A leading set for trusts and private wealth mandates, Serle Court is commended for its ‘deep bench of talented barristers.’ With vast experience before the Privy Council, Dakis Hagen KC acted in BVI High Court proceedings concerning control of an estate in DUK & Ors v UGX & Ors. Elizabeth Jones KC is experienced in multi-jurisdictional trust disputes, while Jonathan Adkin KC has been heavily active in the long-running Bermuda trusts dispute Wong v Grand View PTC & Ors over the legacy of the founder of Formosa Plastics Group. Adil Mohamedbhai’s recent caseload includes Bermudian proceedings involving allegations of mistake, undue influence, and forgery. Jonathan Harris KC is a vastly experienced member of chambers, noted for his expertise in private international law.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Nick Hockney, Dan Wheeler, and all the clerks are a pleasure to deal with and have a stellar reputation in the market for their excellent client service.’
- ‘The clerks are immensely user-friendly and always seek to add value for instructing attorneys.’
- ‘The clerks have been helpful throughout, providing responsive and timely answers to emails and questions. Their willingness to pick up the phone rather than relying solely on emails is helpful. There was a very smooth handover between clerks when they changed part-way through the instruction.’
- ‘The clerks are very responsive and will help you find the right barrister for your case. They understand nuances and other factors that play into the right choice of barrister.’
- ‘Serle Court is the market leader, and is always present in the big cases. Omnipresent and omnipotent in the sector.’
- ‘It is a very strong set with a deep bench of talented barristers. Definitely right at the top of the table for chancery and commercial chancery work.’
Lawyers
Leading Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Dakis Hagen KC
‘Dakis’ knowledge of trust law is second to none. He instills great confidence in clients. He is a pleasure to work with, collaborative, and responsive. He is deservedly one of the biggest names in trust litigation.’
Elizabeth Jones KC
‘She is a strong leader who is effective at extracting the best from teams working in multiple jurisdictions. She is both formidable as an advocate and an absolute pleasure to work with.’
Jonathan Harris KC
'Jonathan’s exhaustive knowledge of trusts in the context of private international law makes him an invaluable asset.'
John Machell KC
‘John is a formidable yet thoroughly professional advocate. His no-nonsense approach is extremely refreshing too.’
Richard Wilson KC
‘Richard has an excellent client manner and is able to communicate difficult legal concepts succinctly and effectively. He is strategic and result-oriented. His written advocacy is impressive and persuasive.’
Timothy Collingwood KC
‘Tim’s knowledge of trust law is first rate. He is excellent at dealing with knotty issues in a straightforward way and getting straight to the heart of the matter. He is an absolute pleasure to work with.’
Dan McCourt Fritz KC
‘Dan is exactly the kind of advocate you want in your corner when the stakes are high. He’s incredibly sharp, he gets to the heart of the matter quickly, and always seems two steps ahead. What really stands out is his ability to handle complex, cross-border issues with confidence and clarity, which gives one peace of mind throughout.’
Constance McDonnell KC
Giles Richardson KC
‘Giles is highly intelligent, great at reading the court, and highly effective with his advocacy. He writes very clearly and effectively, too because he is so concise – no words are wasted.’
Leading Juniors
Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.
Thomas Fletcher
‘Thomas is concise, precise, deliberate, and very analytical. He has a good commercial sense alongside his undoubted legal expertise and experience. He is also easy to work with and responsive. His drafting is clear and focused.’
Emma Hargreaves
‘Emma’s capacity for work is incredible. She can turn around significant documents and produce analysis in a very short space of time. That notwithstanding, the work is always incredibly thorough and detailed.’
Adil Mohamedbhai
‘Adil is a brilliant junior in this space, he is hugely admired by everyone who works with him. He has an impressive and growing trusts practice. His advocacy is sublime. A star Silk of the future.’
James Weale
‘James is ultra-responsive, technically excellent, and very easy to deal with- he undoubtedly has the makings of a future silk of the highest quality.’
Charlotte Beynon
‘Charlotte commands the respect of all involved in a team. She always has her eye on the wider picture – a truly exceptional junior.’
Zahler Bryan
‘Zahler is a clear drafter, very personable, and technically knowledgeable.’
Sparsh Garg
‘Sparsh is not only an excellent and conscientious advocate, but he is also a pleasure to work with. With his deep knowledge of international trust structures, it is very valuable to have Sparsh on your team.’
Oliver Jones
‘Oliver’s knowledge of trust law is excellent. His advice is always pragmatic, timely, and clear. He is very responsive and collaborative. He is a pleasure to work with.’
Stephanie Thompson
‘Stephanie is a fantastic young barrister. She has a remarkable ability to identify the key issues in a case and produce excellent written work at short notice, even for the most complex trust matters.’