about me

PRACTICE: I was called to the Bar by Middle Temple in 1982 (ad eundem Lincoln's Inn. My wig was made to measure by Ede & Ravenscroft, Chancery Lane). I practised latterly at 13 Old Square Chambers, Lincoln's Inn in insurance and inheritance.

INSURANCE: I specialised in a niche branch of international insurance and reinsurance law, on which I wrote technical practitioner books, appeared on radio and TV, organised and spoke at professional conferences etc. My cases involved massive dishonesty, in London and the USA, by insurers, brokers, legislators, regulators and the victims' own specialist insurance lawyers (only half of a monstrous story). From archive.org you can download for free those Billion-Dollar Lawyer-Author books plus a book of relevant collected articles

INHERITANCE: … until that practice was monopolised by a friend's inheritance problems of which he and various estates were victims. They involved massive dishonesty, in London and Lausanne, by his fellow heirs, his fellow executors, and the victims' own specialist inheritance lawyers (only half of an outrageous story). You can read about some of the problems on my inheritance crime consulting firm website.

For me, my friend's cases came from nowhere. On almost all issues it proved impossible for us to find a specialist lawyer in England or Switzerland to give anything close to an acceptable or honest service (lots of inappropriate formality, hesitancy, incompetence, obtuseness, fluster-bluster and the most hopeless mediocrity; some downright sociopathic behavior; some corruption; much lying that relevant issues in the 'interesting' case were unique, unprecedented, 'difficult': you can imagine the potential for pillaging and vandalising that go with that). 

So I quickly became fluent and functional in:-

• Swiss (federal and Vaud) civil, criminal and inheritance law (in French)

• US state (New Jersey, Florida) inheritance law

• English inheritance law.

For the last five years of my practice, my friend and I worked together on the closest intellectual terms and I did largely nothing else.

RETIREMENT: In 2009 my friend died and I retired in good standing. At Middle Temple my status is 'Withdrawn Membership' and my category there is 'Non-Practising Barrister' (Middle Temple's Head of Membership's October 10, 2022 letter, 'To whomever it may concern').

I'm on a personal mission to demonstrate how to approach and solve business and personal problems without stress, fuss or undue expense. 

I want to transform your understanding of problem-solving and de-junk all your preconceptions. 

I want to show you that my way is better than the fluster-bluster-bullshit of tenth-rate lawyers and the constant worry you inflict on yourself by going it alone or sharing it inappropriately (a problem shared inappropriately is a problem doubled).

For whose benefit? Some victims of the 21st century are not doing well. They set a brave face to mediocrity, stupidity, illiteracy, indifference, incoherence, incompetence and intimidation. Underneath they are despondent and alienated. In today's mad world, some folks need an experienced, conscientious, loyal, old-school professional assistant, adviser and helper for their business and personal affairs. (This seems to be a novel concept.) 

I enjoy providing the MrRigorous.pro range of services. I'm very good at it. I should have done it years ago.