Michael Furness QC

Practice Overview

Michael has a practice in all areas of trusts work, both in the UK and offshore, and related areas of tax and professional liability. He has a particular specialism in occupational pensions law. He has wide litigation experience, at all levels. This includes several appearances in the House of Lords and, recently, the Supreme Court in the revenue case of DCC Ltd v HMRC. His appearences in the House of Lords include the leading tax cases of Ingram, McNiven v Westmoreland Investments and the Arctic Systems case and the important pensions case of National Grid v Mayes.

Overseas, he has a substantial contentious trust practice, and he is currently engaged in three sets of proceedings involving different substantial family trusts in Bermuda. He also acts for the Commissioner of Inland Revenue for Hong Kong, whom he represented before the Court of Final Appeal in Shui On Credit Company Ltd v CIR and, most recently in the Court of First Instances in Aviation Fuel Supply Co Ltd v CIR.

Professional Reputation

Michael is ranked as a 'leading silk' in both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500.

Recent comments include:

Chancery traditional

‘Michael Furness QC has applied his "phenomenal chancery brain" to a variety of trust-oriented work of late. He is also widely acknowledged by commentators as a true expert on pensions' (Chambers & Partners, 2011)

Charities

‘Michael Furness QC is a more than seasoned performer, having notched up nearly 40 years" [nearly 30 years actually] at the Bar himself. "Incredibly frank, principled and approachable," he has a full portfolio of work and recently advised a grant-making charity on its investment powers. Solicitors like him as he "understands both charity and commercial law, discusses things frankly and is not one to lecture".' (Chambers & Partners, 2011)

Pensions

‘Another name that underlines the set as a centre for excellence in pensions is Michael Furness QC, whose "fine mind cuts through all the dross in a case." Furness impresses not only with his considerable intellect but also by virtue of his ability as an advocate, leading commentators to state that "he ticks more boxes than most." They are adamant that "you would always rather have him on your side than against you".' ' (Chambers & Partners, 2011)

Qualifications

Michael Furness QC obtained a First Class degree in Law from Cambridge and the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford before being called to the Bar in 1982. He joined Wilberforce Chambers in 1995, taking silk in 2000.

Memberships

• Association of Pension Lawyers
• Chancery Bar Association
• Revenue Bar Association