Rodney Gardner CV
Consultant Solicitor

Rodney Gardner is chairman of Touch Ltd, a legal services provider within the jurisprudence of Consumer Credit; Rodney is acknowledged as the pre-eminent claimant solicitor, most notably when in private practice. It is no exaggeration that Rodney acted for more consumer claimants than any other solicitor or law firm until 2019, many such cases being listed within the Law Reports and the Consumer Law Reports. 

Plevin led the Regulator, the FCA, to establish additional redress rights for rejected PPI complainants to receive total payments estimated by financial journalist to have cost lenders c.£1.5 to £2bn in additional pay-outs above and beyond the c.£40bn plus paid out for mis-selling claims. 

Further, there are now dozens of law firms, or more, that continue to bring claims for the huge numbers of PPI policyholders whose complaints were rejected or who never complained in time prior to the End Date for complaints, in reliance upon Plevin.

Rodney has also acted for the successful claimants before the Court of Appeal in McWilliam v Norton Finance Ltd, when it was established for the first time since Wilson v. Hurstanger, that credit brokers usually owe fiduciary duties, so the failure to disclose commissions on placing a loan with a particular lender, exposes lenders to an accessory claim for breach of fiduciary duty.

Rodney again successfully acted on behalf of members of the public in a test case known as Re Welcome Financial Services Ltd, a High Court case challenging a scheme of arrangement by Welcome seeking to deny creditors’ claims which took place over several days and was heard by Lady Justice Rose who has now been elevated to the Supreme Court.

Earlier in his career, Rodney was a Corporate Finance solicitor operating a boutique firm which punched well above its weight as Chambers listed Rodney’s then practice as pre-eminent within corporate finance involving listings and buyouts, outside of London.

Rodney has been a licensed insolvency practitioner when acting for some of the leading insolvency practices. He has also dealt with personal tax mitigation as well as handling complex litigation including clinical negligence and personal injury disaster claims. Rodney was for many years a member of the Law Society Specialist PI Panel.

Rodney has brought a number of matters before the Supreme Court following satellite litigation post-Plevin, the most important being the 2017 Judgment of the SC allowing recovery of both the ATE premium and success fee where a case straddles LASPO i.e. where the case commenced before LASPO allowing recovery of the ATE premium and success fee but by reason of appeals, the recovery of same was challenged.

Rodney has recently developed some ground-breaking legal business models in pursuing Motor Finance claims, PPI, Brokered Loan cases and Business Energy claims, which bring about rescission of the loan agreements with all the additional benefits to the claimant consumer. Rodney continues to provide training within Touch Ltd, a legal services provider which has as its clients, only law firm or ABS’s.

Rodney served as a Consultant for c.18 months with Maitland Walker LLP, a tier I law firm. More recently Rodney has been appointed a Consultant to the litigation only boutique law firm of Signature Law LLP. Signature has offices in London, Paris and Gibraltar.

Publications:

He has published several articles within this jurisprudence in the Solicitors Journal, New Law Journal and The Lawyer Magazine.

Awards and qualifications:

Rod was voted PPI Lawyer of the Year 2017 (Wealth and Finance Magazine) and Banking Lawyer of the Year UK 2018 (Finance Monthly). He was a licensed Insolvency practitioner for some years, and a member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel: He is also a member of the Competition Law Association.

Cases of note:

  • Barnes v. Black Horse Ltd [2011] 1416 (QB) 
  • Plevin v. Paragon Personal Finance Ltd [2014] UKSC 61 EWCA 186 
  • McWilliam v. Norton Finance Ltd [2015] EWCA Civ 186 
  • Re: Welcome Financial Services Ltd [2015] EWHC 815 (Ch) 
  • Plevin v. Paragon Personal Finance Ltd [2017] UKSC 23: 
  • Plus, several County Court decisions which had great influence, such as Brookman v. Welcome Finance Ltd [which informed the FCA to bring in the Plevin Rule].

 Rodney enjoys Bridge, the theatre, gardening, the gym, reading and walking.

Mobile: 07885 185999 
Email: rod@touch.business