Skip to content

Robert Arnfield

"Robert is great to deal with as he's so friendly and approachable. He has good ideas and displays flexibility of thought. As a result, he always inspires confidence in his advice."
(Chambers UK 2025)

Robert Arnfield has been in practice at the Chancery Bar for nearly 30 years. His main practice areas include non-contentious and contentious private client, commercial chancery and associated taxation and professional negligence.

His non-litigious practice includes drafting and advising on trusts, wills, administration of estates, deeds of variation, deeds of appointment and shareholder agreements often with an international element. Robert’s related tax experience includes Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Pre-owned Assets Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax and Corporation Tax.

Robert is also regularly instructed by parties or prospective parties to litigation or mediation in the same areas. Typical matters involve Inheritance Act claims, removal of trustees, challenges to wills and the construction or rectification of wills, trusts or commercial agreements.

Robert Arnfield has been in practice at the Chancery Bar for nearly 30 years. His main practice areas include non-contentious and contentious private client, commercial chancery and associated taxation and professional negligence.

His non-litigious practice includes drafting and advising on trusts, wills, administration of estates, deeds of variation, deeds of appointment and shareholder agreements often with an international element. Robert’s related tax experience includes Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Pre-owned Assets Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax and Corporation Tax.

Robert is also regularly instructed by parties or prospective parties to litigation or mediation in the same areas. Typical matters involve Inheritance Act claims, removal of trustees, challenges to wills and the construction or rectification of wills, trusts or commercial agreements.

Recommendations


“Robert is great to deal with as he’s so friendly and approachable. He has good ideas and displays flexibility of thought. As a result, he always inspires confidence in his advice.”

“Robert is pleasant to deal with and very efficient, and his bills are fair. The advice he provides is always clear, well laid out and accessible to the client. His service is second to none.”

Chambers UK 2025

“He has a knack of understanding the risk appetite of the client.”

Chambers UK 2024

“Robert exudes gentlemanly reflection and consideration. He is a masterful draftsman and is good fun to work alongside on long-running cases.”

Chambers UK 2023

“He is excellent as he is really technical, his attention to detail is terrific and he is very responsive too.”

Chambers UK 2022

“The grand master of drafting.”

“He is literally best practice – a measured, considered writer, whose pleadings are always so beautiful. Judges love to read his writing because he addresses everything so sensibly.”

Chambers UK 2021

Is extremely clear in the advice he gives. He is super bright, thinks very carefully about the questions put to him and then presents his views in a clear, succinct fashion. He comes up with helpful ideas and plans.

Legal 500 2020

“The grand master of drafting”

“He is literally best practice – a measured, considered writer, his pleadings are always so beautiful. Judges love to read his writing because he addresses everything so sensibly.”

 

Chambers HNW 2020

“User-friendly, responsive, practical and very hands-on, approachable and very helpful. He is focused on detail and very knowledgeable.”

“He is very client-friendly. He gives sound advice and is very thorough.”

Chambers UK 2020

“An excellent junior counsel”

Legal 500 2020

“Aconsistently reliable adviser” and “technical and very able

“User-friendly, responsive, practical and very hands-on, approachable and very helpful

He is focused on detail and very knowledgeable.”

He is very client-friendly. He gives sound advice and is very thorough

HNW Guide 2019

“Absolutely knows his stuff and has gravitas. People respect what he says and listen to his advice without hesitation.”

“Good at dealing with tricky technical work and meeting urgent deadlines, he always delivers clear, concise and invaluable advice.”

Chambers UK 2019 - Chancery

“Highly recommended.”

Legal 500 2018 - Private Client: Personal Tax

“His knowledge is good but what really stands out is how he applies the law to provide a pragmatic and practical answer. He knows all these obscure points and can provide the right solution for clients.”

“Very articulate on his feet, he is completely unflappable even when judges throw some really tricky stuff at him. He handles matters coolly and very expertly”

HNW 2018 Guide - Chancery: Traditional - London Bar

“Really first-rate on the the technical side” and “utterly unflappable and very experienced.”

“He is so good at turning around quality work under urgent time constraints. He always delivers clear, concise and invaluable advice.”

“He absolutely knows his stuff and has gravitas. People respect what he says and listen to his advice without hesitation.”

Chambers UK 2018 - Chancery (Band 1)

“His knowledge is good but what really stands out is how he applies the law to provide a pragmatic and practical answer”

“He knows all these obscure points yet he can also provide the right solution for his client and even the other parties on occasion.”

“He is very articulate on his feet. He is completely unflappable.”

Chambers HNW 2017

“He provides clear opinions, and does not adopt the approach of sitting on the fence. This is hugely helpful when you’re advising clients and making decisions. Obviously a balanced answer is provided, but a route forward is always known.”

Chambers UK 2017 - Chancery

“He provides clear and practical guidance and advice on complex trusts and inheritance tax issues”.

Chambers UK 2016

“He provides clear and concise guidance and doesn’t sit on the fence.”

Legal 500 2016 (Private Client - Personal Tax)

“Rated for his internationally focused trusts and estates practice, he is an expert on issues of entailment, executor powers and variation. His broader chancery practice extends to insolvency, real property and professional negligence, as well as capital gains and inheritance tax”

“He has the ability to clearly communicate issues to lay clients and his advocacy is pragmatic, appropriately structured, and covers the key points incisively”

“rated for his internationally focused trusts and estates practice, he is an expert on issues of entailment, executor powers and variation. His broader chancery practice extends to insolvency, real property and professional negligence, as well as capital gains and inheritance tax”

“He has the ability to clearly communicate issues to lay clients and his advocacy is pragmatic, appropriately structured, and covers the key points incisively”

Chambers UK 2015

“A much respected private client junior, whose caseload focuses heavily on trusts, probate, estates and tax work. His practice is increasingly international in flavour.”

“He is very approachable and always gives excellent advice.”

Chambers UK 2014

Qualifications


  • Christ Church, Oxford University

Associations & Memberships


  • Chancery Bar Association
  • Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners
  • Professional Negligence Bar Association

For more information and advice

Call: +44 (0)20 7405 0758

Email: clerks@tenoldsquare.com

Pricing Policy

Unless otherwise agreed my Clerk will calculate my fees based on my current hourly rate. My rates are reviewed annually and details can be obtained from my Clerk. Once a rate is set for any particular case the hourly rate will only ever be adjusted with express agreement between my Clerks and those instructing me. All fees are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate where applicable.

Robert Arnfield is a self-employed, independent barrister whose practice is governed by the Code of Conduct of the Bar of England and Wales. He is regulated by The Bar Standards Board [Bar Ref 35750] and is fully insured with the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund [BMIF Ref 2360/050] to provide legal services, please refer to the BMIF website for full details of the world-wide cover provided. He is registered for VAT under the reference 701412886.

Barrister Portfolio
Barristers / Name Call CV Email

Remove All


Click here to email this list of barristers to a colleague.