Tim
Jacques

Barrister | Called 2008 |
Public Access Accredited

Tim Jacques

Background

Tim was born and brought up in the Midlands. He studied history at Magdalen College, Oxford, before undertaking the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Bar Vocational Course at the College of Law in Birmingham. He completed a mixed pupillage supervised by our former Head of Chambers, Andrew Tucker, and has since built a busy practice in civil and family finance work.

Tim is ranked as a Leading Junior by Legal 500 for his Personal Injury practice.

Tim is an enthusiastic skier and hill-walker, and a somewhat less enthusiastic runner. He is an Explorer Scout leader and enjoys camping and other outdoor activities.

Tim’s expertise

Civil

Personal Injury

Tim deals with cases involving fatal accidents, total career loss, and life-changing injuries. He has a busy advisory practice, and represents clients both at court and during joint settlement meetings. He aims to provide prompt, clear and pragmatic advice at every stage of the litigation process.

Cases include:

  • Advising and representing a young motor racing driver who suffered a career-ending injury in a road traffic accident.
  • Assisting a claimant to obtain a substantial settlement in an employers’ liability amputation claim.
  • Advising an employee who suffered a significant brain injury when he was struck by a component at work.
  • Advising and representing the family of the victim of a fatal workplace fire both at the inquest and during subsequent proceedings.
  • Advising and representing a child who suffered significant physical and psychological injuries in a horse-riding accident, resulting in a six-figure settlement of her claim.
  • Advising an employee who amputated two fingers in a workplace accident.
  • Advising and representing an employee whose injuries led to a career-ending pain syndrome.

Tim appears at inquests for both families and other interested parties.
He will accept instructions on a CFA basis in appropriate cases.

Contentious Probate

Tim has considerable experience in cases concerning challenges to the validity of wills on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, lack of knowledge and approval and / or fraud. He also advises upon the construction of wills. He is frequently asked to advise and represent parties in claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, both at court and during mediations.

Cases include:

  • Acting for a claimant in an Inheritance Act claim involving farmland.
  • Advising and representing three minor children in an Inheritance Act claim against the estate of their late father in circumstances where the life insurance policy intended for their benefit had been declined on the grounds of non-disclosure.
  • Acting for executors and beneficiaries of a seven-figure estate in resisting a claim to set aside a will on the grounds of lack of capacity.
  • Advising an adult son about possible claims to challenge the disposition of his late father’s estate on the grounds of lack of capacity and under the Inheritance Act.
  • Advising an executor facing an application for his removal and allegations that he had exerted undue influence over his late mother prior to her death.

Trusts of Land and Real Property

Tim has considerable experience of TLATA (Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996) and proprietary estoppel claims. He also acts in land disputes concerning easements, adverse possession, boundary issues and the Party Wall Act 1996.

Cases include:

  • Acting for a widow in a proprietary estoppel claim brought by her son concerning the family farm.
  • Advising and representing a homeowner in TLATA proceedings against his estranged daughter.
  • Obtaining an injunction and damages for owners of an industrial unit following a campaign of harassment and trespass by their neighbours.
  • Representing a homeowner in trespass and nuisance claims arising from unlawful building work undertaken by his neighbour.

Advising landowners about the scope of a prescriptive easement that they had acquired over a neighbour’s driveway.

Family

Property and Finance

Tim accepts instructions in family financial remedy cases. His experience includes disputes about: farms; overseas assets; company and pension valuation; the enforceability of settlement agreements; the disposal of assets. He seeks to provide clear, pragmatic advice to his clients at every stage of the court process.

Cases include:

  • Obtaining a settlement on “clean break” terms for a high-earning banker.
  • Representing a farmer in financial remedy proceedings during which the value of his interest in the family farming partnership was in dispute.
  • Securing a favourable pension sharing order for a wife who had lost capacity.
  • Successfully representing a husband in resisting his ex-wife’s application to avoid the terms of a separation agreement.
  • Representing a wife in financial remedy proceedings in which husband attempted to ring-fence an £800,000 inheritance;
  • Representing a wife in a case involving disputed overseas property, intervener claims by her children, undisclosed assets and disputed inheritance.
  • Representing an intervening parent who had invested substantial sums at the time the family home was purchased and there was a dispute as to the nature of her interest in the property.

Cohabitation Disputes

Tim accepts instructions in cohabitation disputes and claims brought under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TLATA). He has advised and represented clients in matters concerning constructive trusts, proprietary estoppel, farmland and the administration of estates.

His chancery experience means that he is as comfortable in the County or High Court as he is in the Family Court.

Cases include:

  • Acting for a farmer’s widow in resisting her son’s proprietary estoppel claim for the entire beneficial interest in her late husband’s farm.
  • Representing a father in resisting his daughter’s claim to rectify an express declaration of trust.

Assisting a client to realise her beneficial interest in a property which she had purchased jointly with her then-partner.

Testimonials

Timothy has a very easy charm with clients and judges alike. He has a very calm and measured approach and adapts quickly when cases occasionally take a dramatic turn.’ – Legal 500 2024

‘A most able advocate, efficient and speedy in response to instructions, with a wide knowledge of the relevant areas of law, and a sound problem-solving approach, with extremely good client-facing qualities.’ – Legal 500 2022

He has great empathy with clients, and is highly effective before a court.’ – Legal 500 2021

Awards
  • Lord Justice Sachs Entrance Exhibitioner, Middle Temple