Expertise
Humanity
Jeremy is a Partner of BCR Law LLP and a Board Director of BCR Professional Services, where he provides strategic oversight with a particular focus on risk, governance and contentious matters. His role on the board is to strengthen BCR Pro’s ability to identify, manage and respond to legal and commercial risk arising within client engagements.
Jeremy brings extensive experience in dispute resolution and business advisory work, supporting local and international clients across a broad range of contentious and non contentious matters. This expertise is particularly relevant to BCR Pro’s private clients, many of whom require integrated support that extends beyond accounting and tax into acquisitions, employment matters, regulatory issues, dispute resolution and, where necessary, criminal or enforcement proceedings.
Through his leadership of specialist legal teams, Jeremy ensures that BCR Pro clients have timely access to experienced legal support when situations become complex, sensitive or adversarial. This allows matters to be addressed early, coherently and with a clear understanding of both legal and commercial implications.
As a board member, Jeremy contributes to governance, risk oversight and higher risk engagement assessment, helping to ensure that client interests and the firm’s professional obligations are properly protected. He works closely with the directors of BCR Pro and the wider BCR Group to support joined up decision making and effective outcomes.
I lead the Dispute Resolution team at BCR Law LLP. My practice is firmly focused on civil and commercial litigation. My practice is a general one but with a specialism in oral and written advocacy. I act for local and international clients across a wide range of disputes, including personal injury and clinical negligence, property and planning, employment, sanctions, and general commercial and trust litigation. I am regularly instructed on complex and sensitive cases where clear advice, strategic thinking and confident courtroom advocacy are essential.
After completing a degree in Ancient History, I moved to France to work in the hospitality industry. This experience was invaluable in understanding the importance of excellent client service (as well as learning French). I returned to England and undertook the Post Graduate Diploma in Law, followed by the English Bar examinations. From an early stage, I was clear that I wanted to work in dispute resolution, advise clients how to navigate difficult situations, and be creative in seeking resolutions. The opportunity to practice real advocacy was a significant draw for me.
I moved to Jersey in 2008 to join the Dispute Resolution team at Appleby. The breadth of work I undertook there provided an exceptional grounding in civil, commercial, and criminal litigation, and shaped the way I practise today. That variety of work gave me a strong technical foundation across a broad span of Jersey law and an appreciation of how different areas of law intersect in practice.
I was among the first advocates to qualify through the Institute of Law. I completed the local bar examinations in under a year and was called to the Jersey Bar in 2010. I went on to spend ten years on the board of the Institute of Law, contributing to the training and development of future advocates. From the outset of my career, I have appeared regularly before all of Jersey’s courts, including the Magistrate’s Court, the Petty Debts Court, the Royal Court and the Court of Appeal. Courtroom advocacy remains one of the most rewarding aspects of my work.
I joined David Benest when he established his own firm (a forerunner of BCR Law) and have been closely involved in the development of the firm ever since. I became a partner in 2015 and was appointed Head of Dispute Resolution in 2016 when BCR Law LLP was created. I now lead a fantastic team that acts in all manner of disputes.
My practice remains deliberately diverse. I enjoy advising clients across a broad range of contentious matters and I always aim to be approachable, practical and clear in my advice. My focus is on ensuring that clients understand their options, the risks they face and the likely outcomes, so they are able to make informed decisions that are right for them. While I am a committed advocate, I am equally focused on resolving disputes efficiently and pragmatically where possible. Whether acting in court or advising behind the scenes, my aim is to combine robust representation with sound judgement and professionalism at every stage.
My father was a lawyer. He never tried to persuade me to become a lawyer as well – he always encouraged me to find my own path. Once it became apparent that I was not going to be a pilot, or called up to the England test team, I was really interested in two things: Ancient history, particularly the Romans and the Egyptians; and restaurants. I worked in restaurants throughout school and university, where I studied ancient history. After university I went to France and worked in the hospitality industry, where I developed my love of wine (another gift from my father). After a few years, I wanted to come home and felt a pull to study the law.
The essence of my role is to help people and businesses through difficulty and uncertainty, to help resolve disputes, and to obtain the best result in all the circumstances. No one achieves this just by knowing the law – I think you need to know something of the wider world. I really want to help people, whatever situation they find themselves in, without judging them or their situation, but acting with pragmatism, frankness, integrity, and empathy. I guess ultimately, I am driven by a desire to do a good job, for my clients, my team, and my own conscience.
