Seddons delivers ‘a Magic Circle service for mid-market (and top-end) clients’. The team is experienced in banking and commercial litigation, IP matters, and restructuring and insolvency, as well as wills, trusts and probate disputes. Christian Smith is a corporate, shareholder and commercial agency disputes specialist. John Melville-Smith acts in contested trust, probate and inheritance claims and Steffan Taylor has an ’excellent legal brain’. In January 2024, David Wheeler stepped down as partner, but remains a consultant, while Marvin Simons retired from practice in December 2023.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Excellent client care - on top of the law, strategically astute, and perfectly suited for individual litigants or SMEs.’

  • ‘Seddons are well respected and often punch well above their weight in the market.’

  • ‘The team offers an experienced and user-friendly Privy Council agency service.’

  • ‘A Magic Circle service for mid-market (and top-end) clients in a wide variety of business disputes involving some of the most complex legal issues. The team is capable and undaunted.’

  • ‘Christian Smith is an outstanding litigator. He works tirelessly for his clients and has a natural ability to secure good results. His analytical skills, combined with an intuitive commercial approach, make him a great lawyer.’

  • ‘Christian Smith is across the detail; at the same time, he is alive to bigger-picture points (commercial alternatives to litigation and desirability of settlement).’

  • ‘Steffan Taylor is a superb associate (one of the best some clients have worked with). Super-efficient, excellent legal brain and winning client manner.’

  • ‘Steffan Taylor is conscientious and contributes good ideas and strategic thinking.’

Work highlights

  • Acted for Andrew Crump (and associated companies) in defending an approximately £50m deceit/unlawful means, conspiracy and negligence claim (arising from the sale of investment properties).
  • Acted for Angus McKay in pursuing an approximately £20m secret trust and will rectification claim.
  • Acted for B & J Investments in its claim for approximately £4m, being profit shares and loan repayments that arose from a hotel development-related joint venture agreement.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Christian Smith

Other key lawyers

John Melville-Smith, Steffan Taylor, David Wheeler, Mark Allan