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Private Client: Trusts And Probate

1
5 Stone Buildings
Serle Court
Wilberforce Chambers
XXIV Old Buildings
2
New Square Chambers
Radcliffe Chambers
Ten Old Square
3
Maitland Chambers

Leading Silks

1
Jonathan Adkin KC –Serle Court ‘Jonathan has powerful analytical skills and can unpick any problem. He thinks creatively, and his advice is always practical and realistic. He is an excellent tactician and is ruthless at jettisoning bad points and honing in on the winning points – a hallmark of first-class silk. ’
Francis Barlow KC –Ten Old Square ‘Francis is an exceptionally thoughtful barrister who comes up with eloquent solutions to seemingly intractable problems.’
Gilead Cooper KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Gilead is a tenacious litigator with a quite brilliant turn of phrase.’
Michael Furness KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Michael rapidly analyses material and provides authoritative guidance on the best way forward, with clear advice on the knotty problems which may get in the way.’
Brian Green KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Brian is truly a master of his areas of trust and tax and can deal with the greatest complexity.’
Robert Ham KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Robert is one of the best-known and respected silks in the area. He easily cuts through complexity, getting to the heart of a matter with the minimum fuss, which goes down very well with lay and professional clients alike.’
Philip Jones KC –Serle Court ‘Philip's advice is always clear, realistic and authoritative. His advocacy is compelling, and judges trust him.’
Henry Legge KC –5 Stone Buildings ‘Henry's forensic attitude to work and extensive knowledge are his strengths. He is also highly approachable. ’
Nicholas Le Poidevin KC –New Square Chambers ‘Nick is a true expert in his field and has strength in depth. He is thorough, clear and commercial.’
Clare Stanley KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Clare is a formidable advocate. Her preparation is as thorough as it is possible to be, and her oral presentation is both forceful and compelling.’
Alan Steinfeld KC –XXIV Old Buildings
Elspeth Talbot Rice KC –XXIV Old Buildings
Simon Taube KC –Ten Old Square ‘Simon is accessible and user-friendly. He provides clear and strategically astute advice in a way that clients both understand and value. He is one of the most experienced and well-thought-of Chancery silks.’
Shân Warnock-Smith KC –5 Stone Buildings ‘Shan is at the absolute pinnacle of her profession in the trust world. She is 100% class and provides expertise on the full range of trust matters from advisory work through to highly contentious trust matters. ’
Richard Wilson KC –Serle Court
2
Tracey Angus KC –5 Stone Buildings ‘Tracey is simply exceptional in every way. She is hugely clever and incredible at setting the right course and guiding the team towards the right path in a legally complex and emotionally sensitive case and is outstandingly persuasive on her feet.’
David Brownbill KC –XXIV Old Buildings 'David is a measured, careful and meticulous leader with a deep understanding of the law and, in particular, international structures and clients.'
Edward Cumming KC –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Edward is an intellectual who can distil the crux of a dispute from even the most complicated fact pattern. He holds himself and his clients and instructing solicitors with purpose and resilience.’
Dakis Hagen KC –Serle Court 'Dakis is an intellectual powerhouse. His written advocacy is compelling, and his knowledge of trust law is second to none. He is a reassuring presence.'
Jonathan Hilliard KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Jonathan is very much living up to the star reputation he earned. He is light years ahead intellectually but remains straightforward and approachable to work. He is hands-on and can turn to whatever is needed.’
Elizabeth Jones KC –Serle Court ‘Elizabeth takes responsibility and shows good judgement. She is simply outstanding and probably leading silk at the English Bar.’
John Machell KC –Serle Court ‘John is very well organised and strategic, excellent advocate with a very clear manner.’
Christopher McCall KC –Maitland Chambers ‘Christopher's knowledge, wisdom and approachability set him apart. He is great at thinking around the problem and will use every tool to arrive at the right answer. He is a real treasure-trove of legal knowledge and experience in the private client field. ’
Constance McDonnell KC  – Serle Court ‘Constance is at the top of her game – a leader in this field. She is an incredible advocate, clear and concise in court and fights hard for the client.’
Robert Pearce KC –Radcliffe Chambers 'Robert is exceptionally intelligent and extremely thorough. His drafting is clear and concise. He is very well prepared and persuasive in the court.'
Penelope Reed KC –5 Stone Buildings ‘She has unrivalled experience in traditional Chancery cases. Her style of advocacy is hugely effective: she calmly exudes wisdom but reveals her steely core when necessary.'
David Rees KC –5 Stone Buildings ‘David is magnificent. He has a fantastic ability to distil complex issues into a clear and persuasive narrative. He is hands-on silk and invests the time to really get to grips with a case which inspires real confidence. His oral advocacy is clear and impressive. ’
3
Zoë Barton KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Zoë immediately grasps the most complex trust issues and provides pragmatic real world advice backed up by a razor sharp intellect. ’
David Blayney KC –Serle Court 'David is an outstanding practitioner who is technically quite brilliant.'
Ian Clarke KC –Selborne Chambers
Timothy Collingwood KC – Serle Court ‘Timothy is technically excellent, always available, very practical in approach and is willing to roll his sleeves up and get stuck in as part of a team.’
Jonathan Davey KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Jonathan is very clever and quick in his work. He always go out of his way to advise and assist. His advice is clear, succinct and spot-on.’
Thomas Dumont KC – Radcliffe Chambers ‘Thomas has an authoritative command of his brief. He always sees the bigger picture and can map the best strategic approach. His command of the situation in mediation is particularly impressive.’
Prof Jonathan Harris KC –Serle Court ‘Jonathan is a go-to expert in all aspects of private international law. His knowledge, derived from practical experience and the editorship of Dicey, is unrivalled. He is outstandingly clever but good at explaining complex material and is good at applying it in practice. He inspires confidence. He is quick and dependable.’
Fenner Moeran KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Fenner has an impeccable judgement, providing well- thought through analysis, is admired by clients and is a persuasive and effective advocate.’
Andrew Mold KC – Wilberforce Chambers 'Andrew gives a very clear advice and distil complex issues into something client-friendly.'
Stephen Moverley Smith KC –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Stephen is technically brilliant, commercially and emotionally astute and is able to handle difficult clients with consummate ease. He also goes out of his way to collaborate with the solicitors instructing him, making himself available at short notice and generally ensuring the smooth running of a case.’
Tiffany Scott KC – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Tiffany provides very clear and concise advice on difficult legal issues. She is very good with clients and deals with the work promptly and efficiently.’
Kate Selway KC –Radcliffe Chambers 'Kate really gets to grips with the lay client's case and is wonderfully responsive and collaborative when working with her instructing solicitors too.'
Brie Stevens-Hoare KC –Gatehouse Chambers ‘Brie is a powerful advocate who is particularly client-focused. She has a knack for spotting angles and innovative arguments which others might not, and presenting them attractively.'
Christopher Tidmarsh KC –5 Stone Buildings ‘Christopher is an excellent advocate with a razor sharp brain, and a creative and pragmatic approach to strategy. His advocacy in the trust litigation is superb, explaining complex issues and concepts so that they seemed obvious, logical and straightforward.’
Francis Tregear KC –XXIV Old Buildings 'Francis is an excellent advocate and is highly persuasive in court.His written work is excellent, and his legal opinions carry real weight when a trust application requires such an opinion. He is a very good leader of a team for instructing lawyers, junior counsel and the client.'
Christopher Wagstaffe KC – 29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Cristopher is a pillar of calm and strong advocacy. He is extremely knowledgeable in the area of trusts and international trusts and is able to handle the most challenging client sensitively. He robustly deal with opposing counsel with skill and strategic excellence.’

2021 Silks

Sarah Haren KC –5 Stone Buildings ‘Sarah is an exceptionally bright lawyer with an inherent ability to get to grips with complex technical issues quickly. She is a strong advocate who always puts forward the client’s position in the most advantageous way.’
Alexander Learmonth KC –New Square Chambers ‘Alexander has clear thinking, is proactive and has great advocacy and cross-examination skills.’

2022 Silks

David E Grant KC – Outer Temple Chambers 'David works hard to find solutions to intractable problems. He is hardworking and bright. He is a 'go to' practitioner in this area of work.'
Giles Richardson KC –Serle Court 'Giles is simply superb who works exceptionally hard. He is collaborative and helpful team member.' 

Leading Juniors

1
Adam Cloherty –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Adam can distil complex arguments into clear summaries, which is helpful with clients and in the court, where he is refreshingly straightforward. He is excellent at getting to the heart of legal problems.’
Piers Feltham –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Piers is technically extremely good and provides very clear opinions. He is very persuasive on his feet.’
William Henderson –Serle Court ‘William is recognised for his outstanding judgement and top-drawer advice. He is a good advocate and good team player.’
Lynton Tucker –New Square Chambers ‘Lynton is phenomenally clever and effective. He is very good at strategy and knows every piece of the file. He has intellectual rigour and a hands-on approach. His highly persuasive advocacy and ability to master and control very large scale and often cross-jurisdictional litigation is impressive.’
James Weale –Serle Court 'James has excellent technical knowledge while always remaining commercial in his approach. He is an exceptional tactician and is unflappable.'
2
Georgia Bedworth –Ten Old Square ‘Georgia has meticulous attention to detail and truly approaches her instructions from solicitors. She responds quickly and makes herself readily available to discuss the litigation.’
Daniel Burton –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Daniel is a go-to barrister. His legal expertise is second to none. He is brilliant with clients and sees things from a practical and cost-effective viewpoint. He is excellent.’
Richard Dew –Ten Old Square 'Richard has an excellent all-around knowledge of trusts law. He is very personable and persuasive with the court.'
Andrew Holden –XXIV Old Buildings 'Andrew is an absolute go-to counsel for trust matters. He has encyclopedic trust knowledge in several jurisdictions and provides his counsel and advice pragmatically and commercially. He is very responsive and a great person to have on your side.'
Mark Hubbard –New Square Chambers ‘Mark is one of the best juniors at the Chancery Bar. He is devilishly clever and great to work with.’
Susannah Meadway –Ten Old Square ‘Susannah provides a pragmatic and creative response to the issues presented to her and is clear in her advice. She finds a way through most difficulties and presents achievable solutions.’
Elizabeth Weaver –XXIV Old Buildings 'She provides thorough advice in plain English.'
3
Toby Bishop –5 Stone Buildings ‘Toby is an excellent barrister, providing very thorough and well thought out advice. He has a certain gravitas when dealing with clients, which come across well. He is able to consider other angles and a more lateral approach, as well as raising complex arguments to achieve a strong defence.’
Aidan Briggs –New Square Chambers ‘Aidan quickly gets to grip with instructions and comes up with effective solutions. He is user-friendly and goes through everything in a clear and logical way. His turn around time is quick, and can meet short deadlines. He is very persuasive in his advocacy and quickly gets judges on his side.’
Rory Brown –9 Stone Buildings ‘Rory is a tenacious barrister who commands respect from clients and peers. He is very bright and carries excellent advocacy skills.’
Andrew Child – Wilberforce Chambers
Sarah Egan  – New Square Chambers
Thomas Fletcher – Maitland Chambers ‘Thomas is incisive and analytical. He works exceptionally hard and has an excellent eye for detail. He is able to explain concepts and views clearly and concisely, but in a way that conveys both authority and underlying substance.’
Jonathan Fowles –Serle Court
Ruth Hughes –5 Stone Buildings ‘Ruth is a technical, pragmatic and a talented barrister. She is an excellent and persuasive advocate, who prepares for her hearings thoroughly and in good time.’
James MacDougald –Ten Old Square 'James is incredibly approachable and totally dependable. He is super bright and very committed. He can turn his hand to most things and his output really is excellent. He has good ideas on strategy and takes a practical approach. He is also very understanding of the role of a solicitor and generally is a jolly nice chap.'
Katherine McQuail –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Katherine understands the vagaries of acting for protected parties where they relate to other Chancery proceedings. She  fights hard for her clients and is prepared to bend over backwards to work with her instructing solicitors to get the best results. She is a leader.’
William Moffett –Radcliffe Chambers ‘William is a truly excellent barrister. He is intelligent, quickly gets to the crux of the issues and has a great writing style. He is sympathetic to clients whilst also providing them with clear, honest advice.’
Michael O’Sullivan –5 Stone Buildings ‘Michael provides clear and reasoned advice on the merits of a case and does so very quickly.’
Sophia Rogers –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Sophia is one of the leading juniors when it comes to trusts and probate cases. She is utterly rigorous, works on the biggest and most important cases, and is a fierce and determined advocate. She gives clear merits advice.’
Daniel Warents –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Daniel always goes the extra mile and a real team player. Clients love his straightforward approach and clear advice.’
Stephen Woodward –Three Stone ‘Stephen is practical and has a client-friendly approach. He is very thorough and clear. He has an excellent grasp of his area and is happy to discuss technical points and talk through issues.’
4
Miranda Allardice –5 Stone Buildings
Michael Ashdown – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Michael is a very clear and rigorous thinker who produces opinions and deeds of a high quality. He gives sensible delivery timings and is helpful in follow up discussions.’
Simon Atkinson – Wilberforce Chambers
Luke Barnes –3 Dr Johnson's Buildings ‘Luke has real attention to detail. His pleadings are second to none. He is extremely knowledgeable in trusts law and leaves no stone unturned. He is realistic in his advice and presents it in a clear and succinct manner.’
Zahler Bryan – Serle Court ‘Zahler is fantastic at keeping on top of the legal issues on complex, evolving cases and always keeps one eye on strategy.’
William East – 5 Stone Buildings ‘William is a client’s and solicitor’s barrister. He is super bright and brilliant at what he does. He has a calm and clear manner, and his drafting is equally easy to understand.’
Marcus Flavin –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Marcus is knowledgeable  and pragmatic. He gives reassuring and practical advice.'
Andrew Francis –Serle Court
Helen Galley –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Helen is very quick to deal with instructions but is also thorough.’
James Goodwin – Wilberforce Chambers ‘James is a very calm and assured performer and technically very good. He is also extremely responsive.’
Emma Hargreaves –Serle Court 'Emma has an impressive attention to detail and seems to work all the time. She is able to research the most complex points in minute detail and form a holistic view incredibly quickly. She is also able to hold her own in the courtroom, even against significantly more senior opponents.'
Edward Hewitt –5 Stone Buildings ‘Edward is a true Chancery barrister who has in-depth expertise in not just trust and probate law but the drafting of trusts and will and the practical administration of the same. He is an invaluable source of wisdom to any private client solicitor.’
Edward Hicks –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Edward is thorough and relentless in both his preparation and presentation. He is a good all rounder and can be relied on to do a good job and get results.’
Charles Holbech –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Charles is really through and approachable. He has an amazingly bright legal mind and excellent drafting skills.’
Jordan Holland –5 Stone Buildings ‘Jordan has justified confidence in his abilities. He is an excellent lawyer, great litigation tactician and excellent on his feet-even against silks.’
Justin Holmes –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Justin is very experienced in the area and always provides sound and clear advice to the clients. He is excellent in his written advice and also at conferences or mediations. He ensures that all bases are covered and remains balanced and calm at all times.’
Elizabeth Houghton – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Elizabeth is very knowledgeable and experienced for a junior and has worked with seniors very well. She has a practical approach to problem solving. A very good all round adviser in this area.’
Charlotte John –Gatehouse Chambers ‘Charlotte is technically among the best, her knowledge of the law is really impressive and second to none. She offers the perfect balance of sensitivity and empathy but pragmatic and realistic advice.’
Oliver Jones –Serle Court ‘Oliver is able to establish a quick and easy rapport with the clients. His advice and drafting balances both the detail, and complexities of the issues, whilst delivering a clear and digestible output. He adopts a very commercial approach and is able to quickly identify the client's objectives and focus on delivery of the same.’
Josh Lewison – Radcliffe Chambers ‘Josh is a very gifted technical lawyer who is go-to on trust matters, particularly those with a foreign element and jurisdictional issues. He always makes himself available and is very collaborative in moving a case forward.’
James McKean – New Square Chambers ‘James is superb. He has a unique style particularly suited to this area of work. He presents arguments in a logical, engaging and relatable manner. He reads judges well and knows what points matter. His ability to find a decisive case authority that makes the difference is remarkable. He is a junior that performs well beyond that which is expected for of his call.’
Adil Mohamedbhai –Serle Court ‘Adil is an outstandingly able, cerebral lawyer and has first-rate powers of analysis. He is extremely diligent and well-organised and always meets his deadlines.’
Roger Mullis –Radcliffe Chambers ‘Roger has huge experience to bring to any dispute, his statesman-like qualities provide reassurance to worried clients and he is able to quickly grasp the main issues of extremely complex matters, even when brought in after several years of litigation.’
Heather Murphy –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Heather is excellent at making sense of a morass of difficult material. She is really good at cutting through all the noise to identify the key issues and decisions which need to be taken.’
Francis Ng – 5 Stone Buildings ‘Francis is a commercially aware barrister who is pragmatic in his advice. He has an excellent rapport with clients. He is a go-to junior on contentious probate matters.’
Elaine Palser –Outer Temple Chambers ‘Elaine has an eye for detail. Her written advice is well thought out, detailed and comprehensive. She is always on her feet, direct, persuasive and to the point.’
Matthew Paton –5 Stone Buildings ‘ Matthew is knowledgable, thoughtful, and considerate of clients' wishes, and always available to answer any questions.’
Oliver Phillips - Maitland Chambers
Barbara Rich –5 Stone Buildings
Mathew Roper –5 Stone Buildings ‘Mathew is extremely knowledgeable, reliable and hard-working. He is an valuable asset in any team and will fight his client's corner.’
Tom Roscoe – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Tom is a brilliant property and trusts expert. He is a go-to junior for high value trust work.’
Edward Sawyer – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Edward has a very strong experience in pensions and trust related work.’
Stephen Schaw Miller –New Square Chambers ‘Stephen is an excellent lawyer. He has a huge amount of knowledge but also gives sound practical advice. He is extremely thorough and always prepares meticulously. His advocacy is all about content and logical presentation.’
Bajul Shah –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Bajul is calm, collected and incredibly clever. Judge's like listening to him and clients respect him as an expert.’
Timothy Sherwin –XXIV Old Buildings ‘Timothy is superb at distilling complex trust issues in a clear and precise way. He has a superb manner with clients. He goes above and beyond to make himself available and deliver top quality advice - a star of the future.’
Stephanie Thompson – Serle Court ‘Stephanie is extremely knowledgeable and has a forensic approach to her work. She is highly diligent and responsive.’
George Woodhead –Selborne Chambers ‘George is exceptional at what he does. He is able to quickly digest large amounts of complex information which is particularly useful. He is able to think outside of the box and is always willing to bounce ideas around with his instructing solicitor. In terms of his advocacy, he is respectful at all times to the judge and to his opponent. He can however be incredibly forceful and persuasive when needs be, adapting his approach accordingly.’

Rising Stars

Charlotte Beynon – Serle Court ‘Charlotte is brilliant. She is a superstar in the making.’
Rupert Coe –Three Stone ‘Rupert has an excellent ability to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of both the client and the other side's claim. He always provided clear and pragmatic advice to the client.’
Rose Fetherstonhaugh – 5 Stone Buildings ‘Rose has an exceptional command of detail and an ability to distill key issues. She is responsive and calm under pressure. Her written advocacy is excellent.’
Gregor Hogan – Serle Court ‘Gregor is excellent at cutting through complex matters to identify the key issues, and has an incredible memory for, and attention to, detail. He explains matters to lay-clients in a concise and understandable manner.’
Oliver Ingham – 3PB ‘Oliver is very hard-working and conscientious in his approach. He really cares for the client and does his utmost to achieve the best for the client. He is also really quick to respond and helpful in his hands-on approach.’
Matthew Mills – Radcliffe Chambers ‘Matthew is very knowledgeable and more than capable in the areas in question. He keeps in touch and provides realistic turnaround times. His written advices are very helpful and well set out. He makes the effort to clarify matters where required, including by phone.’
James Poole –Ten Old Square ‘James is extremely intelligent and hard-working. He is a safe pair of hands which you can rely on. ’
Joseph Steadman – Wilberforce Chambers ‘Joseph is a fiercely bright and analytical thinker who is able to distil and explain complex Chancery issues into accessible content and format for the benefit of his clients. He is a dedicated lawyer, who works hard under pressure.’
Cameron Stocks –Gatehouse Chambers ‘Cameron has an excellent technical capabilities, an eye for detail and is a safe pair of hands.’

Private client: trusts and probate in London Bar

5 Stone Buildings

‘Wonderful set’ 5 Stone Buildings is considered by many a ‘go-to set for probate disputes’. The set offers a unique depth in the areas of contentious trust, contentious probate and family provision. ‘Brilliant tactician’ Henry Legge KC is known for his ‘extensive knowledge and forensic attitude’ and recently handled a case on the application of the Human Rights Act to the composition of the class of beneficiaries of a discretionary trust. Shan Warnock-Smith KC is ‘very approachable and easy to work with who handles the full range of trust matters’ and recently advised on obtaining guardianship and receivership orders in the Cayman Islands for a client who had lost capacity. Rose Fetherstonhaugh is also recommended.

Testimonials

Set 

‘5 Stone Buildings is the nicest and most approachable set of chambers. It has fantastic barristers at all levels and are always flexible and accommodating. Its training seminars are useful and on a good range of topics.’

‘5 Stone Buildings is always pleasant to instruct. The expertise of the set is unrivalled in terms of TOLATA work.’

‘5 Stone Buildings is well known in the field of contentious probate and trust work and is the go-to chambers.’

‘5SB has a well-earned reputation for excellence in the area of trust and probate disputes, with both leading silks and junior barristers specialising in this field to a very high degree.’

‘5 Stone Buildings is a leading set in this field. They have good depth of experience at all levels.’

‘5SB have one of the best strength in depth for contentious probate of any set in the capital.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are helpful and provide speedy responses.’

‘The clerking team is simply first class. Paul Jennings and Dan Coote are faultless in providing the service and willingness to find solutions.’

‘Clerks are friendly and responsive and discuss fees sensibly.’

‘Clerks are fantastic, responsive and helpful.’

‘The clerks’ room always provide an excellent level of service.’

‘The clerks are very good – always responsive and will do their best to accommodate urgent instructions.’

Work highlights

    Serle Court

    Serle Court is ‘first rate set’ with a large number of ‘high-calibre advocates’, with a significant number of members of chambers, including Jonathan Adkin KC, involved in the Wang v Grand View saga in Bermuda. Other key contacts include rising stars Charlotte Beynon and Gregor Hogan. Elizabeth Jones KC is active in the “X Trusts” litigation in Bermuda, while John Machell KC ‘s recent work has included the Privy Council case Investec v Glenalla Properties, a matter from Guernsey stemming from the long-running Tchenguiz Discretionary Trust litigation. James Brightwell was appointed as a Chancery Master in January 2023.

    Testimonials

    Set

    ‘Serle Court is a go-to sets for a full range of trust and probate work for domestic and multi-jurisdictional matters.’

    ‘Serle Court is an outstanding all round set, particularly in relation to chancery work.’

    ‘Serle Court is the best chancery set in London. The experience from their most junior barrister to the senior silks is consistently excellent.’

    ‘Serle Court is a go-to set for international trust disputes. The quality of the barristers at all levels is excellent, and they are without exception accessible and knowledgeable.’

    ‘Serle Court is one of a go-to chambers for contentious trust and estate matters – they have a useful depth of expertise at different levels of call.’

    ‘Serle Court offers a range of the very best trust and estates counsel.’

    Clerking

    ‘The clerks are very approachable and pragmatic.’

    ‘The clerks at Serle are helpful and efficient.’

    ‘The clerks are responsive and knowledgeable about the barristers’ work.’

    ‘The clerks are brilliant. They are fair and excellent communicators.’

    ‘Clerks service is generally excellent, responsive and commercial in approach.’

    ‘The clerks are very organised and easy and straightforward to deal with. They make every effort to guarantee availability of counsel and are sensible in discussions over quotations.’

    Wilberforce Chambers

    Wilberforce Chambers is ‘an eminent name when it comes to handling trusts and probate disputes’ and has ‘impressive strength in depth, from silks down to the most junior advocates’. Gilead Cooper KC is well known for his ‘fine intellect and persuasive manner’ and specialises in contentious property and trusts, Chancery and commercial litigation. Brian Green KC is ‘equally brilliant in contentious and non-contentious cases’ and is currently in Re HK Family Trust case, acting on behalf of a major bank in £450m proceedings concerning alleged breach of trust and consequential issues. Rising star Joseph Steadman is an ‘unbelievably bright junior’ whose trusts and probate practice encompasses various contexts, including commercial fraud, asset-tracing, divorce, and relationship breakdown.

    Testimonials

    Set

    ‘Wilberforce is excellent when it comes to its contentious trusts and probate practice.’

    ‘Wilberforce Chambers is a first rate set with a growing number of excellent barristers.’

    ‘The set is a fantastic and go-to set for Cayman.’

    ‘Wilberforce is very highly regarded particularly in relation to complex professional negligence claims with underlying fraud or trust issues.’

    ‘Wilberforce is a go-to chambers for complex, high value trusts work. The best in the business with fantastic barristers at all levels from junior to very senior KC.’

    ‘Wilberforce is an outstanding chancery set with strength in depth.’

    Clerking

    ‘The clerks are excellent, in particular Fraser Geddes and Stewart Cameron.’

    ‘The clerks have always been very helpful.’

    ‘The clerks are responsive and work to build relationships.’

    ‘Clerks’ room efficient and helpful.’

    ‘The clerks are always up to speed on the matters counsel are handling, up to speed on availability and helpful.’

    ‘The clerks are all very knowledgeable about the barristers’ skills and experience, and are always willing to assist with providing quotes.’

    Work highlights

      XXIV Old Buildings

      XXIV Old Buildings is an ‘excellent set, with first-rate counsel and great strength in depth’ and the ‘first port of call’ for many clients when it comes to complex trust related matters. Elspeth Talbot Rice KC is experienced at handling many complex and high-value Chancery pieces of litigation, particularly those with an international angle. David Brownbill KC has extensive expertise in trust law and focuses mainly on private client cases. ‘Brilliant orator’ Edward Cumming ‘is the absolute best when it comes to commercial Chancery work’ and has experience of cases which reach the final level of appeals.

      Testimonials

      Set 

      ‘XXIV Old Buildings is a top class set, with excellent strength in depth.’

      ‘XXIV Old Buildings is a top quality set with ability across the board, good strength in depth and a user friendly approach.’

      ‘XXIV Old Buildings is an excellent set, with first-rate counsel, great strength in depth and a user-friendly approach.’

      ‘XXIV Old Buildings is an impressive and hard-hitting set, well-placed to advised on all manner of commercial trust disputes.’

      ‘XXIV Old Buildings is an excellent set for complex trust and commercial cases.’

      Clerking

      ‘XXIV clerks are the most easy and straightforward clerks to deal with. They have good systems in place e.g. in agreeing the terms of a retainer.’

      ‘The clerks are great. James Ladbrook is particularly impressive.’

      ‘The clerks are marvellous and go beyond the call of duty to get answers in terms of fees, expertise and availability. They are very responsive and understanding.’

      ‘The clerks are very approachable and well organised.’

      New Square Chambers

      New Square Chambers is ‘a great set of chambers’ with a ‘good contentious probate offering’ and a deep bench of trust practitioners, both silks and juniors. Nicholas Le Poidevin KC is ‘held in high regard by his peers, clients, and judges’ and is well known for contentious trusts, will and estates practice. Lynton Tucker is ‘always very up to date with current trends in the field of trusts’ and recently advised on Hawksford Trustees Jersey Ltd v P Ltd, a matter relating to scope of the remedy for which could be granted for a mistake in the Jersey Court of Appeal. Mark Hubbard is described as ‘a clever junior’, while Aidan Briggs is ‘extremely bright, responsive and very personable’ and is currently handling The estate of Israel Perry, a complex case for which litigation is ongoing in three jurisdictions between beneficiaries and trustees.

      Testimonials

      Set 

      ‘New Square Chambers is a broad set with an in depth knowledge of trust related issues.’

      ‘New Square Chambers is a very strong set with strong juniors.’

      ‘New Square Chambers is one of the top chambers for contentious trusts and probate work. It has a fantastic mix of barristers at all levels. Availability of counsel is very good, although mostly on the junior end because their more established barristers are in such high demand.’

      ‘New Square Chambers has fantastic collection of experienced private client practitioners.’

      ‘New Square Chambers is proactive and are stealing a march on some of the more traditional chancery sets with ease of interaction, willingness to provide added value and in speed of response.’

      Clerking

      ‘Effective service by the clerk. Michelle Green is always available to assist.’

      ‘The clerks  are quick to respond, easy to deal with and work to your timescales.’

      ‘The clerks have always been very helpful and accommodating.’

      ‘The clerks are exceptional. They understand the commercial reality of fees, and always go out their way to assist. Michelle does a great job heading up the team and is supportive by the great service offer by Charlie and Nathan.’

      ‘The clerks are as a whole a very friendly and helpful group.’

      Work highlights

        Radcliffe Chambers

        Radcliffe Chambers is ‘a helpful, well-organised and competitive chamber with an excellent strength of barristers at all levels of call’. Robert Pearce KC is ‘an exceptionally intelligent and thorough’ individual whose recent practice has involved a lot of work in offshore jurisdictions, as well as with the 'passionate and pragmatic' Daniel Burton representing the trustees in Attorney-General v Zedra, concerning the fate of the National Fund, a 1920s bequest by a member of the family which created Farrer & Co in order to pay off the United Kingdom's entire national debt, and if its £500m value should be used to pay off less than a four thousandth of the debt, or for some other purpose. Kate Selway KC is ‘incredibly well prepared with great attention to detail’ and is currently representing defendants in a probate fraud claim in the High Court. ‘Formidable advocate’ Thomas Dumont KC ‘exudes confidence and comes up with great strategies’. Rising star Matthew Mills is ‘a very capable and knowledge advocate’.

        Testimonials

        Set 

        ‘The chambers is very well regarded set in contentious trusts and probate areas.’

        ‘Chambers is excellent and will always find a way to help – “go-to” chambers.’

        ‘A go-to chambers for all private client/ trust disputes matters.’ 

        ‘Radcliffe is very solid on contentious trusts and probate.’

        ‘Radcliffe has an impressive selection of contentious trusts and probate counsel.’

        ‘Radcliffe offers great value for money, with strength in depth and good availability of barristers.’

        Clerking 

        ‘The clerks’ room is a particularly strong feature of Radcliffe chambers. They are personable, knowledgeable and helpful.’

        ‘The Clerks have also always been helpful and provide prompt responses.’

        ‘The clerks’ room provides an excellent service and is always efficient and keen to assist.’

        ‘Clerks are efficient and personable – their approach is friendly and reasonable, even where some complication arises.’

        ‘Clerks are always attentive and respond promptly.’

        ‘Clerks are good and could build on this by offering more tailored options based upon the individual case requirements.’

        Work highlights

          Ten Old Square

          Ten Old Square is an ‘excellent set for trust disputes’, with a ‘strong bench of highly rated and capable barristers, from silks to juniors’. Francis Barlow KC is a ‘very thoughtful and experienced’ barrister who advises and represents clients in the full spectrum of contentious and non- contentious Chancery matters. Simon Taube KC is well known for his ‘clear and strategically astute advice’ and recently handled Re Tchenguiz Discretionary Trust:Fort & Balchin v ITGL, a matter before a seven person panel of the Privy Council involving questions of insolvent trusts. Leading junior Georgia Bedworth is praised for her ‘meticulous attention to detail’, while rising star James Poole is recommended for his ‘clear and concise advice that is easy for clients to understand’. Eason Rajah KC, as was, was appointed to the High Court bench effective April 2023.

          Testimonials

          Set

          ‘Ten Old Square is a well respected set with strength-in-depth across their junior counsel.’

          ‘Ten Old Square is the “go-to” set for trust disputes. It a strong bench of capable barristers.’

          ‘Ten Old Square is a very well-reputed set and has a number of the best chancery barristers.’

          ‘Chambers is approachable and generally have counsel who are able to assist. It offers a yearly trust conference, which is always well attended.’

          ‘Ten Old Square is a very capable set in terms of domestic and international trusts.’

          Clerking 

          ‘The clerks are second to none. Keith Plowman and Fay Bennett particularly impress and are excellent dealing with queries and client relations.’

          ‘The clerks are helpful and responsive, Marc Schofield in particular.’

          ‘The clerks were very efficient and offered helpful advice when it came to selecting counsel.’

          Work highlights

            Maitland Chambers

            Maitland Chambers is a ‘first-class chambers’, and the team members of the set are regularly involved in cases related to private clients, trusts and probate, both on and offshore. Christopher McCall KC is ‘extremely effective at coming up with commercial solutions for highly complicated matters’ and specialises in trust law. ‘Incredibly details-oriented’ Thomas Fletcher is the key junior of the team.

            Testimonials

            Set 

            ‘Maitland Chambers has a well-deserved reputation as a leading chancery set.’

            ‘Maitland have extraordinary strength in depth.’

            Clerking 

            ‘John Wiggs is very responsive and helpful.’

            ‘The clerks are generally very efficient and responsive.’