737jock - I do not understand your point. You have (you say) been flying long enough to know that however many nasty grabbing lawyers are circling, sh*t does happen and you can do NOTHING about it providing you have taken the appropriate action.
How do you propose, 'legally', to ENSURE final reserve will always be there whatever happens? Of course it is 'useable' - whatever is the point of carrying it if you cannot 'use it' when you need to? You might as well stick on another 1000kg of load and carry no reserve. You are not allowed to 'plan' to use it. You have lost me.