Few understand the world of the City and the big hitters that occupy it quite as well as Elaine Aarons, one of the ‘founding mothers’ of her field. More than 95 per cent of her clientele are senior executives from… Read More

Company director Simon Aitken is responsible for developing business within Gauntlet, and has a wealth of experience in advising UK domiciled and non-domiciled families with complex insurance requirements. The broker not only specialises in fine town and country houses, fine… Read More

A lawyer to presidents and billionaires, Robert Amsterdam has advised on some of the world’s leading disputes and advocacy cases. Well-known clients have included Russian prisoner of conscience Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Ugandan pop star turned opposition leader Bobi Wine. Amsterdam,… Read More

Litigation specialist David Archer is the personal go-to for a wide range of corporate, UHNW and international clients. In the past year, he has been involved in a wide range of matters including crypto currency and regulatory crime as well… Read More

Margaret Argent runs Marsh’s private client arm, which insures a diverse range of assets, from ‘properties at home and overseas’ to ‘bloodstock and yachts’. The global insurance brand provides a concierge-style service for those whose financial risks are growing alongside… Read More

Charles Avens is a senior associate in the employment and business immigration team at Druces, a City -based law firm with over 250 years’ experience advising public and privately-owned businesses and wealthy individuals, as well as banks and other financial… Read More

Maung Aye joined Mackrell. in 2011 and became a partner in the corporate and commercial team in 2015. Since qualifying, he has specialised in corporate law, primarily company and business acquisitions and disposals, often involving an international dimension. ‘It is… Read More

Industry commentators are full of praise for Sophie Barrett-Brown, an ‘energetic powerhouse’ whose ‘knowledge of the points-based system is second to none’. Barrett-Brown is a prolific speaker and commentator on immigration law, who is also recognised for her ‘innovative outlook’… Read More

Irwin Mitchell’s immigration head Philip Barth advises a range of HNWs, wealth managers and family offices on complex immigration issues. Formerly a corporate lawyer, the Cambridge graduate brings a highly commercial perspective to his work. He joined Irwin Mitchell a… Read More

‘We have an ongoing dialogue with the families and businesses that we look after,’ says Guernsey-based John Bell. ‘Our service is best described as “high touch” – we are able to advise and guide our clients on a timely basis.’… Read More

AXA’s director of underwriting for Northern Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Chris Bentley joined the firm in 2012 from his previous role as fine art underwriter at Hiscox. The occasional weird and wonderful request brightens his day – he… Read More

Cora Binchy, partner and Stonehage Fleming’s Jerseybased UHNW specialist and trustee advises families on wealth planning, succession and governance. ‘You can only survive in such a complex environment with proper, rigorous governance. It is a huge responsibility to manage large… Read More

‘The pace of change in the offshore environment is relentless, but has created both challenges and opportunities,’ says Colin Bird, partner at Maitland Group. Bird is recognised in the Isle of Man for his work with private clients, including trusts,… Read More

Sam Bowen joined NFU Mutual in October 2018. With an insurance career spanning 20 years, he brings with him a huge amount of experience, with particular focus on advising HNWs on personal insurance requirements, including property, art collections, jewellery, cars… Read More

‘Most of my clients come from personal referrals,’ says the likeable partner Kathryn Bradbury. ‘Immigration is often the starting point for a client in terms of what they need, and helping them find the right advisors in other areas, and… Read More

Managing partner Gareth Brahams is a well-respected employment practitioner known to serve ‘the brightest and the best’ in their time of need. Despite having seen a slight downturn in the employment landscape shortly after the EU referendum, enquiries have ‘roared… Read More

Rosalyn Breedy, a corporate lawyer known for her work with financial services entrepreneurs and wealth management heavyweights, has enjoyed a highly productive 2019. She has advised the founders of various innovative funds, such as a new litigation fund on the… Read More

According to an observer, Robert Brown remains ‘one of the major players in this field’. Brown has recently shifted focus away from corporates to individuals: ‘Clientele remains predominantly London based, still with a large number of Russian nationals,’ he says…. Read More

HNWs are prospering in the insurance space, Lennox Bunting says, despite the industry being ‘more competitive than ever’. Zurich is growing its private client base accordingly, with a recent acquisition turning it into one of the biggest players in the… Read More

Michael Burd is ‘one of the best practitioners of employment law I have seen,’ says one contemporary. Known for his negotiation savvy and ability to impart difficult advice with uncommon clarity, the firm’s first employment lawyer now has more than… Read More

Ian Burton, the founder and senior partner at BCL, has often been described by industry insiders as the doyen of criminal law. Over his extensive legal career, spanning nearly 50 years, there are not many prominent criminal cases that Burton… Read More

Specialist immigration lawyer and head of department Rose Carey’s proudest moment of 2019 was winning three cases that other lawyers deemed unwinnable. As she recalls to Spear’s: ‘With the help of one of my associates, I successfully secured visas for… Read More

Advising individuals and business on the legal aspects of their private client and trust affairs makes up a large part of her Cayman Islands practice, explains Bernadette Carey. What’s more, her standing as an experienced litigator provides a welcome safety… Read More

Russell Clark heads the largest team of private client lawyers in Guernsey, and has earned the moniker of ‘Mr Private Client’ from one client of his firm, Carey Olsen. Clark’s team works across a range of structures including private, corporate,… Read More

Andrew Clarke is a corporate lawyer whose clients include a number of HNW families, private equity investors, founder-run businesses and listed companies. Clarke has advised founders on the sale of their companies, and often on reinvestment alongside private equity investors…. Read More

Andrew Collins is a corporate lawyer by training, whose clients include a number of HNWs and family businesses, as well as listed companies and banks. Having trained at Farrer & Co, then at Macfarlanes, he has private wealth in his… Read More

Julie Collins, Executive Director at EFG Wealth Solutions in Jersey, has taken up the position of Managing Director of EFG Trust Company Limited, EFG’s private client trust and corporate division. She vacated this role a decade ago to concentrate on… Read More

Henley & Partners’ managing partner for the UK Irina Curbelo says her work has always been driven by ‘the social aspect of life’. Curbelo, who is fluent in Spanish, Russian and French, began her career with Deloitte in Toronto in… Read More

Euan Dangerfield is a client director at Cazenove Capital. His primary responsibility is to work with trustees and private clients to understand their needs and deliver solutions that exactly meet their objectives. Over his storied career, he has built up… Read More

Lyudmyla Davies leads the private client and business immigration team at PwC. With over 15 years’ experience, her work covers investors, entrepreneurs, complex nationality applications, economic citizenship, European law and family-related immigration. She also advises on immigration strategies for major… Read More

Mishcon de Reya’s head of corporate Nick Davis has an expert knowledge of M&A, reorganisation, business law and restructuring. He works with both budding HNW entrepreneurs and global corporations across sectors including finance, technology and property, with a particular reputation… Read More

An intellectually curious individual who thrives on ‘difficult and sensitive people issues’, William Dawson advises HNWs, big-name firms, senior leaders and their highflying employees on ‘anything complex’: from ‘tricky’ discrimination claims to whistleblowers. He also acts on regulatory issues, contracts,… Read More

Depending on whom you talk to, Laura Devine is recognised either as Who’s Who Legal’s highest-rated UK immigration lawyer and ‘the best’ in her field or ‘Queen of the ritzy’ (The Times). But there’s a consensus that she is a… Read More

Criminal law specialist, Tuckers’ senior partner Richard Egan leads the ‘Special Casework Department’, established to deal specifically with high profile clients, HNWs and cases of particular complexity or difficulty. Recently shortlisted by Lawyer magazine for their private client partner of… Read More

‘She is very switched-on and a cool kind of character; I’d be happy to have her in my corner at the Home Office,’ says a peer of Hazar El-Chamaa, head of private wealth immigration at Penningtons Manches Cooper. Another calls… Read More

‘If someone is extremely wealthy and they’ve got assets around the world, it’s a full time job to manage them,’ says Ned El-Imad, a Mishcon de Reya consultant. ‘That’s what we do.’ El-Imad’s team advise on everything from tax planning… Read More

Very few can boast of protecting ‘100 out of the remaining 600 Stradivarius instruments left in the world’: but David Foster, managing director of the niche private client insurance provider, certainly can. Lark provided cover for a £1.2 million Stradivarius… Read More

Kingsley Napley’s employment practice head Richard Fox is a sage adviser to some of the top minds in the world of finance. The variety of cases and ‘constantly evolving’ nature of the employment law landscape is what makes the seasoned… Read More

‘I always prefer dealing with the ultimate beneficial owner rather than general counsel or other members of a management team,’ says Charles Fussell, founder of the commercial litigation boutique. The lawyer realised he had a rare talent while at Herbert… Read More

Gherson’s eponymous founding partner Roger Gherson is certainly a leading figure in the immigration field, with specialisms in tribunals, High Court judicial reviews, and cases at the European Court of Human Rights. Commercial, property, tax and litigation law are also… Read More

Sarah Gogan has been busy, having just overseen the caseload of what has been her most successful year to date. Her practice has ‘expanded and developed significantly’, having continued to act for a range of HNW and UHNW clients, including… Read More

A lawyer with over 30 years’ experience advising within a broad range of industries, Jonathan Golden specialises in negotiating joining and termination packages for senior executives. He often deals with sensitive employment and management issues, and helps clients ‘get back… Read More

Charles Green works exclusively in Private and Business Immigration Law. He heads the immigration department at Bishop & Sewell LLP and has worked in these areas of immigration since 2005. He is passionate about the areas of law he practises… Read More

Filippo Guerrini-Maraldi takes the lead on strategy and new business development for R K Harrison, the private wealth division of general insurance broker Howden (both part of the larger Hyperion Group). The remit of his work includes private clients, rural… Read More

Tara Haig is an associate partner at Alvarium, overseeing the legal and operational activities within the firm’s merchant banking division. Brought together by founding partners Jonathan Goodwin and Julian Culhane, the practice is focused on the media and technology sectors…. Read More

Now managing director of Highvern, Martin Hall’s career in financial services began in the mid-1980s, as a graduate management trainee in the international banking division of NatWest Bank. ‘That provided great depth and breadth of opportunity, including working in Italy… Read More

Charles Hamilton-Stubber joined Lockton Private Clients in 2018. Drawing on 34 years of industry experience, he is principally involved in structuring, negotiating and providing new, innovative insurance propositions to family offices, individuals and the wealth management sector’s clients. ‘As the… Read More

‘I’ve never really done anything other than criminal defence work,’ BCL partner Mark Haslam tells Spear’s. Having qualified in 1981, he joined the firm as a partner in 1998 and has been one of the firm’s key assets in the… Read More

As MD of the Guernsey Trust business of Butterfield Group, Paul Hodgson has a varied role. Service and safety are at the heart of the operation, but he emphasises the multi-faceted nature of what that means. ‘We aim to become… Read More

Clive Hopewell joined Bird & Bird in 2017 after more than 20 years at Charles Russell (now Charles Russell Speechlys). He’s delighted with the move, which has kept him very busy over the last few years: ‘With 28 offices around… Read More

It’s almost enough to point out that Clive Howard advised Paul Moore, the famous HBOS whistleblower, in his legal battle with the high street giant – one which saw the bank settle, and ultimately led to interventions from the then… Read More

Anthony Indaimo is a leading business lawyer with Withers, working with high-profile entrepreneurs and General Counsel at enterprises around the world. ‘I’m interested in people and understanding their motivation to succeed,’ he says. Highlights include leading Spanish media group, Imagina… Read More

Hamraj Kang established his eponymous practice 22 years ago, and continues to work with clients defending complex fraud, serious crime and regulatory cases across the country. ‘I work closely with clients, and have a wealth of contacts that I utilise… Read More

A one-handed lawyer who will jump in the hole with his clients and show them the way out, Michael Kashis joined Bishop & Sewell LLP and turned its Company Commercial department around four years ago. Kashis has breadth and depth… Read More

‘My individual clients all have one thing in common,’ explains Richard Kovalevsky QC, now a partner at litigation-only firm Stewarts. ‘They seek expert tactical and legal advice to assist them in preventing or dealing with difficult problems.’ What’s noteworthy is… Read More

‘NFU Mutual is a mutual company through and through and we always put our clients at the heart of everything that we do,’ says the firm’s bespoke insurance consultant Michael Lane. ‘We have been operating for more than 100 years,… Read More

Joseph Lappin leads the employment team at Stewarts, where he advises senior employees on the full range of employment law and HR issues. ‘We are experts when it comes to advising clients in connection with employment tribunal litigation,’ he explains…. Read More

Kevin Lemasney relocated to Jersey with his wife and children from French speaking Switzerland in 2001. As director of High Value Residency at Locate Jersey, he acts as a single point of contact for HNWs contemplating residency, assisting wealthy families… Read More

Adam Levin is a partner and co-head of the corporate practice in London of leading global law firm Dechert. He has an unusually broad practice, covering high-end corporate deals as well as acting as a ‘consigliere’ to UHNWs. ‘Unlike many… Read More

Wyn Lewis’ broad practice covers contentious and non-contentious aspects of employment law, which has gained him a wide mix of HNW clients from the financial, legal, concierge, recruitment, media and retail industries. The year 2019 has been challenging, as Lewis… Read More

Jane Mann is a trusted adviser who understands the complex nature of the employment landscape, which often involves a range of concerns, from finance to reputation to ‘a bruised ego’. When the phone rings on a Monday morning, it is… Read More

Employment lawyer Donna Martin has had a busy year which included trips to the Employment Appeals Tribunal over, for example, an alleged longstanding deduction from wages, as well as dealing with a number of alleged breaches of post termination restrictions,… Read More

Coming to the end of his stint as senior partner which began in 2008, Charles Martin advises corporate and private clients from around the world on corporate and governance issues. This can be anything from executing a large transaction to… Read More

In terms of global mobility, ‘we live in very different times compared to 20 years ago,’ Jurga McCluskey tells Spear’s. ‘People are moving much more freely. We are no longer just defining our home by a particular passport. It is… Read More

The strongest growth for Weatherbys Hamilton continues to be seen in the private client sector, with an increased stream of referrals from solicitors, buying agents and land agents. Alec Moore’s mainly HNW clientele trust the firm because of its independence…. Read More

Paul Morris heads up BCL’s Serious and General Crime department, where he brings extensive experience in serious and often complex cases. Morris has advised and defended in a broad range of criminal matters, including homicide, sexual offences, blackmail, drugs offences… Read More

A key player in City financial services disputes, Clare Murray has an ‘unparalleled’ reputation in the claimant area of employment law. The partner is a tactical striker who specialises in advising very senior executives across the full range of employment… Read More

Mishcon partner and head of employment Daniel Naftalin says Mishcon has been ‘at the forefront’ of efforts to clarify the law on worker status, with particular emphasis on the gig economy. Naftalin’s work varies from the High Court and Employment… Read More

Butterfield Bank’s Michael Neff, says the last year has been one of new challenges, as the bank expands through acquisitions in trusts and in jurisdictions, ‘from Bermuda to Singapore’. ‘Meeting the needs of sophisticated clients by preserving and growing their… Read More

‘Never be afraid to make that judgement call and to trust in your own ability,’ says Lucinda Nicholls, who launched her own law firm from scratch in the City of London, having been living in the city for a mere… Read More

Julia Onslow-Cole was previously head of global immigration at PwC before joining Fragomen in 2018. She continues to lead discussions surrounding this increasingly politicised area of the law. Recent appointments have been to the SHRM Immigration Speciality Panel and the… Read More

Clare Pardy joined Hallett Independent in 2016 to help develop its book of art dealers, collectors, museums and historic houses. Combining a knowledge of art, antiques and architecture with over 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry – plus invaluable… Read More

Kingsley Napley senior partner Stephen Parkinson has a simple philosophy: ‘To limit the damage caused by the investigation, both in terms of its outcome and in terms of its consequences for clients’ reputations.’ In the last few years, he has… Read More

Sandra Paul’s clients describe her as ‘a delight to work with, as she is always exceptionally well prepared’. She’s also the go-to for those finding themselves in the #MeToo spotlight or facing ‘sextortion’. Her career, Paul says, is ‘the gift… Read More

Paul Pybus is a key name in the market, having established the first fiduciary wealth solutions office for Adjure Global (previously named Price Bailey) in 2010 in Guernsey. With a vast amount of experience in multiple sectors including insurance, tax… Read More

Rahman Ravelli is an award-winning legal firm, renowned nationally and internationally for its market-leading expertise in white collar crime, major commercial litigation, worldwide asset recovery and reputational matters. It is highly-regarded for providing robust, discreet and bespoke legal representation that… Read More

‘Our mantra is, “It’s business. But it’s personal”. This is centred on our desire to give our clients the highest levels of holistic personal service.’ Kamal Rahman, partner and head of Mishcon de Reya’s immigration group, advises some of the… Read More

Jo Rickards, leading the White Collar Crime & Investigations Group at Mishcon de Reya, has had a strong year. ‘We’ve been hired to advise a FTSE 250 company in its bribery investigation in the UK and overseas,’ she says. ‘We… Read More

With over 20 years’ experience in the offshore world, the head of Carey Olsen’s Jersey trusts and private wealth group, Siobhan Riley, is a seasoned practitioner. The partner advises numerous Channel Islands trust companies on the establishment and operation of… Read More

Private client lawyer John Rimmer established Advocate John Rimmer after 23 years in practice. It has grown from a niche private practice to tripling turnovers since its first year of business. The firm’s services include estate planning, wealth preservation and… Read More

The highly likable Keith Robinson joined Carey Olsen Bermuda in 2018 as head of the private client and trusts team at the firm, shortly after the office opened in 2017. The newest law firm to enter the Bermuda legal market… Read More

Elliott Rolfe leads the UK’s first and only dedicated cannabis law team at Mackrell., advising the ‘full spectrum’ of cannabis businesses and prospective investors on the European and International cannabis sector. Launched in 2018, its service ranges from advising businesses… Read More

Henrietta Ronson is a rising star in the specialist area of HNW crime. She was personally recruited and trained by Simons Muirhead & Burton crime and regulatory lead Phil Smith more than a decade ago. ‘Within days of joining I… Read More

‘Recent changes to the Criminal Finances Act have had a profound impact on the legal landscape for many of my HNW clients,’ says Ben Rose, co-founding partner of the firm which bears his name. ‘They are particularly concerned about the… Read More

Nigel Rowley’s international experience puts him in a very exclusive club. As chairman of Mackrell International, with 94 member firms around the globe, he can genuinely claim a comprehensive international client base and genuine international business experience. Rowley, Head of… Read More

As partner and general counsel at Alvarium, Sophie Rowney oversees the firm’s global legal activities across all divisions. ‘I work across our platforms and offices, particularly in relation to the acquisition of new investment advisory businesses, on-boarding of new teams… Read More

Ian Ryan’s practice centres on instructions from professionals, celebrities, sportspeople and company directors. Representing Keith Vaz in the investigation arising out of the Sunday Mirror sting, he persuaded the police to close the investigation. Ryan, who founded Howard Kennedy’s criminal… Read More

‘Legal knowledge is a given – but commercial knowledge is a differentiator,’ says Penningtons Manches Cooper’s Pat Saini, a highly regarded head of the immigration team with over 20 years’ experience. Saini says she first realised she had become a… Read More

A BCL partner for 20 years, Richard Sallybanks specialises in business and financial crime and regulatory defence, helping clients navigate a complex field. ‘We take the stress and pressure off our clients, and help to sort the problem out,’ he… Read More

Pre-Brexit uncertainty has thrown up a range of ‘challenging issues’ for Meriel Schindler, Withers’ head of employment law. ‘It’s been every -thing from “Which country shall I move my company to?”, to “Help, I have just been invited to a… Read More

HNWs reach out to Oliver Scott’s specialist team of experts when the value of their assets becomes ‘a bit higher than average’. With the exclusive aim of protecting your most precious and valued possessions – whether it be a painting,… Read More

David Sleight is commended for his client skills, legal knowledge and an ability to ‘immediately put everyone in the case at ease’. It’s a rare talent in a world fraught with criminal matters – from general crime to complex white… Read More

The nature of remuneration is changing, with big PLCs drafting agreements that are ‘ever more complex and conditional’, says Farrer employment head David Smellie – and it’s driving senior executives away from big establishments, he notes. ‘If anything, the trend… Read More

Phil Smith has been busier than ever in the past year, having moved his prolific practice to ‘a dynamic West End’ firm. ‘The move surpassed even our own expectations,’ he enthuses. ‘We way exceeded our target’. His practice since has… Read More

‘The demand for tax advice is becoming greater as tax legislation becomes more complex,’ says Francis Snoding, managing director at LTS Tax Limited. As a chartered tax adviser, he has specialist knowledge across a wide range of international taxation for… Read More

Jonathan Speck, who is a partner at leading international law firm Mourant in Jersey, is recognised as a respectful litigator. Speck specialises in commercial litigation involving contentious and non-contentious trusts. He and his team are particularly proactive in seeking to… Read More

Tim Spillane joined Bird & Bird from Stewarts in September as a partner in its esteemed international eomployment group. An adviser to both senior individuals and businesses on employment, partnership, LLP and shareholder issues, Spillane is no stranger to high-profile… Read More

Brian Spiro has settled in at Herbert Smith Freehills after moving from BCL. ‘During the last year, much of my time has been spent representing individuals and companies in the financial sector who have been caught up in… the Libor,… Read More

According to Henley & Partners’ Swiss CEO Dr Juerg Steffen, there is one thing the company’s clients tend to have in common. ‘They truly consider themselves to be global citizens,’ he says. ‘They are not satisfied with being contained within… Read More

‘I’ve always been intellectually curious,’ says Mark Stephens, partner at Howard Kennedy and head of its media law and regulatory team. His expertise on reputation issues ‘came about through representing a lot of journalists who were being sued’, which led… Read More

‘My role does not fit into a neat box,’ says Sofia Syed – an employment lawyer and partner at Keystone Law. ‘I guess it is best described as a personal lawyer whose aim is to protect my clients’ legal interests… Read More

BCL partner Harry Travers – described by legal industry commentators as being ‘at the very top of the tree for business crime’ and ‘probably the best solicitor in the country who does this work’ – is under no illusions as… Read More

Barry Tucker is the managing partner of criminal law firm Tuckers, which he founded in 1980. He tells Spear’s that his aim was to provide 24-hour, 365-days-a-year legal advice and assistance to clients facing criminal allegations. It is now one… Read More

Ana Ventura is pleased with the progress that the Jersey office has made over the last year, citing a number of good appointments that have been made. ‘Hires made over the last six to eight months have further bolstered our… Read More

Simon Vumbaca of ASV Law is more than your normal litigator. The multi-lingual lawyer is fluent in four languages (English, French, Spanish and Italian) and has, in his impressive career, qualified to practice in multiple jurisdictions, and has practised in… Read More

David Wedgwood has vast experience in all aspects of contentious trusts and probate matters, having practised in this area for more than 16 years. In recent years, he has focused his practice on two distinct areas – working for vulnerable… Read More