Charles Gordon

Charles Gordon is a mediator and arbitrator, recognised by the Legal 500 for his mediation expertise.

Charles handles a broad range of disputes including insurance and reinsurance, energy, professional negligence, property, shareholder and joint venture disputes . He is appointed by a wide range of law firms in London, the UK regions and internationally. He writes on disputes resolution topics and lectures on the subject. Charles is also involved in mediation training.

He was a law firm partner for over 30 years and led the International Insurance practice at DLA Piper until his retirement in 2014. He still acts a consultant to clients in the insurance and reinsurance sectors.

Charles was also, until October 2016, the litigation director of The RBoS Action Group advising on the £5 billion shareholder litigation against the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Charles is also a visiting lecturer at Queen Mary University College in London. He is admitted to the Bar of the Bahamas. He is also a mentor with the Princes Trust.

Having advised on leading cases at all levels of the English court, Charles was consistently recognised, during his years in private practice, in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 guides to the legal profession.

 He is noted for combining a warm sense of humour with robust probing of parties’ positions, Charles is described as a “natural mediator” whose style is built on meticulous preparation and a thorough understanding of clients’ commercial positions. Charles’ approach to mediation is to engage with the parties on the issues, to drill down into the details of the dispute, in order to establish and help influence the key sticking points which have prevented prior resolution.

I am a very hands on mediator. I place a great value on thorough preparation and having the opportunity to speak to the parties in advance of the mediation. My approach will be dictated by the nature of the dispute and the views of the parties but my preference is to encourage the parties to work with me on the issues and I am willing to express views on and to explore the issues with the parties. To that extent, my style can best be described as evaluative rather than purely facilitative. However, I find that no two mediations are the same. It is the role of the mediator to develop creative approaches and solutions which enable the parties to move forward.

Advertising & Marketing

Breach of contract

Clinical Negligence

Commercial agency, EU regulations and distribution

Commercial contracts

Construction and property

Corporate recovery

Cross-border and international

Distribution, agency & licensing

Employment

Energy, oil and gas

Engineering

Financial services

Fraud and White Collar Crime Issues

Hospitality Sector

Insolvency and Reconstruction

Insurance and Reinsurance

Landlord & tenant

Media, entertainment & the arts

Mergers & Acquisitions

Mining

Partnership disputes

Pensions and life assurance

Pensions and insurance mis-selling

Product liability

Professional Indemnity

Professional negligence

Sale of goods and services

Shareholder disputes

Telecoms

Transport & Infrastructure

Trusts, wills probate and inheritance

Legal 500:

Charles Gordon is ‘very good at bringing parties together. Patient, but prepared to force the pace if needed’. Focused on insurance and reinsurance, Gordon is particularly experienced in international disputes and mediations involving offshore jurisdictions. His recent experience includes mediations concerning insurance coverage for pandemic losses, as well as claims against insurance brokers for failing to advise on appropriate pandemic-related insurance cover. (2025, Band 3)

Charles Gordon is ‘a top-class mediator.  He is able to unravel thorny issues with patience and rigour‘. Gordon’s practice focuses on insurance and reinsurance, with many recent cases concerning coverage for Pandemic claims. Gordon’s experience also includes mediating a major aviation dispute, a global lottery case, and several property and construction claims. The scope of his appointments are also becoming increasingly international. (2024, Band 3)

Charles Gordon is ‘excellent at quickly picking up the issues and where concessions could be made by both sides to achieve a commercial resolution‘. Gordon is well known for insurance and reinsurance disputes (including recent insurance cover-related mediations for pandemic losses), but is also increasingly active in construction, financial services, IP and insolvency cases. (2023, Band 3)

The practice of 'highly skilled and extremely bright' Charles Gordon was almost 100% virtual during the pandemic, and comprised both domestic and international work. He handles a broad range of disputes including insurance and reinsurance, energy, professional negligence, property, shareholder, and joint venture matters; his recent experience has included a mediation concerning the collapse of an international airline, and two mediations involving insolvent insurers. (2022, Band 3)

Charles Gordon is 'a standout practitioner with a wealth of experience; he is always sensible, proactive and commercial'. Gordon is particularly focused on mediations involving insurance, financial services and insolvency. He also has a broad commercial practice that is frequently international in nature. (2021)

Jams International’s Charles Gordon (ex-head of international insurance at DLA Piper) also mediates at In Place of Strife. He is focused on commercial disputes, with a particular focus on insurance coverage and claims, insolvency, professional negligence, hospitality and energy.(2020)

Chambers and Partners

“Defends clients’ interest with the utmost integrity" - 2014

“Really understands what his clients need, he is client-orientated. He can deliver good work whilst sticking to my brief”  - 2013

“Very focused on client service and user-friendly”- 2012

Independent mediator and arbitrator 2014 to date

Litigation Director, RBoS Action Group January to October 2016

Partner, Litigation, head of International Insurance, (EMEA), DLA Piper (2001–2014). Consultant from 1/5/14 to 30/4/2015

Admitted to the Bar of the Bahamas (1998)

Partner, Head of Litigation and Insolvency, Manches (1985-2001)

Solicitor, Clifford Turner (now Clifford Chance) (1981-1985)

Barrister, 3 Doctor Johnson's Buildings, Temple, London, EC4 (1976-1981)

College of Law (1980)

Inns of Court School of Law (1975-1976)

Balliol College, Oxford (1971-1974)

St George's College, Weybridge, Surrey (1961-1970)

Mentor with the Prince's Trust (2015 – present)

Leading international project  relating to Micro Insurance in developing countries ( 2014-2015 )

Law Works Fellow (2014- present)

Lecturer, Principles of Legal Drafting, Dar Es Salaam Law School, Tanzania (2014)

 Member Law Society EU Committee (2014- present  )

Ombudsman for Food Supply Chain Initiative ( 2014- 2015  )

Visiting Lecturer, Queen Mary University College, London (2014- present )

Report into Judicial Standards in Bangladesh (2013)

European Commission Expert Group - EU Insurance Law (2013)

Liveryman, Worshipful Company of Insurers (2013)

Member Civil Mediation Council (2012 - present)

Chairman of Governors at New Beacon School (2008-2012)

Arbitrator (1990 to date)

Accredited Mediator (1990)

Founder Special Care Baby Charity, Farnborough Hospital, Kent (1987)

Licensed Insolvency Practitioner (1987)

Tennis

Cycling

Travel

Antique Pens

Reading-active member of book group

Also, acting as a Business Mentor for the Princes Trust

Mediation Feedback:

"Charles gained the confidence of my clients very quickly and kept it whilst helping both parties along the sometimes painful road of reaching a settlement." Partner, Law firm, January 2020.

"Charles was excellent. He had clearly prepared well and had a good grasp for the issues in dispute and each parties' stand point. Very impressed." Associate City Law Firm, March 2019

“We were very impressed with Charles Gordon in the recent mediation…he knew the case better than our opponents.”  City Law Firm

“Charles achieved in one day what we have been trying to resolve over five years!” Solicitor

“Very impressed by his energy and creative approach”

“Really helped to move us and our opponents from seemingly intractable positions”

“Charles achieved in one day what we have been trying to resolve over five years”

“Other mediators have never really engaged and challenged us on the issues, from a broad knowledge based on thorough preparation. Charles did.”

“He was very flexible in his approach, controlling the process but thinking creatively about steps that would bring us closer together”

"Just a line to give feedback that my colleagues were very impressed with Charles Gordon in the recent mediation he did with us ...  The comment that struck me was "he knew the case better than our opponents" which is a testament to effective preparation. The clients were very pleased with the outcome."

Training Feedback:

"Charles was engaging and covered the different aspects of preparation for, and attendance at, a mediation very well. It is helpful to allow some time for questions, as it really is a unique opportunity to gain an insight into the "behind the scenes" considerations of how a mediator seeks to achieve a successful outcome. Charles was open with his answers and generous in sharing his knowledge."

"Charles Gordon provided the training session. Very good speaker, relatable and straight to the point."

"Engaging and speaking from a position of vast experience."