Withers LLP

<div>Robert</div> Kovacs

Dr Robert Kovacs specialises in public international law, international arbitration and business and human rights. He has represented individuals, companies, States, and State-owned entities in international disputes across a range of sectors, including energy, mining, construction, banking, mergers and acquisitions, sport, property and technology. He has a focus on Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. Robert holds a PhD in international law, is the former Co-Chair of the Asia-Pacific Forum for International Arbitration and is a senior fellow at the Melbourne University Law School.  

Adele Pledger

Adele deals with all aspects of family law, including divorce and financial remedies, pre and post nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and separation, occupation and non-molestation orders, child contact and living arrangements, and other private children law issues. Adele has particular expertise in dealing with complex, often high net worth and with an international dimension, financial division upon divorce. Adele is known for giving clear, strategic and pragmatic advice, to achieve the best outcome for her client, as quickly and painlessly as possible. She tends to settle the majority of her cases out of Court, but if necessary she has no fear in fighting her client's corner in litigation and achieving the desired result that way. In Legal 500 2022, Adele was described as follows: 'Adele Pledger is a Diana Parker in waiting. Adored by clients, especially those with the most complex financial affairs and commercial backgrounds, she is a creative lawyer and a match for anyone doing the work. Her down to earth manner makes her approachable, inspires confidence and she spots points few others do.' Chambers & Partners 2023 said the following about Adele: 'She has particular expertise in high-value, multi-jurisdictional matrimonial finance cases. An impressed barrister reports: "She is so incredibly impressive; she is as numerate as any solicitor I have seen, and I'm a numbers nerd. She is incredibly charming, extremely bright and has such a wonderful manner with clients. She is the total package." A source notes: "She is an incredible lawyer. She is so thorough and detailed, but is also somebody that I find so approachable and easy to deal with."' Adele is well recognised and respected in the market. She won the 2021 Spear's Wealth Management Award for 'Future Leader in Private Client Services', and she was ranked: as 'Up and Coming' in the 2023 UHNW Chambers & Partners Guide;  'Top Recommended' in Spears 500 2023 'Next Generation Partner' in Legal 500 2022; and in Citywealth's 'Future Top 100 Leaders' in 2019. Adele is also a trained Mediator, with particular focus on facilitating resolution of financial matters on divorce, however complex the circumstances may be.

Alexander Breedon

Alex advises clients on all aspects of family law including divorce and civil partnership dissolution, financial disputes, cohabitation, children matters and pre and postnuptial agreements. He has particular experience in dealing with complex financial disputes as well as children matters, including those involving international relocation.

Alice Tomlin

Alice acts for charities, private individuals and institutions in relation to all aspects of contentious trust and succession disputes, with a particular focus on Court of Protection matters. She advises on a range of issues that come within the Court of Protection’s jurisdiction, including statutory will applications, lifetime gifts and matters concerning the operation of attorneyships and deputyships. She is an active member of the elder law team. She also advises on all aspects of the validity of wills, including claims of undue influence to disputed capacity, and actions brought under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, and issues of construction and rectification.

Alison Paines

Alison is a partner in the charities team. She has over 25 years of experience in advising charities and other non-profit bodies, and those who contract with or donate to them. Her clients include an eclectic mix of service providers, grant-makers, educational bodies, aid agencies and research institutes, as well as individual and corporate philanthropists. She advises on all aspects of charities’ activities but specialises in strategic and governance advice. She is particularly well known for her expertise on medical charities (especially those linked with the National Health Service), educational charities, charities associated with government and international charity issues. Alison is well used to negotiating for clients with the Charity Commission and other regulators. She is the past Chairman of the Charity Law Association and the current Chair of Governors at a leading school.

Amber Melville-Brown

Amber leads the global media and reputation team. She is uniquely placed to serve our worldwide client base as a dual qualified media and reputation lawyer, admitted in both the courts of England and Wales, and New York. This enhances her already strong offering giving her a unique perspective on transatlantic media and reputation related issues. Amber guides and protects her clients through all issues of reputation, privacy, crisis management, media advice, data protection, harassment and blackmail, through pre- and post- publication situations, in negotiation and litigation. Moreover, Amber’s expertise extends well beyond black letter law into all areas of communication, as she uses her legal expertise, experience, contacts and emotional intelligence to provide a holistic approach for her clients, whether dealing with the traditional or social media, with internal corporate or family issues, with the public at large or any third parties. Amber has been a prolific and respected author and commentator on media legal matters throughout her career. Recognised as ‘absolutely outstanding’, Amber is highly regarded and revered for her empathy, availability and judgment. 

Amy Carter

Amy advises charities, philanthropists and businesses on charity law and commercial matters, as well as advising a range of not-for-profit and for-profit educational institutions. Amy works with all types of charity, including charitable trusts, charitable companies, Royal Charter bodies and unincorporated associations. She advises many of the UK’s most loved charities in relation to grant-making, fundraising (including society lotteries and major gifts), disposals of land and commercial contracts, as well as governance, corporate and trust advice. She also advises charities, including in the education sector, on mergers and restructurings. Amy advises on engagement with the Charity Commission both at the regulatory engagement stage and the permissions stage. She regularly works alongside our property team to advise on the charity aspects of complex property developments involving charities and their subsidiary companies. Amy regularly advises on the establishment of new charities – both operational charities and grant-making foundations.  She is involved in the structuring of private foundations to take account of donors’ complex tax profiles and works closely with the firm’s leading private client and tax team to provide integrated advice. She advises on major gifts to UK charities, as well as commercial fundraising partnerships benefiting UK charities. Her advice regularly includes an international element, such as the recognition by HMRC of European charities for UK tax reliefs or the creation of dual qualified US-UK charities. She has recently advised on a large complex cross-border restructuring which saw a significant offshore grant making trust migrate to England and Wales. She is passionate about the charity sector and its role within society. She regularly responds to sector consultations on behalf of the firm or as part of the Charity Law Association; most recently, Amy coordinated the firm's response to the Charity Commission's consultation on changes to the Annual Return. Amy spent 5 months on secondment to the in-house legal team at one of the firm’s clients, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). She advised on a range of issues including fundraising regulation, data protection, gambling law, commercial contracts, licensing and corporate governance. She is currently a trustee of a leading disability charity which provides a range of support to disabled and disadvantaged people, their families and carers, including care services and accommodation. As well as being a trustee, she is a member of the Governance and Compliance Committee and the Culture and Remuneration Committee. She has previously been a trustee for two charities in the mental health space: one supporting children and families across Luton, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire and the other supporting student mental health.

Andrew Wass

Andrew is a commercial litigator, focusing on financial services disputes. After university, Andrew pursued a career outside the law, working in a variety of industries including time as an inter-dealer broker in the foreign exchange market.  He has considerable experience in contentious financial services and has unique insight into the financial markets and their specialist products. Andrew’s other contentious experience includes professional negligence claims, sport, civil fraud and judicial review. He is also a qualified CEDR Mediator.

Andrew Fremlin-Key

Andrew is a senior associate in the litigation and arbitration team. Andrew is a senior associate in the Media and Reputation team and has been recognised by the legal directories as a 'rising star', 'an associate to watch' and a 'seasoned practitioner in sports-related matters, advising well-known sports personalities in reputational issues and privacy'. He advises clients in relation to contentious data protection, defamation, privacy, blackmail and harassment issues, ranging from phone hacking cases and right to erasure applications to advising on non-disclosure agreements for highly confidential clients. Recognising the rapidly developing inter-relationship between tax investigations and media issues, Andrew has also carved out a niche area of practice utilizing his skills and experience to advise a broad range of high profile clients on contentious tax litigation and multi-jurisdictional investigations, including Unexplained Wealth Orders and Account Freezing Orders.

Aniruddha Rajput

Dr. Aniruddha Rajput is a Member of the UN International Law Commission (2017-21). He was the Chairperson of the Drafting Committee for the 69th Session of the ILC in 2017. His areas of expertise are general international law, dispute resolution, boundary disputes, law of the sea, international investment law and international trade law. He has advised governments on proceedings before the International Court of Justice, private clients on proceedings under the Alien Tort Claims Act before the US Courts, and human rights and other public international law litigation in the Supreme Court of India. He has taught courses in international law at several Universities and presently serves as a member of the Board of Studies of the South Asian University crated by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. He was a member of the Study Group Constituted by the Law Commission of India on the 2015 Draft Indian Model BIT and a member of the 5th Haryana State Finance Commission constituted under Article 243 I and Y of the Constitution of India. His recent book ‘Protection of Foreign Investment in India and Investment Treaty Arbitration’ was published by Kluwer International. During 2017, he was a Practitioner-in-Residence at the Berlin Potsdam Research Group International Rule of Law -Rise or Decline? based at the Humboldt University Berlin.

Azlinda Ariffin-Boromand

Azlinda is a Consulting Partner in the Corporate Group at Withers Worldwide. She specialises in M&A and ECM transactions and has broad experience in complex, cross border multi-jurisdictional M&A transactions. Azlinda principally acts for Asian clients in relation to their global direct and co-investments. Her current clients includes Asian Sovereign Wealth and Proprietary Funds, government linked entities, Asian UHNWs and Family Offices. Azlinda is a barrister with Gray's Inn and currently holds a CF30 with UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In 2019, Azlinda is ranked in Legal 500: M&A for Smaller Deals up to £50M due to her active role in M&A space acting for Asian UHNW (Forbes List) individuals and families, and SWFs in relation to their investments into commercial real estate and other assets in the UK, Europe and USA. She works closely with clients' family offices in terms of the sourcing for investments and joint venture partners as well as structuring of their investments holdings and vehicles.   Previously, Legal 500 (2012), (2014), (2015), (2016) and (2017) ranked Azlinda under 'Flotations: small & midcap' category for her "strong connections in Southeast Asia " and quoted her as "highly regarded" within that category. Chambers Global (2017) quoted Azlinda as highlighted by sources for her strength in handling multi-jurisdictional work. Clients enthused that "her in-depth understanding, diligence and dedication really impressed us.” Chambers Global (2012), (2013), (2014), (2015) and (2016) ranked Azlinda both as a Malaysian 'Expert Based Abroad' within the field of 'Banking & Finance: Capital Markets' and as a UK 'Foreign Expert' within the field of 'Capital Market: Equity'. In 2015 Azlinda won the ‘Multi-Jurisdictional Lawyer of the Year’ 2015 M&A Award, 'Best Asia Focus Corporate Lawyer 2015' for Acquisition International and 'Deal Maker of The Year Award 2015' for Finance Monthly. In 2014, Azlinda was included in UK's The Lawyer Hot 100 List and shortlisted in The Lawyer Awards 2014 for Client Partner of the Year Category. She was also named in the annual Thomson Reuters Super Lawyer List 2014 and 2015.

Ben Simpson

Ben works as special counsel in the corporate team. He advises on private equity, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, capital markets (AIM and main market) and on company law and partnership/LLP law. Ben works in a range of sectors including technology, financial services, real estate, sport, luxury retail, art and support services. Ben acts for a number of acquisitive and fast growing tech companies. He has acted on numerous private equity and M&A transactions, including the acquisition of Autonomous Research by Alliance Bernstein, the investment by Inflexion in Chambers and Partners and the investment by Synova Capital in specialist insurer AllClear and Ben has acted on a number of significant hotel and corporate real estate transactions. Ben works closely with our regulatory team on financial services acquisitions in light of the associated controller applications and specialist due diligence required. Ben advises a number of clients on their controlling interests in quoted companies and the associated regulatory implications. He also advises on art transactions. Ben has been profiled in Hedge Fund Review, Financial News, Bloomberg and Legal Week and has published articles on the PSC regime in the New Law Journal and Trusts and Estates. Ben has participated in consultations with the Takeover Panel on the close relatives and related trust concert party presumption, with the AIM team on disclosure obligations of beneficial owners of shares and with the ICSA regarding the PSC regime.

Bertie Hoskyns-abrahall

Partner in the real estate department, specialising in the sale and purchase of rural property, agricultural land and estates. Also joint head of the landed estates group, a team of 30 lawyers who specialise in advising landowning families on succession planning, management and business issues. Bertie acts as a trustee for a number of estates. He and his team have covered £350m worth of rural property in a 12-month period to Jan ‘14, and other highlights include the lease of a 12 turbine windfarm site and security of 38 sites for the development of solar towns.

Brett Frankle

Brett advises clients on all aspects of family law, including divorce, cohabitation, children, prenuptial agreements and civil partnerships with a particular emphasis on the resolution of complex financial disputes.

Camilla Gambarini

Dual qualified as an Avvocato (Italy) and as a Solicitor (England & Wales), Camilla specialises in international arbitration (commercial and investment treaty) and public international law matters. Before moving to London, she practised in Milan, Houston and New York. She has represented individuals, companies, States and State-owned entities in international arbitrations across a range of sectors, including the apparel, aviation, energy, gambling, infrastructure, insurance, metal, media and railway industries in different regions of the world, including Europe, Africa, CIS countries and Latin America.She has experience of international commercial and investment arbitrations under the auspices of ICSID, UNCITRAL, ICC, LCIA, CIAC and CAM rules. Her public international law experience includes advising companies and individuals on the protection of investments under international investment treaties, and sovereign States on boundary disputes, natural resources and sovereign immunity.Camilla also has assisted clients in pro bono cases on human rights violations before domestic constitutional courts and the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies, securing recommendations to overturn a country’s total criminalisation of abortion.She is recognised in Who’s Who Legal (Arbitration 2021: Future Leaders – Non Partners). She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration and served as Co-Chair of Young ICCA (2018-2020) and is on the board of the American Review of International Arbitration at Columbia Law School (2019-2024), on the Lexis PSL Arbitration Consulting Editorial Board and is an Editor of Jus Mundi.

Camilla Gambarini

Dual qualified as an Avvocato (Italy) and as a Solicitor Advocate (England & Wales), Camilla specialises in international arbitration (commercial and investment treaty) and public international law matters. Before moving to London, she practised in Milan, Houston and New York, having developed an expertise in assisting clients from both civil and common law jurisdictions. She has represented individuals, companies, States and State-owned entities in international arbitrations across a range of sectors, including the apparel, aviation, energy, gambling, infrastructure, insurance, metal, oil & gas, and railway industries in different regions of the world, particularly the MENA region, CIS countries and Latin America. She has experience of international commercial and investment arbitrations under the auspices of the CAM, CIAC, ICC, ICSID, LCIA and UNCITRAL rules. She advises companies on the protection of investments under international investment treaties and sanctions, and States on boundary disputes, cultural heritage, international humanitarian law, international investment law, law of the sea, natural resources, sovereign immunity and statehood issues. Camilla regularly assists clients in pro bono human rights cases before constitutional courts, the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies and regional human rights courts. She is ranked as an "Associate to Watch" by Chambers 2023 (public international law), recommended lawyer in Legal 500 UK ("rising star" in public international law and international arbitration), 2023 Who's Who Legal - Global Elite Below 45, 2022 Best Lawyer "Ones to Watch" UK, and as a Who's Who Legal - Arbitration Future Leader (Non-Partner). Camilla is involved in arbitration associations and editorial boards. She served as Co-Chair of Young ICCA (2018-2020). She is the UK Coordinator of the Italian Arbitration Association AIA-Arbit below 40 and serves on the Executive Committee of the Rising Arbitration Initiative (RAI) and the Next Generation Committee of the Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers (REAL) group. She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration and is on the board of the American Review of International Arbitration at Columbia Law School, the Lexis PSL Arbitration Consulting Editorial Board, the Editorial Board of Brill Research Perspectives in International Investment Law and Arbitration. She is an Editor of Jus Mundi Wiki Notes on Investment Arbitration and is Conference Associate Editor of the Annual Juris Conference on Investment Treaty Arbitration. She regularly speaks at major international arbitration conferences and lectures at the Catholic University of Milan (Master in International Business) on international arbitration and ADR.

Caroline Thompson

Caroline's practice is varied and covers both commercial disputes and media law issues, acting for international and domestic clients. On the commercial side, Caroline has a particular focus on professional negligence claims and acts for claimants and defendants. This is fairly unusual in the professional negligence field, and ensures that she is well-placed to anticipate and understand how an opponent's legal team intend to approach a dispute. On the defendant side, she specialises in defending barristers facing negligence actions, acting on a number of high value cases for Bar Mutual’s insureds. Caroline has experience of litigating in both the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal. As part of the media and reputation team, Caroline regularly advises individuals and companies in relation to media and information law issues including: defamation; misuse of private information; breach of confidence and data protection. She acted for a number of high profile claimants in the ‘phone-hacking’ litigation against both News Group Newspapers and Mirror Group Newspapers and continues to have a particular focus on privacy law issues and the legal issues accessing from unauthorised accessing of private and confidential information. In 2017, Caroline was listed as a Next Generation lawyer in the Legal 500 professional directory in the field of professional negligence and has subsequently been listed as a Rising Star in that category. Previous feedback for Caroline in the Legal 500 includes the following: 'the experienced and practical Caroline is one to watch', ‘one to watch, providing really skilful and measured input’ and she has been recognised for her ‘quick grasp of the detail’.Caroline frequently works with clients to seek to resolve disputes before any formal legal proceedings are commenced. Where legal action is ongoing, she retains focus on settlement and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options, including mediation, where appropriate and in line with the client’s objectives.Caroline speaks Italian and Spanish, and regularly acts for Italian clients.

Ceri Vokes

Ceri is a partner in the private client and tax team. She works with UK domiciled and non-UK domiciled high net worth individuals and advises on all aspects of wealth planning, with a particular emphasis on: tax efficient investment structuring, with expertise in insurance bonds, real estate, private equity funds, hedge funds and other alternative investment classes; carried interest and buyout structuring; advice on entrepreneurs' relief planning; and tax issues for sports stars. Ceri regularly advises on complex cross border tax planning and has worked closely with many family offices.

Chris Priestley

Head of the firm's charities & philanthropy practice.  Particular areas of expertise are: regulatory investigations; safeguarding; cross-border collaborations, structuring and fundraising; charity governance and mergers; Royal Charter work; and advice to educational and healthcare charities.  Chris also advises on the structuring of complex charitable groups (both domestic and international) arrangements and the ownership by charities of underlying business and social enterprises. Chris has a strong reputation for advising corporate and private donors on their philanthropy strategies and the structuring of family foundations. He regularly addresses conferences on charity law topics, is a member of the executive board of the Charity Law Association and authored the ICSA Charity Trustee's Guide. Clients include Macmillan Cancer Support, Arts Council, College of Optometrists, Cancer Research UK, NSPCC; Girls’ Day School Trust; British Red Cross Society; and the Tate.

Christopher Coffin

Christopher is a commercial litigator with 30 years’ experience of major and complex cases. He advises on commercial disputes ranging from derivatives disputes, loan recoveries, asset tracing and fraud to contentious insolvency. He has acted for many family offices, major international companies backed by high net worth individuals and private capital, banks and financial services organisations. Chris specialises in handling disputes relating to Ukraine and the CIS. He is a regular speaker at conferences in Moscow, St Petersburg, Baku, Almaty, Kiev and Yekaterinburg. He has acted for and against many international banks, high net worth individuals, insurance companies and members of the legal profession including High Court judges.  

Christopher Groves

Partner in the funds, investment, tax and trusts group, dealing particularly with UK tax and trust planning issues for entrepreneurs, UK resident non-doms, and UK and offshore investment and wealth structuring.

Claire Harris

Claire advises on tax, trust and estate planning for individuals and families, both those based in the UK and those who are non-UK domiciled or resident. Claire's non-UK clients are often based in or hail from Continental Europe and India. Claire's work includes: Estate and lifetime tax and succession planning, including the preparation of Wills, lifetime trusts and Lasting Powers of Attorney and advising on the tax and practical implications of passing personal and business assets down to the next generation. Advising on residence and domicile, preparing non-resident individuals for arrival in the UK and providing guidance on the remittance basis of taxation and managing non-UK clean capital. The creation and maintenance of trust and corporate structures to assist in succession and tax planning, and advising the trustees of onshore and offshore trusts which hold wealth for both UK-based and international families. Providing guidance on philanthropy, governance and succession and the introduction of the next generation to the family's wealth or the family business, which is often in conjunction with single or multi-Family Offices. Advising the owners of UK property, including rural property and landed estates, on tax and succession matters. Claire believes that the key to her role as advisor is forming good relationships to understand her clients' main drivers and objectives to enable her to provide advice that is bespoke and timely. Claire is head of the European Family Office team.

Claire Blakemore

Partner. Claire's predictions of outcome are spot on and she delivers the best results for her clients by being creative, solution focused but tough when needed. She protects her clients absolutely and they value her no nonsense approach, absolute support, and determination to achieve the right solution. Her work spans the full range of family law. Whether working with domestic or international clients, she deals with complex financial claims, children issues, pre and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitant disputes and has extensive experience advising on cases involving trusts. Her clients are in commerce, finance and tech, professionals, families with inherited wealth and those in the public eye. Whilst being highly experienced in difficult litigation she also has a thriving dispute-resolution practice as a mediator and collaborative lawyer. 

Claire Christy

  Claire advises individuals and organisations on employment, shareholder and partnership law across a wide range of business sectors including financial services, insurance, IT, property development, media, fashion and art. Claire is a High Court litigation specialist with High Court cases being at the core of her practice. She is regularly instructed on High Court claims, for senior executives and companies, and has considerable experience acting in disputes between shareholders in owner managed businesses. She acted for the successful petitioner in the leading shareholder case of Croly v Good and is currently advising on several High Court contractual disputes. She understands the need for clear, commercial advice and has an excellent track record in negotiating settlements for her clients, including formal mediated settlements. Her team covers a broad range of issues for both employers and employees, notably contractual disputes, disciplinary matters, unfair and wrongful dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, post termination restrictions and confidentiality issues (drafting and enforcement). She is recommended as an employment lawyer in Legal 500 2019. She was also recognised as a foreign expert in Chambers Global 2014 for her work for Italian companies and their UK subsidiaries and UK domiciled Italian executives. She advises Italian companies and works closely with executives, particularly those in financial services and the IT sector, and those who are relocating from Italy to the UK.  

Clive Cutbill

Now occupying a management role but continuing to provide conultancy on charities’ governance and operations, and philanthropy in the domestic and international context. His understanding of the law relating to money laundering and terrorist financing in its application to charities’ operations has been described as ‘unique’.

Dawn Goodman

Partner.Dawn has a wealth of experience litigating and working proactively with wealth-holding structures across the trust world, Europe, South America, Russia & CIS and the Middle East. She is tri-qualified (England & Wales, BVI and Eire) and acts in and advises on litigation spanning the whole range of trust and succession issues, from prophylactic litigation to the most hostile of cross border and multi jurisdiction cases. Previously a divorce lawyer, she also advises trustees and beneficiaries caught up in divorce proceedings. Garnering her experience as a litigator and fiduciary for a UNHW family, Dawn advises families, family offices and businesses, trustees and other power holders on governance and reduction and management of fiduciary risk. She applies her understanding of conflicts of laws, geopolitical risk, family tensions and succession to wealth and businesses to help clients create or restructure robust trust and succession vehicles with sufficient flexibility to continue through to succeeding generations.

Diana Parker

Partner. Diana is well known as one of London’s divorce lawyer elite. She often advises clients on high value, high profile matters involving complex finances and international, cross border elements. However, she recognises that the stakes are high for any client and, whatever the level of wealth, Diana contributes her experience, strategic focus and ability to come up with creative solutions that minimise the financial and emotional cost of disputes with one's partner. Whilst taking cases before the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal where necessary, Diana is also a mediator and renowned negotiator. Her preference is elegant and effective negotiation, providing clear and strategic advice. She fights hard for her clients and her commercial, pragmatic approach keeps everyone enthused.  Her objective always is to get the best possible outcome at the lowest possible cost, both financial and emotional. Both clients and opponents attest to her skill: 'There is no one to match her intellectually, or her wide ranging experience.' 'If I had to choose one solicitor in the entire world that I admired the most it would be her'.

Diana Wierbicki

Partner

Dora Clarke

Dora specialises in all aspects of probate, succession and tax planning, both domestic and international, particularly for high net worth families and family offices. She often coordinates teams of professional advisers for major estates, both internally and externally, and deals with the non-contentious aspects of disputes relating to the validity of Wills, Inheritance (Provision for Family Independence) Act 1975 claims, construction and rectification of Wills, working closely with the Contentious Trust and Succession team. Dora specialises in international estates, in particular estates with a US and UK element, and domicile claims, including providing assistance for stress testing domicile pre-death.

Edward Jarron

Edward is a partner in the real estate team. He deals with a broad range of property matters. Although his concentration is in the landed estates sector, his practice areas include buying and selling country houses, agricultural estates, development sites, dealing with commercial leases and renewables projects (both for landowners and developers). Edward undertakes high-end residential work and also the property aspects of tax planning for private clients. Edward's clients include predominantly private individuals (both national and international), family offices and corporate clients (including not for profit organisations).

Elaine Aarons

Partner. With over 35 years’ experience, Elaine is an acknowledged leader in her field with first class City credentials. Renowned for her work with senior executives, directors of FTSE 100 & 250 companies; senior bankers (she has acted for 18 bank chief executives); principals and senior management in private equity houses, equity backed firms, hedge funds and other boutiques. Advising on employment and partnership matters, she acts against the world's leading global and UK institutions. She is a highly credible operator, known for representing her clients with great commitment and for formulating imaginative and powerful arguments in her clients' cause. Elaine also advises clients in non-contentious matters. When joining organisations, she ensures clients enter into new relations well aware of the legal implications that are relevant to them. Described as ‘tenacious and intelligent’, a ‘keen strategist and tactician’ and a ‘formidable opponent’, Elaine regularly leads multi-disciplinary teams and advises on a wide range of issues.

Eleni Polycarpou

Partner and co-head of International Arbitration. Eleni is a litigation and arbitration specialist with long standing expertise in art law and is responsible for contentious art matters in London. She is described as someone who is ‘highly respected within the sector’ and 'very knowledgeable and exceptional with clients’, someone who ‘just gets it, knows how cases should be handled especially when it comes to the very sensitive ones’. Eleni co-heads the firm's widely respected international arbitration practice and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators acting as counsel and as arbitrator in commercial disputes in many sectors including shipping and banking. She has acted as counsel in many high value commercial arbitration matters in a number of institutions including LCIA and ICC. Eleni is a trusted adviser to high net worth individuals and their businesses often advising on cross- border matters including wide ranging issues appearing in the covid pandemic. She is acting for art galleries, museums, artists and collectors in all types of art related disputes and transactions and has dealt with high profile international title disputes, consignment, provenance and authenticity disputes.

Emma Flower

Emma's practice involves advising charities on their governance and operational issues. She is also a core member of the cross-departmental Withers education practice. Recent work includes advising charities and other not-for-profit organisations on registration, mergers and collaborations, projects and contracts, constitutional issues and fundraising law. She specialises in advising education providers including independent schools, academies, Higher Education and Further Education establishments. She also acts for philanthropists, investors and sponsors of education-related ventures.

Graham Webster

Graham advises on a broad range of UK and international corporate transactions including M&A, early stage development capital and joint ventures. With a background in private equity, Graham focuses on acting for founders, families and businesses where creativity or innovation is the primary value generator. He chairs the Firm's global Luxury Brands special interest group and has a particular interest in advising those in the fashion tech space. Graham has a particular understanding of investment into founder led companies within the creative industries. Graham also advises on corporate reorganisations and general business and company law, principally for family-owned business and founder led or eponymous brands. He is particularly experienced in shareholder relations and is regarded as a trusted adviser to his clients, using Withers' unique platform to help them understand and navigate the intersection of their personal and business interests. Over 50% of Graham's practice has an international or cross-border element and he collaborates closely with the Withers' network to ensure a seamless delivery for clients.

Hannah Wailoo

Hannah is a specialist succession and personal tax planning lawyer whose clients include domestic and international individuals, families, trustees and family offices. Hannah provides tax efficient and estate planning solutions, with a particular focus on international families with a presence in the UK, or who are investing into or relocating to the UK. Her key specialism is UK real estate ownership for international families and investors, where she provides inheritance tax and other personal tax mitigation advice for real estate investment to the UK and for existing ownership structures. Hannah co-heads our Middle East group and many of her clients live in or have a connection to the Middle East region. Hannah's clients benefit from her holistic approach to estate and tax planning, and she operates as an embedded trusted advisor alongside her clients' other professional advisors and family offices to provide tailored legal and tax structuring solutions.

Harvey Knight

Partner. With some 30 years' experience, including 6 years advising the Financial Services Authority ('FSA')'s Authorisation and Approvals function as well as the FSA's senior management on reputation management and contentious issues, Harvey leads our UK Financial Services Regulatory Group. Harvey advises senior executives, owner-managers and controllers as to their handling of personal and corporate relationships with regulators, other regulated firms and individuals. His practice involves regulatory approvals and permissions, supervision and conduct issues, internal and external investigations involving major financial services institutions, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Prudential Regulatory Authority ('PRA), the UK Listing Authority ('UKLA'), the Takeover Panel, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales ('ICAEW') and the Payments Services Regulator ('PSR'), as well as civil and criminal cases involving the High Courts, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the National Crime Agency (NCA) and overseas regulators such as the SEC and NY Fed.  Over the last decade Harvey has been responsible for the first successful judicial review of the FCA (which established the principle of joint legal privilege in regulatory investigations), the first settlement with the PRA for a UK bank's CEO and last year, the unprecedented overturning of a FCA ban of a senior banker.

Henry Stuart

Head of residential property team dealing with high-value residential transactions of London and rural property. Recent transactions for both national and international clients. The team acts on purchasing some of the most valuable residential property in England, particularly in prime Central London. The residential property team at Withers provides a personal and confidential service and works closely with wealth planning lawyers to create tax-efficient holding structures for property in the UK and worldwide.

Henry Farris

Henry has a broad commercial litigation practice, working on complex disputes in the financial services, banking and corporate sectors, often with an international or multi-jurisdictional element. He has particular expertise in (i) disputes arising out of the private equity and investment fund sectors; (ii) brokerage and capital markets disputes (iii) disputes relating to banking services and (iv) shareholder and company claims.  He also has significant recent experience advising on disputes relating to cryptoassets and digital payment services.

Hugh Devlin

Consultant dealing mainly with businesses in the luxury goods, fashion and retail sectors and with individuals promoting them.

Hugh More

Hugh advises employees and employers at all stages of the employment relationship, from recruitment to termination (and, where there are post-termination restrictions, beyond). Hugh’s practice includes both contentious matters (including grievance, disciplinary and dismissal processes, and the full range of employment disputes) and non-contentious. He regularly advises on complex contracts and renumeration packages, as well as severances. His clients include primarily UK-based individuals, medium-sized companies and charities (with particular experience in dealing with employment issues in the health and social care sector).  

Hussein Haeri

Hussein is a partner in the international arbitration and public international law teams and co-head of the Middle East group. Hussein jointly leads the firm's international arbitration team and leads the firm's public international law team. He is a solicitor-advocate of the senior courts of England and Wales, and has experience of working on international legal and dispute resolution matters in London, Paris, New York and South Africa for over 15 years. He is also a Solicitor-Advocate of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI). Hussein co-heads the firm's Middle East group and leads many cases involving the Middle East and North Africa region. Hussein is recognised as a 'leading individual' by Legal 500 for International Arbitration and Public International Law, which states that ‘the practical and solutions driven Haeri is outstanding' and that ‘He combines huge intellectual powers with great client handling and gives straight-to-the-point advice'. He is recognised by Chambers Global which refers to him as  ‘an outstanding lawyer, combining a great attention to detail with a view of the big picture' with ‘excellent case management and strategic skills'. Chambers and Partners notes that 'Hussein has an outstanding analytical ability and he's a dream to work with'. He has worked as counsel and advocate on arbitrations under all the major rules, including ICSID, UNCITRAL, LCIA, ICC, SCC and SIAC Rules, as well as in ad hoc arbitrations. His clients include governments, multinational corporations and international organisations.He has served as counsel in state-state proceedings before the International Court of Justice and in national courts, including the courts of England and Wales, on public international law issues. Hussein's public international law practice includes advising governments and international organisations on international investment law, constitutional and human rights matters, sovereign immunity, energy and natural resources, international humanitarian law, sanctions, the law of the sea and treaty and legislation drafting. Hussein is a Senior Fellow on International Investment Law at SOAS, University of London. He is a Member of the Faculty at the University of Rome, Roma Tre University, Certificate Course in International Commercial and Investment Arbitration. He has also taught international arbitration and public international law to graduate students at the London School of Economics, Kings College London and University College London in the UK and at Sciences Po and the University of Versailles in France. He has published extensively in the fields of international law and international arbitration. In addition to his work as counsel, he sits as an arbitrator.

Iain Cockburn

Iain is head of Withers tech innovation and client delivery. He has a specialist practice advising venture capital investors and venture-backed companies operating in the innovation economy. Iain has over ten years' experience advising investors, companies and founders on venture capital financings, from seed stage through to later stages, with a particular focus on companies scaling up at the Series A/B stage and beyond. Iain also advises on other types of transaction commonly used in the industry, including convertible bridge rounds (Safes; ASAs; convertible notes), venture debt transactions, and venture-backed M&A. Iain has worked alongside Susanna Stanfield as part of the team that was involved in the publication of the British Venture Capital Association model form documentation for Series A financings, and coordinates the technology and venture capital special interest group within the firm.

James Copson

Partner. James has far-reaching experience in all areas of family breakdown, with a particular emphasis on the resolution of complex international financial disputes and children issues. He advises on cohabitation claims and private children law matters, to include residence and sharing of care of children, international relocation of children and child abduction, and has extensive expertise in negotiation and drafting pre- and post-nuptial agreements. James has acted for many trustees and beneficiaries on trust-related issues in divorce, and for a wide-ranging number of individuals in sport, especially in the world of football. He also has a particular expertise in Anglo-Italian cases.

James Shaw

James is a partner in the corporate team and a leading transactional venture capital lawyer, advising entrepreneurs, companies and investors through the funding life-cycle. James is a partner in the corporate team and a leading transactional venture capital lawyer, advising entrepreneurs, companies and investors through the funding life-cycle. He was the co-founder of tech law firm JAG Shaw Baker which merged with Withers to create a new legal offering, Withers tech, in 2018. James has two decades of experience helping entrepreneurs, high-growth technology based companies and investors navigate their way through multiple rounds of financing, growth, scale-up and exit/liquidity events. He's ranked as a recommended lawyer for Venture Capital in the 2017 edition of the Legal 500. James is considered to be one of the leading University spin-out lawyers for life sciences companies and he actively advises on spin-out activity from several of the leading Universities in the UK and Scotland including Oxford and Cambridge University. James works as a mentor and speaker with the Oxford Foundry, part of Oxford University's incubator initiative for past and present students. As a close adviser to many companies and investors, James also acts as Outside General Counsel to a number of innovative science-based companies and is an adviser to Parkinson's UK Biotech Business Group. And through the combination of innovation and other practice areas, James is helping to drive firm-wide Global initiatives to address the rapidly changing landscape of more traditional sectors such Real Estate, Hospitality, Sports and Fashion and Luxury Brands. James is a graduate of both St Andrews University (BSc Hons) and Edinburgh University (LLB), and is passionate about innovation and the environment. As a Scottish qualified lawyer, James also holds a committee position on the Society of Scottish Lawyers in London and is a Writer to Her Majesty's Signet.

James Hockin

James is a partner in the employment team. James is an adviser, negotiator and – when required – a determined litigator. Dual qualified in New York and England & Wales, James advises senior executives, partners, founders and employers on all aspects of employment and partnership law.  He is often instructed by clients with complex cross-border issues, which he handles with an adept understanding of the international issues that often arise. James assists clients at all stages of the employment / partnership relationship, whether it be advising on documentation at the start, addressing issues that arise throughout, or planning exit strategies and negotiating severance packages when they come to an end. He often leads multi-disciplinary teams (including employment, corporate, reputation management, regulatory, tax and immigration) and is at his best when he is helping his clients out of a hole, whether that be difficult employment terminations, resignations/removals from partnership or supporting clients through disciplinary investigations. James has experience of litigating in the Employment Tribunal, High Court, County Court and Court of Appeal, as well as regularly resolving client disputes via alternative means such as mediation. Clients comment that he is 'an exceptional operator' who is 'enormously knowledgeable', 'exceptionally good on technical details' and 'fantastic at dealing with cross-border matters'.

Jennifer Dickson

Jennifer specialises in legal issues arising from the breakdown of a relationship. Her practice encompasses financial remedy claims (both for married couples and unmarried parents), disputes about how children should spend their time, relocation cases and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Many of her cases have an international dimension or involve trust interests or complex corporate structures, and clients come from many walks of life - often they are high-net worth individuals and sometimes in the public eye, wishing to stay out of it. She works with clients sensitively and pragmatically to reach a settlement swiftly and amicably. In some cases, court proceedings may be unavoidable, in which case Jennifer will litigate to achieve the best outcome for her client. Jennifer has been involved in supporting clients on a number of high profile cases - she worked with Diana Parker in advising hedge fund manager, Sir Chris Hohn, on the biggest divorce in the English courts, successfully protecting his business from division and defending his wife's claim for 50% of the assets. The judge also agreed with Sir Chris that there should be certain reporting restrictions protecting financial and personal information (Cooper-Hohn v Hohn [2014] EWCA Civ 896).

Jeremy Wakeham

Jeremy specialises in commercial real estate. He advises investors, developers and landowners on a broad range of routine, as well as complex matters and transactions. Projects that Jeremy has been involved in this year have included substantial investment acquisitions and development schemes for private clients and continuing work for high-profile institutions such as Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Jo Sanders

Partner and head of UK media, reputation and privacy team. Jo joined Withersworldwide in 2019 to lead the media and reputation team in London. She has 15 years’ experience of looking after the reputation and privacy of some of the world’s most well-known individuals and businesses. Described as ‘calm and insightful’, Jo advises clients whenever sensitive information or reputation is at risk. She assists clients who become the subject of press attention and who want to ensure that stories are accurate and fairly put together. This can be achieved via legal engagement with the media before publication, commonly in tandem with communications advisers. Jo helps clients who face challenges over the use of information in high profile contexts, such as Select Committee or public inquiries, media reporting on high-profile litigation or misuse of information online or in breach of confidence. The other central part of her work is contentious data protection advice, acting for data controllers or individuals in respect of complex subject access rights, data breach and complaints. For individuals she also advises on privacy, blackmail threats or harassment. Recently she has helped clients who wished to avoid publicity of details of their home and removal of untrue and malicious content online.

Joshua Swift

Joshua is experienced in dealing with complex and high-value international and domestic disputes. His practice is wide-ranging, which gives him a good perspective from which to provide commercial advice to his clients. He has substantial experience in professional negligence matters, acting for the Bar Mutual and its insureds in relation to negligence claims against barristers, including top QCs. He also acts regularly for Claimants in professional negligence claims primarily against solicitors in a wide-variety of scenarios including negligent trust drafting, lost litigation claims, negligent property advice and negligent commercial advice/contract drafting. Joshua's commercial litigation practice often includes elements of insolvency and/or commercial fraud. Joshua regularly acts for officeholders pursuing claims available to them, often against former directors. He has advised on multiple high-value claims which often involves obtaining, and resisting, freezing orders, information orders and other ancillary injunctive relief. He also has extensive experience in banking and financial litigation claims. He has acted against all the major high-street banks on derivative misselling claims, including complex FX instruments. He also advises some of Withers' institutional clients in pursuing and defending similar claims. His experience also includes tax litigation, having litigated against HMRC in the First and Upper Tier Tax Tribunals and the Court of Appeal.

Julia Abrey

Head of elder law. Partner dealing with probate, succession and post-death tax planning; trust management; elderly client and Court of Protection work. Current holder of the STEP Elderly. Client Law Professional of the Year award.

Julian Lipson

Partner. Julian is considered one of the best family lawyers of his generation. He headed up the firm’s family law practice for 9 years, until 2017. Julian is a leading expert in the financial repercussions of relationship breakdown. His work frequently has an international dimension, often involving tax and trust implications, substantial assets or incomes. His reputation is for ruthless efficiency and cutting to the chase, and for giving clients the answer from the very outset. Julian has a market leading practice in negotiating pre-nuptial agreements, whether UK or international ones (often Anglo/US or Anglo/European). This is an area of practice which requires wisdom, direction, experience and tact. He also has considerable experience in disputes relating to children, both within and outside of the Court forum. He frequently acts for (or against) household names, but his clients also include City professionals, entrepreneurs, those in the arts/media, financiers, the independently wealthy and their spouses/partners. He speaks fluent French, and consequently is a leader in the field of Anglo-French work. He deals a lot with cases involving the USA.

Julie Teal

Partner.

Katharine Landells

Partner. Katharine has an abundance of energy, which drives her efficient and effective practice.  She has particular expertise in complex cases involving an international element, whether concerning the relocation of children, trusts, or families with assets worldwide.  Katharine is a deft handler of highly contested litigation and has represented clients in a number of reported cases.  She will always fight her client's corner and she is an excellent strategist and problem solver.  But she knows when to put her negotiation skills to good use, settling cases where it makes sense to do so.  Katharine is recognised for her attention to detail and ability to combine theory and practice.  Her client service is second to none and she builds strong client relationships, combining empathy with clear advice and well defined strategy.  She is known for her 'intelligent, sharp, and emotionally intelligent approach'.

Kenneth Mullen

Partner dealing with intellectual property (non-contentious); data protection; technology and outsourcing; e-commerce and competition law. Acts for clients across all sectors, including brands; retail and leisure; banks and financial services; IT/internet; manufacturing and engineering; charities and third sector.

Laura Winterbottom

Laura advises on all family law issues that flow from separation, divorce or dissolution with a view to achieving a resolution. She offers pragmatic and sensitive advice and helps her clients to reach commercial solutions.Her practice includes advising and guiding clients through the divorce process, the division of family finances, drafting pre/postnuptial agreements and pre/post civil partnership agreements. She regularly advises on issues between unmarried couples to include drafting cohabitation agreements and advising on property disputes. Laura also advises clients in relation to matters regarding their children, to include contact disputes, international relocation and financial support.Laura advises a broad range of clients including those with complex financial affairs, trusts, company structures and inherited assets. A large proportion of her cases have an international element.Laura joined the family team in 2007 having trained with the firm. She is a member of the Resolution, having formerly being a member of the London Resolution Committee and firmly believes in their ethos of promoting a conciliatory and constructive approach to family disputes. She also regularly volunteers at the Citizens Advice Bureau.  

Lesley Timms

Lesley trained with Withers and became a member of the Commercial Litigation team in 2009. In her 12 years at Withers, she has developed a broad commercial practice with a focus on complex contractual disputes. She is a fluent Italian speaker and is passionate about helping Italian individuals and businesses with interests in the UK as part of her ambition to continue developing Withers’ long Italian tradition. Lesley has been involved in numerous mediations, arbitrations and High Court cases where she has acted in a number of leading cases. Lesley co-heads the Withers Luxury Brands Special Interest Group, which focuses on developing, maintaining and protecting a client’s brand. She therefore regularly advises start-up companies on their contractual arrangements and any risks with a view to avoiding the risk of future litigation. She has also developed a particular experience in commercial agency and distribution arrangements. As part of her broad commercial practice, Lesley also regularly advises on issues of company and personal insolvency, including liquidations, bankruptcy and Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVA’s).

Margaret Robertson

Managing director. Experienced in fraud and international asset tracing (particularly offshore); termination of executive service agreements, enforcement of restrictive covenants, breach of confidence, shareholders and directors disputes; discrimination claims.

Matthew Woods

Joint head of the landed estates group. Focuses on the mitigation of inheritance and capital gains taxes, and the long-term devolution of private wealth – particularly landed estates and owner-managed businesses – including advising international clients on suitable structures to manage their multinational and multigenerational needs.

Maurice Martin

Partner specialising in all forms of tax investigations, negotiation and litigation.

Meriel Schindler

Meriel is head of the global employment team and advises both employers and senior executives on all aspects of employment and LLP law.  Meriel frequently advises on complex, international and delicate issues for high profile clients such as household name charities, renowned brands and CEOs embroiled in board disputes involving listed companies. Over the past year, she has advised on substantial whistleblowing and discrimination cases, internal investigations into bullying, contract negotiations, issues arising out of the #MeToo and Black lives matter movements as well as sensitive grievances. She is also a trained mediator. Meriel is quick to grasp complex detail and devise strategies that get clients what they want. She is valued by both clients and peers for her experience, creative solutions and unique insight. Regarded as a 'superb lawyer', clients attest to her 'calm and wise counsel' and 'excellent commercial and practical advice'. She is also widely recognised as a leading individual for her advice to both senior executives and employers in many legal directories.

Michael Gouriet

Partner. Michael advises on all aspects of divorce and family law (including pre- and post-nuptial agreements) with particular focus on the resolution of financial issues for wealthy individuals, whether married or cohabiting and often with international interests (including in particular those with US, Middle-Eastern and Russian connections). He also has extensive experience of child law matters, including international relocation. Michael has acted in numerous complex high-value divorce cases involving trusts and businesses, and in conjunction with his colleagues in the trust, tax and estate planning teams at Withers he is regularly instructed to advise on stress-testing of wealth structures.  His clients include city professionals, entrepreneurs and business people, landowners, sports and music stars, politicians, and their spouses/partners. Michael is a certified family law arbitrator and a qualified collaborative lawyer.

Murray Hallam

Consultant: trusts, wills, charities, tax planning and heritage property.

Natasha Stourton

Senior Associate. Natasha advises on a wide range of trust and succession disputes both onshore and offshore, including trustee/beneficiary disputes, contested probate and 1975 Act claims, and professional negligence in the context of estate planning and trust administration.  She also advises on Court of Protection matters, including statutory wills, lifetime gifts, contested registrations and Powers of Attorney.

Nicholas Vaughan

Nicholas is a partner in the private property team. Having undertaken his training at the firm, Nicholas became a partner in the real estate team in 2016. His main area of practice is the acquisition and sale of residential property. He has particular experience assisting clients acquire prime central London residential property and specialises in high value and complex transactions. As well as acquisition and sale, Nicholas advises clients on all aspects of residential property including lease extensions, freehold enfranchisement and refinances. His domestic and international client base includes developers, lenders and High and Ultra-High Net Worth families. Recently, Nick has also seen an increase in crypto financing for real estate transactions within the market and is aware of the challenges and opportunities this may bring. A fluent Italian speaker, Nicholas is head of Withers' Italian team in London.

Nicolette Bostock

Nicolette is a Partner at Withers LLP. Nicolette is an expert in both business immigration and private client immigration and is highly regarded for her outstanding work in both of these areas, having practised immigration and nationality law since 2007. Nicolette's personal immigration clients include wealthy individuals, family offices, creatives, business founders and executives. For these clients, Nicolette formulates short and long-term immigration solutions taking into account their personal needs and objectives for residence or settlement in the UK, coordinating with other wealth, tax and private client advisors. Nicolette has also amassed experience advising multinational organisations and household brands across a spectrum of sectors and is adept in advising on simple matters such as business visitor support, through to representing organisations in their UK immigration matters in multi-jurisdiction or listed organisation transactions involving non-UK workers. She seeks to provide balanced, timely advice and solutions, adapted to her clients' needs, in collaboration with HR, other professionals and overseas counsel where required. Relevant to both of these practices, Nicolette advises clients on personal immigration routes, including Appendix FM partners and children, long residence (Private Life), European Settlement Scheme (EUSS) applications and related routes for EEA nationals and their family members (including 'late' and speculative applicants). She has successfully secured settlement and British citizenship for a large number of individuals, including those with excess absences or other complexities which require discretionary consideration by the Home Office. Nicolette is an experienced presenter and has delivered training on Brexit, sponsorship and compliance to a number of corporate clients and at UK legal workshops organised by The Law Society. She is also an active member and speaker for the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA). She is recognised by Chambers and Partners (Business Immigration and High Net Worth guides), Legal 500, Spear's 500, Best Lawyers and Who’s Who Legal for UK immigration. Nicolette speaks French, Italian and basic Russian.

Niki Olympitis

Niki has over 30 years of legal experience. Niki advises on all aspects of BVI commercial litigation and dispute resolution, including: contract and shareholder disputes asset tracing and recovery freezing orders third party disclosure orders cross-border insolvency  

Owen Talfan Davies

Partner

Patricia Milner

Patricia is co-head of our wealth planning department in Europe. She focuses on tax, trust and estate planning for both UK and non-UK resident and domiciled individuals and their families. Patricia has significant experience in advising family businesses and landed estates on succession and capital tax issues. She also advises on governance issues as well as succession and education matters for families. She has been instrumental in the establishment of new family offices as well as providing ongoing strategic advice to families wilfi long established family offices.

Paul McGrath

Paul is a partner in the corporate team.He advises on a wide range of corporate and commercial matters. His work includes constitutional and governance issues, mergers and acquisitions,demergers and general company law. Paul has extensive experience of corporate and group reorganisations, investment vehicles and commercialcontracts. He advises domestic and international companies and investors in a wide range of business sectors. His particular focus is on closely-heldbusinesses and their owners, be they entrepreneurs, families or family of(ces. Paul advises professional and investment partnerships, and individualpartners, on their partnership agreements. Paul also assists companies in creating employee share schemes and advises individual executives on theirequity entitlements.

Paul Brecknell

Head of real estate department specialising in commercial property (in particular acting for investors, charities, retailers and professional occupiers) and leasehold reform.

Paul Hewitt

Partner. Paul specialises in domestic and international trust and succession disputes. Described as a ‘star litigator’ and ‘a formidable opponent’, Paul represented His Exalted Highness VIII Nizam of Hyderabad in litigation with India and Pakistan, successfully securing funds held by NatWest since 1948.   Recent 1975 Act successes include Bhusate v Patel, Thakare v Patel on appeal, (widow permitted to bring claim 25 years out of time), Cowan v Foreman in the Court of Appeal, and Wells v Chorus Law (neighbour prevented from bringing claim as 'child as deceased'). Paul also advises on contentious Court of Protection matters, both financial, and health and welfare (including the leading decision Re MN on cross border welfare). Other high profile cases include acting for the trustees in the Hastings Bass matter of Futter v Futter applying to set aside the result of incorrect tax advice, and in Hodkin v Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, both of which went to the Supreme Court, and for the successful claimants in the Court of Appeal probate dispute Hawes v Burgess.

Penelope Williams

Partner specialising in cross-border estate planning for private clients in both the UK domestic and international arena. Based in London after spending three years on secondment in the US. Three main areas of focus: ‘non-doms’ living in, or looking to relocate to, the UK; families with US and UK issues needing assistance with their estate planning concerns (whether simple or complex); and international families (particularly Latin America) seeking effective governance structures through which to organise the long-term transition of wealth.

Pervaze Ahmed

Pervaze advises on all aspects of residential property in England and Wales. He has a diverse client base ranging from overseas investors, high-net-worth individuals and their companies, to trust companies, trustees, investment companies, trading companies, and banks. He purchases or disposes of prime or super-prime residential property predominantly in London, often involving complex offshore structures and time sensitive lending requirements. As a result of his extensive experience dealing with trustees and trust companies in the Channel Islands and British Virgin Islands, he seamlessly navigates the regulatory and fiduciary requirements specific to the region when acting on multi-jurisdictional transactions. He also has strong connections throughout the UK and overseas, particularly in the Middle East and South East Asia.

Peter Wood

Peter has 30 years of experience and is currently the lead partner in a number of cases in which the amount at stake totals nearly £700 million. Peter specializes in commercial litigation and arbitration, restructuring, insolvency, credit and asset recovery, particularly in regard to company disputes, often advising on shareholder and joint-venture issues. Peter leads the firm’s global dispute resolution teams comprising over 60 partners, spanning commercial litigation, international arbitration, criminal litigation and white collar investigations, employment, trust and inheritance disputes, family and divorce, with teams based in litigation centres across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Peter is fluent in Italian and specialises in advising Italian clients, he is a member of the British Italian Law Association and the Italian Chamber of Commerce.

Philip Munro

Philip is a partner in the private client and tax team. He has worked for the firm in London, Hong Kong and Singapore. His practice focuses on succession planning for international families. As well as implementing estate planning arrangement for individuals, Philip frequently acts for trustees and financial institutions in relation to trust planning matters. Philip has been involved in recent years in a number of matters involving the administration of cross border estates.

Philip Reed

Philip advises charities, not-for-profits and philanthropists on a wide range of charity law and related issues. This includes governance and strategic matters, mergers and restructuring, establishment and registration, trading and their relationship with non-charitable subsidiaries, tax, fundraising and regulatory issues. He has a broad practice, but with a particular specialism in advising organisations in the education and arts sectors. These include schools, colleges, universities, arts bodies, artists and related entities. Through the Charity Law Association, Philip is a critical friend to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

Richard Cassell

Partner in wealth planning group specialising in US and international tax and trust work and cross-border charity representation.

Roberto Moruzzi

Roberto is experienced in dealing with commercial litigation and arbitration involving international and domestic contractual disputes, fraud and asset tracing, loan recoveries and debt collection. He leads the insolvency team, advising insolvency practitioners and directors of distressed companies, as well as creditors.Roberto is experienced in High Court pre-action strategy, such as applying for and defending applications for worldwide freezing orders, through to enforcing judgments in the UK and abroad. His clients include Racing Point Limited, Troika Media Group, Diesel, Liu Jo, and Duferco Participations. He also acted for Renault Sport SAS in the High Court litigation brought by HMRC against the Lotus F1 Team Limited, the successful conclusion of which allowed the acquisition of Lotus F1 Team Limited by Renault F1.In terms of arbitration, Roberto has arbitrated cases both in the UK and abroad for international clients, including pursuant to the rules of the ICC, LCIA, LMAA and UNCITRAL. He also has experience of enforcing arbitral awards in foreign jurisdictions pursuant to the New York Convention.Roberto also has experience in advising in privacy and defamation matters. His cases include Elite Model Management (New York) & Elite Model Look (Paris) v BBC which at the time was the largest defamation action brought before the High Court in London. He negotiated the successful outcome of this action.  

Ruzin Dagli

As a dual-qualified lawyer (Turkey and England & Wales) who has previously practised in Paris and Istanbul, Ruzin has particular expertise in international arbitration, commercial litigation and both private and public international law. In her international arbitration practice, Ruzin represents individuals, companies, States and State-owned entities in international disputes conducted under the LCIA, ICC, DIAC, SCC, UNCITRAL and ICSID rules across a variety of sectors, including construction, energy, infrastructure, technology, pharmaceuticals and textiles. Ruzin also advises States and international organisations on public international law matters such as the application of treaties, dispute resolution issues relating to international trade and investment, human rights and sovereign immunity. In her commercial litigation practice, Ruzin advises both individuals and companies in matters before the English High Court, including in complex shareholder disputes, disputes involving family businesses, debt collection and insolvency issues and litigation ancillary to arbitration proceedings, such as the enforcement of arbitral awards. Ruzin has appeared before the Turkish courts as an advocate in a range of commercial disputes and enforcement actions. Ruzin also maintains a pro-bono practice, advising individuals and international organisations on issues of international human rights law and international environmental law. Ruzin is recognised as a leading lawyer in Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500 and is listed in the Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist. She was highlighted by Who's Who Legal's Future Leaders in Arbitration, Legal Marketplace Analysis as part of a selection of particularly highly regarded individuals. Within this directory, international sources describe Ruzin as "an excellent lawyer who is thorough and invisive" and "very personable, organised and efficient".

Sarah Aughwane

Sarah is a senior associate in the trust, estate and inheritance disputes team. She advises on all types of domestic and international probate disputes including issues relating to the validity of wills and trusts and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. She also specialises in on and offshore trust litigation including claims for removal of protectors or trustees, access to trust information, Mistake, Variation and directions applications. She has experience on cases in jurisdictions including the Jersey, Guernsey, Switzerland, Bermuda, BVI, Cayman, the Isle of Man and Nevis. Together with other members of the team Sarah also advises on professional negligence actions in the context of trusts and estates.

Sarah Melaney

Sarah is a partner in the Withers tech corporate team. She has over a decade of experience advising high growth companies and investors on investment rounds, scale-up, exits (trade sales and IPOs) and general corporate governance. As a trusted adviser, Sarah often assumes the role of general counsel for her clients providing effective advice on all commercial matters. Sarah has been ranked as a next generation partner by Legal 500. Sarah commenced her career as an equity capital markets lawyer listing companies on the AIM market and the main market of the London Stock Exchange which means that she is able to grow with companies through all stages of their life cycle. She is considered to be a leading individual in impact investment having acted for one of Europe's first and largest impact investors throughout her career. Sarah leads our initiative on diverse entrepreneurs and is also an advisory board member of FutureWorldVC, a 180 strong community of ethical impact investors. Keen to help change the current climate crisis, Sarah is also a scout for FiveThirteen, a non-profit organisation supporting gender diversity and climate action.

Sarah Barker

Sarah is deeply immersed in the art industry, having worked for almost twenty years with artists and their estates, galleries, agents and dealers, collectors, foundations, trustees, auction houses, art lenders, fractional ownership platforms, and other industry players such as art businesses within the technology sector.  Sarah advises on the various aspects of the complex and often idiosyncratic relationships in the sector (both from a contentious and non-contentious perspective), and acts as trusted adviser to many of her clients. With a background as a City corporate lawyer, Sarah advises on high value transactions for the sale and purchase of fine art and other valuable moveable assets (such as musical instruments, antiques, and precious stones).  She also drafts the contracts underpinning the commercial relationships within the sector (such as consignment agreements, agency agreements, representation agreements, terms of sale, loan agreements, and auction house terms).  Sarah has a particular specialism in the anti-money laundering regulation of the art market. Sarah is a regular contributor to Apollo - the International Art Magazine, and she has lectured at the Sotheby's Institute of Art. She is a frequent panel speaker, and her views on art law and business matters have been sought by think tanks and various publications including RUSI, the Financial Times, Bloomberg Law, the Art Newspaper, Dazed, and Tatler. She is a member of Professional Advisors to the International Art Market, the Association of Women in the Arts and the Institute of Art & Law. Listed in 'Who's Who', Sarah sat for three terms on one of the UKs largest philanthropic giving committees for the arts, and she currently sits on the board of St Paul's School.  Sarah also sat on the Advisory Committee for the Circa Art public art project at Piccadilly Circus, and currently sits on the Advisory Committee for ArtClear, a business using technology to link physical artworks to their verifiable digital records.

Sinead Harris

Sinead is a dual qualified and practising lawyer (England & Wales and British Virgin Islands). Sinead advises in a wide range of commercial disputes in litigation and arbitration, with a particular focus on disputes involving contentious insolvency, fraud, asset recovery and enforcement. Sinead's work includes shareholder and joint venture disputes, creditor claims and enforcement actions, asset tracing and recovery matters - frequently involving elements of dishonesty, fraud or breaches of fiduciary duties. She also advises a range of clients including companies, officeholders, creditors, and directors in relation to all aspects of contentious insolvency and non-contentious insolvency and restructuring. Working collaboratively with colleagues, Sinead draws on the firm's expertise in a range of disciplines such as corporate law, wealth planning and employment law to develop creative strategies and solutions to resolve disputes. She is particularly well-versed in the strategic use of tools such as freezing orders, receiverships and other officeholder appointments, disclosure orders and Norwich Pharmacal relief to maximise prospects of recovery. Sinead has also frequently acted for respondents to similar applications, successfully achieving discharges and setting aside interim orders. Most of her cases include a cross-border element, with particular expertise in British Virgin Islands law and a broad familiarity with offshore practice. Sinead has worked for a range of both UK and overseas clients in international disputes before an array of arbitral tribunals and courts including the English High Court and Court of Appeal, the UK Supreme Court, the Commercial Court of the Virgin Islands, Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. She has also worked collaboratively with foreign lawyers on disputes before the Courts in a range of jurisdictions as diverse as the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Russia and various offshore jurisdictions (such as the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands, Cyprus and many others). Prior to joining Withers in 2017, Sinead worked at an offshore firm in the British Virgin Islands. In that role, she worked on a number of high profile commercial disputes and contentious insolvency proceedings - most notably the ground-breaking Fairfield Fund liquidations in the BVI (and related Ch 15 proceedings in the US), recovering money for the benefit of victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme.

Sophie Dworetzsky

Sophie advises on all aspects of sophisticated private client planning, with an emphasis on advising fund managers and principals on tax efficient remuneration structuring; advising individuals and trustees on investment taxation and efficient use of wrappers, in particular to defer taxation or maximise the remittance basis. Family office establishment and structuring; structuring acquisition and holding structures for private aircraft, to combine tax efficiency and liability insulation. Developing innovative structures, using partnerships for wealth protection and tax efficient family collective investment. Sophisticated remittance planning. Employee tax issues, especially with respect to restricted securities. Sophie has regular experience on advising on in a cross border context and is especially familiar with US/UK planning.

Stephen Richards

Partner. Stephen heads the trust and succession disputes team at Withersworldwide.  He advises a range of clients (individuals, beneficiaries, trustees, fiduciaries, executors and charities) in relation to trust, succession, inheritance and Court of Protection disputes and investigations by the Office of the Public Guardian.  The majority of Stephen's cases involve cross-border issues as highlighted by Re MN, the first reported Court of Protection cross-border welfare dispute.  Stephen advised in the long running litigation concerning the estate of the Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky. He regularly advises on bringing and defending claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Families & Dependants) Act 1975 and challenging/defending wills alongside other succession disputes.  Stephen also advises international, national and local charities/not for profit organisations on defending their legacy income.

Stephen Ross

Partner. Stephen heads the global fraud team and is described as ‘imaginative and you can always rely on him to go the extra mile’. His practice focusses on international asset freezing and recovery cases, heavyweight commercial litigation and regulatory disputes.  Stephen is particularly adept at drawing on the firm’s tax expertise in such cases to obtain a strategic advantage. Stephen often acts for family offices, successful families, entrepreneurs and their businesses on a broad range of commercial disputes and heads up our family office group, which is an innovative approach to finding positive solutions for family business conflicts. He has a particular focus at present on fraud disputes emanating out of large scale insolvencies as well as cryptocurrency and block chain related disputes.

Steven Kempster

Partner. Steven specialises in the resolution of disputes relating to trusts and estates in a UK and international context, in particular where cross-border issues and conflicts of law are involved.  Recent cases have involved disputes in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cayman Islands and Bermuda.  He also advises on dispute resolution where UK charities are involved. Steven has also accepted appointment by the relevant courts to act as a representative party looking after the interests of children and unborn beneficiaries in trusts and estates disputes.  He also has particular expertise in guiding clients through alternative dispute resolution processes, including mediation, early neutral evaluation and the evolving use of arbitration in trusts disputes.

Suzanne Todd

Suzanne leads the family and contentious trusts and succession teams in Europe and is one of the most highly accoladed family lawyers of her generation. She has more than 20 years' experience dealing with international financial cases with a special focus on Italy, private international child matters and negotiating multi-jurisdictional nuptial agreements. She regularly deals with family businesses, inherited wealth, tax and pensions issues. Her communication skills and ability to deal, with empathy with highly charged and emotionally sensitive matters is renowned. Her ruthless efficiency and contagious energy is universally recognised alongside her premier levels of client service. She always provides comprehensive strategic guidance from the outset but with an eye on the commercial reality of the situation. She is a practising Mediator and collaborative lawyer and lectures internationally on family law matters. Suzanne is fluent in Italian and well known for her Anglo Italian practice. Client: 'she has the right balance of sympathy for my situation combined with a razor sharp legal brain but a calm and non-confrontational approach to the negotiations with an obvious will to win'.

Tatiana Menshenina

Tatiana is an experienced commercial litigator, working on both court cases and arbitrations, with market-leading experience in complex cross-border disputes. She has worked on a range of high profile cases for both corporates and high net worth individuals. Her main areas of expertise are company and shareholder disputes, commercial contract disputes, construction, civil fraud and asset tracing, equity and trusts disputes, injunctive relief (including related to ICOs), International Arbitration. Tatiana has worked extensively across Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and the CIS related disputes. Tatiana qualified as a Solicitor – Advocate with Higher Rights of Audience, Civil Proceedings (England and Wales). She is also qualified as a Russian Advocate and was called to the Moscow City Bar in 2002.

Tim Taylor

Tim is a partner in the corporate team. He advises businesses and business owners in relation to sale and investment transactions and generally. Tim has particular experience in dealing with limited liability partnerships in professional/ financial services and in relation to joint ventures in the hotel and hospitality sector.

Tracy Evlogidis

Tracy is a partner in the UK immigration team and leads the immigration practice in London. She is consistently ranked as a leading individual for immigration advice and a key player in the immigration arena, with over 25 years of exclusive experience in UK immigration. She advises on all areas of UK immigration and nationality law and has particular expertise in providing strategic advice to businesses and senior executives. She crafts solutions for her clients within the parameters of the immigration legislation governing the EU Settlement Scheme, permanent residence, complex citizenship and passport applications. Tracy has firmly established herself as a trusted advisor for high-net-worth individuals and leaders in the corporate and entertainment sectors. Her clients span a wide range of industry sectors including, finance, fintech, legal, luxury brands, fashion, sport, education, design and charitable institutions. Tracy has successfully completed many visa applications for various tech founders. She is extremely well-connected and has an exceptional track record of success with complex residency and citizenship applications requiring Home Office discretion. She has the personal trust and indeed friendship of a number of high-profile individuals which is testament to her professional and discrete ability to achieve success for her clients again and again. Tracy's corporate practice includes sponsor licence compliance advice and helping companies to stress test their practices for right to work audits. She provides strategic advice to companies, often working alongside the corporate and tax advisors to develop the optimum solutions to meet the clients' needs. Tracy works closely with the Home Office and is regularly consulted on policy and legislative proposals through her senior level contacts and participation in key working groups. She is a convener of the Business and Operational Forum and has developed particular expertise in advising clients on EU migration and Brexit-proofing their global mobility. Tracy also provides consultancy and strategic advice to many corporate client post-Covid with regard to digital nomads and hybrid working.

Victoria Rodley

Victoria is a partner in the corporate team. Victoria's broad experience extends to domestic and cross-border M&A, strategic investments, joint ventures, restructurings, corporate governance issues and commercial agreements.