Gordon Reed

Gordon Reed qualified as a Solicitor in 1977.  He joined what was then a very small firm of Geoffrey Sternberg & Company in 1979, becoming a partner in 1980.  Gordon played a major role in the expansion and development of the firm over the following years.  In 2008 Gordon chose to step down from the managerial responsibilities of partnership in order to concentrate on casework.  He has remained with the firm as a Consultant ever since.

He has specialist expertise in children’s cases, with a particular emphasis upon childcare, adoption, Special Guardianship and related matters.  Gordon has vast experience in acting in large numbers of these types of cases since 1980.  He has acted for all parties including parents, family members, adopters, Local Authorities and interveners suspected of causing harm to children.  In recent years the majority of Gordon’s work has been representing children themselves, usually on the instructions of their Guardians.

As a Higher Court Advocate (Civil Proceedings) since 2004, Gordon has appeared as an Advocate at all levels of the Family Court, in the Family Division of the High Court and where appropriate the Court of Appeal.

Gordon has been involved in many reported cases in the field of Children Law.  An example was Re: P-S (Children) [2018] EWCA Civ 1407.  In that case Gordon acted for the Special Guardians of one child and successfully established that prospective Special Guardians need to have effective access to justice including for example access to documentation and legal advice, and where appropriate party status.

Using his expertise in Children Law Gordon has provided training to other Solicitors and to Social Workers.

Gordon also has specialist expertise in the law relating to the regulation of Children’s Services, ranging from childminders and daycare providers to children’s homes and adoption and fostering agencies.  He has extensive experience of conducting and acting as Advocate in Care Standards cases before the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) and Upper Tribunal in such matters.

Gordon was appointed as a Recorder (i.e. a part time Judge) in 2009.  He was initially appointed conduct criminal trials in the Crown Court but now sits in the Family Court dealing with children’s cases.