Tom Williams

His practice particularly focuses on:

• Trust and private wealth disputes (including): breaches of trust and fiduciary duties; disputes between beneficiaries; blessing applications; construction applications; variation of trusts; administration applications; removal of trustees; sham trusts; claims for mistake and rectification; information requests; constructive trusts; estoppel; and disputes over investment performance.
• Commercial disputes (including): contractual disputes; misrepresentation; civil fraud; tracing and recovering assets; shareholder disputes; injunctive relief; complex multi-jurisdictional issues; and insolvency issues.

Tom advises on all stages of a dispute, from initial advice and litigation avoidance, through to trial, and also in appeals, including to the Court of Appeal. This includes advising on settlement options where appropriate. His experience also extends to alternative forms of dispute resolution, such as arbitration and mediation.

Clients value Tom’s technical ability, diligence and pragmatic yet tenacious approach. He has acted in a number of high-profile disputes and his clients include: trustees and trust companies (onshore and offshore), settlors, protectors and beneficiaries; high-net-worth individuals and families with complex international assets and/or substantial family businesses; and corporates and other private businesses.

As Tom often acts in highly sensitive trust or family business disputes, he is conscious of the need to protect a client’s interests while minimising any long-term effect on the family or the business, including any associated reputational risks.

Tom is also developing a practice based on the issues associated with unexplained wealth orders for high-net-worth individuals and trustees.

Tom is a member of the Contentious Trusts Association; the British-Russian Law Association; and the London Solicitors Litigation Association.