
We are delighted that Serle Court’s barristers are recognised in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in the UK. Our silks and juniors are recommended in the following areas of practice:
Best Lawyer’s lists of outstanding lawyers are compiled by conducting extensive peer review surveys.
To read more about our expertise in these areas, please click here.
Call: 1984
Silk: 2000
Call: 1975
Silk: 1993
Call: 1985
Silk: 2006
Call: 1987
Silk: 2006
John Machell KC has a broad commercial chancery practice, with particular experience in large-scale litigation involving trusts, fiduciary/director duties, and fraud, particularly with an international dimension.
John is regarded as one of the leading partnership and LLP silks and has experience of a wide range of both contentious and non-contentious matters across the whole range of business sectors. A large part of his work involves issues arising from the use of partnerships and LLPs in hedge fund and private equity structures; in international commercial group structures; and as part of wealth planning strategies.
A substantial part of John’s practice is offshore, and he has appeared in the courts of Grand Cayman, the British Virgin Islands, and Bermuda on several occasions in recent years.
Call: 1993
Silk: 2012
Described by The Legal 500 as “one of the stars of his generation”, Richard Wilson KC specialises in litigation, drafting and advisory work across traditional and commercial chancery. His practice focuses on trusts and probate, both contentious and non-contentious, related company and partnership law, claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, tax, professional negligence and civil fraud.
Richard has acted in many of the most significant and high-value cases in these areas in recent years. He is currently involved in several disputes concerning the estates of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) in England and overseas.
His practice frequently involves offshore matters and private international law. He has appeared before the Privy Council, the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Gibraltar, the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Bermuda, the Supreme Court of The Bahamas, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. He has also provided expert evidence on English law before the Royal Courts of Jersey and Guernsey.
Richard regularly acts in disputes across all the principal offshore jurisdictions. A significant proportion of his practice involves international clients, particularly those based in Asia, including Hong Kong.
Call: 1996
Silk: 2016
Call: 1995
Silk: 2020
Timothy Collingwood KC has a broad commercial and chancery practice, with a particular emphasis on litigation concerning commercial agreements, company, insolvency, and international trust matters.
Described in Legal 500 (2025) as “a truly gifted advocate who is totally committed to the case”. The directories recognise him as a leading practitioner in these fields. He has extensive experience of claims concerning breaches of duty, in particular in respect of directors or trustees and frequently involving allegations of fraud, and of shareholder disputes.
Prior to commencing practice in this jurisdiction, Tim was called to the bar in the Cayman Islands and practised as an attorney-at-law. He continues to undertake work in respect of a number of offshore jurisdictions. He is called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands.
Call: 1996
Silk: 2020
Call: 1992
Call: 1994
Zahler Bryan has a broad commercial chancery practice, with a particular emphasis on contentious trusts, civil fraud and financial disputes.
She regularly advises on a wide range of matters, with considerable experience in large-scale commercial and trust disputes spanning an extensive range of jurisdictions.
Zahler also has a particular interest in appellate work and has appeared in the Supreme Court and the Privy Council.
Described as “razor smart and a great asset to any team“, Zahler was awarded ‘Chancery Junior of the Year’ at the Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2023.
Call: 2012