Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Offshore (Bar) - UK
What the Team is Known For
Serle Court is highly renowned for its extensive expertise in offshore trust matters, and has comprehensive knowledge of an ensemble of jurisdictions including the Channel Islands, the BVI and the Cayman Islands. The set offers further expertise in Asian jurisdictions. Its barristers are frequently instructed by firms from across the globe. A source highlights: "Serle Court has emerged from the pack. It is one of the first sets I would go to; it has outstanding KCs." Another adds: "Serle Court is a go-to set for big-ticket trust litigation."
Strengths
The clerks at Serle Court are a pleasure to deal with. Practice directors Charlie Payne and Nicholas Hockney are highly responsive clerks, always willing to be of assistance when you make enquiries.
Notable practitioners
Philip Jones KC advises on the whole range of offshore matters, including investment fund litigation, trust disputes, fraud and tax avoidance. His clients include high net worth families and company directors. He has been called to the Bar of the BVI, the Cayman Islands and the Isle of Man.
Philip Jones is very charming.
Dakis Hagen KC has a strong reputation for handling international trust, fraud and asset-tracing matters. He regularly appears in Bermuda and Jersey, as well as the Caribbean jurisdictions. Hagen is highly experienced in regulatory proceedings and is noted for his skill in handling trustee applications and jurisdiction challenges.
Dakis is a pleasure to work with. He is a team player with a first-class mind and encyclopedic knowledge.
Dakis is one of the brightest stars. He is hard-working, enthusiastic and easy to work with.
Elizabeth Jones KC excels in complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation and has in-depth expertise in company and commercial law generally. Her areas of expertise include financial services, contentious trust matters and civil fraud cases. She regularly advises on disputes in the Channel Islands and is also called to the Bar of the BVI. She has been engaged in significant proceedings in Bermuda and the Bahamas. Jones is head of chambers at Serle Court.
Elizabeth is incredibly impressive.
Elizabeth Jones has a galaxy-sized brain.
Jonathan Adkin KC is highly regarded in the area of contentious trust work, with additional experience in civil fraud, insolvency and shareholder disputes. His expertise is sought after for non-charitable purpose trust and company matters, including shareholder disputes. He is called to the Bar in Gibraltar, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Jonathan Adkin does brilliantly dealing with technical and complex cases.
Philip Marshall KC demonstrates strong credentials in asset recovery and civil fraud cases, and has additional strength in restructuring and insolvency disputes. His clients include international banks and high-profile directors. Marshall has appeared or advised in courts in jurisdictions including the Channel Islands, Hong Kong, Bermuda and the BVI. He has recently been involved in proceedings in Guernsey.
Philip is very good at high-level strategic thinking.
Richard Wilson KC holds a strong reputation in traditional and commercial chancery litigation, and has particular expertise in trusts, probate and partnership disputes. His practice also encompasses private international law. Although particularly noted for his presence in the Channel Islands, he has also appeared for clients in Gibraltar, the Cayman Islands and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
Richard is one of the leading KCs for offshore trust work.
Richard is awesome. He is so thorough, very collaborative and so user-friendly.
He is very good - extremely bright, good on his feet and a pleasure to work with.
Emma Hargreaves is frequently instructed by top solicitors in complex, high-value offshore trust disputes, as well as multi-jurisdictional trust restructurings. She has acted in high-profile cases across the Channel Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands.
Emma is superb, a definite star in the making.
John Machell KC has a wide range of offshore expertise, regularly handling major trusts cases as well as general commercial disputes. He has significant experience acting for appellants. He is frequently sought out by clients in Jersey, the Cayman Islands and the BVI. Machell has had success in a recent landmark Privy Council decision.
John is smooth, reassuring and all over the detail. You know you are in the safest pair of hands when working with him and clients absolutely love him.
Thomas Fletcher is a junior who specialises in trust disputes, including breach of trust, gross negligence and trustee removal. He has been instructed in commercial and trust litigation in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Bermuda. He also provides advice on non-contentious trust administration issues. He has experience in contentious probate proceedings.
Tom is an able junior who done some very big offshore cases. He is great - tremendously hard-working, knows his way around the area well and a pleasure to work with.
Adil Mohamedbhai boasts a strong offshore practice which covers high-value shareholder disputes, trusts proceedings and commercial property contestations. He appears in several high-profile litigations, and continues to be instructed by top solicitors in offshore jurisdictions. Mohamedbhai has experience in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the BVI.
Adil is a brilliant barrister.
Dan McCourt Fritz KC advises clients on complex, high-value trust matters, civil fraud-related disputes and commercial litigation. He represents parties in High Courts across the gamut of traditional offshore jurisdictions, including the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the BVI.
Dan is extremely capable. He will go extremely far as a silk.
Dan's pleadings and written submissions are thorough and robust.
Giles Richardson KC is a key player in contentious international trusts cases, who has acted for both trust companies and personal trustees in places as far-flung as the Channel Islands, the BVI, the Cayman Islands and St Kitts & Nevis. He specialises in real estate-focused trust funds and regularly acts for fund liquidators.
Giles is hugely experienced and has a good reputation. He is a silk who rolls up his sleeves and is very user-friendly.
Giles is excellent and a go-to in this space.
Ruth Jordan offers noteworthy expertise in a range of offshore commercial work, including investment disputes and litigation arising out of environmental proceedings which involve government and public bodies. She is particularly adept at handling litigation in the Bahamas.
Ruth is very patient in her approach with clients, which is refreshing, and she is thorough in her analysis.
Stephanie Thompson is recognised for her burgeoning international trust litigation practice. She is called to the Bar in the BVI and New Zealand, and has experience assisting in several high-profile cases heard in the Bermudian Supreme Court, the Bahamas and the Channel Islands, which concern high-value, multi-jurisdictional trusts.
Stephanie is operating at a high level and will be a star of the future.
Matthew Morrison KC acts in a range of offshore cases, including fraud, trusts and liquidation disputes. He regularly appears before courts in the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. He also advises and acts for directors and liquidators in the Channel Islands.
Matthew Morrison is very good with clients.