Oliver Jones

Ollie is instructed in the leading private wealth disputes both in England and in the major offshore jurisdictions.

Recent Cases

• Re A, B & D Trusts – Advising the high-profile CEO of a household name business worth concerning the sale of the business and the large-scale restructuring of the Jersey trusts in which it is held. During these long-running proceedings Ollie has acted both unled and led (by Dakis Hagen KC). Instructed by Clifford Chance and CRS.
• Geneva Trust Company SA as Trustee of the Ironzar III Trust v Zedra Trust Company (Jersey) Limited – Advising GTC in bringing claims in the Royal Court of Jersey for breach of trust valued at +£100m against the former trustee, in relation to its decision to acquire the Esporta fitness and leisure centre group in 2007. Instructed by Dickinson Gleeson.
• Re H Trusts – Advising (with Dakis Hagen KC and Claudia Barry) the trustee of two Jersey discretionary trusts worth c.£500m, settled by a renowned businessman, in relation to the exercise of its powers to split the trusts’ assets between the three branches of the settlor’s family. Instructed by Ogier.
• Trident Trust Company Limited (as trustee of the Pegasus Trust) v STC International Limited – Advising the trustee of a BVI trust which has issued proceedings in Jersey against the former trustee for breach of trust, in relation to decisions that it took during a tax-driven restructuring in 2014 involving the payment of c.£20m to the economic settlor and his wife before removing them as beneficiaries. Instructed by Collas Crill.
• Wang v Grand View PTC & Ors – Advised the plaintiff in his claim in Bermuda to remove the trustees of five mixed charitable and non-charitable purpose trusts which together hold shares in a major global conglomerate worth more than $10 billion. The trial of the action took place over 3 weeks in March 2026. Led by Giles Richardson KC, with Andrew Gurr. Instructed by Kirkland & Ellis.
• Advised the trustee in relation to a series of complex employee-benefit trust structures (EBTs) holding assets worth several million, including as to historical appointments made out of the structures and the basis on which such sums are held. Instructed by Baker McKenzie.
• Advised a high-net-worth couple in relation to estate planning concerning their valuable (+£1m) art collection.
• JTC Employer Solutions Trustee & Ors v Garnett & Ors [2024] EWHC 3128 (Ch) – Acted for a large investment management institution in bringing High Court proceedings to set aside transfers of +£50m onto sub-trusts on the basis of mistake under the equitable principles set out by the UK Supreme Court in Pitt v Holt. Led by Richard Wilson KC. Instructed by Fieldfisher.
• Trident Trust Company (Singapore) v Purvi Modi & Ors – Acted unled against a KC for the trustee of a high value (+£10m) discretionary trust settled by a high-profile Indian businessman, Nirav Modi, to obtain the blessing of the English High Court of the trustee’s decision to sell a prime London property, where the assets of the trust are alleged by the Indian authorities to represent the proceeds of crime and therefore liable to confiscation.
• Re O & P Trusts (2021 – 2023) (BVI) – Acted for the trustees of two very substantial BVI trusts in a Public Trustee v Cooper application concerning a proposed restructuring. Led by Richard Wilson KC; instructed by Withers Worldwide LLP.
• Re the Estate of Vladimir Scherbakov (see e.g. [2023] EWHC 3253 (Ch)) – Acted for the interim administrators of the estate of a very wealthy Russian businessman, Vladimir Scherbakov, thought to be worth more than +£150m, in asset recovery proceedings and proceedings concerning ownership of a valuable offshore company brought by the Deceased’s partner against his adult children from his previous marriage. Led by Richard Wilson KC (unled at various interlocutory hearings). Instructed by Farrer & Co.
• Middleton & Ors v Middleton Enterprises Holdings Limited [2022] Lex Citation 77 – Acted for a successful entrepreneur and his family in in successfully setting aside for equitable mistake a series of interest-free loans (worth approximately £30m) which gave rise to unintended tax consequences. Instructed by Womble Bond Dickinson; led by Richard Wilson KC.
• Glenn v Watson (see e.g. [2018] EWHC 2016 (Ch)) – Acted for the claimant as part of this high-profile case concerning a +£100m property investment which was litigated and tried over 12 weeks in London. Of particular relevance to the private client field is the important judgment as to the calculation of interest in equitable compensation claims where the claimant would have invested the money in an investment trust.
• Re the Estate of Lord Jacobs (2017 – 2020) – Acted for the administrators of a complex multi-million pound estate of a late successful businessman, including obtaining Beddoe relief (at a substantial contested 3-day hearing) to defend proceedings brought by the executors of the estate of the Deceased’s late wife for breach of trust in relation to the Deceased’s investment of the couple’s money during their lifetime. Led by Richard Wilson KC. Instructed by Burges Salmon.
• A v Z (2017 – 2018) – Advised and represented the adult beneficiaries of a large private trust settled by a successful retail entrepreneur in relation to an application brought under the Variation of Trusts Act 1958 under which it was proposed, among other things, that a transitional serial interest be created in favour of the life tenant’s spouse. Instructed by Cripps LLP.
• Jackson v Gowar (2018) – Acted for the capital beneficiary in a dispute between one of two income beneficiaries and the outgoing trustee in relation to the trustees’ use of income to meet capital expenses, in circumstances where the trust’s only asset was a valuable freehold interest in commercial land. The case settled following an FDR hearing in the Chancery Division before Roth J.
• Re Al-Kariemy [2018] EWHC – Represented one of three beneficiaries and administrators of his deceased father’s UK estate in successfully applying for and obtaining an order for the removal of his siblings as administrators. Both siblings were resident in Saudi Arabia, and the action also involved an interlocutory application for service out of the jurisdiction by alternative method.
• Inchbald v Inchbald [2016] EWHC 3215 (Ch); [2017] EWHC 616 (Ch) – Represented the first defendant in a high-profile probate dispute involving a want of knowledge and approval challenge to the last wills of the famous designer, Michael Inchbald. Led by Richard Wilson KC; instructed by Farrer & Co.
• Acted for the sole beneficiaries of the deceased’s estate defending claims brought by their step-mother and her two children under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
• Assisted Dakis Hagen who was acting as junior counsel, instructed by Withers LLP in a three-week trial before Mr Justice Blair (sitting in the Family Division). The case concerned whether various UK properties were held pursuant to nominee arrangements, and raised inter alia issues concerning the proper law of sham and the applicability of the Jones v Kernott “common intention” constructive trust in the context of non-cohabitees.