Private Client NextGen Academy, Session Two: Dealing With Different Types of Clients

Suzanne Todd is co-head of international private client firm Withers' Dispute Resolution team in Europe. Suzanne is recognised as one of the most skilled and experienced family lawyers of her generation in London. She is in the top tier lawyer of Spear's Top 50 Family lawyers, Spears 500, Tatler Address Book, Chambers, Legal 500 and Citywealth. Her clients come from all walks of life and from all nationalities from the entertainment to motorsport worlds, to senior City CEOs or their wives as well as being the 'go to' for Counsel for many of the firm's big family office clients to deal with their family law issues. Suzanne has an extremely strong reputation as one of the 'go to' family lawyers in London for Italian family law matters. She has lectured in the Supreme Court in Italy (in Italian).

Suzanne's practice ranges from dealing with complex international financial cases (involving family businesses, inherited wealth and tax and trusts) to handling private law children disputes including international relocation cases. She is also adept at negotiating pre/post nuptial agreements. Suzanne is a trained and practising mediator and collaborative lawyer.

John Carl has been described in the major legal directories (Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners), as “extraordinarily knowledgeable on the crossover of commercial and criminal fraud practice”, “hard-working, technically brilliant”, and as having a “great ability to think outside of the box in difficult cases”. He is recognised for his particular expertise in complex financial and reputational disputes where there is the potential for civil, regulatory and criminal liability and is frequently instructed for his ability to advise and represent corporate clients in all three forums.

His practice encompasses a variety of commercial chancery disputes, with a particular focus on claims that derive from allegations of financial misconduct and misrepresentation (including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, unlawful means conspiracy, deceit, dishonest assistance and knowing receipt). John Carl’s practice in asset forfeiture and seizure includes applications for international freezing orders, search orders and applications for Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust relief in civil fraud claims and all proceedings connected to the freezing and forfeiture of assets under the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (including High Court Asset Forfeiture under Part 5 and Tax Proceedings under Part 6). He is described by the Legal 500 as having “superb technical knowledge of all POCA related issues and litigation” and as “an outstandingly clever lawyer”. His practice in this area frequently includes the representation of corporates claiming proprietary rights over funds that have been seized under POCA’s civil freezing and forfeiture regime.

John Carl also has extensive experience of appearing in the criminal courts for companies and directors in high value, cross-border, financial investigations relating to allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption, and money laundering, that have been initiated by the SFO and the FCA.  He is ranked in this area by both major directories and is described by Chambers & Partners as having “extensive knowledge, expertise and personality” and a barrister who “is regularly called upon to provide insight into a range of different financial crime matters, especially those that involve commercial aspects”.

He has acted for clients in judicial review proceedings, for government agencies and for companies and individuals exposed to allegations of regulatory breach (including FCA regulated corporates and individuals in the financial services industry, corporates regulated by the HSE, law firms dealing with AML compliance, investigations and enforcement by the CMA and sports regulators). His sanctions practice includes international law firms and large corporate entities facing cross-border compliance issues where there is an intersection of European, UK and US sanctions regimes (particularly in respect of Russia).

Alex is a founding partner in 2001 of Hughes Fowler Carruthers, the top tier niche family law practice. Alex specialises in English family law, complex divorce, and financial work and children’s work, in particular international cases. His clients are high net worth individuals with complex legal issues including trusts and jurisdictional disputes, Alex in featured in Spears’ Family Law Index’s ‘Top Recommended Family Lawyers’ list and is also listed in Tatler Address Book’s advisory as one of the leading family lawyers in their trusted network of influential and elite private client experts with “gilt-edged” expertise. He regularly lectures on the interface between divorce and trusts. He is highly recommended by peer review publications and has been involved in a number of high profile and ground-breaking legal cases. Alex has been a regular in Chambers’ band 1 for many years. Chambers UK 2023 quotes a contributor as stating that "He is sharp, incisive and astute; he is tactically brilliant and extremely patient.".

Georgia is an Associate in the firm's Private Wealth Disputes team in Mishcon Private.

Georgia acts for both claimants and defendants on a wide range of private client litigation.

This includes complex cross-border trust matters, claims pursuant to the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 ('the 1975 Act'), claims relating to intestacy and the validity of wills, claims concerning the beneficial ownership of property, lifetime gifts, issues arising in estate administration and Court of Protection matters.

Georgia has contributed to articles in the Solicitors Journal and Expert Witness magazine.

Georgia is a member of ConTrA (the Contentious Trusts Association) and COPPA (an association for Court of Protection specialists).

Katie advises across the full breadth of family law with many of her cases involving an international element. She is a Resolution trained family mediator in financial and private law children matters.

Her specialist acumen is in cases involving international child relocation and disputes involving child arrangements. She advises on divorce, relationship breakdown and managing the associated financial matters. She also assists with the drafting of nuptial agreements. Her clients range from HNW individuals, international entrepreneurs and families of inherited wealth. 

Katie is ranked in Chambers HNW 2023 (Band 5 for Family/Matrimonial Finance: High Net Worth - London) as well as a Recommended Lawyer in Legal 500 2024.

James joined Stevens & Bolton in 2017, having trained and qualified at a Top 50 firm. He became a partner in 2019.

James acts predominately for private clients or for those who advise private clients, such as corporate trustees, private banks and other law firms.

James advises on claims by or involving estates and trusts, most commonly involving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. He acts for executors, trustees and beneficiaries, and also specialises in advising on claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

James also has a substantial practice advising on claims overlapping the trusts and family court jurisdictions, dealing with trustees and beneficiaries who have become involved in divorce proceedings and on issues arising from the enforcement and implantation of ancillary relief orders made in divorce proceedings.

James has been listed in the "Excellence" category in Legal Week’s Private Client Global Elite Directory 2024, in the Citywealth “Top 100 Private Client Litigators List 2023” and is ranked as a “Top Recommended 2023 Contentious Tax & Trust Lawyer” in the Spears 500.He is ranked in Band 1 in Chambers HNW and as a “Next Generation Partner” in The Legal 500.

James is a co-chair of ConTrA, the Contentious Trusts Association

Tamasin advises high-net worth individuals, trustees and fiduciaries on complex international trust disputes including sham, breach of trust claims, mistake and claims involving protectors. She also advises trustees on administration actions such as applications for directions.

She advises on multi-jurisdictional injunctions and claims for the recovery of assets arising out of such disputes. Her practice also includes domestic and international succession disputes including challenges based on capacity, fraud, undue influence or forgery, proprietary estoppel disputes and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Tamasin routinely advises on professional negligence claims arising out of trust and succession disputes and tax advice. She also acts on many contentious matters for charities and in complex contentious Court of Protection matters.