Brian Green QC

Practice Overview

Brian advises on all aspects of commercial and private trusts. He has a specialist practice in pensions and in private client work (tax and trusts), but also has wide-ranging experience of contentious and non-contentious chancery work including professional negligence, constructive trusts and tracing, life assurance and revenue matters.

Brian has acted for both the sponsoring companies and trustees of major pension schemes, and for the trustees and/or beneficiaries of the largest trusts (private/commercial). He has advised the trustees and/or managers of major unit trusts, life assurance companies, banks and other financial institutions on a broad range of contractual and trusts-related matters. He has acted as amicus curiae to the court.

Brian is a winner of Chambers & Partners Chancery QC of the Year, and The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Barrister of the Year, has been featured as one of the Top 50 lawyers in the UK by The Sunday Times, and was featured as Lawyer of the Week in The Times following his success in the Court of Appeal in Foster Wheeler.

On being awarded the Barrister of the Year award by STEP, the judging committee stated:
‘A genuine heavyweight among trust counsel, our winner is much respected both by his peers and by trust practitioners. He is equally at home as an adviser and an advocate and in both the onshore and offshore jurisdictions. Not at all pompous - to the contrary, he is disarmingly approachable.'

At The Lawyer Awards in 2010 Brian was singled out as "outstanding" and as a "tour de force in pensions and private client law".

The 2012 edition of Chambers & Partners top ranks Brian for pensions and traditional chancery - in both of which he is singled out for star ranking - and for offshore trusts work.

The 2011 edition of the Legal 500 top ranks Brian in both pensions and private client, trusts and probate.

Professional Reputation

Pensions

‘Renowned pensions silk Brian Green QC "remains head and shoulders above his peers due to his intellect, range of ability and desire to succeed." Instructing solicitors note that "when you want someone robust, he is the one to go to," adding "he knows what the courts are thinking" and "has an excellent presence with clients."'  Chambers & Partners, 2012; Star ranking.

‘The "enormously powerful" Brian Green QC is one of the strongest silks at the Pensions Bar and someone "who enjoys universal respect whether it be from clients, solicitors, rival barristers or judges." His performances in courts are particularly well received and he is viewed as "very much a bruiser who will stand up and fight for his clients." Something that commentators find particularly refreshing is Green's willingness to talk through all the points and angles of a case. One solicitor stated: "He is not disconnected, but is, rather, really keen to understand the issues of a case and fulfil the client's commercial objective."' Chambers & Partners, 2011; Star ranking.

‘Brian Green QC, who is considered by many to be "the best all-round pensions silk" and "a cut above his peers." Possessed of both a client-friendly approach and outstanding advocacy skills, he is both "a charmer in chambers" and "a real bruiser in court." Commentators praise his intelligence, dedication and meticulous approach, describing him as "a complete perfectionist."' Chambers & Partners, 2010; Star ranking.

Previous editions of Chambers & Partners in which Brian has also consistently been top-ranked have referred to his being "Exceptionally clever and enormously user-friendly", Green has established the standard by which all other pensions silks are judged. His reputation rests on his "ability to supply the definitive and most robust opinion on anything". In court he is renowned as a "great artist" and a "tenacious fighter" who "leaves no stone unturned". Described as "absolutely superb" and to his being "ideal if you want a robust commercial and carefully thought-through answer" and having a "smooth and user-friendly with a down-to-earth style to compliment his intellectual ability and practicality", and have stated that "fans beat a path to his door", and that he is "highly rated by peers for his ‘tenacity and boldness' as well as his ‘human touch'. He is referred to as "impressive and astute", and one quote states that "he ‘walks on water" in terms of technical grip and pure intellectual ability".

Editions of the Legal 500 in which Brian is consistently top-ranked under this heading have recommended him for his ‘technical mastery and desire to succeed' (Legal 500, 2011; Top ranking), and referred to him as ‘unquestionably brilliant and confident' and ‘one of the top pensions QCs', (Legal 500, 2010; Top ranking); and as "having the ear of the court", and being "expected to be instructed in the very largest cases".

Previous editions of the Legal 500 have stated:  "Perceived by many as peerless". "He is the counsel of choice for some of the UK's largest schemes, not just for court work but complex advisory issues, and has, says one City law firm, ‘a superb mind and grasps the issues immediately and extremely thoroughly'", "phenomenally bright and totally client-focused"', "good on his feet". He is also stated to be "pre-eminent at the Bar in this field", and noted for his "fine mind" and "first class, client-friendly service" "Perceived by some solicitors as simply ‘the best'. He is praised for his logical presentation in court, and his ability to charm judges. He is commended for his intellect, as one City firm says you get ‘two brains for the price of one. You don't want him on the other side'. He is also praised for his knowledge, combined with a client-friendly demeanour."

Traditional chancery

Brian Green QC is "the Rolls-Royce of chancery barristers," and is "fantastically impressive" on difficult questions of trusts and pensions law. "Highly approachable," he is "a brilliant advocate, measured in his delivery" whom top-flight solicitors turn to time and again: Chambers & Partners, 2012; Star ranking.

‘The "truly brilliant" Brian Green QC is "the man to go to when faced with the toughest cases that would flummox persons of lesser ability." A "delightful advocate," he "pieces arguments together brilliantly and is a master strategist." Tax and trust issues form the bulk of his practice, but his knowledge extends across the traditional chancery board to further take in pensions and professional negligence claims.': Chambers & Partners, 2011; Star ranking.

‘Sources marvel at his "tremendous technical competence," and "great good sense." He is also noted for the fact that he "cuts through the rubbish and can definitely see the wood for the trees."' Chambers & Partners, 2010; Star ranking.

Previous editions of Chambers & Partners in which Brian is also top-ranked under this heading refer to him as "An ‘astute' advocate who ‘plays the tactics game', Green has ‘that extra edge' when needed". "when it comes to hard-fought chancery work, stuffed with technical points, he is in a class of his own". "A superb leader who fights cleverly" - "lauded by both his peers and solicitors", "comes into his own on difficult issues" and described him as "formidably bright", "consistently cracks the most complicated problems", and state that he is "a user-friendly and robust advocate" and "as pragmatic as they come at the Chancery bar".

Private client, trusts and probate

Brian Green QC is ‘unequalled amongst his peers, if indeed he has any' (Legal 500, 2011; Top ranking). ‘"Very clever" and "adept as an adviser and an advocate in both onshore and offshore jurisdictions" (Legal 500, 2010; Top ranking); "Extremely clever" and "inspires confidence" (Legal 500, 2009; Top ranking).

In previous editions of the Legal 500 in which he has also been top-ranked under this heading, he has been referred to as "Highly approachable, measured and wise" "all round top quality for private client work, including complex trust restructuring". "very personable and highly regarded for his private client expertise, including contentious trusts", as having "exceptional common sense", described as one of chambers' "excellent silks", "... outstanding on both contentious and non-contentious work", and referred to for the fact that he "Stands out for his first class service for landed estates, entrepreneurs and commercial trusts".

Offshore

‘Trust expert Brian Green QC provides counsel on all elements of commercial and private trusts with great flair. Instructed by Conyers, amongst others, he is a barrister with a great presence in major jurisdictions such as Bermuda and the Bahamas.  Observers pay homage to his skills, praising his "phenomenal expertise and superb client handling." One solicitor comments that "he is the top trusts lawyer at the Bar."':  Chambers & Partners, 2012 (new category); Top ranking.