John Child

Practice Overview

John's practice covers all aspects of trust and property law advice, drafting and litigation (including charities, wills and probate) and associated revenue and private international law questions. He specialises in advising on trusts (both private client and commercial), on revenue matters and on matters relating to the Society of Lloyd's.

John acts for several of the leading large family trusts and landed estates. He is a specialist in drawing up and advising upon complicated trust documentation and commercial documents and has taken part in many court applications under the Variation of Trusts Act, 1958. He has a detailed knowledge of the complex structure of rules and byelaws applicable to the Society of Lloyd's and of the interlocking trust deeds and agency agreements which members, brokers and agents are required to execute.

Professional Reputation

John Child is recommended as a leading Junior in both directories

Chancery Traditional:

Interviewees agree that 'John Child is a "standout paperwork expert with an extremely good practice."   He covers all aspects of trusts and property advice, proving a good litigator as well as a good draftsman, and acts for several of the leading large family trusts and landed estates.' Chambers & Partners, 2009

'John Child possesses a mainly advisory practice "of outstanding repute", focusing on trusts, property and probate matters.'   Chambers & Partners, 2008

Private client: personal tax, trusts and probate

'John Child is also recommended for his "good judgment".' The Legal 500, 2009

Qualifications

John obtained First Class Honours degrees in Law both at Southampton University and also at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (where he was a Scholar).

He holds a diploma in American Law from the University of Columbia. He was awarded a Droop Scholarship and a Tancred Common Law Studentship by Lincoln's Inn, and has been in practice since 1967.

Memberships

• Chancery Bar Association 
• Revenue Bar Association

Publications

John was a main contributor to Vol. 19 (Sale of Land) of Butterworth's Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents (4th Ed)and has more recently supplied that Encyclopaedia with precedents for accumulation and maintenance settlements. He has written an article on Purposive Construction in the Law of Trusts for Private Client Business.