12 Keystone lawyers have been recognised as expert advisers to high net worth individuals in the 2022 edition of Chambers High Net Worth. The firm was also ranked in the Real Estate: High Value Residential category for the first time.
The leading annual guide ranks the best lawyers and law firms for international private wealth from more than 50 countries around the world. The rankings are based on client feedback and in-depth analysis of the market.
The Keystone rankings in the 2022 guide are:
Practice ranking: Real Estate: High Value Residential
The team was praised for its work with international high-net-worth clients on property transactions in prime central London areas and described as “incredibly responsive, helpful and supportive”. A source also added, “I was very impressed by their ability to handle complex and sophisticated matters in a very short space of time.”
Individual rankings: Real Estate: High Value Residential
Ian Cooke — Ian is a private property solicitor with over 30 years’ experience handling prime and super-prime London residential property transactions.
Ian is highly regarded in the market and commended in Chambers as “the finest property expert in London. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the market in the UK, and is quick with his work.” A source also said: “He is a delight to deal with, an exceptionally good lawyer if you get him on the other side. You’re going to get well-set-out documents and he is a formidable negotiator,” and “Ian is an impressive and outstanding operator who consistently delivers high-quality work and service levels.”
Sakhjit Randhawa — Sakhjit is a private property solicitor with over 20 years’ experience dealing with prime and super-prime London residential property transactions.
She has been highlighted in the guide for her “extremely reassuring…ability to foresee issues and offer routes through.” Another source also stated that “she is a pleasure to deal with, very helpful and someone you know will get things done.”
Hugh Murphy — Hugh specialises in acting for private clients, landed estates and institutional clients on property matters, guiding them through the process of both buying and selling country houses, London property, sporting estates, farms, and agricultural land.
Hugh has been praised for being: “extremely efficient [and] a pleasure to deal with. He makes difficult situations pleasurable, is proactive and sensible in his advice.”
Individual ranking: Family/Matrimonial: High Net Worth
Richard Collins — Richard is a highly experienced family lawyer who advises domestic and international clients on complex financial and business cases following separation or divorce, private children issues, cohabitant disputes and cases involving offshore trusts and tracing assets.
He has been described by the guide as a “a very experienced lawyer with a wide-ranging practice involving children and money. He is a brilliant negotiator. He has extremely good judgement and he’s very practical.” A source adds: “Clients absolutely adore him, he has really good judgement and he will fight a client’s corner wherever necessary. He is relentless in getting clients the best deal. He is really good to deal with, he’s very straight talking. He’s very committed.”
Individual rankings: Private Wealth Law
Barry Adamson — Barry is a private client lawyer with over 30 years’ experience. His practice focuses on advising high net worth individuals and their families on tax planning, wills and trusts.
He has been described in Chambers as “technically extremely strong and incredibly hard-working.” Another source added: “Barry is hugely experienced. The combination of considerable technical knowledge with charm and commercial sense makes him a serious operator.”
Alex Boothman — Alex is a private client solicitor who specialises in advising high- and ultra-high-net-worth domiciled and non-domiciled individuals in relation to all aspects of their personal affairs, including onshore and offshore tax planning, wills, trusts, asset protection and estate planning.
Alex has been ranked for the first time in Chambers HNW and praised for being able to: “quickly grasps complex issues by listening and asking perceptive questions in order to get to the essence of a matter. This is a skill which is quite uncommon. He is a delight to deal with.” Another source added: “Alex is a wise head, he is client-focused, a problem solver, and his technical knowledge is very good. His manner is also very professional and unflustered.”
Robert Knight — Robert is an experienced lawyer who provides advice to individuals, families, trustees, executors and beneficiaries on issues relating to succession, trusts and UK personal tax.
He was praised in the guide as “a fantastic private client lawyer,” and “he is empathetic and very accessible.” A source also added: “Robert is a rare breed of lawyer who is able to distil complex legal issues and translate to the layman. He has fantastic client rapport and great technical knowledge.”
Camilla Bishop — Camilla advises wealthy clients on estate planning, wills, trusts and tax matters.
Camilla was described in the guide as “very professional, friendly and approachable,” and praised for giving clients an “excellent service. She provides fast responses and clear advice, allowing them to make decisions.”
Individual ranking: Yachts & Superyachts
Jonathan Hadley-Piggin — Jonathan is a highly experienced marine and superyacht law specialist.
He is highlighted by the guide for being: “very easy to communicate with. He has always been really good with clients, and is good at turning things around. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.”
Individual rankings: Art & Cultural Property
Lisette Aguilar — Lisette specialises in art-related disputes and transactions, having previously practised in-house at Sotheby’s.
A source commented that: “Lisette is somebody I have nothing but praise for. She’s building her own art law practice and it’s doing very well,” and adds, “She’s doing a lot of transactional stuff and she will be doing litigation. I think she’s an excellent person who is very committed to her clients and she’s very bright and clever.”
Another commentator said: “She’s very calm and does the right thing. She listens and then explains. She does a great job and she understands the art world. You feel she’s there for you 100%. She’s done a fantastic job. She has a good manner and she’s great at explaining things. She’s thoughtful, kind and amenable.”
Individual ranking: Defamation/ Reputation Management
Gerard Cukier — Gerard is a litigator who represents high-profile and high-net-worth individuals in media-related disputes and privacy, defamation, and harassment actions.
To read more about Keystone’s lawyers in the Chambers HNW Guide 2022, please click here.