William Fitzalan Howard (Pupil)

Since starting the practicing period of his pupillage, William has been instructed in a wide range of commercial matters, including:

• Obtaining the setting aside of a default judgment entered against a large commercial employer by an employee.
• Advising and appearing for multiple companies in applications to register charges over company assets out of time.
• Obtaining judgment against a company director who had defaulted under a personal guarantee.
• Acting (led by Stuart Benzie) in the Commercial Court in a hearing on whether an application to set aside a Norwich Pharmacal Order should be expedited.
• Drafting a wide range of statements of case for breach of contract claims.

In addition, during pupillage William has been involved with a variety of commercial work, including:

• Assisting Stuart Benzie in an application for alternative service out of the jurisdiction.
• Shadowing Tina Kyriakides and Matthew Tonnard in a three-week commercial trial.
• Assisting Alex Kingston-Splatt in drafting a defence to a breach of contract claim, including issues of jurisdiction and duress.
• 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.
• Shadowing Stuart Benzie at a mediation concerning commercial property and allegations of fraud.
• Drafting an opinion on the application of FCA regulations to client money held by an insolvent company.

William has been instructed in a wide range of insolvency matters. He regularly appears in the Winding-Up Court for debtors and creditors; has appeared unled in the Insolvency and Companies Court at a variety of other hearings.

In addition, William has recently been instructed as junior counsel for a complex bankruptcy trial and associated hearings, Sriram v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2026] 5 WLUK 146 (led by Adam Deacock).

William has also 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:

• Advising tenants on challenging a service charge demand by a landlord under s.19 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
• Shadowing Jonathan Edwards in Mcgowan v Potter [2026] EWHC 595 (Ch) – a case concerning the county court’s jurisdiction to make orders for sale of properties.
• 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 seeking a final injunction against a trespasser.
• Assisting James Fagan in a mortgage possession claim.

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

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

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).

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