Partner

Luke Pardey

Co-Head of Litigation & Arbitration

Languages

English

Luke Pardey is the Co-Head of Litigation & Arbitration at CMS. He specialises in helping clients resolve their most complex and high-stakes commercial disputes.

Luke is ranked as a leading individual by Chambers and Partners for Commercial and Corporate Litigation and described by clients as “…an absolute joy to work with. He is hands-on, runs his team superbly well and he seems always to be at least a couple of steps ahead of his opponents."

Luke advises on all aspects of complex commercial dispute resolution, with a particular focus on contractual disputes, post-M&A, JV and shareholder disputes, and fraud and asset recovery. He is based in London but very frequently his work is international in nature and he is engaged to lead on cross-border mandates.

Luke works across a range of sectors, and is particularly known for his work in technology, media and telecommunications.

Awards & Recognitions

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"Luke Pardey is an absolute joy to work with. He is hands-on, runs his team superbly well and he seems always to be at least a couple of steps ahead of his opponents."

Chambers UK, 2025
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"He is sophisticated in his approach to litigation."

Chambers UK, 2025
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"Luke's client management skills are excellent."

Chambers UK, 2025
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"Luke Pardey is fantastic."

Legal 500, 2025
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"Luke Pardey has been a key member of our ‘team’ acting in an advisory capacity and leading us through various steps of litigation preparation and ultimately through successfully mediated outcome."

Legal 500, 2025
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"Fantastic"

Legal 500, 2021
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"An "experienced partner"."

Legal 500, 2021

Relevant experience

Luke’s recent experience includes advising:

One of the largest fraud claims currently before the Commercial Court (USD4bn).
A global telecoms company on a suite of contractual disputes (USD500m), and acting in a corresponding LCIA arbitration.
A major broadcaster on multiple high-stakes mandates.
The prominent challenge to the Caffe Nero CVA.
Multiple broadcasters, rights holders, distributors and governing bodies on COVID-19-related issues.
A telecoms infrastructure business in a USD120m LCIA arbitration.
Creditors of a global commodities business affected by a USD1bn fraud.

Other experience includes:

A lender in its dispute with a facility agent, alongside an LCIA arbitration.
A leading IT services supplier on a GBP300m dispute with a UK mobile operator relating to the transformation of legacy IT infrastructure.
A global software company in disputes arising out of contracts for the provision of software/platforms as a service.
Lotus Cars in a series of large-scale commercial disputes before the High Court.
Essar entities in the high-profile global enforcement dispute with ArcelorMittal concerning an arbitral award for USD1.3bn.
The joint liquidators of Bilta (UK) Ltd and other companies investigating MTIC fraud in the trading of environmental commodities.
News International in relation to the civil phone hacking litigation.
Lionel Messi in Commercial Court proceedings for breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment concerning the exploitation of his image rights.

Memberships & Roles

Commercial Litigation Forum.
London Solicitors Litigation Association.
Society for Computers and Law.

Education

2011 – Admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
2005 – Admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia.
2005 – Admitted as a solicitor of the High Court and Federal Court of Australia.
2005 – Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice, University of Technology, Sydney.
2005 – Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), First Class Honours (1:1), University of Technology, Sydney.

Practice Areas

Dispute Resolution Commercial Disputes Technology Disputes Fraud and Asset Recovery

sectors

Media

Insights

Global Reach

UK Pay Gap Report 2024