Duncan Elson > Charles Russell Speechlys LLP > Guildford, England > Lawyer Profile

With expertise in pension disputes, tax and trust matters, the Guildford-based practice Charles Russell Speechlys LLP assists both individuals and company claimants. Stephen Burns is particularly active in matters pertaining to the financial services, healthcare, as well as technology and telecoms sectors. Duncan Elson is knowledgeable of negligence claims against solicitors, while David Savage has over two decades of experience in claims against construction professionals.

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP routinely assists real-estate owning clients with the maintenance, purchases and sales of long-held family assets and property-based businesses. Duncan Elson is a strong choice for landed estate and pension litigation, while William Marriott is particularly proficient in the acquisitions and disposals of domestic property. David Haines is a key port of call for professional negligence claims concerning property. All of the individuals that have been mentioned are located in Guildford.

Focusing on dispute resolution, litigation prevention and risk management, the Guildford team at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP handles matters with multi-jurisdictional elements for corporate clients in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with clients praising it as ‘a law firm of great calibre with excellent people’ who are ‘great, very friendly and a pleasure to work with’. The team specialises in corporate litigation, commercial matters, and product liability and supply chain disputes and is increasingly handling professional negligence claims. The team is led by Stephen Burns, who is ‘clever, with terrifically good judgment’ and is a specialist in Companies Act litigation, shareholder disputes and professional negligence issues; and ‘shrewd, experienced negotiator’ Jamie Cartwright, who has experience in technology, automotive, retail and product liability disputes. Rachel Warren is ‘excellent on financial services regulation and disciplinary matters’. The ‘highly commercial’ Gareth Mills is an expert in international arbitration and has substantial experience advising financial services and TMT clients. Head of the Guildford office Duncan Elson is also noted.

Leveraging support from the firm’s London office, Charles Russell Speechlys LLP is led by Guildford-based Duncan Elson, a reputed practitioner who frequently acts as an independent administrator, professional executor, and trustee in contentious estate matters. Oliver Auld splits his time between Guildford and London and is particularly proficient in challenging wills through the Inheritance Act. Rebecca Piper and Edward Birell are also based in Guildford, the former is a seasoned court of protection litigator, whereas the latter is knowledgeable of asset tracking and freezing injunctions.

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP is ‘involved in the big cases and is handling these big cases well’, under the able leadership of the ‘exceptional’ Graeme Kleiner, who has ‘almost legendary status.’ The practice enjoyed a number of recent highlights, including the arrival of the ‘real powerhouse’ Ziva Robertson from McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP, and the promotion of Geneva-based Robert Avis to the partnership. The team has a stellar reputation both nationally and internationally. Its work spans the entire private wealth sector – it regularly works with its matrimonial team on some of the largest international divorce cases. Duncan Elson covers the full gamut of contentious trusts and estates work. Tamasin Perkins advises high-net-worth individuals, trustees and fiduciaries on many complex international trust and probate disputes. Areas of expertise include breach of trust claims, and claims involving protectors. Oliver Auld specialises in acting for private clients, and a wide range of people who are acting in a fiduciary capacity.