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Private Client: Contentious

We are one of the leading sets for Private Client: Contentious work, encompassing wills and probate disputes, administration of estates disputes, trusts disputes of all kinds, including onshore and offshore, as well as all related professional negligence.

Click here to talk to our clerks

Contact our experienced Clerks to find out which barristers would be ideal for you. They have many years of experience and will ensure that you receive a premium service and advise on the suitability, availability and cost of instructing specialist Counsel.

Chambers is ranked in Band 1 for Chambers UK Bar Directory 2020 for Chancery: traditional and Tier 2 in Legal 500 2020 for Private Client: Trusts and Probate, and was awarded Chambers of the Year at the STEP awards for both 2015/2016 and 2013/2014.

Contact our Private Client: Contentious Clerks

Contact our experienced Clerks to find out which Private Client barristers would be ideal for you. They have many years of experience and will ensure that you receive a premium service and advise on the suitability, availability and cost of instructing specialist Counsel.

Keith Plowman

Keith Plowman

Marc Schofield

Marc Schofield

Fay Bennett

Fay Bennett

Call +44 (0)20 7405 0758
Email clerks@tenoldsquare.com

"Ten Old Square offers a broad expertise in property and affairs matters, drawing on the set's recognised strength in private client work."

Chambers UK 2020

"Ten Old Square ‘excels from top to bottom.’ The chambers is ‘the go-to place for trustee applications involving rectification, variation of trusts and other administrative court proceedings."

Legal 500 2020

"Extremely strong and provides a first-rate service."

Legal 500 2018

"Members offer a broad array of chancery expertise, and are particularly adept at trusts and succession disputes."

Chambers UK 2018

"A deep bench of expert traditional chancery practitioners, including a number of strong juniors who support three hugely well-regarded silks in Simon Taube, Francis Barlow and Eason Rajah. Its members excel in private client work, including matters relating to wills and probate, trusts, private client income and inheritance taxation."

Chambers UK

"The go-to chambers for private client lawyers. The best advocates in terms of cross-examination. They are very academic and do very high-powered trusts work."

Chambers UK HNW 2016

"The barristers are efficient and charming, and they generally bend over backwards to accommodate my work"

Chambers UK 2016

"A very specialist and a really friendly team with lots of really good barristers."

Chambers UK 2016

Private Client: Contentious Barristers

Simon Taube KC – Head of Chambers Simon Taube KC – Head of Chambers Call 1980 David Schmitz David Schmitz Call 1976 Sidney Ross Sidney Ross Call 1983 Jonathan Gavaghan Jonathan Gavaghan Call 1992 Samuel Laughton Samuel Laughton Call 1993 Robert Arnfield Robert Arnfield Call 1996 Evan Price Evan Price Call 1997 Richard Dew Richard Dew Call 1999 Georgia Bedworth Georgia Bedworth Call 2001 Philip Jenkins Philip Jenkins Call 2003 Matthew Slater Matthew Slater Call 2005 Naomi Winston Naomi Winston Call 2006 Gideon Roseman Gideon Roseman Call 2007 James MacDougald James MacDougald Call 2011 James Egan James Egan Call 2015 James Poole James Poole Call 2016 James Kirby James Kirby Call 2017 Adam Stewart-Wallace Adam Stewart-Wallace Call 2018 Thomas Arnull Thomas Arnull Call 2019 Thomas James Thomas James Call 2018 Elizabeth Atkinson Elizabeth Atkinson Call 2021

Our Private Client Experience

Chambers boasts three of the highest ranked KC’s in Francis Barlow KC (“a walking encyclopaedia” – Chambers UK 2020), Simon Taube  (“A brilliant advocate” – Chambers 2020), and Eason Rajah (“very impressive indeed” – Chambers 2020). It has numerous highly ranked and highly rated juniors including Susannah Meadway (“personable, technical and really helpful” – Chambers 2020), Richard Dew (“a skilled advocate and fights fiercely for his clients – drives a hard bargain” – Legal 500 2020), Georgia Bedworth (“ brilliant technical trust lawyer” – Chambers 2020) Leon Pickering (“He provides very clear advice and analysis” – Chambers 2020) and James MacDougald (“super bright, willing and never lets me down” – Chambers 2020). In Keith Plowman, Marc Schofield and their team they are supported by one of the best regarded clerking teams in Lincoln’s Inn.

Members are regarded for their abilities in court, for their drafting skills and for the quality and accuracy of their advice. Many are authors or editors of some of the foremost textbooks on Chancery law including Williams on Wills, Rossdale on Administration of Estate and Parker’s Modern Will Precedents and all are frequent contributors to journals and to seminars and conferences. 2019/20 appearances included the International Trusts Litigation Forum, Transcontinental Trusts Bermuda and STEP’s SIG Half day seminar.

In recent times members of chambers have acted in many high profile and high value claims both in England and Wales and offshore. Those cases include:

  • Pakistan v National Westminster Bank [2019] EWHC 2551
  • Dawson Damer v Taylor Wessing [202] EWCA Civ 352
  • Investec v Glenalla [2019] AC 271
  • Barker v Confiance & ors [2019] EWHC 1401 (Ch)
  • Parsonage v Parsonage [2019] EWHC 2362
  • Knight v Knight [2019] EWHC 915
  • Sheffield v Sheffield [2018] EWHC 2360
  • Gelber v Sunderland Foundation [2018] EWHC 2344
  • Truchot Trustees v Griffith and others [2018] EWHC 1484 (Ch)
  • South Downs Trustees [2018] EWHC 1064 (Ch)
  • Thornton v Thornton [2017] EWHC 769
  • AB v CB [2015] 2 FLR 25
  • Tadros v Barratt [2014] EWHC 2860
  • PQ v RS [2019] EWHC 1643 (Ch)
  • Shergill & Ors v Khaira & Ors [2017] EWHC 883
  • Davidson & Anor v Seelig & Ors [2016] EWHC 549
  • Labrouche v Frey [2016] EWHC 268
  • Re Nina Wang [2015] HKCFA
  • Davidson v Davidson [2016] EWHC 549
  • Re Dellal [2015] EWHC 907
  • C v C [2015] EWHC 2699
  • P v P [2015] EWCA Civ 447
  • Crociani v Crociani [2017] JRC146
  • V v T [2014] EWHC 3432 (Ch)A v B [2016] EWHC 340
  • Goodman v Goodman [2014] Ch 186
  • Buzzoni v HMRC [2014] 1 WLR 3040

Private Client Frequently Asked Questions

What do we mean by private client (contentious) work?

All disputes involving, or between, private individuals can be described as contentious private client work. We are here referring to disputes involving Wills or trusts or other succession matters but that involves a wide spectrum of disputes over money including as to whether a Will is valid, how an estate is administered, the removal of executors or trustees, offshore trusts litigation and professional negligence arising out of all of these matters.

What is the focus of Chambers’ work in this area?

We are private client specialists. We are able to provide advice, assistance and representation in all of the fields referred to above and you will find all members will have considerable knowledge and experience from dealing with many similar or related matters.

Why instruct Ten Old Square?

All members, at whatever level have a wealth of experience in contentious private client work. You will find that all members will have considerable knowledge and experience from dealing with many similar or related matters. In most disputes, whether onshore or offshore you can expect to find a member of our chambers appearing or having been involved at some stage or in advising one or more of the parties.

Where do you appear in Court?

We appear in all the courts in England and Wales. Where permitted we will also provide representation in courts around the world, including the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Bahamas and the BVI. Members can also be found providing expert advice and assistance in other jurisdictions where they cannot represent a party, including Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

How do I select a barrister for a contentious Private Client matter?

This website contains details of the barristers at Ten Old Square to assist you.  You should speak to one of our clerks who are highly experienced in matching the right barrister to the dispute.

What are the fees for instructing a barrister in a contentious Private Client matter?

We aim to provide a cost-effective service and will strive to ensure that our fees are competitive. Our Clerks will advise you of the hourly rate applicable to any barrister in Chambers and for any piece of work and this will be agreed in advance taking into account the nature of the case and its complexity, and the experience of the barrister instructed.

Areas of Expertise in Private Client

  • Validity of Wills
  • Construction and Rectification of Wills
  • Administration of Estates
  • Succession
  • Probate Disputes
  • Inheritance Disputes
  • International probate disputes
  • The validity of foreign Wills
  • Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
  • Variations of Trust
  • Trust disputes
  • Beddoe applications
  • Applications by Trustees or personal representatives for directions
  • Removal of personal representatives
  • Removal of trustees
  • Offshore trusts
  • Onshore trusts
  • Trustees’ powers and duties
  • Construction and rectification of Trusts
  • Trusts in divorce
  • Professional negligence in wills, trusts and estates.
  • Taxation
  • Professional negligence in taxation
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