richardsonluke

Luke Richardson

Associate
Baker & McKenzie Services Limited

Biography

Luke is a senior associate and Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts, Civil Proceedings) in the Baker McKenzie Dispute Resolution team based in London. He is a member of the department's practice groups for trusts disputes and wealth controversy; regulatory, public and media law; civil fraud and commercial litigation. Luke has completed secondments with clients such as the BBC Trust.

Luke advises clients across a range of sectors on complex and high-value litigation in the UK and overseas, pre-action strategy, settlement negotiations and crisis management issues associated with potential claims. Luke's areas of focus include private-client wealth disputes and a range of public- and administrative-law issues.

Representative Legal Matters

Commercial litigation

  • Acting for a major banking institution in relation to a USD 2 billion claim arising out of a substantial land development in Dubai, which was heard over 8 weeks in the Commercial Court in late 2016.

  • Representing a major banking institution on proceedings in several jurisdictions to enforce a USD 500 million judgment debt

  • Acting for a leading IT services company on a criminal investigation in Iran and parallel civil proceedings in England.

Regulatory, public and media law

  • Advising the BBC Trust on a wide range of public-law and editorial matters, including the handling of key editorial appeals according to the BBC's internal complaints procedures, election coverage complaints and regulatory implications of strategic matters.

  • Advising a social networking service on potential defamation claims and reputation management issues in relation to content posted online.

Trust disputes

  • Advising a ultra-high-net-worth individual on a long-running, multi-billion-dollar, family trusts dispute, seeking to set aside Bermudian purpose trusts in order to return assets to the family heirs and pursuing related claims in a number of other jurisdictions.

  • Advising a beneficiary of a trust in Jersey on potential third-party claims to the trust assets and related reputational management issues.

  • Advising a major offshore trust company on a potential claim for breach of trust arising from an allegation of negligence by a beneficiary.

  • Representing a bank on a tracing claim over assets held in a Jersey trust.

  • Representing a husband in divorce and trust-related proceedings in England, the US and the Caribbean.

  • Acting for the beneficiary of a high-value offshore trust holding the family business in the context of divorce proceedings.

  • Advising a beneficiary of a high-value Channel Islands trust in relation to a corporate dispute.

Professional Honors

  • Ranked as a Rising Star for contentious trusts and probate by UK Legal 500, 2022 and 2023
  • Named as Top 35 Under 35, Eprivateclient, 2021

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Law Society of England & Wales
  • Association of Contentious Trusts & Probate Specialists
  • Contentious Trusts Associates (CONTRA) network

Corporate Responsibility

  • Advising a human rights charity on a pro bono basis regarding assistance with a constitutional challenge against legislation in a major African jurisdiction.

  • Representing the Good Law Project in judicial reviews of various UK Government environmental policies, including its net zero strategy.

  • Representing a defendant in the successful strikeout of a defamation claim against him.

Admissions

  • England & Wales~United Kingdom (2013)

Education

  • College of Law at Moorgate (Legal Practice Course (with distinction)) (2011)
  • University of Cambridge (LL.M.) (2010)
  • University of Cambridge (M.A., Hons. (Law)) (2009)

Languages

  • English

Co-author (with J. Brightwell), "Mezhprom v Pugachev: bold new approach or illusory development?," Trusts & Trustees, London, May 2018

Firm Committee Memberships

  • Baker McKenzie's LGBT network – Steering committee member