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 is 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 case work, and has practiced 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.  For many years now the majority of Gordon’s work has been representing children themselves, usually on the instructions of their Guardians.

Gordon holds the Law Society Specialist Accreditation in Children Law.  He has been a member of this accreditation since it was first created as the Childcare Panel (then the Children Panel) in about 1983.  For many years, Gordon was one of the Assessors, who assessed other Solicitor’s ability to join the Panel.  Gordon is now the Law Society’s Chief Assessor for this accreditation, dealing with Appeals against Assessor’s decisions and advising and assisting the Law Society in the ongoing development of the accreditation.

Being a Higher Court Advocate (Civil Proceedings) since 2004, he believes in providing a complete service including advocacy.  He appears 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.  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 to provide 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 to sit in the Crown Court and this has now been extended and he sits in children’s cases in the Family Court.

Away from work, Gordon particularly enjoys travel and is an enthusiastic hill walker.