Top 100 International Private Client Litigation Lawyers 2023

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

My goal as an advisor has always been to combine technical expertise on the one hand with emotional intelligence and the very best client-skills on the other. Clients in private wealth centred disputes need both things. I also believe that the best private client litigators have to be – in the best sense – generalists. The cases that cross my desk touch on the widest range of issues: not just the obvious (trust law, succession rules, tax and so on) but also corporate and commercial matters, procedural and tactical questions etc. Guiding clients through this complexity with absolute clarity is my goal.

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

We do a significant amount of work with disputes and litigation involving complex high value trusts. You hope to contribute expertise and experience in aspects of law and strategy, but it is also crucial to the proper representation of your client to have at the forefront of your mind that you are dealing with important and delicate family relationships. 

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

It is my greatest asset to combine professional expertise with an academic background. This combination helps me develop tailor-made solutions for my clients and regularly gives me a certain edge over the opposing counsel. Furthermore, I’m the type of lawyer, who - instead of firing all of the “ammunition” at once - carefully considers all circumstances in order to determine whether litigious proceedings will lead to the result desired by the client or whether out-of-court-negotiations (e.g., by the way of mediation) are more likely to lead to success.

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

Most of my work consists in international cross-border disputes. This enables me to deal with parties in various jurisdictions, various cultural backgrounds, and very diverse expectations in how a case is handled and how results are achieved. It requires a lot of coordination work and this – alongside working together with professionals from all over the world, is what I enjoy most in my work. For me it’s about providing bespoke solutions for my demanding clients. I put quite some effort in providing the client with options, elaborating on the pros and cons of each option. The key is to think outside the box and go the extra mile, if it benefits the client.

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

I am ranked as a leading lawyer for high net worth private wealth disputes. I am described as "a fantastic inspirer of confidence in clients and a very canny litigator" and “highly experienced in [contentious trust and probate] disputes. She knows this area of law backwards and fights very hard for her client” and again “a strong litigator and someone you would like to have on your side”. I believe that can be my pitch: you want me on your side!

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

I have a straight talking, commercial approach to cases and can identify quickly what the nub of the case is. I can be considered as a respected solicitor and feared opponent. People say that " I have the clout to take on the biggest and toughest, and win her client a great result, generating extraordinarily high levels of client loyalty and satisfaction."

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

I advise and assist clients in resolving will and estate disputes. This includes claims concerning the validity of a will, due to a lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, lack of knowledge and approval as well as due execution or original drafting issues.

I advise on claims for reasonable financial provision from estates as well as disputes between executors and beneficiaries or executors themselves concerning the administration of an estate. I also have a great deal of experience in conducting successful mediations for clients.

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

In fiduciary and private client litigation, we do our best to present quick and practical favourable resolutions to disputes. Doing so not only serves our clients well, but also enhances Katten’s reputation as having a successful international private wealth practice. Case in point: we are advising a client in a global estate contest involving hundreds of millions of dollars being played out in several US states and several Latin American and European countries. Despite the complicated tax and conflicts of laws issues between warring heirs, we have been able to bring the US issues to a resolution faster than the Latin American and European issues have advanced. That put us in the best position to broker a global settlement among all involved parties and spotlight our exceptional capabilities to not only our own client and her global advisors but also to the adverse party and his global advisors as well.

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

Katten’s Private Wealth practice is known for going the extra mile to deliver exceptional service to our clients and one example is our representation of two heirs of a multibillion-dollar estate involved in lawsuits not only in multiple states in the US, but also in another country. What significantly complicates this international matter further is that this case involves malpractice by prior counsel and potentially presents radically different results depending upon which law controls which issues. As we routinely do with our matters, we think outside the box and have an innate ability to create sophisticated solutions and that is especially important and valuable when handling cases that cannot be easily resolved. In this particular instance, we have come up with novel arguments to attempt to mitigate billions of dollars of damages when trust money clearly intended for our clients were inadvertently diverted from them through prior counsel’s malpractice.

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

With 30 years’ experience, I have developed extensive experience in tax litigation and tax disputes’ resolutions through settlements, arbitration and mutual assistance procedures as well as regularisation procedures. I am recognised as a leader in the industry by international and domestic directories and I am frequently a chair or speaker in the most prominent conferences in the field. I go above and beyond for my clients, combining an in-depth technical understanding with proven relationship skills.

Why should a client select you as their litigator?

Contentious trusts disputes are, by their very nature, personal human disputes, which require not only a strong intellect but a diverse skill set including a high level of emotional intelligence in order to deliver positive outcomes for a range of clients with different needs at often some of the most difficult times in their lives. I have acted in very high value trust disputes in the Channel Islands, the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean and Gibraltar. Each dispute has presented very different challenges but all have required very well considered litigation strategies often with cross border elements. My dual background in politics and law provides me with a significant platform and experience to drive consensus across complex disputes whilst balancing the finer detail of the case against the wider picture.