Colin is a Partner in our Banking and Finance team, where he specialises in real estate finance.
He has more than 30 years’ experience advising investors and lenders in relation to domestic and international real estate investment and development finance transactions.
Colin advises across the full spectrum of real estate finance, with particular expertise in lender‑side work, private credit, investment and development finance. He acts for a broad range of UK and international banks, alternative lenders, family offices and private investors, and is well known for his pragmatic approach and long‑standing client relationships.
Jackson is an Associate in our Private Client team.
Jackson is a New Zealand-qualified lawyer who regularly assists international clients with wealth planning, estate planning and the governance and administration of private wealth structures.
Amy is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Private Client team advising on all aspects of personal taxation, succession planning and family governance. Amy has experience advising UK and non-UK tax resident individual and corporate clients with connections to and assets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US.
She started her career as a corporate tax lawyer and has advised individuals and companies on tax matters in respect of asset and share disposals, acquisitions, liquidations and corporate restructures; often with a cross-border element. Amy has experience in advising on the tax and structuring considerations involved with charitable giving.
With over 25 years of experience advising individuals, families and businesses in the Middle East, we have supported many of the people and organisations that have flourished alongside the region’s remarkable growth. Our longstanding presence in the market has given us a deep understanding of the cultural, commercial and regulatory dynamics at play, enabling us to help clients seamlessly connect local intricacies with their international ambitions, whether personal or business‑focused.
The recent opening of our office in Abu Dhabi strengthens this commitment and enhances our ability to support clients on the ground. From our new hub, our cross‑practice Middle East team – spanning private wealth, corporate, dispute resolution and real estate specialists – works closely with clients across the region. We continue to travel regularly throughout the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan, maintaining strong relationships with our extensive network of trusted local contacts.
Private Wealth specialists
We are particularly well-known for our Private Wealth offering in this region, especially for our expertise in multi-generational succession planning. This involves advising on the establishment and management of asset holding structures and family offices, and co-ordinating cross border tax advice. Advice on family governance pervades much of the work we do with clients in the region and we take pride in our innovative approach to family business succession planning. Our experience in the region provides us with an understanding of Sharia, which informs our advice. We are also one of a handful of overseas law firms licensed to draft DIFC wills.
Investing in and moving between the UK and MENA
For those interested in investing in the UK, we have specialists in commercial real estate, residential property and corporate, with experience in Sharia Finance requirements. We also support individuals and families looking to relocate or spend more time between the UK and the Middle East, or to expand their business into UK or MENA markets.
Moving to the UK
Moving to the UK is an exciting life event whether it be a short-term move for work to explore business prospects or a more permanent relocation with the whole family; the UK offers an eclectic range of options to live, work and learn.
Thérèse Marie is a Partner in the Construction Disputes team and has extensive experience providing pre-dispute advice to help resolve project issues, as well as advising on every stage of a dispute from inception to conclusion, including mediation, adjudication, arbitration and litigation.
She acts for developers, building owners, main contractors, subcontractors and consultants on a broad range of construction disputes, including delay, disruption, variations, defective workmanship, negligent design, termination, final account disputes, professional negligence claims and building safety matters. She is known for her strategic approach to dispute resolution and for helping clients progress matters efficiently and effectively.
Her clients predominantly operate in the commercial real estate sector, particularly in the development of high-end residential, mixed-use and purpose-built student accommodation schemes. She regularly advises clients on building safety issues and potential claims arising under the Building Safety Act 2022.
Thérèse Marie also has considerable experience advising clients in the oil and gas, hydropower, renewable energy and infrastructure sectors.
Maryam is a Partner and solicitor advocate in our Trust and Estate Disputes team. Recognised as a “Rising Star” in the Legal 500 and described in the Chambers HNW Guide as “commercial, focused and user-friendly”, Maryam advises on the full range of private wealth disputes. This includes advising on claims relating to breach of trust, dishonest assistance, trustee/executor removals, blessing applications, validity challenges, and issues relating to mental capacity.
Acting for international high net worth individuals, trustees and professionals, executors, protectors, family offices and beneficiaries, Maryam also specialises in advising clients based in the Middle East. With previous experience as a commercial litigator, she has particular expertise with trusts and estate matters involving family companies, partnerships or other corporates, as well as claims relating to fraud, dishonesty and asset tracing.
Maryam works closely with her clients to understand their goals and objectives, seeking pragmatic outcomes wherever possible. This includes consideration of mediation and creative routes to settlement. Prioritising empathy and understanding, Maryam recognises the delicate and complex nature of family relationships, particularly when dealing with a dispute.
She has co-led the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee since 2025, and relishes working alongside her co-lead, Alfred Liu, and the other members of the Committee to drive forward the D&I Strategy. Maryam believes that it is essential to foster a culture where every single person at Forsters feels welcomed, included and valued.
Anna advises on all legal aspects of residential property transactions in collaboration with other property professionals. She effectively manages transaction processes and ensures a holistic approach to advising clients.
Her experiences includes property acquisitions and disposals, secured lending and management work (including refurbishment), in relation to boutique and luxury development sites, best in class homes and investment properties based principally in London and surrounding counties. Anna enjoys acting as the sole or lead associate on a range of residential instructions for domestic and international clients.
Anna is a member of the firm’s Faith Support Network, the Working Parents’ Forum and Social Mobility Committee.
As Head of International, Craig plays a central role in shaping and delivering the firm’s global strategy. He works closely with senior leadership and partners active in international markets to support coordinated engagement across jurisdictions. His international network, including through the International Bar Association, provides valuable insight into global markets and supports the firm’s international growth.
Craig works closely with clients to understand their businesses and help them achieve their strategic objectives. Known for his pragmatic and commercial approach, he advises on a broad range of corporate matters, including share and asset acquisitions and disposals, reorganisations, joint ventures, shareholder and partnership arrangements, and commercial contracts.
Craig has extensive experience leading cross-border transactions for clients ranging from start-ups and entrepreneurs to high net worth individuals, family offices, private equity firms, property companies, funds and corporates. He has particular experience in the manufacturing sector, including the steel, automotive and aviation industries, as well as the corporate real estate and technology sectors.
Praised for providing ‘invaluable and dynamic input to her clients’ businesses’ (Chambers UK 2026), Victoria is Head of the Commercial Real Estate team and Co-Head of Industrial and Logistics. She specialises in development, investment, acquisitions, pre-lettings and complex forward funding transactions.
Ranked in the leading legal directories, clients note: ‘Not only is Victoria an excellent lawyer with in-depth knowledge of our business, but she is always seeking to further develop this knowledge and understand how she can add more value’ (Chambers UK 2026). With extensive experience across the real estate sector, she has particular expertise in the industrial and logistics market, acting primarily for developers and investors. Her experience also extends to the office, restaurant and leisure sectors.
Victoria works closely with clients to understand their strategic objectives and provide clear, commercial advice that supports their long-term goals. She is known for her hands-on approach and for helping clients navigate complex transactions and development projects.
Victoria leads the Commercial Real Estate team’s sustainability offering, working with clients on sustainability initiatives across their portfolios and advising on the evolving regulatory and commercial landscape affecting the built environment.
Ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2025, Charles is noted as being ‘highly regarded by clients and fellow lawyers in the industry’ and described by clients as ‘calm, collected and highly knowledgeable’ and ‘a very capable individual that clients can rely on and trust’. In The Legal 500, he is recognised for his work with private individuals on residential acquisitions and disposals. He is also recognised as a Top Recommended Lawyer in Spear’s 500 2026.
As a Partner in the Residential Property team, Charles specialises in the acquisition, disposal and financing of prime residential property, primarily in Central London. He advises a broad international client base, including many clients based in the Middle East and the United States, and helps them navigate the complexities of English property law. He also advises on Sharia-compliant financing arrangements.
Charles values long-term client relationships and advises on a wide range of matters beyond individual transactions. Clients also benefit from his extensive network of professional contacts, including interior designers, architects, project managers and school advisers.
He has strong relationships with both selling and buying agents and regularly visits properties to gain first-hand insight into the assets involved. This enables him to provide informed advice throughout a transaction and helps build effective working relationships with agents and other advisers involved in the process.
Charlotte is a Partner in the Private Client team, providing estate and business succession planning, trust law and personal tax advice to international families, family offices and fiduciaries. Many of Charlotte’s clients are based in, or have connections to, the Middle East.
She has extensive experience in creating bespoke wealth structures for clients, often involving business succession planning and the establishment of trusts and foundations. She has a particular interest in family governance, working with founders and business families to understand their values and long-term objectives and create family constitutions and wealth structures that reflect their needs.
Charlotte regularly advises trustees and beneficiaries on issues arising in the administration of trusts, including administrative court applications for rectification, rescission and the variation of trusts.
She also advises on contentious trust matters, including issues relating to the validity of trusts, applications for the removal of fiduciaries, investment disputes and the contentious division of trust assets. This experience informs her non-contentious practice, enabling her to identify and address potential risks when establishing wealth structures.
Charlotte has been described as ‘relentlessly hard-working and brilliantly insightful’ in The Legal 500. She is ranked in both Chambers High Net Worth and The Legal 500, where clients also describe her as ‘pragmatic and practical’.
James is ranked in Chambers High Net Worth and The Legal 500 and is recognised in Legal Week’s Global Elite: Private Client Global Excellence listing.
As a Partner in our Private Client team, James advises international clients – including high‑net‑worth individuals, family offices, entrepreneurs and trustees – on succession planning, tax, family governance and cryptoassets. Based in the United Arab Emirates, James leads our offering in the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
A trusted adviser to globally prominent families, James combines empathy with technical expertise and a strong commercial mindset. Whether working with family offices, entrepreneurs or senior executives, James approaches every matter with sensitivity, discretion and professionalism.
James has extensive experience in establishing trusts, foundations and corporate structures. He regularly conducts complex family governance exercises involving multiple generations and branches, with a focus on preventing disputes and fostering family harmony. He also advises on UAE structures (including ADGM and DIFC) and UAE wills.
An early pioneer in cryptoasset advisory, James is listed as a ‘Top Recommended’ adviser in Spear’s Cryptocurrency Index (2023–2025) and is the author of Cryptoassets for Private Clients. He advises some of the world’s wealthiest crypto investors and token issuers.
