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

Prior to coming to London he qualified with the Auckland practice, Grove Darlow & Partners, a premier down town firm acting for major banks and utilities where he was engaged primarily in civil litigation.

On arrival in London, with Woolf Seddon Roscoe Phillips he gained broad experience in music business, civil litigation, commercial and domestic conveyancing and company commercial.

At Jerrard Saunders Donn, he assisted the senior partner with gaming licencing, acquisition of properties and businesses benefiting from or connected with applications for betting, gaming and liquor licences of many description. Dealt with the associated planning, landlord and tenant, employment and commercial issues.

He has managed the multi-jurisdictional practice, New York Attorneys, English Solicitors and New Zealand Barristers and Solicitors;  and in 1994 set up Michael Reason Solicitors; and limited partner of LLP from 1st June, 2006, including dealing with:-

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;

• drafted leases, deeds of variation of leases, memorandum of rent reviews, licenses for alteration and assignments of leases;

• drafted and issued English agricultural tenancy notices, successfully terminated tenancies and acted on refinancing agricultural property;

• advised on security of tenure issues when no written agreement;

• acquisition of development properties for property traders including back to back trades;

• acquisition and sale of development sites for developers.

• advised on UK work permits and visas of many types,

• advised on EU immigration law; advised non-resident high net worth individuals on citizenship and wealth protection issues;

• assisted US firm and clients on US visa and immigration matters;

• obtained NZ work and entry permits, advised on permanent resident applications to UK, NZ and Australia

• obtained tax clearances for non UK domiciles;

• obtained UK group student visa for 12 students in China;

• drafted and advised on music business agreements, for record company, artists and managers;

• drafted commercial agreements, copyright licensing, software development, assignments, and distributor agreements,

• drafted share and asset sale and acquisition agreements and completion documentation, joint venture agreements, advised on copyright, patents, trade marks and their international protection;

• developed tracker data license for GPS digital gaming project, joint venture agreement, articles of association of deadlock joint venture company, advised on competition matters;

• advised Dubai based trading business on import of goods into EU, customs duties and movement of goods within EU;

• advised UK PLC on termination of NZ agency relationship, drafted and implemented termination agreement;

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 recycling business on seeking investors and expansion;

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

• advised offshore independent financial advisors on international tax strategies for investors into offshore trusts;

• Advised Madeira based technology fund on reorganisation following change of residence of director;

• Advised offshore corporate management services provider on schemes and products developed for them and their clients.

• established a zero-tax white list trustee company for use by the clients of the firm. Such trustee company is not regulated by the Law Society.

UK Taxation

• 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.

• Advised on the use of UK statutory exemptions on property and Company transactions.

• advised on capital gains tax relief and structuring propert transactions on disposal of assets;
  
  Firm Management

• developed Strategy for database of clients contact details, file status;

• developed computer skills, use of web, database tools, email, laptop, & outsourcing of support.

• researched market for law firm systems, set up new computer network, installed Amicus Attorney practice management software, installed client and contact data, installed Laser Form Legal Accounts supervised inputting firm and client accounting data;

• developed and maintained firm web site and on-line marketing strategy;

• supervised and trained staff and assisted with its international promotion;

• completed training of trainee solicitor, trained several legal secretaries, clerks and assistants;

• set up LLP