Baker & Partners > St Helier, Jersey > Firm Profile
Baker & Partners Offices
MIDLAND CHAMBERS
2-10 LIBRARY PLACE
ST HELIER
JE1 2BP
Jersey
Baker & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings
Dispute resolution Tier 1
As Jersey’s leading litigation boutique, Baker & Partners fields an impressive bench of advocates led by the 'unbelievably bright' Stephen Baker, Simon Thomas (who is praised as 'a match for anyone') and the 'very capable, calm and trusted' William Redgrave. Alongside a steady stream of contentious insolvency mandates from international liquidators and trust litigation from both trustees and beneficiaries, the team is also a leader in multimillion-pound asset recovery mandates and fraud proceedings; senior associate Charlie Sorensen often acts in the latter. Previously general counsel for a major mining company, recent partner promotion and 'excellent litigator' Lynne Gregory provides further expertise in commercial litigation and shareholder disputes, while senior associate James Sheedy regularly acts in high-value breach of trust claims.
Practice head(s):
Stephen Baker; Simon Thomas; William Redgrave
Other key lawyers:
Charlie Sorensen; Lynne Gregory; James Sheedy; Eleanor Davies
Testimonials
‘I worked with Simon Thomas and his team, James Sheedy and Eleanor Davies. This was all conducted online due to Covid restrictions, including the court hearing. Despite these challenges, communication was clear, easy and efficient. The inter-team communication was faultless and communication with myself, likewise. As a team they were extremely professional, yet approachable and always very easy to communicate with. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Baker & Partners.’
‘Simon Thomas took on my case after four years of an aggressive and complex inter-family trust dispute in Dublin, Bermuda and Jersey. He was quick to familiarise himself with all the facts and the complications of my position. He argued my case in court with impressive understanding/clarity and professional sensitivity.’
‘James Sheedy – this guy cares about his clients and delivers.’
‘William Redgrave- Very capable, calm and trusted advocate.’
‘William Redgrave is a delight to work with – calm and cheerful. He is a superb advocate- never overstating his case and presenting his arguments to the court with charm and persuasion that has seen him secure victory after victory in litigation. Lynne Gregory is an excellent litigator- completely on top of procedure and her City firm background meant that she came into the case and hit the ground running. Her recent promotion to partner was richly deserved. James Sheedy is encyclopaedic as far as Jersey trust law is concerned and is a fine lawyer.’
‘First-class service; highly responsive; practical and cut to the chase.’
‘Stephen Baker – unbelievably bright disguised in a laid back style which is very effective.’
‘I have worked with Lynne Gregory and she was extremely professional and also commercial, quickly grasping the key issues and understanding and implementing the client’s objectives.’
Key clients
MB & Services Ltd
BNP Paribas Jersey Trust Corporation
CMC Holdings Limited
Punter Southall Group Limited
Work highlights
- Representing MB & Services against global aluminium producer Rusal in breach of confidence and restraint proceedings.
- Representing BNP Paribas Jersey Trust Corporation Limited in breach of trust litigation as part of the high-profile Crociani litigation.
- Acted for CMC Holdings against a former company director for breach of fiduciary duty whereby millions of pounds in secret commissions were diverted into offshore accounts in Jersey and then secretly distributed among a select group of company executives.
Dispute resolution > Regulatory and white-collar crime Tier 1
Baker & Partners houses some of Jersey’s leading regulatory and white-collar crime specialists, including co-heads Simon Thomas and William Redgrave
. The team is currently instructed by the Jersey government in high-stakes regulatory breach prosecutions under POCA; similarly, the group regularly represents global financial institutions in JFSC investigations and subsequent actions. Fellow co-head Stephen Baker’s anti-corruption and KYC knowledge is highly sought after by international government departments and municipalities. Promoted to partner early in 2021, Lynne Gregory has a broad set of expertise encompassing asset tracing, fraud and shareholder disputes.
Practice head(s):
Stephen Baker; Simon Thomas; William Redgrave
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
HM Attorney General of Jersey
Work highlights
- Conducted the Attorney General’s reference to the Court of Appeal seeking to establish the proper limits of the customary law offence of Fraudulent Conversion.
- Handled an appeal to the Court of Appeal against a confiscation order in the Proceeds of Crime Law concerning the extent to which outstanding tax liabilities should be taken into account when assessing realisable property.
- Handled a successful prosecution of a Jersey professional trust company for breaches of Proceeds of Crime Law by failing to have effective policies and procedures to combat money laundering.
Baker & Partners > Firm Profile
Baker & Partners is a specialist independent offshore litigation and dispute resolution practice.
The firm: Baker & Partners was founded in 2003 and has been at the forefront of some of the most complex and high-value litigation in Jersey. It takes the view that no legal problem is unsolvable. Every step it takes is directed to protect and advance its clients’ interests. The firm’s advice is always straightforward, objective and independent. It remains conflict-free by not operating an associated trust company or financial services business. Its lawyers have extensive practical experience in the courts of not only Jersey but also England, Wales, Cayman and BVI. Their skills, both inside and outside the courtroom, allow Baker & Partners to achieve its clients’ aims in an efficient and cost-effective way.
Types of work undertaken
Trust disputes: Baker & Partners acts for beneficiaries, trustees and other fiduciaries on a range of contentious trust matters including acting in long-running litigation relating to the administration of a substantial family charitable trust which resulted in orders for the removal of the corporate trustee. The firm currently acts for BNP Paribas Jersey Trust Corporation in Crociani v Crociani, one of the biggest trust disputes in Jersey in recent years. The firm acted for the plaintiff in a £30m claim for breach of fiduciary duty of a former director of a Kenyan company and against a major Jersey financial services provider for its role in dishonestly assisting in a fraud that lasted over 30 years. The firm regularly advises and acts for trustees and beneficiaries in respect of breach of trust claims; asset tracing and constructive trust claims; trustee applications for directions; disputes over trust administration and the exercise of powers; and the removal and/or substitution of trustees.
Civil and commercial litigation: Baker & Partners has a leading reputation for resolving high-value, and often complex, civil and commercial disputes. The firm acts for local and international businesses, banks and financial institutions as well as consumers in a range of actions including shareholder disputes; banking litigation; civil fraud claims; breach of contract/covenant claims; injunctions and disclosure orders; conflict of laws and jurisdiction disputes and financial product mis-selling claims.
Fraud, asset tracing and recovery: Baker & Partners has unparalleled experience in bringing and defending major international fraud claims and asset recovery actions before the Jersey courts. The firm acts for foreign governments, NGOs, multinational corporations and private individuals in some of the most complex and high-value political corruption, forfeiture and judgment enforcement actions, including asset tracing claims; confiscation proceedings; freezing two injunctions; disclosure orders; search and seizure orders; civil fraud claims and fraudulent breach of trust claims. The firm has successfully acted in ground-breaking asset tracing litigation to secure US$23m for the Federal Republic of Brazil, and in separate litigation brought by the Republic of Mozambique to recover the proceeds of bribes.
Matrimonial: Baker & Partners is often involved in cases with cross-jurisdictional issues and advises families with complex financial portfolios and structures. The firm has extensive experience of advising clients with high-net-worth matrimonial assets and family trust structures. In the context of matrimonial disputes regarding family trusts, Baker & Partners has also advised trustees on contentious issues including allegations of sham trusts, disclosure, submission to the jurisdiction of the English High Court and enforceability of judgments from the English High Court and other foreign jurisdictions.
Regulatory and investigatory: Baker & Partners’ compliance, risk and regulatory specialists now provide significant commercial experience of Jersey’s and other offshore financial services industries under one efficient offering alongside its legal capabilities. The firm is regularly instructed by regulators, financial institutions and private individuals to advise and act in an array of often highly complex and challenging situations. In 2020 Baker & Partners has also established Baker Regulatory Services to further strengthen it’s regulatory offering.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil and commercial litigation | Stephen Baker | ||
| Civil and commercial litigation | Simon Thomas | ||
| Civil and commercial litigation | William Redgrave | ||
| Civil and commercial litigation | Lynne Gregory | ||
| Civil and commercial litigation | James Sheedy | ||
| Civil and commercial litigation | Charlie Sorensen | ||
| Trust disputes and litigation | Stephen Baker | ||
| Trust disputes and litigation | Simon Thomas | ||
| Trust disputes and litigation | William Redgrave | ||
| Trust disputes and litigation | James Sheedy | ||
| Trust disputes and litigation | Lynne Gregory | ||
| Financial crime | Stephen Baker | ||
| Financial crime | Julian Gollop | ||
| Financial crime | Cyril Whelan | ||
| Fraud, asset tracing and recovery | Stephen Baker | ||
| Fraud, asset tracing and recovery | Simon Thomas | ||
| Fraud, asset tracing and recovery | William Redgrave | ||
| Fraud, asset tracing and recovery | Julian Gollop | ||
| Fraud, asset tracing and recovery | Cyril Whelan | ||
| Fraud, asset tracing and recovery | Charles Sorensen | ||
| Fraud, asset tracing and recovery | Lynne Gregory | ||
| Matrimonial | Simon Thomas | ||
| Regulatory | William Redgrave |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Adv Stephen Baker | Partner advocate. Specialist areas: international asset recovery, international co-operation and financial crime.… | View Profile |
 | Adv Julian Gollop | Partner advocate. Specialist areas: criminal law both defence and prosecution. | View Profile |
 | Lynne Gregory | Partner | View Profile |
 | Adv William Redgrave | Partner | View Profile |
 | Adv James Sheedy | Partner | View Profile |
 | Adv Charlie Sorensen | Counsel | View Profile |
 | Adv Simon Thomas | Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 5 Number of other UK fee-earners : 12Press Releases
Baker & Partners Recognised as Tier 1 Alongside Dispute Resolution Elite in Legal 500 UK 2017
19th October 2017has been ranked as a Tier 1 legal firm for Dispute Resolution in the leading guide to law firms in the UK, The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2017.
The annual guide recommends law firms and lawyers across the UK based on location and strengths in practice areas. Baker & Partners was recommended as a Tier 1 firm for Dispute Resolution and a Tier 4 firm for Private Client, Trusts Tax. To achieve top tier status, the Baker & Partners team had to demonstrate a high level of expertise across the spectrum of Dispute Resolution, covering areas such as trust litigation, civil fraud and asset tracing.
Baker & Partners Win Mondaq Award for Influential Commentary
19th October 2017Baker & Partners are delighted to have received a Mondaq award for the ‘Contributor With Most Popular Articles in Jersey’. Mondaq is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent online resources for professional legal, financial and regulatory information. The award is allocated based on detailed analysis of which articles are read the most across 70 countries, taking data from the Mondaq global website, newsletters and wider distribution network.
Baker & Partners Launches Jersey’s First Trust Litigation Text
7th February 2017Baker & Partners has launched Litigating Trust Disputes in Jersey: Law, Procedure & Remedies. This substantial new book is Jersey’s first practitioner text dedicated exclusively to trust litigation in Jersey’s courts.
Baker & Partners Seeks Candidate to Begin Pupillage in 2017
7th February 2017Baker & Partners is seeking a candidate to begin a 12-month pupillage in 2017 further to being granted ongoing Approved Training Organisation (ATO) status by the Bar Standards Board.
Baker & Partners Recognised as Litigation Experts in Top Legal Directory
15th November 2016Baker & Partners has been recognised as an expert in offshore dispute resolution having achieved a second-tier ranking in Chambers UK 2017, a legal directory by Chambers and Partners which ranks law practices and lawyers operating within the UK.
- Dispute resolution
- Dispute resolution > Regulatory and white-collar crime