• Great technical knowledge and commercial awareness.
    Chambers

James joined Collas Crill in January 2024. He is an English barrister and Jersey Advocate and has a busy practice with a particular focus on contentious and non-contentious trust work. 

Experience

James advises, undertakes drafting work, and acts for beneficiaries, trustees and other power-holders in relation to:

  • Breach of trust claims, asset tracing/recovery and claims for secondary liability against accessories.
  • Issues concerning trust administration, the appointment and removal of trustees and the exercise of powers.
  • Applications to court for directions, the variation and rectification of trusts and the disclosure of information to beneficiaries and third parties.
  • Jurisdiction disputes and the enforcement of foreign judgments against trustees and beneficiaries.
  • Issues concerning trustees’ rights of indemnity, fees and legal cost.

James also advises in relation to a broad range of contentious commercial and company law disputes.

He is named as a Rising Star in Legal 500 UK 2023 and ranked in Chambers UK and Global 2023. James is also listed by eprivateclient in the 2024 Crown Dependencies NextGen Leaders list

Memberships

  • Association of Contentious Trust & Estate Practitioners (ACTAPS)
  • Contentious Trust Association (Contra)
  • Chancery Bar Association
  • Trust Law Working Committee of Jersey Finance that considers amendments to the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984.

 

Chambers Ranking In UK
EPC: Crown Dependencies Next Gen Leader
My services
Trust disputes
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We represent beneficiaries, high-net-worth individuals, trustees, protectors and other power holders in a range of contentious and semi-contentious situations. Our lawyers have been at the forefront of the most complex, high-value private wealth litigation offshore. 

We often deal with novel points of law, creating new and innovative solutions to meet the needs of our clients.

Given the international nature of private wealth, with clients and their assets spread across the world, we work as a joined-up global team so that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience wherever they may need it.

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Reporting obligations for trustees
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In a climate of increased transparency for structures, it is important for trustees to ensure that they have sufficient policies, procedures and processes in place in order to report the correct data to the correct authority at the correct time. This has been particularly challenging for some of our smaller independent trustee clients who do not have a dedicated compliance team.

Private wealth
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Alongside companies and wills, family trusts are still a very popular tool for estate planning and asset protection – perhaps even more so in the light of the envisaged changes to the UK non-domiciled regime. Family foundations are proving to be a popular new tool for families looking to ensure their wealth and assets are protected for future generations. We establish trusts and foundations for local and international families to preserve family businesses and ensure appropriate succession planning. We work closely with tax advisers in order to ensure that any new family trust or foundation fits with a family's overall tax position and will be a workable long term, cost efficient structure. Discretionary trusts are still the most popular but we can also advise on fixed trusts, will trusts and pension trusts.

Private client and trusts
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Our full-service private client team offers wealth structuring, advisory and disputes expertise to trustees and high-net-worth individuals, and a range of services to clients within our local jurisdictions.

With our strong global presence and partner-led approach, clients can benefit from our leading expertise and experience around the world.

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Dispute resolution
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We live in an increasingly contentious world. When your business is involved in any kind of legal dispute it's crucial to work with lawyers who are hands-on, cost-effective and flexible enough to respond quickly and intuitively to your unique situation and needs.

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Fraud and asset tracing
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We are used to working as part of a multi-jurisdictional team, capable of reacting and responding quickly to urgent requests for assistance with locating and freezing assets.

As sophisticated defendants become more adept at dissipating assets, we've been involved in cases that created new law in the Channel Islands in relation to a party's ability to trace assets and recover their losses. With their ability to deal with complex issues, the team deliver clear, commercial advice on the availability and likely success of recovery methods.

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20 Jun 2025

Trust briefing: When the child was a child

The beneficial class in many Jersey discretionary trusts will often be defined by reference to the relationship of 'children or remoter issue of X'. 'X' may be the settlor themselves or perhaps a relative in the settlor's family. What is 'a child' in a J...

5 Jun 2025

Trust briefing: Breach of trust

Jersey trust law is principally governed by the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 (the TJL). In a number of important areas, Jersey trust law has developed in a different and often more flexible way than in England. Care must therefore be taken when applying Engl...

22 May 2025

Trust briefing: Removing a trustee

The removal of a trustee is a significant action that can have far-reaching implications for the administration of a trust. Jersey law provides a clear framework for the removal of a trustee, but the process involves various legal principles and practica...

8 May 2025

Setting aside transactions involving Jersey trusts

In response to a fast-changing and unpredictable world, important decisions about how best to structure and shelter private wealth can sometimes be forced upon trustees and UHNW families unexpectedly. Families and trustees may often feel compelled to rea...

24 Apr 2025

Protectors in a Jersey trust

Jersey trusts are a popular and flexible vehicle for asset protection, estate planning, and wealth management for UHNW families across the world. One of the features of a Jersey trust is the option to include a 'Protector' to exercise certain important p...

10 Apr 2025

Disclosure of information and documents to beneficiaries under Jersey law

Jersey is widely recognised as a trusted jurisdiction by UHNW/HNW families for the establishment of trusts due to its robust, well-developed legal system, and its experienced professional trustee and corporate services industry. Jersey law governs the fo...

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