Hunters’ success in The Legal 500 UK 2024

We are delighted that we have been recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2024 in the following seven categories:

• Family: Mediation: Tier 2
• Family: Tier 2
• Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate: Tier 2
• Charities and Not-for-profit: Tier 3
• Art and Cultural Property: Tier 4
• Contentious Trusts and Probate: Tier 4
• Residential Property: Firms to Watch

Family: Mediation (Tier 2)

Individual rankings:

At Hunters Law LLP, Henry Hood and Jo Carr-West make up a ‘strong and well-regarded team’. They are praised for approaching mediation ‘as a genuine form of dispute resolution outside of court’. Hood is accredited as a mediator by both the Law Society and the Family Mediation Council. He receives mediation referrals for complex financial cases from other leading London lawyers. In addition, he is an Accredited Resolution Specialist in advanced financial provision and private children law. Carr-West is noted for her experience in complex high-value financial remedy work and has a well-developed child mediation practice.

• Jo Carr-West: Leading Individual
• Henry Hood: Leading Individual

Family (Tier 2)

Hunters Law LLP has ‘outstanding partners and associates who all bring a down-to-earth approach underpinned by excellent legal knowledge and careful strategic thinking’ to a range of family law cases. It frequently acts for high-net-worth individuals on the full range of private family law matters. Practice head Henry Hood is skilled at handling high-value financial remedy divorce cases, which often involve cross-border elements and complex trust structures. Richard Kershaw specialises in family law and contentious work arising from relationship generated trusts and Inheritance Act disputes. Joining from Bindmans LLP in September 2022, Olivia Piercy has a broad practice encompassing the finances of divorce and separation agreements and arrangements for children, as well as surrogacy and fertility law issues. Amy Scollan is also recommended.

Individual rankings:

• Henry Hood: Leading Individual
• Richard Kershaw: Leading Individual
• Olivia Piercy: Next Generation Partner
• Amy Scollan: Next Generation Partner
• Jo Carr-West: Recommended
• Mark Stiebel: Recommended
• Eri Horrocks: Recommended

Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate (Tier 2)

Hunters Law LLP has ‘a team that has a broad range of partners and associates who can cover almost any aspect of private client work. They have great technical skills and are very practical in their solutions’. Lucinda Tite and Wilfrid Vernor-Miles co-head the department, which acts for HNW and UHNW individuals, often with have international connections. Its clients also frequently have financial interests and family commitments in multiple jurisdictions. Matthew Yates has particular expertise in lifetime and post-death tax and succession planning matters for UK individuals. Mary Elliott advises many prominent and wealthy clients.

Individual rankings:

• Mary Elliott: Recommended
• Julia Lewis: Recommended
• Matthew Yates: Recommended
• Vanina Wittenburg: Recommended
• Louise Walker: Recommended
• Alexandra Sarkis: Recommended

Charities and Not-for-profit (Tier 3)

Under the stewardship of Dominik Opaliński, Hunters Law LLP is highly sought after for its work with many charitable enterprises, clubs, societies, institutions and not-for-profit organisations, and provides comprehensive advice for all business activities that are undertaken by charities. The group advises staff, volunteers and trustees on a wide range of matters, and Opaliński has extensive operational experience from working on the ground across Africa; he continues to work with many charities and international philanthropists. Paul Almy is another notable member of the department who frequently helps charities on governance issues and other commercial, employment and property matters.

Individual rankings:

• Dominik Opaliński: Recommended
• Paul Almy: Recommended

Art and Cultural Property (Tier 4)

The versatile team at Hunters Law LLP is led by Mark Stiebel and is adept at advising clients on the full gamut of legal issues. The group frequently works with its colleagues on a variety of contentious, private client and other commercial matters, advising valuers, auctioneers and other clients including public and private institutions on a whole host of issues such as title disputes, questions of misattribution and Holocaust-era restitution claims. It also regularly advises on the sale and acquisition of artwork and loan arrangements. Julia Lewis is also recommended.

Individual rankings:

• Mark Stiebel: Recommended
• Julia Lewis: Recommended

Contentious Trusts and Probate (Tier 4)

The specialist team at Hunters Law LLP, covers the full range of contentious trusts and probate issues, as well as intra-family and property disputes. It also regularly provides cross-border advice to its wealthy clients on the implications of multijurisdictional disputes. Clients include trustees, beneficiaries, landed estate clients and City professionals. Practice head Richard Kershaw specialises in family law, and the contentious issues that can arise from generational trust and Inheritance Act disputes. David Draisey regularly represents claimants and defendants in high stakes trusts and probate cases.

Individual rankings:

• Richard Kershaw: Leading Individual
• David Draisey: Recommended

Residential Property (Firms to Watch)

James Vernor-Miles heads the department at Hunters Law LLP, which is praised for ‘its ability to explain complex situations and make them easier to understand’. The group is also lauded for ‘its attention to detail and for its ability to work under pressure and to tight time schedules’.

Access Hunters’ The Legal 500 UK 2024 rankings here.