Benedict Trust

Practice Areas

Ben Trust is the co-head of the firm’s Litigation & Arbitration team based in the London office. With a strong international perspective, Ben resolves complex disputes for primarily corporate clients and financial institutions. He acts in both an advisory and representative capacity for clients from a diverse range of sectors including, financial services, construction, sports, gaming, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, real estate and energy.

Clients benefit from Ben’s considerable experience as a commercial litigator both in the English courts at all levels, as well as internationally, including offshore jurisdictions. Ben’s practice is far reaching and includes the full range of commercial activity, with a formidable track record in disputes arising out of joint ventures, shareholder activism, claims against directors, fraud and investment/M&A transactions.

Ben also advises on sports and esports claims, including advising on strategy, governance and wider transformational change. Ben acts in a wide range of disputes for both individuals and corporate clients, relating to football, rugby, motorsport, tennis and golf.

Work Highlights

A Distribution and Agency dispute involving a world leading automotive brand.

A joint venture dispute regarding a significant heritage vehicle manufacturer.

Former Non-executive directors of Petropavlovsk Plc, a UK registered corporate, involved in English High Court proceedings concerning allegations in relation to director’s duties and shareholder activism.

Two Chinese financial institutions in relation to a complex and long running fraud dispute regarding a well-known multiplayer online role playing platform.

A Bank regarding allegations of breaches of funding and confidentiality agreements with a high profile European toy manufacturer.

Liquidators of a UK entity – advising when pursuing seven defendants, each of whom was involved in the operation and management of the insolvent company and whose actions had caused significant loss to the company and its ultimate owners. The matter was multi-jurisdictional with defendants based in the UK, Czech Republic and Mauritius and assets transferred through those and other countries, including Slovakia and Luxembourg. Criminal investigations and charges were also advanced in Luxembourg.

Leading pharmaceutical company – representing them in the largest claim in English legal history under a cross undertaking in damages following the granting of an injunction. Advising the client in relation to proceedings spanning almost three years before the Patents court.

Directors of an offshore trust – defending them from allegations they acted in breach of their duty and without authority in relation to certain transactions. The transactions involved the purchase and sale of high profile assets in the UK and abroad. This included an ancillary action representing the corporate service provider in claims before the Chancery Division of the High Court. The claims included rectification/construction of certain contractual provisions in relation to the operation of a contractual profits waterfall following the sale of the Somerfield supermarket group

F1 organisation – advising them in a dispute with a significant investor and the associated identification, attribution and separation of collective business interests and assets.

Reported cases include: Murray Holdings Limited v Kaupthing Hf & Ors; S v A; Picnic at Ascot; Pets at Home; Tamsin Barks v Instant Access Properties & Ors; Goodman v Tangerine Investments (part of Axiom); Thirdway Group.

Education