Tiffany Scott

Practice

Tiffany undertakes a range of litigation and advisory work within the broad traditional and commercial Chancery fields, particularly specialising in property, private client and trusts, professional negligence and pensions and financial services. Tiffany also has experience in the wider “business” litigation with which Wilberforce deals - partnership disputes, company, insolvency and civil fraud claims. She has recently acted in proceedings against a major investment bank relating to the breakdown of a substantial venture capital partnership operating from the Cayman Islands, and has advised in a wide-ranging Singaporean shipping family business / partnership dispute.

Tiffany has a substantial private client and trust practice, representing and advising institutional and private trustees, funds, charities and high net worth individuals in contentious and non-contentious matters. Recent cases include Whitfield v Whitfield (2006) (domicile), Thomson v Isaacs (2006) (restitution of money paid by mistake), and Re Bamford (2004) (multi-million pound contentious probate proceedings in multiple jurisdictions raising complex trusts, company law and conflict of laws issues).

Tiffany is experienced in all aspects of landlord and tenant and real property litigation. Recent cases include Intertech Properties Ltd v Berkeley Gemini Ltd (2006) (rights to light), Van Wagner Ltd v Key Property Developments (2006) (advertising hoardings), St. Modwen Developments Ltd v Moore (2006) (trespass and service charges), S Ltd v M Ltd (2006) (arbitral proceedings arising out of the multi-million pound development of a retail park), Tinson v Bowdell (2006) (proprietary estoppel).

Tiffany regularly deals with professional liability cases, particularly those which arise out of her core practice areas, acting for and against solicitors, barristers, surveyors, trustees, scheme administrators and financial advisors amongst others. Recent cases include Royal Bank of Scotland v Chaffe Street (2006) (property-related solicitors’ negligence); The Jean Scene v Bury & Walkers (2007) (solicitors’ negligence in relation to commercial lease).

In the pensions and financial services spheres she acts for and advises life assurance companies, pension scheme trustees, employers, administrators, beneficiaries and policy holders in relation to all aspects of personal and occupational pension schemes. Recent cases include Steria Ltd v Hutchison (2006) (“disclaimers” in scheme booklets).


Tiffany has a particular interest in Hong Kong law and litigation having spent some time there studying the Hong Kong legal system, constitutional and administrative law, landlord and tenant, property and company law.

Notable cases

In addition to the cases mentioned above Tiffany appeared in the following:

Criterion Properties v Stratford UK Properties (2005) ("poison pill" agreement intended to deter a corporate takeover, and breach of directors' duties).

Niru Battery Ltd v Milestone [2004] 1 All ER (Comm) 193 and [2004] QB 985, (restitution of money paid to a bank under a mistake following a fraudulent letter of credit transaction and related contribution proceedings between the bank and a negligent defendant raising novel and complex issues of subrogation and recoupment).

Carapeto v Good [2002] WTLR 801, The Times 22nd May 2002 (a contentious probate claim with an unusual costs outcome).

Allied Dunbar plc v Homebase Ltd [2002] 2 EGLR 23 (CA) (refusal of consent to a proposed underletting subject to a "collateral" deed).

Pemberton v London Borough of Southwark [2000] 1 WLR 1672 (CA) (nuisance claim by a "tolerated trespasser" against a local authority landlord).

Professional Reputation

Tiffany is recommended as a Leading Junior in Property Litigation by the Legal 500, the 2007 edition of which comments that “The quality of her instructions and range of recent experience marks the arrival of someone set for success.”

She is described by her clients as “user-friendly, but can be hard when she needs to be” and as having “excellent social skills” (apparently an unusual quality in barristers).

Memberships and publications

Tiffany is a member of the Chancery Bar Association, the Property Bar Association and the Bar Pro Bono Panel.

She is a contributing editor of Hill and Redman's Law of Landlord and Tenant and is co-author of "The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002". She has also contributed to the Real Property section of Butterworths’ Civil Court Precedents.