Praised as ‘one of the leading chambers for international trust matters, especially high-value and complex trusts’, Serle Court features members that are notably active across the Caribbean, Bermuda, Gibraltar, and the Channel Islands. Its barristers are well-equipped to act for trustees, personal representatives, and beneficiaries, especially in cases surrounding trust and estate administration disputes. Elizabeth Jones KC has an overlapping commercial and private client practice, while Jonathan Adkin KC is particularly active in high-profile disputes across Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas. Of recent note, Adkin is representing the plaintiff in a dispute surrounding issues of a settlor’s capacity in the Supreme Court of the Bahamas for more than $100m. Dakis Hagen KC has a thriving offshore trusts practice, and he is currently acting for the plaintiff in the high-profile case of Wong v Grand View PTC and others, which concerns an action to set aside five purpose trusts in Bermuda which in total hold more than $18bn. Constance McDonnell KC is another key silk at the set with expertise in the cross-border administration of trusts, especially in Guernsey and Gibraltar.

Wilberforce Chambers is a go-to set for offshore contentious trust mandates, and is praised for having some of the ‘leading barristers in the world for international trusts work’. It is home to the reputable Brian Green KC and Robert Ham KC, who regularly handles traditional private client work, as well as cases involving elements of tax and pension schemes. Clare Stanley KC frequently appears before the courts of the Channel Islands, Cayman, and the BVI regarding trust cases. She acted for the claimant in Halabi v Equity Trust (Jersey) Ltd, which is now a leading case regarding the proper distribution of assets when dealing with an insolvent offshore trust. Gilead Cooper KC is particularly skilled in contentious property and trusts matters. Turning to the juniors at the set, Anna Littler is a key name to note, as is Elizabeth Houghton, who represents clients in novel Chancery matters that often have an international element.

XXIV Old Buildings is sought after by clients to handle work originating from Gibraltar, Bermuda, BVI, the Cayman Islands, and the Crown Dependencies. Stephen Moverley Smith KC is a key silk at the set and has appeared before the Supreme Court of the Bahamas, the Bermuda Court of Appeal, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and the Privy Council, and has recently been acting alongside Francis Tregear KC for the trust beneficiaries in a case concerning the division of a trust into several, and the related opposition application. Tregear KC is called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean, as is Elspeth Talbot Rice KC, who continues to act for the appellants in the Wong v Grand View case, which concerns the validity and transfer of five purpose trusts, as well as the related use of powers of addition and exclusion. Among the set’s strong bench of juniors, Nicole Langlois is dual qualified to act in England and Jersey, and Bajul Shah is notable for his trust disputes work; he represented the defendant in Pilatus (PTC) Limited v RBC Trutsees (Guernsey) Limited, which concerns a breach of trust claim following the resignation of the trustee. Andrew Holden is another key junior at the set.

New Square Chambers is sought after by ultra-high-net-worth individuals, as well as institutional and corporate clients, in cases involving complex trusts and high-value assets. The set is home to Nicholas Le Poidevin KC, who boasts a thriving contentious trusts, wills, and estates practice, with particular expertise in litigation surrounding breaches of trust and trustees’ exercises of power. Alexander Learmonth KC is another notable silk, with experience in the removal of trustees, breaches of trust, and disputed estates. Among its juniors, Lynton Tucker‘s offshore trust practices predominately focuses on the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands, and the BVI, and Mark Hubbard is another active international trusts disputes barrister.

Radcliffe Chambers frequently handles high-value cases involving disputed trusts with offshore elements in Bermuda, the BVI, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, and Gibraltar. The set is home to Thomas Dumont KC, who can claim four decades of expertise in Chancery-related work, and Robert Pearce KC  and Piers Feltham, both of whom are involved in the Wang litigation, which concerns questions over the scope of a trustees’ powers, as well as the validity of non-charitable purpose trusts in Bermuda. Marcus Flavin is another key junior at the set with expertise in trusts, the administration of estates, probate, and inheritance work. Flavin is acting for the trustees in the case of P Trust, C v Fenlight Trustees & others, which concerns a large Jersey law trust, a removal claim, and breach of trust allegations. Josh Lewison‘s practice predominantly focuses on the Channel Islands, and he is also active in the BVI.