Geraint Pinches, Solicitor
Geraint Pinches is a solicitor in Gordons’ Commercial Litigation department, having joined the Firm in 2006.
Geraint specialises in all types of dispute resolution, with a particular emphasis on commercial landlord and tenant and commercial property related disputes. His clients include Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, PPG Architectural Coatings EMEA, ATC Properties Limited, Oakgate Group plc, BASF plc and Diocese of Bradford, as a well as a large number of Yorkshire based businesses.
Recent case highlights include:
- Acting for a Yorkshire based property investment plc in a claim for dilapidations and disrepair at commercial premises in Rotherham, with a value of approaching £500,000.
- Representing a landlord client in an appeal to the Court of Appeal on the issue of whether a lease attracted security of tenure protection under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
- Acting for a major lender in an application for relief from forfeiture of a lease by the superior landlord; also acting for a Yorkshire based business in an application to the Court for a vesting order following forfeiture by the administrators of the former superior landlord.
- Advising a leading supermarket chain on the commercial property issues relating to the administration of Woolworths plc.
- Advising an international firm of accountants/administrators relating to the sale of a portfolio of public houses following the insolvency of the owners.
- Acting for numerous regional, national and international property development and investment clients in respect of contentious lease renewals and for breaches of tenants’ covenants, most notably for rent arrears and other breaches of financial covenants.
In the field of general commercial litigation, Geraint’s recent experience includes:
- Acting for a national lender client in claims against various firms of solicitors for professional negligence and, in particular, the solicitors’ failure to advise the lender of gifted deposits made by the developer to the buyer.
- Acting for a client in an application for injunctive relief to the Competition Appeals Tribunal.
- Representing the defendant in proceedings brought by Honda Motor Europe for damages and account of profits by virtue of an alleged breach of EU registered trade marks.
- Representing the defendant in a claim brought by the Liquidators of his former company under section 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986 for monies paid out of the company totalling approximately £880,000.
- Acting for the Claimant in a claim for breach of fiduciary duty/breach of trust against a former trustee for misappropriation of monies from the trust.
Geraint is particularly well versed in the use of mediation and other forms of ADR to try to broker an early settlement of disputes. He is also a member of the Property Litigation Association, a network of lawyers in England and Wales who specialise in the field.