Chancery: Traditional Department

Radcliffe is a widely respected chancery set, noted for its particular breadth of experience in traditional wills and trusts matters. The set offers a large group of experienced silks and juniors. One source reports: “They are a very commercial set, who provide commercially focused advice in a timely and cost-effective manner. They are all approachable and very helpful, and I certainly recommend them to my colleagues as a go-to set, particularly when there is any aspect of charity or trust law to take into consideration.” A market commentator calls them “fresh and forward-thinking.”

The set is highly praised for the quality of its clerks, with one solicitor commenting: “It’s really good clerking. We can call and they'll always recommend the right person. They’re very frank and commercial about availability and fees, and brilliant at locking down costs.” Another calls them “approachable, sensible and helpful.” The team is led by joint senior clerks Keith Nagle and John Clark, and the chief executive is Fiona Fitzgerald.

Charles Holbech has a diverse private client practice and is frequently instructed on both contentious and non-contentious matters. He is particularly noted for his technical knowledge of tax matters. He is described as “absolutely superb, with the human touch” by one solicitor. Another says: “I use Charles Holbech as he gives clear and practical advice. In addition, he has always made himself available to speak with the client and with their other advisers in order to provide the best advice for them.”

Rising star Daniel Burton is described as “calm, bright and popular with clients.” His growing traditional chancery practice includes contested probate, estates administration and charities matters. “His turnaround time is stupendous. He is incredibly conscientious, absolutely all over the detail,” comments one barrister. A solicitor calls him “an intelligent and incisive practitioner who is very easy to deal with from a professional perspective.”

Edward Hicks is appreciated for his “incredible attention to detail” by one source, who continues: “He is extremely proactive with a huge appetite for work – I don’t know another barrister who attacks their work with such enthusiasm.” His respected traditional chancery practice focuses on contentious matters, including contentious probate, disputed wills, and disputes as to the administration of estates and trusts. “I was very impressed with him on his feet, and he’s accurate his paperwork,” reports one barrister.

Elizabeth Ovey is a highly experienced junior with a broad chancery practice. She is sought after for traditional chancery matters such as wills, probate and trusts, and is a particular expert on building societies and their associated concerns. She is also experienced in matters with some pensions aspect.

Francesca Quint focuses her practice on the field of charities law, in which she is a recognised as being “really exceptional.” Her practice is primarily advisory, and she is frequently trusted with the most complex and high-profile charities matters. One source says: “She’s lovely – friendly and good with clients. In complex situations, she has a lot of empathy and clarity, and puts the client at ease.”

Josh Lewison is commended for his “good, practical, common-sense approach and clear advice” by one source, while another calls him “very helpful indeed.” His broad traditional chancery practice includes both on and offshore work, and he is noted for his handling of charitable trust matters. “Josh is very good on highly technical matters; he drafts well and explains well to clients,” reports one source.

Justin Holmes has a broad traditional chancery practice, focusing primarily on contentious matters. He is noted for his depth of experience in the Court of Protection and in cases with some capacity question. “Justin provides clear and practical advice and has a very good manner with clients,” says one market insider, while another comments: “He’s very good in court – very calm, and not aggressive or unpleasant. He keeps you on the straight and narrow.” He is described as “pragmatic and thorough.”

Kate Selway is “spectacular – there’s nothing she doesn’t know. She’s exceptionally efficient, explains trust law so clearly, and is constantly patient with stupid questions,” reports one source. She is particularly commended for her expertise in the field of tax-related traditional chancery, but is also frequently instructed on Inheritance Act, trusts and charities matters. “She has an impressive working knowledge of the legislation, which puts her ahead of her peers,” enthuses one interviewee.

Katherine McQuail offers a depth of experience in traditional chancery matters and is regularly instructed on probate, inheritance and trusts matters. Fellow counsel describe her as “very easy to deal with and extremely pragmatic - on top of the detail, and she knows the law backwards,” while solicitors comment that she has “a great client manner, with a relaxed style which enables her to quickly build rapport with clients.” One barrister calls her “a challenging advocate.”

Keith Rowley QC has a much-respected traditional chancery practice. He is recognised for his particular strength in matters with some pensions aspect. He also has a breadth of experience in international and offshore matters. He is highly sought after by trustees.

Marcus Flavin has an established traditional chancery practice, which includes both contentious and non-contentious matters. He is regularly instructed both on and offshore, with particular expertise in Jersey. He is sought after by trustees, executors and family members. “I would always instruct him if I had a suitable case,” says one solicitor.

Well-established junior Nathan Wells has a wide-ranging traditional chancery practice. He is regularly instructed on wills, probate and estate administration and trusts. He is also experienced in cases with some real property aspect. He is a particularly fine choice of counsel for matters with some Northern Irish aspect, as he has also been called to the Northern Irish Bar.

Oliver Hilton “is extremely knowledgeable on contested trust and negligence matters and can explain very complicated areas of the law in relatively simple terms,” according to one source. His busy traditional chancery practice includes complex trusts and succession matters, and he is instructed both on and offshore. One solicitor calls him “very thoughtful and considered, careful and meticulous, and very reliable,” while another commends his “clear and concise advice.”

Peter Crampin QC is “one of the elder statesmen of the Bar, and an excellent advocate,” according to one market commentator. He appears in a wide range of traditional chancery matters, with a particular depth of experience in charities matters. He is frequently instructed on overseas matters, and has been admitted to the Bar of Northern Ireland. One source comments that “his technical points are still being discussed years later.”

Piers Feltham is described as “a very efficient and assured practitioner” by one source, who continues: “He has excellent technical knowledge and provides clients with confident advice.” His respected traditional chancery practice encompasses both contentious and non-contentious matters, and he is particularly noted for his work with estates. “He is just the sort of barrister that you want on your side. He is clear and to the point in his written advice as well as being a very good advocate. He is also practical and very good at working around issues to achieve the objective the client is seeking, while at the same time being firm with the client and the other side as to what is achievable and within the law. I have always found him to be a top-class barrister.”

Respected silk Robert Pearce QC has a substantial traditional chancery practice and is particularly noted for his handling of complex trust issues. He was instructed in the MN v OP case, one of the most high-profile recent chancery cases, discussing the right to privacy in the context of trusts. He is sought after by trustees, executors and private companies.

Roger Mullis has a depth of experience in traditional chancery matters. He is sought after for contentious probate and administration of estates, trusts, wills and real property matters, and is instructed by family members, trustees and professional clients. He is particularly noted for his litigation work.

Sophia Rogers is commended for her “excellent attention to detail” by one source, who continues: “She provides pragmatic advice and is very good at dealing with clients at conference. A very good advocate too.” She has a growing traditional chancery practice and is frequently instructed on matters across the full breadth of the practice area, including wills, trusts, probate and estates. “I was really impressed with the level of detail that she went into – her preparation is really in-depth, and she seemed to be going into every detail and every eventuality. It really instils a lot of confidence for someone of that call,” enthuses one solicitor.

New silk Thomas Dumont QC has a highly respected traditional chancery practice, appearing in both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court as a junior. He is frequently trusted with some of the most high-profile and high-value matters. He is described as “a smooth operator who we value for his creative thinking and exceptionally clear advice” by one source, while another comments that “his affable exterior belies a really incisive mind - he can get to the core of any issue and has a fantastic ability to master all the facts. He wears his skills and his abilities lightly and he’s a tremendous pleasure to deal with. He inspires you with confidence at every turn.”

Tom Beasley has a broad-ranging traditional chancery practice and is frequently instructed by high net worth individuals on time-sensitive matters. He is a particularly fine choice of counsel for injunctions. “He’s always amenable to doing what it takes to get the job done. On top of that, he’s good with the client, always quick to grasp the issues, and easy to work with. We see him as an extension of the team,” reports one solicitor. A fellow barrister calls him “fabulous, with the most amazing instincts. A delight to work with.”

Ulick Staunton is described as “a proactive heavy hitter who fights his corner vigorously and has an enormous appetite for progressing cases” by one source. He focuses his practice on contentious matters, although he is also sought after for some advisory work. He has strong experience in offshore and overseas work.