Gerard Cukier

Gerard advises on international law and human rights, providing guidance on legal protections, compliance, and advocacy in domestic and cross-border human rights matters.

• Acted for a claimant in a leading case concerning state immunity and the question of whether state immunity can protect a Middle Eastern state and state individuals in relation to allegations of torture.
• Acted for an international tyre distributor as joint claimant with a leading international tyre manufacturer in an UNCITRAL arbitration against a leading multinational mining company.
• Acted for an international Middle Eastern conglomerate in claims for fraud, conspiracy and deceit in proceedings which took place in the courts of three different jurisdictions.
• Acted for in inventor in the mining business against a multinational mining conglomerate leading to an UNCITRAL arbitration taking place in Chicago.
• Acted for a Jersey trust in a significant trust dispute having Isle of Man jurisdiction.

Gerard advises on international arbitration and mediation, including ICC, LCIA, and UNCITRAL proceedings.

• Advised a recycling/pressure metal company, in an international arbitration dispute. During the course of the arbitration process, advantageous terms of settlement were agreed between the parties.
• Advised two Israeli scientific mining engineers in an ICC arbitration who had developed and sold a unique mining extraction process to one of the world’s major mining companies.
• Advised a senior politician in Georgia who brought arbitration proceedings as an investor against the State under the ICSID Convention.
• Acted for an international tyre company that supplied specialist tyres for massive mining vehicles at mines in Australia and South America. The mining companies refused to make payment because they said that the tyres were faulty. The claim was brought in England under auspices of the ICC. The claim was successful and the clients were awarded tens of millions of pounds in compensation.
• Advised on several sports arbitrations at FIFA, acting for both footballers and football clubs that have complaints against other clubs.
• Acted for a renowned international footballer who at the time had a claim against his former club, AS Monaco, for outstanding wages. Following a hearing in front of the French Football Federation, AS Monaco settled the client’s outstanding wages.
• Acted for a French champagne producer in an LCIA arbitration against a national distributor.

Gerard advises on politics-related legal matters, including governance, compliance, and advisory work for stakeholders involved in political, governmental, or regulatory processes.

• Acted for senior political figures, international businessmen, entertainers, high-profile personalities, sportsmen and sports agents in contractual disputes and claims for libel and breach of privacy/misuse of confidential information against national newspapers and all international forms of media.
• Acted for senior political figures and UK and international businessmen on reputation management issues arising in the national and international media including proceedings for defamation, and engaging with national and international media including all principal written media ISP, social media and international broadcasting organisations.

Gerard advises on sports law, including harassment injunctions, contracts, and regulatory proceedings, helping clients navigate complex legal, contractual, and compliance issues in professional and amateur sports environments.

• Acted for a leading football manager in a libel action resulting in the highest recorded award of damages by a jury against a national newspaper.
• Drafted employment and commercial contracts for international football managers and players and acted for football intermediaries in regulatory and commercial disputes.
• Acted for leading football, managers, officials, intermediaries and footballers in regulatory disputes and hearings including enquiries into corruption in football and all consequent reputational management issues.
• Drafted image rights agreements for an international footballer playing in the English league.
• Advised a leading Premiership footballer and his agent as to his status with his club.
• Acted for and attended before the French Football Federation on behalf of an international footballer who had not been paid by his former French football club.
• Acted for a renowned horse trainer and his family in reputational management issues and contractual disputes.

Gerard advises media clients on defamation and privacy, reputation management, media liaison, data protection, contract disputes, publishing and film, commercial litigation, and intellectual property.

• Acted for a leading newspaper group in several claims for defamation.
• Acted for a film producer in an intellectual property dispute with the BBC in relation to a TV film made about the art of an internationally renowned photographer.
• Acted for the estate of a leading film producer in breach of copyright claims.
• Acted for a film producer in a major film dispute leading to an AFMA arbitration in Los Angeles.
• Drafted publishing agreements with leading publishers and all requisite contractual agreements on behalf of a world-renowned art collector.

Gerard advises singers, performers, and promoters on contractual rights and disputes, recording and performance agreements, privacy, reputation management, commercial litigation, and intellectual property.

• Acted for a leading concert promoter in several contractual disputes with artists and recording companies and in other issues arising such as disputes with local authorities and stadia over noise pollution and licensing.
• Advised the lead singer of an acclaimed international pop group on her contractual rights under recording agreements including claiming substantial additional royalties from her former record company and producer/manager.
• Advised a world-renowned female singer and celebrity on all aspects of her career ranging from recording and performance agreements through to publishing and theatrical contracts and copyright infringements.
• Permanent Counsel to an internationally famous singer.
• Acted for two members of a world-famous pop group in a dispute between its members following the group’s break-up.

Gerard has advised high-profile and high-net-worth individuals in the political, sports, media, and music world for over 40 years on a range of issues from defamation and privacy, reputation management, music, film and sports agreements, licensing deals, and commercial disputes.

• Advised a leading Premiership footballer and his agent as to his status with his club.
• Acted for a renowned horse trainer and his family in reputational management issues and contractual disputes.
• Acted for the estate of a leading film producer in breach of copyright claims.
• Acted for a film producer in a major film dispute leading to an AFMA arbitration in Los Angeles.
• Acted for a renowned international footballer who at the time had a claim against his former club, AS Monaco, for outstanding wages. Following a hearing in front of the French Football Federation, AS Monaco settled the client’s outstanding wages.
• Advised the lead singer of an acclaimed international pop group on her contractual rights under recording agreements including claiming substantial additional royalties from her former record company and producer/manager.
• Advised a world-renowned female singer and celebrity on all aspects of her career ranging from recording and performance agreements through to publishing and theatrical contracts and copyright infringements.
• Permanent Counsel to an internationally famous singer.
• Acted for two members of a world-famous pop group in a dispute between its members following the group’s break-up.

Recognised by Spears 500 2026 as a Top Recommended Lawyer for Defamation

Recognised in Chambers High Net Worth for Defamation/Reputation Management 2021–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Reputation Management 2021–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Media & Entertainment: Music 2021–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Sport 2022–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Media: Film & TV 2025

Acknowledged by Chambers UK for handling complex defamation and privacy issues 2025

Recognised by Chambers UK 2019

Recognised by The Legal 500 2019

Member of The Law Society

Member of The International Bar Association (IBA)

Member of London Solicitors Litigation Association (LSLA)

Member of International Sports Lawyers Association (ISLA)

Member of British Association of Sport and Law (BASL)