Naomi Kilcoyne

Civil fraud and asset recovery

• Assisting Tom Roscoe in advising on the duties owed by company officers under BVI law in relation to an alleged fraud involving a complex asset-stripping scheme (during pupillage).
• As a pupil, assisted James Bailey KC and Tom Roscoe in seeking urgent freezing relief (including under the Chabra jurisdiction) to secure assets in the Cayman Islands in connection with an alleged fraud of c.£44m.
• Assisted Sri Carmichael in a strike out and reverse summary judgment application regarding an unlawful means conspiracy claim (during pupillage). The claim involved allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, dishonest assistance and deceit in respect of share sales.
• During pupillage, attended a 3-day CMC in the ongoing Bourlakova v Bourlakov litigation. This multi-party dispute concerns an alleged fraudulent scheme involving assets worth nearly £3bn belonging to a late Russian businessman.

Commercial disputes

• Assisting Tom Roscoe in obtaining an extension of time to give disclosure (during pupillage). The underlying claim involved allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of contract regarding the entry into and termination of an SPA.
• Assisting Tom Roscoe acting for the appellant minority shareholder in an appeal to the BVI Court of Appeal in relation to an unfair prejudice petition (during pupillage).
• Assisting Joseph Steadman acting for the defendant insurance company in seeking to strike out a claim in respect of a life insurance policy (during pupillage).

Insolvency

• Naomi will be appearing in the Companies Winding Up List Court.

Pensions

• As a pupil, assisted Brian Green KC and Joseph Steadman in a Part 8 claim to determine the proper construction of a fetter on a power of amendment in an occupational pension scheme deed.

Property

• As a pupil, assisted Jonathan Seitler KC and Benjamin Faulkner acting for the successful tenant in London Trocadero (2015) LLP v Picturehouse Cinemas Limited [2025] EWHC 1247 (Ch). Following a 6-day trial in the High Court, the landlord was required to repay hundreds of thousands of pounds in unlawfully charged insurance commissions to the tenant.
• Assisting Joseph Steadman in advising the owners of a golf club on the enforceability and scope of historic easements and restrictive covenants affecting the land (during pupillage).
• Assisting Benjamin Faulkner acting for the landlord in an unopposed business lease renewal under the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (during pupillage).
• As a pupil, assisted Martin Hutchings KC and Harriet Holmes acting for the landlord in an appeal to the Upper Tribunal. The case concerned the proper interpretation of cladding remediation provisions in the Building Safety Act 2022.
• Assisting John McGhee KC and Harriet Holmes acting for the tenant in appealing the lower court’s decision to strike out / grant summary judgment on its claim for relief from forfeiture (during pupillage).
• Assisting Harriet Holmes acting for the tenant in obtaining an urgent injunction to recover possession of the demised premises following a purported forfeiture by the landlord (during pupillage).

Trusts, probate and estates

• Assisting Tom Roscoe in advising the professional trustee of a Jersey trust in relation to challenges made to the validity of the trust by a prospective beneficiary (during pupillage).
• Assisting Joseph Steadman acting for the wife in successfully obtaining the appointment of receivers to enforce matrimonial finance orders made against the husband (during pupillage).
• Assisting Elizabeth Houghton in advising the potential beneficiaries of Manx and Guernsey discretionary trusts in relation to the proper construction of the trust deeds (during pupillage).
• As a pupil, assisted Elizabeth Houghton in seeking an injunction to restrain the sale of property on behalf of a claimant under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The case has recently featured in the national press: Dinsdale v Fowell.
• Assisting Elizabeth Houghton in advising the settlor of a trust in relation to an application to rescind a settlement of property on the grounds of equitable mistake (during pupillage).
• As a pupil, assisted Elizabeth Houghton with detailed legal research regarding the inherent supervisory jurisdiction of the Court over the administration of trusts.