Pump Court Chambers

Helen Brander is a matrimonial finance, trusts and estates practitioner.  She advises and represents individuals and their associated entities (companies, trustee bodies, unincorporated associations) in matters concerning family finance, financial provision for children, the financial aspects of cohabitation, trusts of land, trustee disputes, inheritance and probate disputes.  Her work includes:

• consideration of company structures and valuations,
• trusts of land as between cohabitees, within extended family structures, and as between individuals and companies,
• trusts and family settlements,
• tax implications of particular transactions,
• the effect of insolvency on potential transactions, and
• pursuing and securing property and assets.

Helen advises, assists and provides representation at any stage of proceedings and welcomes requests for initial advice.  She is a firm believer in the benefits of alternative and out-of-court dispute resolution, including mediation and early neutral evaluations / private financial dispute resolution.  She conducts private FDRs, ENEs in civil disputes, and arbitrates Children Act 1989 disputes under the IFLA (Children) arbitration scheme.

Helen has a professional interest and experience in:

• the application of family and succession law in Italy and Germany, the experience of expatriate Britons in those countries, and their nationals living in England and Wales.
• cryptoassets, including cryptocurrency, email accounts, social media accounts, and their relevance, protection and tracing in matrimonial finance and estates.
• manipulated digital documents and evidence, and their impact in legal disputes.

As a result of her historic extensive experience in representing parents and children in both public and private Children Act 1989 proceedings, Helen understands and is able to advise how a particular financial structure or arrangement might impact on other family issues upon which the parties might otherwise litigate.  She advises clients sensitively and carefully, remembering always that they are at an extremely vulnerable moment in their lives.

Call: 2002

2023: Trusts and Estates Practitioner (TEP) accredited by the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners.

2022: Appointed Deputy District Judge sitting in civil, family and financial remedies.

2017: IFLA arbitrator in Children Act 1989 disputes and Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Professional Memberships:

Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA)

Chancery Bar Association (ChBA)

Lincoln’s Inn – Advocacy trainer

Family Law Bar Association (FLBA)

Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP) – Advising Families Across Generations

Resolution

Institute of Family Law Arbitrators

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

British Italian Lawyers Association

South Eastern Circuit

LLB (Hons) English and German Laws (Liverpool) Humboldt Universitaet zu Berlin (Klein BGB Schein) LLM by Research in Charity Law (Charity Law Unit, University of Liverpool) STEP certificate in Trusts and Estates Trained arbitrator under the IFLA (Children) scheme