Abel Lyall
Partner
"A stand out practitioner"
Overview
Overview
I am a Partner and the Practice Leader of our Guernsey Litigation team.
My practice covers all areas of private client and commercial disputes, with a focus on trusts, financial services and investment funds. I regularly appear before the Royal Court of Guernsey and the Guernsey Court of Appeal.
I advise trustees, settlors and beneficiaries on all aspects of contentious and semi-contentious trust matters including breach of trust claims, trust applications and regulatory issues.
I also have extensive experience in insolvency and restructuring, and act for creditors, directors, shareholders and insolvency practitioners on all aspects of contentious insolvency and asset recovery.
My work includes acting in a number of contentious and non-contentious schemes of arrangement, including appearing in both the Royal Court and Court of Appeal for the shareholder who successfully opposed the sanction of the Puma Brandenburg Limited scheme of arrangement, the first of its kind in Guernsey.
I am also experienced advising on regulatory issues and have acted for financial institutions and individual directors in a number of significant regulatory investigations and proceedings.
Work highlights
Acted for the liquidators of Carlyle Capital Corporation Limited in relation to claims, exceeding US$1.4 billion, brought against its directors over the collapse of the fund in 2008. Appeared as Counsel (with Jeremy Wessels) in the Royal Court of Guernsey on the six-month trial of the claims in 2016.
Acted for the Trustees of the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service Pension Scheme on their application to sanction a substantial restructuring of the scheme – Re St John Ambulance Pension Scheme [2019] GRC 066.
Appeared in the Royal Court of Guernsey and the Guernsey Court of Appeal as counsel for a shareholder on its successful opposition to the sanction of a scheme of arrangement by Puma Brandenburg Limited.
Appeared as Counsel for EFG Private Bank in proceedings regarding claims to assets held by the bank in relation to BC Capital Group Limited and the alleged fraudulent investment scheme conducted by Nikolai Battoo.
Acted for Norway’s largest bank, DnB, in relation to a contested administration application against Propinvest Group Limited, arising from circa £200 million owed under guarantees.
Professional qualifications
2011
2002
Memberships
Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP)
The Insolvency Lawyers' Association
Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3)
Director and Executive Committee member of ARIES (the Channel Islands member association of INSOL International)
Industry recognition
Chambers and Partners UK 2026
Ranked in Offshore: Dispute Resolution.
Legal 500 UK 2026
Ranked as a Leading Partner in Dispute Resolution.
Chambers and Partners UK 2025
Ranked in Offshore: Dispute Resolution.
Legal 500 UK 2025
Ranked as a Leading Partner in Dispute Resolution.
Private Client Global Elite Directory 2025
Named on the Global Elite list.
Chambers and Partners UK 2024
Ranked in Offshore: Dispute Resolution.
Legal 500 UK 2024
Ranked as a Leading Individual in Dispute Resolution.
Private Client Global Elite Directory 2023
Named on the Global Elite list.
Legal 500 UK 2023
Ranked as a Leading Individual in Dispute Resolution and named as a Recommended Lawyer in Private Client, Trusts and Tax
Legal 500 UK 2022
Ranked as a Leading Individual in Dispute Resolution.
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