Ruth Hughes

Barrister at 5 Stone Buildings

Speaker

Ruth has a broad Chancery practice focused on litigation. The main areas of her practice are Trust and Estate disputes, Court of Protection and contentious Tax.

Ruth has appeared in (and cross-examined) in highly complex and valuable cases including the Ingenious tax-avoidance litigation, a film scheme concerning financing films such as Avatar, Life of Pi and Shaun of the Dead. The amount at stake is c. £1bn.

Ruth acted for the CPS obtaining £75m Final Restraint Orders against Baroness Mone and Douglas Barrowman providing in particular trusts expertise.

Ruth acted for HMRC in a capital gains tax dispute concerning an old master. She cross-examined Sir Timothy Clifford, the former Director General of the National Galleries for Scotland, in relation to a painting by JMW Turner that sold for £27m.

Ruth has represented the Attorney-General (unled) in the Court of Appeal in the high-profile Quan v Bray divorce litigation where the wife is seeking to break a Mauritian trust for the benefit of the endangered South China Tiger. 22 tigers live on the trust’s land in South Africa worth £25m.

Ruth regularly appears in the High Court and the Court of Protection where she is frequently instructed by the Official Solicitor.

Ruth has been appointed to the Attorney-General’s A Panel.