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Fee Earner Q&A with Richard Riley
Richard Riley
Richard Riley joined Bermans in March 2025 and is a Partner and Head of Commercial. We spoke to him to learn more about him and his work.
- Can you give us a brief summary of your career so far?
Originally with a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Edinburgh, I moved into law and started off training at a small firm in Altrincham where I stayed for a year following qualification before moving to a firm with offices in Sale and the city centre. I stayed there for nearly 14 years before Bermans.
2. What area of the law do you specialise in and why?
All aspects of commercial law – contract drafting and negotiating, intellectual property, IT, and data protection law. I have a background knowledge in corporate law and support our corporate team when there are commercial impacts on their work.
3. Is there a case or a particular piece of work you were proud to be involved with, if so why?
As a trainee I had a bit of baptism of fire which included working on a reverse takeover followed by an immediate stock exchange listing in the Cayman Islands. It involved working on normal day to day UK work during 9-5 and then switching to listing work from around 3pm until midnight everyday for a month. At one point my supervisor went on holiday for a week leaving me, a trainee, to run the matter on my own including an all parties meeting at a city centre law firm with the client to negotiate face in a boardroom with 11 solicitors from the other firm. I was very out of my depth but ultimately the deal went through and the client got what they wanted. Given my inexperience and level of qualification that was the toughest deal I was ever involved with and one of the proudest ones.
4. Away from the law what are your interests and passions?
- Exercise, I am currently training for the New York marathon having previously enjoyed years of Crossfit and Hyrox.
- Sport as a keen Manchester United fan
- Theatre, live comedy, live music – anything “live” basically
Bullet Round
Sports & Teams Supported: Manchester United
Films (Top 3): Hamilton (yes it counts as a film), Seven, Jurassic Park (the original and only the original)
Music (3 tracks/albums to take on Desert Island): OK Computer – Radiohead, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – Smashing Pumpkins, Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
Boxsets: The Office (US)
Podcasts you listen to/recommend: I Don’t Know About That (Jim Jeffries) though it has finished now.
Meal: a good Nasi Goreng
Holiday destination: Apparently the only place I go to these days is New York! Japan would be a dream destination though!
Favourite book: Chitty on Contracts, still the GOAT. That or The Dirt by Neil Strauss.
3 people for a dinner party and why?
Lin-Manuel Miranda in order to gain an insight into musical genius (and because Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins don’t seem as fun).
Eric Cantona in order to gain an insight into sporting genius.
Paul Rudd purely on the basis of his Hot Ones episode.
To get in touch with Richard Riley:
E:richard.riley@bermans.co.uk
T: 0161 827 4612
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