25 years of legal practice, from the City to Monaco
Practising solicitor and TEP, with a career spanning private practice in England and in-house roles across two single family offices in Monaco, advising on business, trusts, succession, cross-border matters and litigation.
Broad experience
25 years across commercial litigation, business law advice, trusts and private wealth — not a single narrow specialism.
Qualified as solicitor and TEP — credentials matched by few practitioners in this space.
One lawyer, close to the work
I am the sole practitioner on every matter I take on. No handoffs to juniors, no dilution of accountability — you deal with me, throughout.
Both sides of the desk
Private practice and in-house, as Chief Legal Officer to two family offices — I advise with a working understanding of both perspectives.
Biography
I was called to the Bar of England and Wales (non-practising) (Inner Temple, 1997) and later qualified as a solicitor (2001), with over 25 years of experience spanning commercial litigation, trusts, and private wealth planning.
My career began in City of London banking litigation, before moving into commercial litigation and insolvency work in the Thames Valley. I began advising family offices in 2006, and went on to act as sole solicitor on Sinclair Investments (UK) Ltd v Versailles Trade Finance Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 347 — a leading Court of Appeal authority on fiduciary duties and proprietary claims, arising from the earlier collapse of the, now notorious, Versailles Group plc.
In 2011, I relocated to Monaco for thirteen years as Chief Legal Officer to two single family offices in succession — first to a hedge fund founder, then to a UHNW Middle Eastern family — providing legal advice across each office's affairs, with sole responsibility for legal budgets and external counsel, and overseeing trust and foundation structures holding interests in multinational enterprises.
I qualified as a STEP TEP in 2014, and went on to complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Wealth Management (2018) and an MSc in Law and Private Wealth Management (2021, with Commendation). A litigation pedigree combined with specialist private wealth qualifications is a combination few practitioners bring to succession and structuring work — an area where long-term, easily overlooked risks matter most. I also hold two CLT/STEP International Diplomas — in Trust Creation Law and Practice (2012, Distinction) and Trust Administration and Accounts (2014) — together with an Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes (2012, Distinction).
Dual-jurisdiction experience
Private practice and in-house experience in England and Wales, followed by over a decade as Chief Legal Officer to single family offices in Monaco, overseeing trust and foundation structures holding interests in multinational enterprises.
A breadth of practice spanning commercial litigation, business law, trusts and succession, family office advisory, cross-border structuring, and strategic philanthropy.
A Full Member (TEP) of STEP, the worldwide professional body for trust and estate practitioners.
TEP (Trust and Estate Practitioner) is a professional designation awarded by STEP to qualified trust, estate and succession planning specialists worldwide.
Career timeline
Litigation experience begins
Began in banking and product liability litigation at Hogan Lovells, acting for high street banks and corporates in banking, fraud and shareholder disputes, before moving through insolvency and commercial litigation in private practice.
Family office advisory begins
Began advising family offices alongside a Thames Valley commercial litigation and insolvency practice.
Sinclair Investments v Versailles Trade Finance
Sole solicitor on the Court of Appeal proceedings — see Notable matter, below.
Chief Legal Officer, Monaco
Sole legal officer to two single family offices in succession — first to a hedge fund founder, then to a UHNW Middle Eastern family — providing legal advice across each office's affairs and overseeing trust and foundation structures holding interests in multinational enterprises (MNEs).
CLT/STEP International Diploma, Trust Creation Law and Practice
Awarded with Distinction, alongside the Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes (also with Distinction).
Qualified TEP
Admitted as a Full Member (TEP) of STEP, the worldwide professional body for practitioners who advise families across generations, dealing with issues ranging from family businesses and family governance to succession planning, taxation, trusts and estates. The same year, I completed the CLT/STEP International Diploma in Trust Administration and Accounts.
MSc, Law and Private Wealth Management
Awarded with Commendation.
Sinclair Investments (UK) Ltd v Versailles Trade Finance Ltd
One of the more interesting cases I have dealt with. I was sole solicitor on this litigation, acting for a family-backed company in a claim against retail banks and the receivers of Versailles, a company that collapsed amid fraud allegations, a Serious Fraud Office investigation and the jailing of two directors — with an offshore element running throughout. This Court of Appeal decision remains a leading authority on fiduciary duties and proprietary claims — a case still cited in commercial litigation and trusts practice today.
Discuss your matter
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