings under the Landlord and Tenant Act for extension of and termination of leases;

• housing litigation and Judicial reviews including reported decision on definition of eviction;

• substantial trust and estate litigation; acting for and against trustees of testate and intestate estates, obtained orders for accounting, appointed Judicial Trustees;

• companies Act litigation between shareholders for unfair prejudice against minority; appointed Receiver and management of international shipping company;

• substantial matrimonial property litigation against high net worth offshore resident with Jersey companies and bank accounts; cross-border freezing orders and payment orders; reported in October 2001 in Jersey CI;

• Judicial Reviews of immigration decisions including appeal to House of Lords concerning definition of religious persecution; Court of Appeal decision reported;

• assisted New York associated firm with False Claims ‘bounty hunter’ contingency litigation in London and US;

•  claim for conversion of two valuable paintings;

• Trustee Act claim for the removal of a trustee.

• drafted commercial agreements, assignments, share and asset sale and acquisition agreements and joint venture agreements.

Securities

• advised other law firms on NZ securities;

• advised on and drafted private placement memorandum for start-up, raised finance from within existing client network, drafted documents, advised on appointment of offshore management and taxation matters;

• advised on private promissory note issue for set-up of Ukrainian publishing subsidiary of Russian publisher, drafted bank guarantee, notes,

• advised London based businesses seeking investors and expansion;

• company set-ups for investors into the US, UK and NZ, advising on international taxation;

• international tax strategies for investors into offshore trusts;

• technology fund on reorganisation following change of residence of director;

• set-up family trusts and advised settlors, trustees and beneficiaries in transactions by trustees for the avoidance of UK Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duty.