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Portrait ofGeraldine Ryan

Geraldine Ryan

Partner

Contact
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
1 The Avenue
Manchester
M3 3AP
United Kingdom
Languages English

Geraldine leads the Commercial Litigation team in CMS’s Manchester office. With over 30 years’ experience of handling all types of high-profile, high-value and complex litigation, including arbitration and judicial review, Geraldine specialises in commercial dispute resolution, contractual and negligence disputes and also has a particular specialism in reputation risk, defamation and contractual termination advice. 

Always keen to see the commercial angles and alive to costs risks and reduction, she has been praised by clients for her “highly responsive and valuable advice”. When appropriate she has represented clients in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court but believes on a focus of getting the best commercial result and on using ADR to resolve matters.

Particular interest in reputation risk and investigations. Geraldine has acted on a number of reported cases.

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"Geraldine is simply first-rate."

Chambers, 2023

"Expert litigator Geraldine Ryan continues to bring her ‘formidable record and enviable reputation‘ to bear at the helm of CMS‘ disputes offering."

Legal 500, 2023

"I have been looked after incredibly well by Geraldine Ryan and Daniel Keating from CMS. They were the absolute calm in a crazy storm."

Legal 500, 2023

"She is a seasoned professional with strong commercial understanding and an unerring commitment to delivering for the client."

Chambers, 2023

"Able to handle high value and complex litigation with a strong team who are efficient, disciplined and hard-working while also understanding the client’s commercial status."

Legal 500

"Geraldine Ryan is particularly astute in understanding the legal and commercial issues of a case and can confidently lead her team in a disciplined approach to complex cases."

Legal 500

"Fantastic at giving legal advice but with a commercial slant."

Legal 500

"An incredibly, hard-working, organised and efficient lawyer who has great experience in the courts."

Chambers

"Highly responsive and gives valuable advice about the pitfalls and consequences of each major dispute."

Chambers

Relevant experience

  • Advising an airport in relation to a multi-million breach of contract claim.
  • Handling a claim against a Local Government Pension Fund on behalf of a proprietor of academy schools involving a complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman and a multi-million pound High Court claim.
  • Advising the Road User Charging Adjudicators on a judicial review brought by Halton Borough Council in the Administrative Court in Manchester in relation to charges to use the Mersey bridges.
  • Dealing with an  ICC Arbitration in relation to a multi million contractual dispute on behalf of a shared workspace provider. 
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Memberships & Roles

  • Non Executive Director of Manchester Football Association
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Education

  • 1987- LL.B, University of Sheffield, Sheffield
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Feed

13/07/2023
Media litigation in the Internet age
Our Media Litigation Toolkit Series is back to provide a practical refresher of the key topics in this area, including discussion of the developments over the past year. In the digital age, information...
17/01/2023
Permission for judicial review refused as Doncaster Council seek decision...
In a judicial review brought by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (“Doncaster Council”) to prevent the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (the “Airport”), Doncaster Sheffield Airport...
08/11/2022
Disputes 101: Reputation Management
Welcome to the Disputes 101: CMS Autumn Webinar Series for 2022 This series will take place on most Tuesdays from 6 September – 29 November at 2pm - 3pm, taking a short break only for October half...
08/09/2022
Media Litigation Toolkit Series
Our Media Litigation Toolkit Series is back to provide a practical refresher of the key topics in this area, including discussion of the developments over the past year. In the digital age, information...
21/12/2021
Watch On-Demand - Managing Investigations Video Series: Dawn Raids
Our latest video in the Managing Investigations: Planning, Pressures and Pitfalls series is now available to watch on-demand on cms.law. In this video exploring Dawn Raids, we provide tips to prepare...
01/12/2021
Disputes 101: CMS Autumn Webinar Series 2021
Welcome to the Disputes 101: CMS Autumn Webinar Series 2021 This series originally took place over 11 weeks, every Wednesday from 8 September – 1 December 2021 at 2-3pm. Partners and associates from...
10/11/2021
Disputes 101: Reputation Management
It is becoming increasingly essential for in-house lawyers and non-lawyers at all levels to have an understanding of the disputes process.  Our new Disputes 101 webinar series will cover fundamental...
10/11/2021
Disputes 101 - Reputation Management
Welcome to the Disputes 101: CMS Autumn Webinar Series This series will take place over 11 weeks, every Wednesday from 8 September – 1 December 2021 at 2-3pm. Partners and associates from CMS’ litigation...
26/05/2021
Watch On-Demand - Managing Investigations Video Series: Reputation Management
Our latest video in the Managing Investigations: Planning, Pressures and Pitfalls series is now available to watch on-demand on cms.law. When an investigation arises, corporate reputations which have...
25/05/2021
Managing investigations: planning pressures and pitfalls video series
With more internal reporting of concerns within businesses thanks to improved training and controls, and with complex regulatory, criminal and HR investigations becoming more commonplace, corporates need...
21/04/2021
Risk Essentials Webinar: Insolvency Lit­ig­a­tion-claims and procedures
 The business world is looking nervously at the state of the economy and anticipating an upturn in insolvency related disputes. This session will focus on 3 areas that we think will be of particular...
08/04/2021
Reaching an agreement on varying a contract (Video)
As a result of COVID-19 the need to amend the terms of commercial relationships has increased exponentially for some businesses. It may no longer be possible to perform certain contracts due to changes...