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.
Trusts & Estates
Robert is regularly instructed to advise companies and shareholders on shareholder agreements or disputes. Typically these will involve close companies and companies held as part of a more complex trust structure.
Recent Cases:
- Re G Ltd (2016): Acting for shareholders exercising options under a shareholder agreement put in place following a company purchase. Dispute over valuation methods resolved by expert determination.
- Re H Limited (2016): Partition of family owned investment company and resolution of directors’ dispute negotiated through mediation.
- Re E (2016): Dispute over construction and extent of tax indemnity relating to sums received by a professional footballer from an Employee Benefit Trust. Resolved by expert determination.
Professional Negligence
Professional negligence clams relating to the practice areas described above. Acts for both claimants and defendant insurers.
Recent Cases:
- Re G Ltd (2016): Negligence claim against former solicitors over drafting of sale agreement and associated shareholder agreement on company takeover.
- Estate of R deceased (2016): Negligence claim against former solicitors over failed Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax shearing schemes involving family home.
- Re B Ltd (2015): Acting for Claimant in claim against insolvent former solicitors for negligent tax advice concerning an offshore Employee Benefit Trust. Settled by professional indemnity insurers without litigation.
Recommendations
Qualifications
- Christ Church, Oxford University
Associations & Memberships
- Chancery Bar Association
- Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners
- Professional Negligence Bar Association
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.
