William Fitzalan Howard (Pupil)

During pupillage, William has been involved with a variety of commercial work including:

• Drafting an opinion and defence to a claim for breach of director’s duties. 
• Assisting Reuben Comiskey in a case concerning a failed tax avoidance scheme, including drafting an opinion and witness statement. 
• Drafting an opinion in a commercial dispute concerning a hire-purchase agreement. 

William has worked on a wide variety of insolvency and restructuring matters during pupillage, including:

• Assisting Reuben Comiskey in complex bankruptcy proceedings (Sriram v Brittain), drafting skeletons for a consequentials hearing and an appeal in the High Court on security for costs. 
• Drafting an opinion on removing administrators.
• Shadowing Adam Deacock in the consequentials hearing of Pagden & Ors v Fry & Anor [2025] EWHC 1918 (Ch), a case involving transactions allegedly at an undervalue. 
• Drafting an opinion on a complex cross-border commercial insolvency matter. 
• Assisting Dawn McCambley in CDI Realisations Ltd and CL Realisations Ltd [2025] 12 WLUK 462: a case about consulting preferential creditors when extending an administration. 
• Assisting Andrew Brown in Palmer & Hook v Collins & Ors: a two-day trial concerning possession and sale of a house owned by a bankrupt, involving an unusual common intention constructive trust claim. 
• Shadowing several members of chambers in applications to extend administrations, and applications for validation orders.

William has seen a wide range of trusts work during pupillage, including: 

• Assisting Josh Lewison in a dispute over the exclusion of a beneficiary of a family trust. 
• Drafting a skeleton argument for rectification or rescission of a trust settlement with unforeseen tax consequences.
• Writing advice for trustees on restructuring a Will Trust without incurring negative tax consequences.
• Shadowing Josh Lewison in a case concerning a letter of wishes allegedly forged by a will trust beneficiary.

Examples of William’s experience with chambers’ private client practice include: 

• Drafting an opinion in a probate matter concerning recovery of a loan owed to the deceased. 
• Shadowing Jonathan Edwards in a 4 day trial involving competing claims for possession and a constructive trust. 
• Drafting advice on whether a litigation friend can waive privilege on behalf of a protected party. 
• Assisting in the preparation of a position statement for an Early Neutral Evaluation in a 1975 Act claim. 
• Drafting an opinion and skeleton argument ahead of trail involving issues of undue influence. 

Throughout pupillage, William has gained experience across the spectrum of property law, for instance by:

• Drafting a defence and counterclaim in a lease forfeiture case. 
• Shadowing Natalie Pratt in a without-notice injunction application.
• Shadowing Amber Turner in a possession claim by a commercial landlord.
• Drafting a skeleton for an injunction against a trespasser.

William has worked on a variety of claims involving professional negligence issues, including:

• Drafting particulars of claim for a professional negligence case against solicitors concerning tax advice. 
• Writing an opinion on the merits of a claim against solicitors for failing to do proper due diligence into the guarantor of a loan. 
• Drafting advice to solicitors on whether they had negligently drafted a will trust. 

• Equity Research Analyst – Berenberg Bank (2016-2023)
• Magistrate – Central London (2022-)
• Vice-chair of Governors, Chair of the Finance Committee – Benthal Primary School (2022-)
• Trustee of the Cambridge Union Society, Director of Cambridge Union Society Enterprises Ltd (2015-2017)

• LLM, City St Georges, University of London (2025) – Distinction (incorporating the BVS: Distinction)
• GDL, City, University of London (2024) – Distinction
• MA (Cantab) in Classics (2016)

• Henderson Prize, City St Georges, University of London (2025)
• Kennedy Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn (2024)
• Academic Scholar, Eton College 

The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn

The Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA)

Chancery Bar Association

Professional Negligence Lawyers Association

Read William’s Privacy Notice, Data Protection Policy and Disposal Policy.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, William provides his services in accordance with the Terms of Work and Client Due Diligence policy as published on Radcliffe Chambers’ website (as amended from time to time).