Charles Lloyd Partner

Partner

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Charles specialises in private client disputes, particularly international trust and estates litigation.

Charles has been the head of Macfarlanes private client disputes group since 2001. Charles has particular expertise in international trusts and estate litigation for high-net-worth individuals.

He has a depth of experience in advising trustees, beneficiaries, protectors, executors, administrators in contentious situations arising out of disputes involving these structures. In particular, he advises on disputes relating to the succession of valuable family businesses held in complex structures, involving trusts, foundations, partnerships and other corporate entities, as well as cross-border estates. He has a depth of experience in Shari’a law succession disputes.

He also works increasingly at the point of intersection between traditional private client litigation, white collar criminal, regulatory investigations and fraud.

Expertise

Recent work

Family owners of valuable international corporate entities

Advising beneficiaries in trust litigation in Liechtenstein arising out of a substantial dispute between the family owners of valuable international corporate entities whose shares are held in Liechtenstein trusts.

“Blessing” application

Advising the beneficiaries of Bermuda trusts holding a valuable company worth billions of dollars in relation to a “blessing” application in the Bermuda Court for the approval of a partition of the trusts between branches of the family.

Partition of interests

Advising offshore trustees on the partition of its interest in a financial institution worth billions of dollars between philanthropic purposes and the family, resulting in a staged “blessing” application.

Contentious probate

Advising trustees in a probate dispute concerning a £100m estate in which there were conflicts between the various applicable succession laws and allegations of undue influence, testamentary capacity and proprietary estoppel.

Saudi Arabian family

Advising a Saudi Arabian family in relation to a substantial probate fraud, jurisdictional dispute involving issues of succession under Sharia law and conflicts of laws.

Breach of trust and trustee removal

Advising beneficiaries in relation to a breach of trust and removal application against their offshore trustees in the context of a bitter family dispute concerning the trustee’s proposals for distribution of trust assets between the branches of the family.

Fiduciary duties in charitable structure

Advising a fiduciary power holder in a charity structure on the exercise of powers to approve the resolution of a dispute which resulted in the proceedings which went to the Supreme Court.

Wall Street investors

Obtaining worldwide freezing orders for $180m on behalf of Wall Street investors arising out of a fraud concerning an Eastern European privatisation programme involving co-ordination of a number of pieces of litigation in numerous jurisdictions.

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What people are saying

"Charles Lloyd is one of the best lawyers in the country. He is incredibly user-friendly with clients while being firm with opponents."

The Legal 500 2023

In depth