Biography
Elliott qualified as a barrister in England and Gibraltar in 2002. Elliott is an internationally recognised barrister and specialises in offshore contentious trusts, estates and private wealth disputes.
His practice also includes commercial litigation, civil fraud, asset tracing, insolvency and shareholder disputes. Uniquely, Elliott is also able to accept instructions to appear before all Courts in England and Wales. Elliott is the founding partner of Signature Litigation LLP’s practice on the Rock.
Primarily based in Gibraltar, Elliott is regularly instructed by leading international firms in which Gibraltar proceedings are issued or where there is a strong Gibraltar connection to the litigation. Elliott has considerable experience in the area of contentious trusts and appears regularly before the Chancery Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar, the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council on matters relating to the administration of trusts. Elliott’s cases involve removal of trustees, protectors and executors, challenging trustees’ decisions, breach of trust, advising trustees and beneficiaries on freezing orders, in both domestic and in support of foreign proceedings, as well as advising on trusts in the divorce context.
One of Elliott’s most recent cases includes securing a victory in the Court of Appeal for Gibraltar in GibFibre v Gibraltar Regulatory Authority [2019] GibLR (currently on appeal to the Judicial Committee of Privy Council).
Elliott is ranked in Band 1 in both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe 2023 for General Business Law: Dispute Resolution — Gibraltar. Chambers describes Elliott as “an extremely committed lawyer with a great ability to understand multiple views and generate consensus. Elliott knows how to balance fine details against the broader picture to arrive at the solution”. Chambers also notes “Elliott’s client service is second to none. His level of sophistication and understanding of the key issues makes him a formidable opponent and one that we are glad to have on our side.”
The Legal 500 EMEA Guide recognises Elliott as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution in Gibraltar, and notes he “is a specialist in international trusts and estates disputes.” A referee in the 2021 Guide praises Elliott as “an accomplished litigator, highly experienced, knowledgeable and great to have on your side.” A commentator in the 2022 Guide notes Elliott “has acted in some of the highest profile cases in Gibraltar over the years and is a heavyweight in dispute resolution“, and that he is “the stand-out practitioner in a hugely talented team.”
Elliott is also recognised in Legal Week’s Private Client Global Elite, a directory of the world’s elite lawyers advising UHNW clients. He is also a regular speaker at high profile private client conferences, contributing to discussions centring on UHNW private wealth disputes.
In 2015, Elliott was duly elected as a Member of Parliament in Gibraltar and served as the Shadow Minister for Justice between November 2015 and November 2017 and as HM Leader of the Opposition from 4 December 2017 to 19 October 2019. Elliott was re-elected in 2019 for a further four years and currently serves as Shadow Minister for Health and the Environment.
Experience
- Instructed by a litigation funder in relation to a claim by a multinational energy corporation arising out of a multi-billion dollar Latin American oil litigation matter.
- Advised and led a Gibraltar based team regarding an insurance company’s multi-million pound collapse.
- Advised and led a Gibraltar based team in relation to the collapse of an insurance company and subsequent losses of tens of millions.
- Acted as lead counsel for the Financial Services Commission in a case regarding one of the first instances whereby a regulated Fund was placed under Administration under the Financial Services (Collective Investment Schemes) Act 2005.
- Advised and instructed a Swiss Bank in constructive trust claims by a US trustee in relation to a long-running litigation matter.
- Acted as lead Gibraltar Counsel in a high-profile litigation matter requiring enforcement of a foreign judgement.
- Acted for a Georgian family in a multi-billion dollar trust dispute.
- Represented the family of a late international businessman in relation to a multi-million pound fraud litigation.
- Acted for professional trustees in an application by a party to English matrimonial proceedings and beneficiary seeking the variation of a Gibraltar Asset Protection Trust multi-million pound dispute.
Publications
Gibraltar: Litigation – The Legal 500 Litigation Country Comparative Guide – 30 June 2022
Gibraltar: Crypto disputes on the Rock – Reports Legal – 21 June 2022
Gibraltar is pioneering cryptocurrency regulation – The Fintech Times – 18 February 2022
Gibraltar is pioneering cryptocurrency regulation – Global Investor – 15 February 2022
Gibraltar: a hub for crypto entrepreneurs – Reports Legal – 26 April 2021
Rules of the rock – STEP Journal – 24 November 2020
Avoiding Intestacy in Gibraltar – Where there’s a Will there’s a Way – Private Banker International – 2 June 2020
Norwich Pharmacal relief in England and Gibraltar: availability of relief for the purposes of domestic and overseas proceedings – Offshore Red – May 2020
Where there’s a Will there’s a Rock – Offshore Red – April 2020
Anti-Bartlett wins the day: Hong Kong Court rules that trustee has no duty to supervise underlying company – Blog – 28 November 2019
Five Points to Consider Regarding the Regulation of Cryptocurrency – Global Banking and Finance Review – 9 May 2019
Cryptocurrency and Blockchain – are hacks highlighting glitches in the industry? – Financial News – 29 June 2018
Time to draw up rules on blockchain technology – Compliance Monitor – 14 February 2018
Areas of Expertise
Latest news
@SignatureLitLLP
We are delighted to announce that Partner Elliott Phillips from Signature’s Gibraltar office has been recognised in @Citywealth's Top 100 Private Client Litigation Lawyers List 2023. Find a link to his profile here: bit.ly/3MaWn90 #PrivateClient #Litigation #Arbitration pic.twitter.com/idGpVgnqJm
Partner Elliott Phillips ranked in Citywealth’s Top 100 Private Client Litigation Lawyers List 2023
30 March 2023
Partner Elliott Phillips ranked in Citywealth’s Top 100 Private Client Litigation Lawyers List 2023
30 March 2023
Signature Partners
Ioannis Alexopoulos
Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 Guide for international arbitration, which notes that he “consistently produces extraordinary, excellent work and he fills the client with great confidence and comfort”. He is further described as “adept at handling BIT claims” and “is very experienced and brings a wealth of knowledge to the field.” He is also recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2023 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for civil fraud, international arbitration, commercial litigation and banking litigation, and he is praised for his “superb commercial and practical sense.” Ioannis is also recognised in Who’s Who Legal 2022 Arbitration Guide. He has been described as “well recognised for his top-notch arbitration practice among peers who say he is “very experienced and engaging with the tribunal”.”
Paul Brehony
Paul is recognised for his commercial litigation expertise in The Legal 500 UK 2023 Guide. He has also been recommended for civil fraud and banking litigation and is commended as “a highly accomplished insolvency litigator“, who “is fantastic in highly complex insolvency cases where his knowledge and experience put him head and shoulders above others“. Previous guides have described Paul as a “notable practitioner” for banking litigation and “highly recommended” for commercial litigation. He is further praised as “charming, well organised and a pleasure to litigate with.”
Natalia Chumak
Natalia has been ranked in the Chambers UK and The Legal 500 UK Guides for her International Arbitration expertise. She has previously been praised by The Legal 500 and Chambers UK for her “fantastic experience and responsiveness“, for being an “extremely good tactical mind“, a “steely litigator with excellent litigation instincts” and she has been praised for her ability to “remain incredibly calm under pressure“.
Julian Connerty
Julian has been ranked in Chambers for Civil Fraud and the Guide notes he “has considerable expertise in international fraud cases.” Julian is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for his civil fraud expertise. The Legal 500 has noted that Julian is an “extremely experienced practitioner” and “a specialist in international fraud and asset recovery actions”. Julian is also described as “subtle and meticulous” and “inspires great confidence in all around him”.
Simon Fawell
Simon has been recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK for his litigation and arbitration expertise and is commended as “a strong strategic thinker”, “a real team player” and “very good to work with”. He is also Recommended for insurance and reinsurance litigation.
Sylvie Gallage-Alwis
Sylvie is described by Who’s Who Legal as a “dynamic and determined litigator“, who is “a firm favourite among clients” as “she always goes the extra mile to support her clients, and is proactive in seeking commercial solutions to disputes” and is “analytical, intelligent and responsive“. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Sylvie as a ‘Leading Individual’ for Product Liability Litigation in France and she is recognised for her work on “high-profile toxic tort and product liability cases, handing a number of asbestos claims.”
Becca Hogan
Becca is recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by The Legal 500 UK 2023 for banking litigation. Becca is described as “exceptional“, with an “excellent grasp of the detail”. She is further praised as a “safe and skilled pair of hands.” She has been described, by previous editions of the Guide, as “stellar“, “calm and strategic“. She has also been praised for her “good instincts” and “commercial approach”.
Graham Huntley
Graham is consistently recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers as one of the UK’s highest ranked commercial and banking litigators and has been involved in some of the most significant cases of recent years. Chambers UK describes him as “an intense and effective solicitor with an incredibly client-focused approach” and he has previously been described as “very bright, very hard-working, a good tactician” and “very committed and driven”. The Legal 500 UK 2023 recognises Graham as a ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer for both banking litigation and commercial litigation, and a ‘Leading Individual’ for his civil fraud expertise. He is described as “a doyen of London banking litigation” and a “master tactician“.
Abdulali Jiwaji
Abdul is regarded as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for Commercial Litigation and a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail. The Guide notes he is “absolutely unflappable” and that he “inspires confidence“. A commentator notes that: “One of the best litigators I have had the privilege of working with is Abdulali Jiwaji.” Abdul is further described as having “a grip of the big picture and the detail; very deft in client handling; tenacious and determined; swift, responsive and clear-thinking“. Previous Guides have noted Abdul “is always on the ball and has a good tactical brain” and recognises he “has always provided sound and very considered advice”. He is also praised for being “a steady hand during turbulent times”. Chambers Global has described him as a “technically sound, sensible and robust litigator who always finds practical solutions”.
Tsegaye Laurendeau
Tsegaye Laurendeau is recognised as a ‘future leader’ in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide. Peers and clients say he is a “brilliant arbitration lawyer” and “very adept at steering cases and handling experts”. Previous editions of this Guide note that Tsegaye is “one of the best arbitration lawyers of his generation”, “a top-notch attorney” who is “rapidly establishing himself as one of the leading practitioners, notably in Africa-related disputes”. Tsegaye also features in The Legal 500 International Arbitration Powerlist UK, which showcases the UK’s leading arbitration practitioners.
Emmanuèle Lutfalla
Emmanuèle is recognised as a ‘Thought Leader’ in Who’s Who Legal’s France 2020 Guide. She is also ranked as both a ‘National’ (in France) and ‘Global’ Leader for Product Liability Defence in Who’s Who Legal. The Guide notes Emmanuèle “excels in handling disputes at the intersection of product liability and insurance matters, representing clients from the life sciences sector in litigation and product risk management.” The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Emmanuèle as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for insurance and notes she is “very renowned in the insurance sector“. The Legal 500 also ranks the insurance and reinsurance litigation practice very highly in Paris, and also notes the department “unites an impressive bench of stellar litigators“. The Chambers Europe 2022 Guide notes that Emmanuèle noted as “the key point of contact” for insurance at the firm. Chambers ranks Signature Paris’ insurance practice as a leading firm in its Europe Guide and highlights the team’s “knowledge and ability to handle complex and difficult matters“.
Hermès Marangos
Hermès is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for his insurance and reinsurance litigation practice. Hermès has been ranked as an expert in Chambers Global and Chambers Latin America for his Insurance expertise in the region.
Neil Newing
Neil is regarded as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for international arbitration and banking litigation. He is for his “excellent arbitration experience, and excellent appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of cases.” Previous Guides have described Neil as “a strong lawyer who stands out for the quality and thoroughness of his analysis” and noted for managing “major cross-border disputes“. The Legal 500 UK 2021 recognised him as “an outstandingly clever counsel who will go very far”. Neil is also described as being “an exceptionally talented lawyer, a strategic thinker and a pleasure to work with. The depth and breadth of his experience in international commercial arbitrations is a huge asset to the firm”. He is also ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide as a ‘future leader’.
Elliott Phillips
Elliott is an internationally recognised barrister and specialises in global commercial litigation and international contentious trusts disputes. He has been recognised in The Legal 500 for his experience in dispute resolution work and is also ranked as a Band 2 individual in both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe for General Business Law: Dispute Resolution — Gibraltar. Elliott is also recognised as one of the world’s leading private client lawyers and trusts and estates litigators, and is listed in the Private Client Global Elite community. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide recognises Elliott as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution in Gibraltar, and notes he “is a specialist in international trusts and estates disputes.” A referee in the Guide described Elliott as “an accomplished litigator, highly experienced, knowledgeable and great to have on your side” and another praised his “vast knowledge and experience across an array of different areas” and noted he is “the stand-out practitioner in a hugely talented team.“
Flore Poloni
Ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide, Flore is described as “the most dynamic young arbitration practitioner in Paris“, “a very dynamic and multi-skilled lawyer” and praised for her “excellent communication skills and perfect knowledge of arbitration“. The Legal 500 EMEA 2021 Guide ranks Flore as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution and has been recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ lawyer for International Arbitration. Flore has been praised for her “extensive expertise in international arbitration” and described as “extremely capable”.
Thomas Rouhette
Thomas is ranked as a leading expert by both Chambers Global and Europe for his litigation and aviation law expertise, with sources praising him for his “invaluable” advice, experience and knowledge. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide consistently recognises Thomas as a ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer for his aviation and commercial litigation practices. Who’s Who Legal regards Thomas as the “finest product liability lawyer in the country and one of the very best on the continent.”
Tom Snelling
Highly ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for his commercial litigation expertise, Tom Snelling is described in the 2020 Guide as “extraordinarily good” and an “utter pleasure to work with and enormously talented, with a sixth sense for where a case is going and very sound judgement”. The Guides have also noted that Tom is “amazingly dedicated with strong credentials in international litigation” and that he is both “practical and commercial”. Tom is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation.
Daniel Spendlove
The Legal 500 UK Guide describes Daniel as “hugely talented“, “with a really creative eye for litigation strategy“, “an exceptionally committed, exceptionally hard working lawyer, with a careful and thorough approach to issues” and “a really effective litigator“. He has also been described as “very smart, client focused and details-oriented” and “excellent, with great attention to detail, wide experience and excellent client care’“. He has also been praised as “highly professional”, and “a strategic thinker” who “brings real energy to cases”. He is highly ranked across the Commercial Litigation, Banking Litigation and International Arbitration categories. He was recently described, by Commercial Dispute Resolution magazine, as “one of a new breed of independent and forceful commercial litigation partners”.
Rory Spillman
Rory is recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by The Legal 500 UK 2023 for banking litigation and a commentator notes that Rory has “tremendous judgement” is “very hard-working“, and comes “highly recommended for banking disputes.” He has also been described by previous Guides as “impressive“, “excellent” and a “real authority“.
Josh Wong
Described as a “a highly experienced commercial international arbitration expert“, Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for international arbitration and banking litigation. A commentator remarks: “Josh Wong and his colleagues are a highly knowledgeable and intellectually-focused team that fully appreciates and acts upon all the levers within complex litigation, taking full account of the strengths and weakness of all components.” Past guides have also noted that he is “an expert in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving multiple jurisdictions”. He has also been ranked in Chambers Global as a ‘Foreign Expert Based in UK’ for his Chinese dispute resolution, arbitration expertise, and as a ‘Foreign Expert for China’ for UK dispute resolution.
