Welcome to Serle Court’s May Briefing, following a month of bank holidays and regal spectacles. This issue will provide a round-up of news, events and cases shared by our barristers, clerks and BD team. All headings are hyperlinked so you can head straight to our social platforms to read the online content.
Announcements
Harry Martin joins Serle Court
Serle Court is delighted to welcome Harry Martin as a member of chambers. Harry has a busy junior practice specialising in Chancery, Commercial Chancery and Art and Cultural Property work. He advises in relation to contentious and non-contentious matters, both in England & Wales and in other jurisdictions.
Harry is ranked as a leading barrister in the Chambers UK Bar and Chambers High Net Worth guides, which describe him as “a rising star” and “very bright and commercial in his advice”. In 2019 he received the “star junior” award at the Chambers High Net Worth Awards.
Serle Court announces team restructure
As we continue to evolve the strategic direction of Chambers, our core principles remain offering stellar Chancery and Commercial expertise at the highest level. Following the retirement of our Head Clerk, Steve Whitaker, in April 2023, we are pleased to announce a number of new staff roles which will propel Chambers forward over the next decade. Our practice management team will be led by joint Practice Directors Nicholas Hockney and Dan Wheeler, supported by new Deputy Practice Director Emma Quin. All three will work closely with our new Business Development Director, Charlotte Davidson, and Head of Operations, David Ruben, to provide a seamless and excellent service in Chambers’ usual friendly, courteous, accessible and professional style.
Professor Suzanne Rab was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, discussing the European Commission’s then-upcoming decision on Microsoft’s planned $75bn takeover of Activision.
Following the decision of the European Commission on 15 May, Suzanne again appeared on Radio 4, on PM, to discuss the impact of the EU’s approval in contrast to the CMA blocking the deal and how this could potentially impact global markets. She also commented in The Guardian and Global Competition Review.
Constance McDonnell wins Barrister of the Year Gold Award at the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2023
Our warmest congratulations go to Constance McDonnell KC, who was the winner of the Barrister of the Year Gold Award at the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2023, which took place at the Plaisterers Hall.
R3 Live Virtual Event – Energy Supply Company (ESC) Failures: Hot Topics and Lessons Learned: Lance Ashworth KC and Matthew Morrison spoke at an R3 Live Virtual Event titled ‘Energy Supply Company (ESC) Failures: Hot Topics and Lessons Learned’ on Thursday, 20th April.
Dubai Spring Roadshow 2023: Rupert Reed KC, Zoe O’Sullivan KC, and Gregor Hogan enjoyed meeting all those who attended the talks and social events during the Dubai Roadshow 2023 and look forward to next year.
37th ICC FraudNet International Conference & Meeting: Andrew Moran KC spoke at the in Accra, Ghana. He discussed the African Single Market and the present regime for enforcing foreign judgements in the continent alongside key thought leaders in the field.
Swiss and Liechtenstein STEP Federation Alpine Conference: Richard Wilson KC spoke at this conference, which took place on 3rd and 4th May. Richard moderated the ‘Trust law update: recent cases, litigation and arbitration’ panel. Speakers included Paul Stibbard (Sequent) and David Wallace Wilson (Schellenberg Wittmer).
Transcontinental Trusts: Geneva 2023: Richard Wilson KC spoke on the panel titled ‘NONSENSE!’: A commentary on recent decisions. Serle Court Barrister Zahler Bryan also attended the conference.
Thought Leaders4 FIRE International: Vilamoura: Serle Court Barristers Elizabeth Jones KC, Simon Hattan and Gareth Tilley attended the Thought Leaders4 FIRE International: Vilamoura conference on Wednesday, 17th, Thursday, 19th May. This event featured speakers from across the globe and covered all the key regions generating work for international practitioners.
The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law: Congress in Vienna: Richard Wilson KC spoke at The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law: Congress in Vienna conference, which took place between Monday, 21st and Friday, 26th May.
Serle Court Guernsey Roadshow 2023: Serle Court members David Blayney, Tim Collingwood KC, Matthew Morrison and Wilson Leung were in Guernsey from Monday, 22nd to Wednesday, 24th May, to deliver our roadshow of talks and catch up with clients, friends, and colleagues.
Breakfast seminar: Contempt Applications and Committal Orders: Recent Developments and Practical Application: Elizabeth Jones KC, James Weale, Gareth Tilley, and Zahler Bryan presented various topics arising from recent cases, such as dealing with disclosure and abuse of process, mandatory orders, funding, including legal aid and frozen funds, the right to silence and privilege against self-incrimination, procedural traps and safeguards, drafting orders and counts, costs and sentencing, including the court’s power to stay.
Property Bar Association’s Manchester Conference: Michael Walsh (PBA committee member), Paul Johnson and Jennifer Meech attended the Property Bar Association’s Manchester Conference on Thursday, 25 May, which focused on ‘Practical issues for property litigators.’ Jennifer and Lesley Anderson KC of Gatehouse Chambers spoke on ‘Fractional investment: property insolvency and negligence issues that arise when a ‘property’ scheme fails.’ Our Practice Director, Dan Wheeler, also attended.
Where can you see our barristers next?
Property In Practice Series: Serle Court property members will be delivering a series of topical talks titled across 2023 and 2024. The series will be presented as breakfast briefings taking place in chambers. We look forward to the first session on Thursday, 29th June, with Michael Walsh. The series programme is available here.
Please find the dates and details below:
London Legal Walk 2023: looking slightly further ahead, get your walking boots ready for the London Legal Walk, which we are delighted to be participating in once again. For 19 years, the walk has brought together the legal community to support free legal advice services on the front line, and it’s always a great way to kick off the Summer.
Informa: International Trust & Private Client Guernsey and Jersey 2023: Constance McDonnell KC will be speaking at the Informa Connect: International Trust & Private Client Guernsey and Jersey conferences taking place respectively on Tuesday, 20th and Thursday, 22nd June.
ThoughtLeaders 4 Private Client: Contentious Trusts: Trusts under attack: John Machell KC will be speaking at the upcoming ThoughtLeaders 4 Private Client: Contentious Trusts: Trusts under attack conference on Tuesday, 27th June.
White Paper Conferences: Navigating the New Subsidy Control Regime: Conor Quigley KC will be speaking at a White Paper Conference on How to Navigate the New Subsidy Control Regime on Tuesday, 27th June.
Informa: Transcontinental Trusts Bermuda 2023: Serle Court is delighted to be an event partner at Informa’s Transcontinental Trusts Bermuda Conference 2023, which is taking place from Wednesday, 5th to Friday, 7th July 2023. Richard Wilson KC, Dan McCourt Fritz KC and James Weale will all be speaking at this conference on Thursday, 6th July.
IP ITeaser 065: “Copyright exceptions – still in a period of transformation?”
IP ITeaser 064: “Roam’s race relations” – featured on Lexology
IP ITeaser 063: “Passports pose problems” – featured on Lexology
IP ITeaser 062: “GIs go graphic”
IP ITeaser 061: “Art and appropriation”
IP ITeaser 060: “Frasers faces fracas”
You can read more about Serle Court’s expertise in Intellectual Property here.
LinkedIn Groups
Serle Court has a number of other LinkedIn group pages to encourage discussion and open debate on various legal issues, hot topics and the most complex commercial and chancery cases. For our main LinkedIn page, click here.
Our LinkedIn groups:
- Contentious Trusts and Probate
- Fraud and Asset Tracing
- Partnership and LLP Law
- Property Law
- Middle East & Arab Law
- Competition Law
- Intellectual Property
- Commercial Litigation in Anglophone Africa (Second Edition)
Best wishes