A significant part of Maitland's work is outside the UK or has an international element.  Our expertise includes:-

• Litigation in courts overseas, including appellate courts
• Privy Council appeals from appellate courts outside the UK
• Advising in relation to offshore trusts & other structures and related tax issues
• Litigating & advising on disputes in England with international/multi-jurisdictional aspects
• Advising in relation to the conduct of international disputes
• Expert evidence in proceedings outside the UK

The jurisdictions in which our barristers appear include Anguilla, Bahamas, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Channel Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Grenada, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos.  Our senior barristers also have experience of giving expert evidence of English Law in international tribunals, including in the US.

We understand that problems can frequently arise unexpectedly and we are available (subject to obtaining any necessary permits) to travel at short notice.

Our barristers, both senior and junior, have experience of conducting litigation both from our offices in London and in the local jurisdiction.

Maitland is actively involved in relevant specialist professional associations including STEP and ACTAPS.

Experience

Much of the international and offshore work that we undertake is necessarily confidential in nature and cannot be identified.  However, examples which demonstrate the breadth of our experience are set out below :

• Advising on the structuring of offshore trusts and related tax issues
• Trust claims involving a freezing injunction and appointment of interim receivers
• Disputes involving hedge funds in difficulties as a result of the credit crunch
• Claims to remove professional trustees
• Minority shareholders’ claims for breach of fiduciary duty against directors of offshore companies
• Insolvency schemes on the collapse of hedge fund and other investment vehicles
• Asset tracing and recovery through offshore jurisdictions
• Variation of trusts, both by way of variation and by way of compromise
• Shareholder disputes involving offshore companies

Chancery commercial skills

Maitland’s international and offshore work draws on a range of specialist chancery commercial skills within chambers, enabling us to add particular value for our clients, including:

• Trusts law (both corporate and private), including removal of trustees, sham trusts, constructive trusts, variation of trusts, tax advice
• Company and partnership law, for example fiduciary duties, minority shareholder rights, partnership disputes (including limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships
• Commercial  and business contract disputes, both contractual and non-contractual
• Fraud, asset tracing and recovery,  including interim measures such as freezing & search orders and other injunctions and enforcement actions
• Insolvency and restructuring, including provisional liquidators, court appointed receivers

For more information about our barristers or our international credentials please contact one of our senior clerks, John Wiggs or Lee Cutler.