Offshore

Mourant's Guernsey private wealth group is particularly strong on trusts litigation matters and is seen as a good choice for the largest international cases. The team's non-contentious practice is integrated with trusts litigation in a single private wealth practice group.

"The offshore trusts team are extremely knowledgeable and give detailed and pragmatic advice with quick turnaround times," says one source; another adds that "they are solution-driven and have assisted with some incredibly diverse and complicated matters," while a third says the Mourant team "handles the complexities of trust issues smoothly," adding: "They are extremely good in the trust space."

Christopher Edwards is a well-regarded trusts litigator who represents high net worth families, professional fiduciaries and institutional clients. A trusts expert says Edwards is "a pleasure to deal with, readily available and extremely experienced," and adds: "I always feel that he grasps facts quickly and sees important detail and the bigger picture in equal measure. His responses are legally accurate and commercially practical." Another source describes him as "a true expert on trust issues," explaining that "he is excellent at mediation; he is a calm and unaggressive presence in the room. He can handle complex family dynamics. He is responsive and intelligent."

Gillian Kennedy-Smith is a rising star, and joined Mourant recently from Mills & Reeve in London. She advises on a wide range of trust, succession and tax planning matters for wealthy clients.