Gemma Read

Senior Associate

About

Gemma's practice encompasses high-value, complex, domestic and cross-border English and offshore litigation and international arbitration under various institutional and ad hoc rules, including LCIA, ICC, LMAA and SCC, across a range of industry sectors including finance, construction, real estate and development, leisure and tourism, energy and natural resources, and pharmaceuticals. Her clients range from governments, state owned entities, trade bodies and national regulators to international conglomerates and UHNW individuals.

Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and Investigations

Professional QualificationsSolicitor-Advocate in England and WalesSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

Gemma’s experience includes advising:

Acting for the Defendants, a holding company registered in the BVI and two UHNW individuals in English High Court proceedings involving allegations of fraud, conspiracy, sham and misrepresentation in relation to a EUR100m facility agreement.
Acting in proceedings for breach of contract in relation to an overage provision in a claim worth over GBP5.5m.
Acting for Claimants in professional negligence proceedings against former professional advisers for the loss of favourable operating conditions relating to a multi-million-pound warehouse facility on the M4 corridor.
Acting for the Defendants, including Far East Consortium, in high-value, complex English High Court proceedings involving claims of breach of contract, misuse of confidential information, breach of fiduciary duty, dishonest assistance, unlawful means conspiracy and procurement of breach.
Acting for a group of claimant companies in the luxury leisure and tourism sector relating to a claim for trespass, and seeking permanent, injunctive relief in respect of over forty-five hotels across England and Wales.
A Cypriot shareholder in London-seated, LCIA arbitration proceedings involving a USD400m shareholder dispute, in relation to an Armenian bank (2020).
A Russian biotechnology company in relation to a dispute with a Latin-American biosimilar manufacturer in respect of a suite of complex English law contracts and license agreements, involving issues of misrepresentation, breach of contract and contractual and common law termination options, and potential procedural issues involving conflicting arbitration provisions (2020).
A trustee in bankruptcy in relation to interlinked litigation in Iceland, the British Virgin Islands and Luxembourg which represent significant assets in the bankrupt's estate valued at EUR600m, involving issues of market manipulation, fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of duty and restitution (2019/2020).
A southern African State in London-seated, UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings relating to a dispute of a largescale English law governed construction contract valued at USD270m (2019/2020).
An EU Member State government in an application to set aside an order of the English High Court permitting enforcement of a significant Award in respect of an intra-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty, involving arguments on the basis of the recent European Court of Justice decision in Slovak Republic v Achmea (2018/2019).
A high-net-worth individual in Dubai-seated, ICC arbitration proceedings relating to the division of numerous family businesses, properties and other assets in UAE, India, England and Portugal and involving joinder of parties and consolidation of proceedings.
Acting for the third respondent, a Maltese registered entity, in a London-seated, LCIA CIS-related shareholder dispute valued at USD450m (2016 - 2019).
As English counsel for the respondent, a Maltese registered entity, in relation to two Statutory Demands and subsequent Set-Aside applications issued in the BVI High Court (2016 - 2018).
The respondent, a Maltese registered entity, in London-seated, LCIA arbitration proceedings brought by a Panamanian investment company for breach a loan agreement, and acting as English counsel in related proceedings whereby the investment company obtained a worldwide freezing injunction in Cyprus (2016 - 2018).
A South American State-owned company operating in the natural resources sector, against a BVI registered energy and commodities entity in two London-seated, LMAA arbitration proceedings for breach of time charter party contracts (2014).

Languages

Education

Higher Rights of Audience (Civil), 2016

BPP, London, Legal Practice Course, 2016

The College of Law, London, Bar Professional Training Course, 2011

Prior Experience

Gemma trained with a London planning law boutique, undertaking a wide variety of contentious and non-contentious planning matters, including judicial review and related High Court litigation. On qualification, Gemma joined the international arbitration department of a leading litigation-only law firm where she spent three years and enjoyed a mix of court work and arbitration across a variety of sectors for states, high-net worth individuals and large domestic and international corporations.

Memberships And Affiliations