Baker & Partners > St Helier, Jersey > Firm Profile

Baker & Partners
MIDLAND CHAMBERS
2-10 LIBRARY PLACE
ST HELIER
JE1 2BP
Jersey

Email firm Visit website 01534 766254 01534 737355

Dispute resolution Tier 1

Litigation boutique Baker & Partners is praised for bringing a ‘creative, practical, and highly experienced’ approach to complex disputes, with international asset recovery, commercial litigation, insolvency and trust disputes forming the key pillars of the practice. Senior partner Stephen Baker

specialises in trust, civil fraud and asset tracing matters, with extensive experience assisting states with the recovery of assets lost through corruption. Simon Thomas frequently acts for the attorney general in criminal matters and is also sought after for shareholder disputes, while William Redgrave‘s practice is centred on obtaining freezing and disclosure orders. Lynne Gregory handles international fraud and asset tracing matters, with further expertise in insolvencies. James Sheedy, who was made partner in February 2022, handles the spectrum of trusts cases. Amy Benest joined the firm from Appleby in March 2023, adding to the team’s funds expertise, and Jared Dann joined the practice in early 2024 from the same firm. Charlie Sorensen moved to 3 Hare Court in November 2022.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Baker; Simon Thomas; William Redgrave; Lynne Gregory; James Sheedy

Other key lawyers:

Amy Benest; Jared Dann

Testimonials

‘Stephen Baker and William Redgrave both had a strong grip of their brief and presented the case very well. Both easy to work with, committed to the case and accomplished advocates.’

‘Stephen Baker is a brilliant leader and strategist. He leads a team that has strength and experience throughout. They are easy to deal with, very good in front of clients and excellent advocates. They are first choice on the island for complex disputes.’

‘Stephen Baker is one of the leading Jersey litigators and deservedly so. He can be trusted with the biggest and most complex mandates. William Redgrave is exceptionally good and works very well with Stephen.’

‘The team at Baker & Partners is extremely easy to work with. They are proactive, very smart, experienced and commercial in their approach. They are particularly cost-efficient compared to others in their jurisdictions.’

‘Lynne Gregory is smart, experienced and pragmatic. Clients know they are in good hands when they speak to her. James Sheedy is extremely commercial, understands what the client needs and works out how to get it for them and has a masterful command of all things Jersey trust law.’

‘Stephen Baker is creative, practical, and highly experienced. Lynne Gregory is tactically astute and user-friendly. Both Stephen and Lynne bring the complete package to any legal problem. Between them they have the legal acumen and soft skills necessary to deliver the best possible solution to the client.’

‘Baker & Partners has been at the forefront of some of the most complex and high-value offshore commercial and trust litigation in Jersey for many years. Their lawyers have extensive practical experience in the courts of Jersey, England & Wales, Cayman and BVI. Their advice is always sound, practical and client-focused.’

‘Simon Thomas’s understanding of his client’s needs enables him to be a really effective advocate. His client skills are simply the best. He is able to connect with clients at all levels and build relationships at the most challenging times. He is approachable, thoughtful and wise in his approach to litigation.’

Key clients

BNP Paribas Jersey Trust Corporation

Oleg Sheyko

Geoffrey Crill

Punter Southall Group Limited

Penylon Limited

Quastels LLP

Emirates NBD Bank PJSC

Government of Malaysia – 1 MDB

Work highlights

Co-ordinated the international asset recovery effort for the Malaysian government in a fraud worth $9bn.
Represented Punter Southall Group, as the majority investor, in a multi-million pound shareholder dispute brought by a minority shareholder and former director.
Acted for Emirates NBD Bank, seeking to recover assets from a Dubai resident who guaranteed loans and has not paid the guarantee.

Dispute resolution > Regulatory and white-collar crime Tier 1

Baker & Partners is often instructed to investigate and prosecute cross-border cases concerning fraud and mis-selling of investments, in addition to being tasked with co-ordinating international enforcement orders and asset recovery efforts. The practice is also sought out by financial services companies for advice on regulatory risks, including AML procedures, and regularly represents clients under investigation by regulators. Simon Thomas is an external crown advocate, frequently acting on white-collar crime instructions from the attorney general. William Redgrave is also a crown advocate, prosecuting companies whose AML procedures fall below required standards, as well as assisting clients with their internal AML procedures, including in relation to digital currencies. Stephen Baker

specialises in anti-corruption measures and international asset tracing, while Lynne Gregory has extensive experience in fraud claims and insolvency matters.

Leading individuals

William Redgrave - Baker & Partners

Simon Thomas - Baker & Partners

Practice head(s):

Stephen Baker; Simon Thomas; William Redgrave; Lynne Gregory

Key clients

Attorney General – Lumiere Wealth

Viscount of Jersey

Attorney General – Prosecution of ROK Homes

Attorney General – Darius Pearce

Work highlights

Instructed by the Attorney General and the Viscount of Jersey in relation to the enforcement of the confiscation order imposed following the conviction of the principal of Jersey-based Lumière Finance for mis-selling offences.
Acting for the Viscount of Jersey in proceedings brought by the Attorney General to preserve trust assets in Jersey for the purpose of enforcement of criminal confiscation orders following criminal convictions in Indonesia.

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.

Department	Name	Email	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	Lynne Gregory
Matrimonial	Simon Thomas
Regulatory	William Redgrave

Name	Position	Profile
Adv Stephen Baker	Partner advocate. Specialist areas: international asset recovery, international co-operation and financial crime.…	View Profile
Lynne Gregory	Partner	View Profile
Adv William Redgrave	Partner	View Profile
Adv Simon Thomas	Partner	View Profile