Paul is a Partner in the real estate team in Guernsey. He has a broad practice covering local real estate and private client matters. This includes advising on commercial property development, acquisitions, and disposals (both freehold and leasehold); funding and security over real property; planning matters; property disputes; and small business acquisitions and disposals.
He acts for landlords, tenants, funders, brokers, P2P lenders, and private and high street banks.
As well as Paul's commercial property business, his private client practice includes advising and acting for clients moving to the island, will drafting and inheritance matters, and guardianship issues.
Experience
Paul has 24 years' experience at Collas Crill, starting in the corporate team before moving into real estate. Over the years he has acted on the majority of major developments on the island, either for the developer, landlord, tenant or funder.
Background
Prior to his career in law, Paul worked for an international private bank in both banking and compliance.
After graduating (BSc (Hons)) he obtained his Postgraduate Diploma in Law from Nottingham Law School, before taking the Bar Vocational Course at the University of Law, and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2004. He completed the Certificat d'Etudes Juridiques et Normandes at the University of Caen, followed by the Guernsey Bar exams, and was admitted to the Guernsey Bar as an Advocate of the Royal Court of Guernsey in 2008.
Paul became a Partner in 2013 and was Head of Real Estate in Guernsey up until 2025.
Awards
Paul is a recognised as a leading individual in the legal directories and his department has been listed as top tier in both Legal 500 and Chambers for almost 15 consecutive years.
Paul is ranked as a Leading Partner by Legal 500 and is also ranked in the Chambers and Partners UK guide.
Membership
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
The Institute of Directors
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn
Guernsey International Legal Association
"I pride myself on giving my clients sound, commercial and, above all, practical advice."
Paul is a speedy responder who gives sensible, pragmatic advice.
Chambers UK 2024
Paul's passion for getting things right is very impressive, yet he is very commercial and likes to cut through complexity to deliver sensible solutions.
Chambers UK 2024
Paul Nettleship along with Lynn Freeman have provided us with excellent levels of care and attention in the sale of our property. This is the second property they have helped us sell and we will also use Collas Crill when we purchase a new property.
Client feedback
Paul has a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of property lending. He is on hand to assist with any matter that we require assistance with and is happy to chat through any lending structure.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Paul is a solid professional with good attention to detail.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Paul has vast experience and is extremely knowledgeable. He offers a great service for his clients in Guernsey.
Chambers UK 2023
Clients appreciate his strong communication skills, his diligence and his commercial acumen.
Legal 500
Paul is directly contactable and if not available he has the necessary secretarial and technical support to ensure matters requiring attention can be progressed. A huge advantage in commercial property transactions.
Legal 500 2022
Paul provides an extremely responsive service and delivers a superb client experience.
Legal 500 2024
Very professional, a skilled lawyer with good communication skills.
Client feedback
Paul is very pragmatic.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
We deal with Paul on a weekly basis and have never had any issues. He always makes time to discuss various property matters in detail and nothing is ever too much. His advice is second to none.
Legal 500 2024
We have been working on complex deals involving multiple parties and Paul has been able to be creative, pragmatic and deliver simplicity on the other side of complexity.
Legal 500 2024
Expertise
With market-leading expertise in all forms of property law including residential, commercial and planning, we aim to go above and beyond expectations to provide clients with the best possible service.
Our friendly, experienced team is one of the largest in Guernsey and can help you with a range of property services, whether you're relocating to the Channel Islands, moving house on island, planning to develop your property or seeking other residential or commercial property advice.
We are ranked in the top tier of both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners directories.
Property law can be a complex, daunting and emotional experience for many individual buyers and sellers. Feeling an emotional tie to your new or prospective property, your 'home', is inevitable.
When buying or selling property you need a strong, dependable team that knows the market inside and out. We are one of the largest real estate teams in Guernsey and offer top-quality advice which anticipates the unique challenges and opportunities you are likely to face.
Communication and responsiveness is the key to a stress-free experience which is why we're always on hand to listen, offer assistance and pick up the phone to keep you informed at every stage of a transaction.
For Guernsey conveyancing quotes, please email the team or telephone +44 (0) 1481 734295.
Our commercial property team includes some of the most highly regarded offshore commercial property lawyers. We are recognised and cited for our experience, commercial approach, exceptional service standards and ability to deliver in a fast and efficient manner.
We have been involved in many of the most significant commercial property transactions of the last decade in Guernsey. We handle all aspects of commercial freehold and leasehold real estate, acting for both landlord and tenant, buyer and seller, and have the experience to guide you through every stage of a transaction with absolute confidence.
Arbitration is increasingly being used as a cost-effective, confidential and efficient alternative to court litigation for solving commercial, construction and more frequently trust disputes. The global enforceability of arbitral awards and the successful adoption of virtual technology by most arbitration institutions makes it an attractive option for resolving disputes.
Our dedicated arbitration lawyers bring deep, cross-border experience in both international arbitration and mediation, combining strategic judgment with practical commercial awareness to work alongside and quickly determine the best approach for a successful conclusion. They are skilled at:
Assessing forum suitability
Managing complex stakeholder relationships
Shaping dispute resolution strategies that reflect clients’ broader business objectives
With offices in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey and London as well as a strong track record across a wide range of sectors, our arbitration lawyers can advise you on every aspect of international arbitration, adapting their approach to each dispute while offering clear, commercially rooted guidance aimed at achieving durable, cost-effective outcomes.
The ‘third sector’ is an umbrella term that covers a variety of different organisations with different legal structures and purposes, belonging neither to the public sector (i.e. the state) nor to the private sector (profit-making private enterprise).
As a business, we are heavily focussed on supporting third sector organisations both in our local communities on local issues and also internationally. Charities, non-profit organisations (NPOs) and voluntary organisations are increasingly required to plug the gap and perform the social and cultural functions formerly carried out by the public sector.
The importance of the third sector to public life was brought into sharp focus by the Covid-19 pandemic with a significant increase in the demand for services supporting the health and wellbeing of society. During this time we saw activity levels in this space increase with organisations expanding and new organisations being formed.
Our clients in this area tend to either focus on a particular group in society (such as those suffering from a particular illness or condition) or on a particular issue or problem that needs to be solved (such as domestic abuse, access to education or climate change).
Many of our staff sit on the governing bodies of third sector organisations giving their time, energy and expertise to assist in the delivery of the organisations' purposes.
Ways in which we support this sector include:
provision of legal services – we draft constitutional documents, assist in the acquisition/sale of premises, draft employment contracts, deal with disputes, implement changes to the governing body, advise on compliance with law/regulation etc
trustee and administration services – our in-house trust and corporate services company already administers several local and international charities
Charity of the year –we select a charity of the year in each of our jurisdictions with whom we work closely and fundraise for. If you would like to nominate your organisation as our next charity of the year please get in touch here.
volunteering – each year our staff are given at least one day a year where they can devote their time in support of the third sector – recent examples include meals on wheels, beach cleans etc.
sponsorship – we often formally partner with, or sponsor, third sector organisations where their culture and values are aligned with ours.
profile raising – when we support third sector organisations in any of the above we will, where appropriate and with permission, share our experiences on social media and help to raise the profile of those organisations.
Managing wealth, asset preservation, planning for succession and inheritance, and writing wills can be a complex and difficult experience. It's important to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes and that your family and/or successors are taken care of.
There may be alternative ways that you wish to dispose of your estate, for charitable and philanthropic reasons or to look after those who are unable to care for themselves.
Whatever you choose, it is important to seek the right advice to ensure your wishes are preserved. At Collas Crill we have experts in a number of jurisdictions to assist with wills, succession planning, inheritance matters and probate.
When considering a move offshore, it's essential to seek advice from experienced advisers who know the market inside out.
Our partner-led real estate team regularly helps newcomers in acquiring new homes and/or business premises and guiding them through the relocation process. We act for many high-net-worth individuals and high-value residents.
We believe that communication and responsiveness are the key to a stress-free experience which is why we're always on hand to listen, offer assistance and pick up the phone to keep you informed at every stage of your move. We are consistently praised by clients for our calm, proactive and hands-on approach, ensuring all transactions are completed as swiftly and smoothly as possible.
Some of our people have first-hand experience of relocating themselves, affording them a unique insight into the challenges and opportunities you are likely to face.
We can assist you or your company with all forms of certificates and permits and out-of-scope applications, specifically short-, medium- and long-term employment permits, out-of-scope applications, permanent residence certificates and residence permits.
We can also assist with indefinite leave to remain, tier 2 visas, entrepreneur visas and British citizenship.
The property sector is critical to the economic landscape in any jurisdiction and, whatever's going on in the market, every transaction requires lawyers who can act proactively, adapt and deliver in an ever-changing environment.
Collas Crill has a proven track record on planning matters, from initial advice through to successful planning appeals. Our aim is to make the planning process as simple as possible, bearing in mind at all times our clients' primary goal.
