Steven Kempster, Head of Contentious Trusts & Estates Group at TaylorWessing, to join Withers

Steven Kempster is leaving TaylorWessing to join Withers with effect from July 2014.

Steven joined Taylor Wessing in 2008 from Herbert Smith, to develop and lead the firm’s Contentious Trusts and Estates Group. In September 2011, the group won “Contentious Trusts and Estates Team of the Year” at the annual STEP Awards.

Steven specialises in the resolution of disputes relating to the formation or administration of trusts and estates in a UK and international context. Recent cases have included disputes relating to trusts and estates in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Cayman Islands and Bermuda. Steven’s practice also encompasses advising high net worth individuals, private banks and trust companies on trust structuring and succession planning issues, particularly where there is an international element. He also advises on charity law matters, including dispute resolution where UK charities are involved.

Steven speaks regularly on issues relating to trust and estates disputes at conferences in London, the Channel Islands, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands and the United States. He also runs a number of in-house training workshops for private banks and trust companies. Steven is one of the editors and contributing authors to Oxford University Press’s ‘International Trust Disputes’ published in hardback in January 2012. He is also a contributing author to ‘International Trust Precedents’ published by Longmans.

Commenting on his move, Steven said ” I am very excited about the international platform that Withers have, and the strength in depth in key areas of private wealth legal services. In particular, the leading
family law practice that Withers has will be very complementary to my own practice, and vice versa. My core focus will remain on complex international trusts and estates disputes and on maintaining Withers’
pre-eminence in the field.”