International Trusts & Private Client practice overview

STEP Caribbean Awards 2013

'Mourant Ozannes are able to call upon a breadth of expertise amongst a team whose members are the envy of the offshore world,' STEP Caribbean Awards, 2013.

Mourant Ozannes' International Trusts & Private Client practice group (ITPC) is led from the firm's London office by former barrister and international trusts litigation specialist Douglas Close. The global ITPC team comprises some of the most renowned trust litigators and advisers in the offshore world, and advises on the laws of the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey, from offices in each of those jurisdictions as well as in London and Hong Kong. Our aim is to provide exceptional client service through an integrated trusts/private client team covering both contentious and non-contentious matters in all our jurisdictions.

Uniquely among the larger offshore firms we adopt an integrated "one firm" approach, enabling us to advise dispassionately on the appropriate jurisdiction in which to establish and administer wealth management structures, and to work together across our jurisdictions, in our clients' interests. Also, unlike the majority of our competitors, we have no captive private client trust company, enabling us to make independent recommendations of trustees in each of our jurisdictions.

Mourant Ozannes has more top tier legal directory rankings across its locations than any other offshore firm, and is recommended by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 for both its dispute resolution and its trusts/private client expertise in Cayman, Guernsey and Jersey. Members of the global ITPC team have been involved in some of the most complex and high-value trust litigation in the world, but we aim to bring to bear our experience and expertise to provide the right individual or team for each client's needs at every stage of our instructions, whatever the size or nature of the case. We act for local and international financial institutions, trustees, beneficiaries, settlors, protectors, wealth managers, family offices, HNWIs - indeed, everyone with a need for legal advice or representation in connection with trust/private client issues, contentious or otherwise. We have considerable experience of working in close collaboration with onshore law and accountancy firms, and expertise in relation to philanthropic trusts, non-charitable purpose trusts, Shar'ia compliant trusts, Jersey foundations and complex private trust company structures, as well as pensions and probate.

The Guernsey ITPC team is led by St John Robilliard and Jeremy Wessels, each of whom is top-ranked by both Chambers UK and Legal 500. Jersey ITPC team leaders Giles Corbin and Jonathan Speck are also each recommended as experts in their field in both directories. Our Cayman ITPC head, Morven McMillan, has considerable experience and is equally widely recommended. Paul Christopher represents our team in Hong Kong. All of these individuals, together with Douglas Close and others in the global ITPC team, are recommended in the Citywealth Leaders' List for their trusts and private client expertise.

For further information, please get in touch with any of the individuals named above, or your usual Mourant Ozannes contact.

If you are looking for information on Trusts Direct, our ground-breaking online service providing instant access to a suite of Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey trust precedents, please click here.

If you are looking for information on our commercial trusts expertise, please click here.

Or by the options below:

T +44 20 7796 7679
douglas.close@mourantozannes.com

Or search by practice area, location and/or position:

Or check our directory:

Managing Partner Welcome

About us - Firm Factsheet

Vision & Values

Recognition

History

Community work

Associations

Banking & Finance

Corporate

Employment

Financial Services & Regulatory

Funds

Insolvency & Restructuring

Insurance