Gareth-Lee Smith LLM Commercial Law (Distinction) - Birmingham General Information Gareth specialises in civil and commercial law and private children law. He is based in Walsall and attends courts throughout the Midlands. Clients appreciate his combination of excellent client care and straightforward, no-nonsense advice. His civil practice is enhanced by his master’s degree in Commercial Law, for which he was awarded a Distinction and came top of his cohort in Banking Law. As a small business owner himself, he has a level of commercial awareness which gives him a deeper understanding of his clients' needs. His attention to detail and the depth of his research also win plaudits from clients. Areas of law Civil Law Commercial Law Private Children Law Civil & Commercial Law Recent cases include: A shareholder dispute where two entrepreneurs were offered shares in a company in return for their work and ending their involvement with their own start-up companies. The dispute arose when the company's directors re-neged on the deal. Enforcement of an oral agreement for a contractor to step back from a property deal and forego ongoing fees for development in return for a percentage of future sale value. Complex issues of partnership also arose within this context. Defence of a claim to claw back fees paid under a consultancy agreement after termination through no fault of the defendant. Family Law Representing parties in private law children proceedings before all levels of the judiciary in the lower courts Advising and representing parties on appeal from first instance decisions Personal Interests Away from court, Gareth makes the transition from barrister to barista as a self-confessed coffee snob. He roasts his own beans and tries in vain to avoid getting the next bit of kit. Gareth also works on his conversational Bengali so that he can speak to his mother-in-law more. Bangladeshi words for foods are a speciality.