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Ben Havard

Ben Havard (TEP)

Partner | Guernsey

Dispute Resolution

  • Ben Havard is a pleasure to work with and a charming practitioner who provides quality advice and always offers a clear litigation strategy. He is highly collaborative and knows what his clients want.
    Legal 500 2022
  • He is very approachable and calm.
    Chambers and Partners 2022
  • Ben Havard is a proactive, prompt, transparent, strategic thinker.
    Legal 500 (UK) 2023
  • He is calm, collected and has good attention to detail.
    Chambers & Partners
  • Ben is accessible and good at bringing in external resources where necessary. He provides a good service and constructive arguments.
    Chambers UK 2023

Overview

Ben is a Guernsey Advocate and Partner of Collas Crill's Dispute Resolution team.

His practice is focussed on contentious and semi-contentious trust work, advising both trustees and beneficiaries and appearing in the Royal Court in Guernsey on those matters.

He has a particular interest in the issues around the succession to wealth by the next generation.

Experience

  • Acting for the beneficiary of a trust in a proposed restructuring of an UHNW family's wealth following a dispute with their trustee. Planning for the splintering-off of our client's interests, and negotiating the necessary protections.
  • Acting for the corporate trustee of a discretionary trust settled for the benefit of the Settlor's children. The Settlor was domiciled in a jurisdiction in which Sharia law would have applied on succession. The trust imported aspects of Sharia law, while also providing for the settlor's daughters. A family dispute resulted in various challenges relating to the trust.
  • Acting for the corporate trustee of a trust during the course of a significant family dispute. The aim was to divide the assets of the trust against a lack of any agreement between the beneficiaries as to how that should be done.
  • Acting for two beneficiaries of a Guernsey trust in an application seeking disclosure of information from the trustees (who were family members) – Patel v Patel (Judgment 36/2016)
"I enjoy getting to the bottom of difficult commercial issues and looking beyond the legal analysis to help clients find the best way forward for them."

Background

Ben read Psychology at undergraduate level at the University of Sheffield, specialising in workplace psychology, and subsequently undertook an MSc in Human Resource Management.

As a first career, Ben worked at a large public sector organisation in the UK, planning and managing significant projects of change and restructuring. This drew on both his academic studies, but also required coordinating legal input, and engaging in negotiation with trade union representatives.

In 2007 Ben made the change to law, studying in Manchester, and receiving the Law Society Bursary for his LPC studies.

Ben joined Collas Crill in 2009, qualifying as an English solicitor in 2011 after a secondment to Olswang LLP, and as a Guernsey Advocate in 2015. He was made a partner of the firm on 1 January 2019.

Ben also holds an apprenticeship board position with Starwood European Real Estate Finance Limited – an investment company listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. It has a diversified portfolio of commercial real estate debt investments in liquid markets (office, retail, logistics, light industrial, hospitality and residential) in the UK and Continental Europe. The apprenticeship is part of a development programme run by partner boards in conjunction with the Guernsey Training Agency.

Awards

  • Ranked in Band 3 by Chambers and Partners UK 2022
  • Listed as a Next Generation Partner in Legal 500 2023
  • Features in the Global Elite Directory, which is a list of the world's most respected lawyers advising UHNW clients as nominated by peers within the private wealth industry.
  • Winner of lawyer of the year in category at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards (2018), also featuring on the Citywealth Leaderslist.

Memberships

  • STEP - full qualification as Trust and Estates Practitioner (TEP)
  • CIPD
  • Chancery Bar
  • ACTAPS
  • ConTra
  • IOD

 

* Business Assistant
Debbie Anderson

Debbie Anderson

 
My services
Contentious Trusts
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We represent trust corporations, HNWIs, individual trustees and beneficiaries, often dealing with novel points of law and creating new and innovative solutions to fit the needs of our clients. Given the international scope of settlors, investments and assets, we often co-ordinate advice from our multi-jurisdictional teams, meaning that our clients benefit from the knowledge and depth of experience of our people around the globe.

Dispute Resolution
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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. We know that there are many different ways a dispute can be resolved and work closely with our clients to understand every aspect of their business, priorities and goals. This allows us to find the best way forward for our clients and to advise on the commercial implications of a dispute, ensuring the process remains as stress-free as possible. Our approach is practical, responsive and tailored to the client's interests. Our expertise and reputation means we're first choice for a range of clients, including banks, trust companies, high net worth individuals and top law firms.

Employment, Pensions & Immigration
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We understand that the effective and efficient management of employment matters is not only an important risk management tool, but can add value to your business in the long term. We also understand that today's employment environment is more litigious than ever and not all issues can be mitigated or resolved. The stakes are often the highest in these cases, which is why our approach is to resolve conflicts in the most practical and sensitive manner – and always with the client's needs at the forefront.

Private Client
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As global legislation, regulation and taxation constantly change and become more complex, it has never been more important to make long-term plans to secure your future, the future of your family or your business. We cut through the legal jargon to provide clear, practical advice when you most need it and anticipate the challenges you are likely to face so that you can rest assured you and your family are in safe hands at every step of the way.

Trusts & Fiduciary
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We work closely with trust and fiduciary businesses and their clients to build strong relationships based on trust, confidence and a deep understanding of their priorities and needs. We have an extensive range of experience in terms of particular products or service lines, including pensions and Shariah, and many of the team have worked in the other international off and onshore jurisdictions prominent in the world of wealth management. We have associated skills in dispute resolution, risk and regulatory, and image protection. We ensure that thought has been given to the composition of the team on every piece of work we do, and use our mix of skill and experience effectively.

Life & Careers 28 Sep 2023

Newly qualified lawyers in the CI

Collas Crill is proud to announce three newly qualified lawyers in the Channel Islands.  Jessica Burgess and Laura Smith from Guernsey and Millie Thompson from Jersey have...

Life & Careers 26 Sep 2023

2023 Collas Crill Moot

Students in Guernsey and Cayman are being invited to take part in this year's Collas Crill Moot. The Moot provides students from the Grammar School, Blanchelande College...

Life & Careers 23 Aug 2023

Swapping Guernsey for London

In April, Trainee Solicitor Laura Smith swapped the beaches of Guernsey for the city of London when she went on a three month secondment at Howard Kennedy. Upon returning to...

Life & Careers 16 Aug 2023

Inaugural Vacation Scheme a success

In August 2023 we ran our inaugural Collas Crill Vacation Scheme in Guernsey. Aimed at A-Level and university students the week-long programme is a fantastic opportunity to...

Life & Careers 9 Jun 2023

Secondment strengthens relationship

Trainee Solicitor Jessica Burgess is completing a three-month secondment with Withers LLP in London in the private client team. She will be working under Private Client and...

News 20 Oct 2022

Collas Crill: Chambers 2022 UK

Collas Crill has maintained its strong position in the Chambers & Partners United Kingdom 2022 directory, upholding its rankings across all practice areas, with the...

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Event 15 Feb 2024

TL4 HNW Divorce forum

Partner Ben Havard has been invited to speak at the Thought Leaders 4 HNW Divorce first annual Practitioner's Forum on 'Trusts in Divorce', the only event to bring together...

Event 18 Jan 2024

TL4 Practitioners' Forum

Partner Ben Havard will be speaking at the Thought Leaders 4 Private Client 2024 Practitioners' Forum on 'Stress Testing Trust Structures' in London on the 18th...

Event 31 Aug 2023
Past Event

TL4 Private Client Summer School

We are delighted that Partner Ben Havard in our Guernsey Dispute Resolution team has been invited to speak at the ThoughtLeaders4 Private Client Summer School...

Event 27 Jun 2023
Past Event

TL4 Contentious Trusts

Modern trusts for modern people: Looking forward to the changing landscape of contentious trusts With a rising generation of young entrepreneurs and an increasing appetite...

Event 23 May 2023
Past Event

Fast cars, fake art and $300k fish

FULLY BOOKED The world of collectibles is constantly changing with new weird and wonderful asset classes coming to the fore alongside traditional art and antiques. This...

Event 9 Dec 2022
Past Event

STEP special interest spotlight

Partners Ben Havard and Kellyann Ozouf are both speaking at STEP's Contentious Trusts and Estates special interest spotlight session on 9 December. Entitled 'trusts and...

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