Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Offshore - All Circuits

1
Band 1

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 reports: "Serle Court has an extremely strong bench of talent, who often feel more accessible than some of their competitors." Another adds: "Serle Court barristers are renowned for their deep legal knowledge and strategic approach. They deliver results in the most complex and challenging cases."

Nick Hockney and Daniel Wheeler are practice directors.

Strengths

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Notable Practitioners

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Dakis Hagen
1
Dakis Hagen
1
Band 1

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 remains our first choice for complex commercial chancery work.

Dakis is first-class.

Elizabeth Jones
1
Elizabeth Jones
1
Band 1

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 an excellent lawyer. She is very knowledgeable.

Elizabeth has a formidable intellect and is able to memorise multiple documents in way very few other people can.

Emma Hargreaves
1
Emma Hargreaves
1
Band 1

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 a tremendous junior and a pleasure to work with.

Emma Hargreaves has very good on judgement and is a very bright, hardworking junior.

1
Jonathan Adkin
1
Band 1

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 is a very effective advocate and a great litigation tactician.

Jonathan is a masterful advocate and excellent leader.

Richard Wilson
1
Richard Wilson
1
Band 1

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 Wilson is really brilliant, he's an eminent contentious trust specialist and the quality of his work is remarkable.

Adil Mohamedbhai
2
Adil Mohamedbhai
2
Band 2

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 very impressive junior. He is very responsive and his drafting is top-notch.

Adil is technically brilliant and incredibly productive. Clients trust and respect him, and he never fails to deliver.

2
Dan McCourt Fritz
2
Band 2

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 super bright, very client-friendly, pragmatic and easy to deal with.

He goes toe-to-toe with far more senior KCs and he excels.

2
John Machell
2
Band 2

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 my go-to chancery silk in London, for trusts disputes in Cayman. He is absolutely on top of his game and one of the best in trust litigation with significant Cayman experience.

John is a good advocate, unflappable and very focused.

An excellent advocate and strong on commercial Chancery work, fraud and offshore.

Thomas Fletcher
2
Thomas Fletcher
2
Band 2

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.

Thomas Fletcher is one of the best trust juniors there is out there. He is so versatile, incredibly knowledgeable and emotionally intelligent.

Thomas Fletcher has to be the strongest chancery junior draughtsman at the bar. He writes beautifully and is familiar with trust laws of all offshore jurisdictions.

Giles Richardson
3
Giles Richardson
3
Band 3

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 Ricardson is always a joy to work with and always provides work of an exceptional quality.

Ruth Jordan
3
Ruth Jordan
3
Band 3

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 Jordan really understands the nuances of the case. She is astute and one step ahead when it comes to handling matters.

She is a very hard worker, user friendly and she is very solid in terms of her ability to break down complex concepts into simple terms for clients.

Sophie Holcombe
3
Sophie Holcombe
3
Band 3

Sophie Holcombe is a highly sought after junior regularly instructed in high stakes trust and fraud related offshore disputes. She is extremely well-versed in multi-jurisdictional mandates and has been involved in matters in Jersey, Singapore and Bermuda.

My favourite senior junior for commercial chancery work. I hope that she gets silk soon.

Sophie Holcombe is very good, diligent, incredibly hardworking, calm and persuasive.

Stephanie Thompson
3
Stephanie Thompson
3
Band 3

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 Thompson is incredibly bright and hardworking. You can give her a huge amount of material, and she will come up with solutions straight away.

Stephanie's abilities are far beyond her year of call. She is brilliant and a pleasure to work with.

Timothy Collingwood
3
Timothy Collingwood
3
Band 3

Timonthy Collingwood is a very strong commercial chancery silk with an impressive practice covering offshore trust and shareholder disputes, among various other issues. He has experience of acting in high stakes mandates across the Channel Islands, BVI and Cayman.

Tim is a go-to on trust matters, really clever and really pragmatic.

Tim is an exceptional advocate and has real expertise in shareholder disputes. He knows the law in that area inside out.

Timothy Collingwood is fantastic in his written submissions and advocacy. He is reliable, great to deal with and commercial.

Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
New Silks

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 strong intellectually.

Ranked Barristers at
Serle Court

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Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

All Circuits

Offshore

Dakis Hagen KC
1
Dakis Hagen KC
1
Band 1
Elizabeth Jones KC
1
Elizabeth Jones KC
1
Band 1
1
Jonathan Adkin KC
1
Band 1
Richard Wilson KC
1
Richard Wilson KC
1
Band 1
2
Dan McCourt Fritz KC
2
Band 2
2
John Machell KC
2
Band 2
Giles Richardson KC
3
Giles Richardson KC
3
Band 3
Timothy Collingwood KC
3
Timothy Collingwood KC
3
Band 3
Matthew Morrison KC
Matthew Morrison KC
New Silks

Juniors

All Circuits

Offshore

Emma Hargreaves
1
Emma Hargreaves
1
Band 1
Adil Mohamedbhai
2
Adil Mohamedbhai
2
Band 2
Thomas Fletcher
2
Thomas Fletcher
2
Band 2
Ruth Jordan
3
Ruth Jordan
3
Band 3
Sophie Holcombe
3
Sophie Holcombe
3
Band 3
Stephanie Thompson
3
Stephanie Thompson
3
Band 3