At the helm of the disputes practice at Withers, Sara-Jane Knock ‘brings her substantial experience in commercial and trusts litigation to the table’. She is the key senior contact at the BVI office and co-leads the department with London-based Sinead Harris, who is admired as ‘direct on the relevant legal matter’. The team is counsel to HNWIs, trustees, corporates, insolvency practitioners, national governments and financial instructions. Lauren Peaty in Tortola is another ‘impressive’ contact to note.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Withers worldwide have a very strong global footprint in the private client arena, including in the BVI. Withers is one of the few London firms to have a substantial presence in the BVI. This allows Withers to handle private client mandates and disputes which cut across London, the BVI and other offshore jurisdictions. The team is efficient and diligent, and always responsive.’
‘Sara Jane-Knock is a first-rate private client and disputes partner. She brings her substantial experience in commercial and trusts litigation to the table, with an intimate knowledge of BVI law and court practice. She and her team are very adept at cross-border disputes with a London and BVI nexus. Jan Alessandrini also deserves praise for his legal research and document management skills.’
‘Sara-Jane Knock has been invaluable for our mutual client in a multi-jurisdictional and complex enforcement matter. She is very hands on, strategic and her grasp of the BVI system, and the players in it, has been critical to the case.’
‘I have worked with Withers BVI for over 5 years on a number of matters. In contrast to a number of firms in BVI, they have low turnover of associates and people tend to stay there, which makes for a friendly team with consistently high quality associates. They are a lean outfit, with no 'dead weight'. They also link up seamlessly with their other teams to offer round the clock client care on a matter – e.g. I am currently working on an investment dispute where the funds subscribed in are Hong Kong-based. It is staffed by both the BVI and HK offices which works really well for both the counsel team and the client in getting support.’
‘Sara-Jane Knock is a longstanding member of the BVI legal community, who has impressive depth of knowledge about the BVI laws and procedures and real insight into how a point will play with particular judges, which is invaluable. She is very responsive and a pleasure to work with. Lauren Peaty is also impressive.’
'Sinead Harris is easy to reach and useful when you do. She is direct on the relevant legal matter and seeks to guide you aware from those that don't serve the main goal. She is proactive and comfortable working with a wider team of professionals. We would use her again should the need arise.'
‘Sara-Jane Knock is a superb partner who is great fun to work with and completely on top of the most complex trust disputes. She manages the relationship between the local BVI office and wider team in London and elsewhere with consummate ease.’
‘The team are really approachable and easily accessible. They are knowledgeable and offer sensible advice. Their focus remains on the end goal not winning satellite points which don't progress the matter; they are adept as avoiding these issues.'
Key clients
- Kiran Taneja
- Tai Feng Investments Limited
- Sinowest
- Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company Limited
- Goods Technology Starting International Limited and G-Force Investors Limited
- Robert Tchenguiz
- Hemchand Chaturbhuj Das Ghandi
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Sara-Jane Knock, Sinead Harris