People /

Graham Shear

Partner

London

People /

Graham Shear

Partner

London

Graham Shear

Partner

London

EMEA Regional Leader – Litigations & Investigations and Co-Global Practice Group Leader – Business and Commercial Disputes

T: +44 (0) 20 3400 4191

M: +44 (0)7771 984 466

English

Biography
Experience

Biography

Graham Shear is the EMEA Leader of BCLP’s Litigation & Investigations Department and Co-Global Practice Group Leader of the Business and Commercial Disputes Practice. He also co-leads the firm’s Sports and Entertainment Sector. Graham has over 25 years’ experience as a commercial litigator both in the UK and internationally. Graham acts for banks, corporates, governments, high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs together with a broad mix of those in the sport and entertainment industry.

Far reaching experience

Graham's experience includes:

contractual and shareholder disputes, specialist rights protection, complex recoveries and professional negligence;
complex and diverse fraud and internal investigation cases, which are often multi-jurisdictional;
deploying strategy and tactics in crisis management;
being a trusted advisor to Boards of large multinational Corporates, high net worth individuals and politicians on a range of commercial, legal and reputational issues;
advising individuals and third parties in the sport and entertainment industry on a range of issues, including finance, defamation, privacy and crisis management; and
acting for finance companies' extending finance to the sport sector, as well as providing specialist advice to football clubs and regulators regarding sport regulation and governance.

Far reaching experience

Graham's experience includes:

contractual and shareholder disputes, specialist rights protection, complex recoveries and professional negligence;
complex and diverse fraud and internal investigation cases, which are often multi-jurisdictional;
deploying strategy and tactics in crisis management;
being a trusted advisor to Boards of large multinational Corporates, high net worth individuals and politicians on a range of commercial, legal and reputational issues;
advising individuals and third parties in the sport and entertainment industry on a range of issues, including finance, defamation, privacy and crisis management; and
acting for finance companies' extending finance to the sport sector, as well as providing specialist advice to football clubs and regulators regarding sport regulation and governance.

Graham is recognised in the legal directories as a leader in commercial litigation, defamation, sport law and civil fraud.

Lexology | Law in Sport | Chambers and Partners | Law Society | The Legal 500

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Admissions

England and Wales

Related Practice Areas

Business & Commercial Disputes
Sports & Entertainment
M&A Disputes
Crisis Management & Reputational Risk
Anti-Bribery & Corruption
Betting & Gaming
Finance
Investigations
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Regulation, Compliance & Advisory
Licensing
Israel Practice
Government Contracts & Public Procurement
UK & EU Class Actions
Special Investigations
Sports & Entertainment Contract, Endorsement & Celebrity Representation Practice
Anti-Doping Practice
Sports & Event Venue Real Estate Infrastructure and Operation
Naming Rights & Sponsorship Practice
Sports & Entertainment M&A Practice
Sports & Entertainment Litigation Practice
Sports & Entertainment Specialty Counseling Practice
Entertainment Industry Practice
Sports & Event Financing
Collegiate Sports Practice
Olympic & National Governing Body Practice
Professional Sports Team Practice
BCLP Data Breach Hotline
Financial Institutions
California Consumer Privacy Act

Experience

Vatche Manoukian v Société Générale De Banque Au Liban S.A.L and Bank Audi S.A.L – Successfully acted for the Claimant Vatche Manoukian in one of The Lawyer’s ‘Top 20 Cases of 2022’ obtaining an order for international transfers from Mr Manoukian’s bank accounts held with the Defendant banks following an 8-day trial in the High Court in February 2022. The Court of Appeal dismissed the banks’ applications for permission to appeal in June 2022.
Asturion Fondation - We continue to represent the Asturion Fondation – a foundation established to hold assets on behalf of the Saudi royal family – in highly contested proceedings for the recovery of an ultra-high value property portfolio including property in London.
Global brokerage firm - Advised a global brokerage firm in two actions against a competitor. The actions related to serious allegations concerning the competitor’s deliberate procurement and misuse of our client’s confidential information. After the first week of a High Court trial we were able to secure settlement for our clients on confidential terms. In the course of the litigation, BCLP secured another pioneering order to enable us to use computer aided review / predictive coding techniques.
Bakrie Family - Advised the Bakrie family and other Indonesian shareholders in Bumi plc in relation to an internal investigation in Indonesia conducted by Bumi plc, a Takeover Panel (TOP) investigation and hearings concerning concert party issues.
HSBC - Advised HSBC in London and Switzerland on the media investigation and consequences of the Falciani data theft.
Phone Hacking - Provided (on-going) advice to a range of high profile celebrities relating to further potential phone hacking arising out of operations Weeting, Pinetree & Elveden.
British Virgin Islands - Acted for an investor in the Aman Hotels luxury hotel resort group, with 27 properties across the world, on a major cross-border shareholder dispute.