Jonathan Gavaghan has a specialist chancery and commercial practice with particular experience in partnership / LLP disputes, commercial disputes and property law. Company law (including breach of fiduciary duty claims and shareholder disputes) is a further area in which he specialises.
He was called to the Bar in 1992.
He studied law at Oxford University where he obtained a first-class degree. Top of his year in Land Law, he subsequently obtained a BCL and returned to Worcester College, Oxford as a visiting tutor in constitutional law.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
He was appointed as a Recorder in 2018.
Commercial & Business Disputes
Civil Fraud
Commercial and Business Law
Company Law
Offshore
Jonathan is recommended in Chambers & Partners UK, Chambers & Partners Global and the Legal 500 as a leading junior in commercial chancery work.
He has extensive experience in appearing in contractual disputes including those with an international dimension, shareholder disputes and actions for and against directors of companies. He has also appeared as an advocate in many civil fraud cases obtaining or opposing urgent interlocutory relief including freezing injunctions and related relief.
He has substantial experience of arbitration having appeared in lengthy proceedings before the LCIA and other arbitral tribunals and connected High Court proceedings.
The Directories refer to his commercial chancery work as follows:
- “A senior junior with a strong practice in company, partnership and property law. He frequently deals with shareholder disputes and other high-value cases, including those with cross-border elements.” Chambers UK 2020 (Commercial Chancery)
- “Well respected for his commercial Chancery expertise”. Legal 500 2020 (Commercial Litigation)
Recent Highlights
- Acting in a multi-million-pound commercial arbitration relating to the service and validity of various contractual notices;
- Acting in £20 million High Court proceedings brought by UBS against Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and others;
- Acting in Commercial Court proceedings consisting of allegation of civil fraud relating to investments in overseas infrastructure projects;
- Acting in Commercial Court proceedings in relation to multi-million pound personal and corporate guarantees given to foreign investors in relation to large development projects in London;
- Advising on share-holder dispute including allegations of breach of director’s duties, fraud and unfair prejudice;
Recommendations
Qualifications
- MA (First Class): Worcester College, Oxford University.
- BCL: Worcester College, Oxford University.
- FCIArb
- Martin Wronker Prize Winner for best University Performance in Land Law, Oxford University (1990)
- Henriques Prize-winner, Worcester College, Oxford University (1990)
- Holder of Inns of Court Studentship
- Eastham Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
- Hardwicke Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
Appointments
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
- Recorder (Crown Court), Northern Circuit (April 2018)
- Former Elected Member of Bar Council (2 terms).
- Former Chairman of the Young Barristers’ Committee.
- Former Member of Professional Standards Committee of the Bar Council.
Associations & Memberships
- Committee Member of the Association of Partnership Practitioners
- Member of the Chancery Bar Association
- Member of the Property Bar Association
Jonathan Gavaghan is a self-employed, independent barrister whose practice is governed by the Code of Conduct of the Bar of England and Wales. He is regulated by The Bar Standards Board [Bar Ref 29030] and is fully insured with the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund [BMIF Ref 2360/025] to provide legal services, please refer to the BMIF website for full details of the world-wide cover provided. He is registered for VAT under the reference 648945679.
