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Ben Havard

Ben Havard (TEP)

Partner | Guernsey

Dispute Resolution

  • Ben is accessible and good at bringing in external resources where necessary. He provides a good service and constructive arguments.
    Chambers UK 2023
  • 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
  • Ben Havard is a proactive, prompt, transparent, strategic thinker.
    Legal 500 (UK) 2023
  • He is very approachable and calm.
    Chambers and Partners 2022
  • He is calm, collected and has good attention to detail.
    Chambers & Partners

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.

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...

Life & Careers 29 Sep 2022

Collas Crill UK Legal 500 2023

Collas Crill has maintained its strong position in the Legal 500 United Kingdom directory this year, upholding its rankings across all practice areas. Described as one of...

News 18 Jul 2022

New Guernsey charities law deadline

In April 2022, new charities legislation in Guernsey came into force, replacing the Charities and Non Profit Organisations (Registration) (Guernsey) Law 2008 which...

News 27 Jun 2022

STEP PCA 2022 shortlist

Collas Crill has been shortlisted for Contentious Trusts and Estates Team of the Year (mid size) at the STEP Private Client 2022 awards. The STEP Private Client Awards are...

Life & Careers 9 Dec 2021

Collas Crill Moot

Elizabeth College is the winner of this year's Collas Crill Moot. Sixth formers Jonathan Vickers and Josh Merrien took on Rosalie Van Zutphen and Amelie Smith from the...

News 29 Jan 2021

Private Client Global Elite

Five private client specialists from Collas Crill have been included in the Private Client Global Elite Directory 2020/21. Compiled in conjunction with Legal Week, the...

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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...

Event 26 Aug 2022
Past Event

TL4 Private Client Summer School

Partner Ben Havard will be chairing day two of this year's TL4 & ConTrA Private Client Summer School  and Group Partner Simon Hurry is also speaking on trusts disputes...

Event 18 May 2022
Past Event

Transcontinental Trusts

Partner Ben Havard will be speaking at the 36th annual Transcontinental Trusts Geneva Forum. The three day event is one of the longest running trust conferences of its kind...

Event 30 Mar 2022
Past Event

Trusts in Litigation

Guernsey Partner Ben Havard will be speaking at the Informa Connect and ConTrA Trusts in Litigation conference in Seville on 1 April.Ben will be on the panel of a workshop...

Event 17 Nov 2021
Past Event

The future of estate planning

Partner Ben Havard is speaking at one of the seminars in the BPP 2021 Trust & Corporate Services Providers eCPD Seminar Series. He is joining the panel discussion on the...

Event 26 Aug 2021
Past Event

ConTrA Private Client Summer School

Ben Havard, Partner at Collas Crill Guernsey, will be speaking at the TL4 and ConTrA Private Client Summer School: The Ultimate Insider’s Guide. The two day programme held...

Showing 6 of 21 Results

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