Jonathan has a broad trusts and commercial practice. Much of his time is spent on private, pension and other commercial trust disputes and fraud disputes, both on and offshore. His litigation often takes him into other areas of law, and he has significant experience of cases with family, regulatory, insolvency and public law elements. He also has a significant advisory practice across this spectrum of work.
He very much enjoys the challenge of breaking down complex issues into simple, clear points and the advocacy involved in litigation, both oral and written.
Jonathan was shortlisted for ‘Chancery Silk of the Year’ at the Chambers & Partners UK Bar Awards 2021.
He is consistently ranked in the directories for trusts (private and pension), matrimonial: trusts, offshore, civil fraud, traditional chancery and high net worth work (Chambers and Partners) and offshore, pensions and private client (The Legal 500).
Trusts, probate and estates: contentious
Jonathan is consistently ranked in Band 1 in Chambers & Partners for trusts work and separately for trusts and divorce work. Jonathan was shortlisted for ‘Chancery Silk of the Year’ at the Chambers & Partners UK Bar Awards 2021.
A substantial part of Jonathan’s work concerns ultra-high net worth private trust litigation and associated advice. This encompasses the spectrum of domestic litigation, offshore work, trusts and divorce disputes and work with a fraud or other asset tracing element. His work involves a wide range of jurisdictions, from Jersey and Guernsey to Bermuda, the BVI, the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong. He commonly leads large teams on his trust matters and enjoys working as part of a large group.
The vast majority of his cases are confidential, but for example he has recently been involved in complex litigation in Jersey, Guernsey, Bermuda, in litigation domestically in the Family Division and in litigation with Hong Kong links to name a handful. e.g.
Over recent years, a significant amount of his trusts work with an international element has concerned attacking and defending complex offshore structures, whether in the divorce context or in offshore proceedings involving fraud and other linked routes of attack. He has significant expertise in the divorce context and is often instructed as part of a family team.
On the domestic side, he acts in rectification, VTA and other similar court cases concerning trusts and estates, and frequently finds himself in the Chancery Division and Family Division on such cases.
He has longstanding experience in the Family Division having for example acted in the Tchenguiz Imerman v Imerman divorce and in cases like TM v AH [2016] EWHC 572 (Fam) about the joinder of offshore trustees.
Jonathan Hilliard is one of the most impressive lawyers I have ever seen in operation. His mastery of complicated fact patterns was unsurpassable.
Jonathan is very much living up to the star reputation he earned. He is light years ahead intellectually but remains straightforward and approachable to work. He can turn to whatever is needed.
He is a force of nature - so energetic and meticulous. He completely prepares for everything and raises everyone else's game.
Jonathan Hilliard is calm under pressure, technically brilliant, attentive to detail and someone who understands the interplay between all the issues. He's a delight to work with, a real team player
He's very clear and logical - brilliant at running something horrendously complex into something that is easy to understand.
Events / Webinars
Monday 23 January 2023 | 9am - 5.45pm followed by drinks and dinner
InterContinental Hotel (and online via Zoom), InterContinental Hotel, One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1J 7QY
£360 + VAT/£299 + VAT | 6.0 CPD
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External Conferences
Thursday 24 November 2022
One Moorgate Place, London
Speakers:
Jonathan Hilliard KC
Events / Webinars
Tuesday 8 November 2022 | 1pm - 5pm followed by drinks reception
The Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9LL
£120 + VAT | 2.5 CPD
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External Conferences
Wednesday 29 June 2022
Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, Bermuda
Speakers:
Gilead Cooper KC | Jonathan Hilliard KC
Commercial disputes
Jonathan is consistently ranked in Chambers Global and Chambers & Partners UK Bar for his civil fraud and offshore work.
A significant amount of Jonathan’s work concerns business and commercial disputes, particularly those relating to:
Jonathan’s work in these areas frequently overlaps with his offshore and trusts practices, many of these disputes having an international element, involving fraud or heavy factual disputes, and involving fiduciaries acting in a financial services context. He also has significant experience on the domestic side of the Upper Tribunal’s financial services jurisdiction and financial services judicial review.
On the civil fraud side, to take some recent examples:
Previously, by way of examples:
On the regulatory side, for example:
As far as insolvency is concerned, much of his pensions work takes him into the insolvency arena, and he frequently advises alongside or acts together with insolvency counsel. Examples of his reported insolvency cases include:
Jonathan Hilliard is one of the most impressive lawyers I have ever seen in operation. His mastery of complicated fact patterns was unsurpassable.
Jonathan is very much living up to the star reputation he earned. He is light years ahead intellectually but remains straightforward and approachable to work. He can turn to whatever is needed.
He is a force of nature - so energetic and meticulous. He completely prepares for everything and raises everyone else's game.
Jonathan Hilliard is calm under pressure, technically brilliant, attentive to detail and someone who understands the interplay between all the issues. He's a delight to work with, a real team player
He's very clear and logical - brilliant at running something horrendously complex into something that is easy to understand.
Events / Webinars
Tuesday 8 November 2022 | 1pm - 5pm followed by drinks reception
The Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9LL
£120 + VAT | 2.5 CPD
View morePensions
Jonathan advises regularly on pensions restructuring, other corporate pensions issues, moral hazard concerns, RPI and CPI issues and other similar points. He regularly acts in rectification claims and in the compromises of complex pensions disputes.
Over the last few years, his cases have involved the following:
Jonathan Hilliard is one of the most impressive lawyers I have ever seen in operation. His mastery of complicated fact patterns was unsurpassable.
Jonathan is very much living up to the star reputation he earned. He is light years ahead intellectually but remains straightforward and approachable to work. He can turn to whatever is needed.
He is a force of nature - so energetic and meticulous. He completely prepares for everything and raises everyone else's game.
Jonathan Hilliard is calm under pressure, technically brilliant, attentive to detail and someone who understands the interplay between all the issues. He's a delight to work with, a real team player
He's very clear and logical - brilliant at running something horrendously complex into something that is easy to understand.
Events / Webinars
Monday 20 June 2022 | 6.30pm - 7.30pm, followed by drinks
Ashworth Centre (and online via Zoom), Lincoln's Inn, London, WC2A 3TL
£75 + VAT | 1.0 CPD
View moreProfessional liability
Jonathan’s professional liability practice focuses particularly on negligence in the context of:
Ever since his first case as a tenant in Chambers, which concerned a long running accountancy and actuarial negligence dispute over the downfall of Equitable Life, his professional liability work has included a significant financial services element.
He is co-author of the Pension Scheme Actuaries chapter in the Professional Negligence and Liabilty looseleaf.
Jonathan Hilliard is one of the most impressive lawyers I have ever seen in operation. His mastery of complicated fact patterns was unsurpassable.
Jonathan is very much living up to the star reputation he earned. He is light years ahead intellectually but remains straightforward and approachable to work. He can turn to whatever is needed.
He is a force of nature - so energetic and meticulous. He completely prepares for everything and raises everyone else's game.
Jonathan Hilliard is calm under pressure, technically brilliant, attentive to detail and someone who understands the interplay between all the issues. He's a delight to work with, a real team player
He's very clear and logical - brilliant at running something horrendously complex into something that is easy to understand.
Registered name: Mr Jonathan Adam Hilliard
VAT number: 840168833
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