Department profile
Stewarts

Private Wealth Disputes

High Net Worth Guide 2025 : London (Firms)

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Stewarts

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About

Provided by Stewarts

We advise on complex, large-scale and often high-profile disputes in the UK and other jurisdictions.

We act for high net worth individuals, families, family offices, trustees, trust companies and charities. The work we undertake includes both onshore and offshore trust litigation, domestic and international probate disputes, as well as work in the Court of Protection.

The practice has earned an outstanding reputation and is led by Band 1 ranked James Price. The arrival of Geoff Kertesz adds further strength and depth to the team.

In addition to conducting litigation in the UK, our lawyers coordinate claims in overseas jurisdictions, when necessary working alongside specialist law firms and non-legal professionals around the world. We also have a range of language skills including French, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Polish, and Russian.

We have unrivalled experience in putting together innovative costs arrangements. The use of third party funding, after-the-event insurance and risk-sharing fee agreements enables our clients to manage risk and litigate from a position of financial strength.

The department collaborates frequently with the firm’s highly experienced Divorce and Family, Tax Litigation, Commercial Litigation and Arbitration departments.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Private Wealth Disputes - London (Firms)

Band 1

What the Team is Known For
Stewarts continues to impress the private client market. The firm's purely litigation model ensures that partners are well placed to handle significant private wealth disputes, including those with offshore elements.
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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Stewarts is a very strong team. They have core ability to take on complicated things and deal with a dispute thoroughly.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

  • The calibre and exceptional talent of the team across the board stands out. Their pragmatic nature, commercial awareness and ability to simply win is second to none.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

  • Stewarts is pure litigation and they have some brilliant cases, particularly in the offshore world.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

  • Stewarts is a real pleasure to work with. Its solicitors are not just technically excellent but they are also very personable and commercial in their approach.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • James Price
    James Price

    James Price

    James Price leads the trust and probate litigation practice at the firm. He regularly handles cases proceeding in offshore jurisdictions, as well as in England, and can bring experience of fraud and asset tracing matters to trusts cases.

    • James Price has a really strong grasp of clients' needs, and is decisive and efficient.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • James is fantastically sensible. He has a great approach to tactics.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • James has the ability to absorb large amounts of information; his brain is a machine. He is superbly well positioned to deal with complex and long-running cases because he remembers every detail.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • James Price is a leading name in the market. He is very knowledgeable.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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  • Geoff Kertesz
    Geoff Kertesz

    Geoff Kertesz

    Geoff Kertesz is a dual-qualified lawyer in England & Wales and California. He regularly represents ultra-high net worth clients in disputes spanning various jurisdictions.

    • Geoff Kertesz is probably the best-connected person in the private wealth practice in London. He comes across relaxed and welcoming, but he is really shrewd and gets good results for clients.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Geoff Kertesz is brilliant. He brings great insight to cases and is so energetic. He is always on the circuit, very knowledgeable and well known in the space.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Geoff has just excellent directional and strategic skills. He is great to work with.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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  • Emma Holland
    Emma Holland

    Emma Holland

    Emma Holland assists in various trust and estate disputes that often cover multiple jurisdictions. Her expertise includes matters concerning the validity of wills, capacity and Inheritance Act claims.

    • Emma is very good at looking for the ultimate strategy. She is very proactive at working out long-term strategy for litigation.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Emma is extremely personable. She understands the EQ aspects of litigation.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Emma Holland is an impressive technical lawyer. She has fantastic attention to detail.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Emma Holland is very calm and unflappable under pressure with clients. She always knows what she is doing.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Emma is all over the issues and detail from the word go. She anticipates clients' needs and communicates between all stakeholders efficiently and persuasively.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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  • Marcus Parker
    Marcus Parker

    Marcus Parker

    Marcus Parker is a partner at Stewarts with expertise acting in domestic and offshore trust disputes. He brings his previous experience as a professional fiduciary to complex cases.

    • Marcus is phenomenal at client relationships and works alongside them well. I have always found him very responsive and commercial.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • His expertise, attention to detail, and proactive approach were incredibly helpful in navigating the situation.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Clients love Marcus. He is very personable and bright.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Marcus Parker is an understated genius.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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  • Jemma Goddard
    Jemma Goddard

    Jemma Goddard

    Jemma Goddard is a senior associate in the Stewarts team who works on trust disputes with significant international elements.

    • Jemma is extremely well organised, gets work done to a high standard and does it quickly. Clients love her. She is a good all-rounder.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Jemma Goddard is very charming with opponents: she can put her client's case across extremely convincingly, and she has great technical skill, too.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Jemma is operating above her level, running complex and big cases. She is a partner in the making. She is all over the detail.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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Ranked Individuals at Stewarts (5)

London (Firms)

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