Anna Bruce-Smith is a Director in the Bermuda Private Client & Trust practice. Anna joined Conyers in 2014 after practising at a London law firm for over five years.
Anna’s practice covers all areas of private client and trust law with particular focus on international and local trusts and estate planning arrangements. Anna’s expertise includes advising on the establishment of international trust structures and private trust company structures, trust restructuring matters, providing advice to individual and corporate trustees about their duties and obligations and advising on general matters of trust law interpretation.
Anna is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), and she was recognised as a Global Leader in Who’s Who Legal 2022 Private Client.
Jurisdiction
Experience
- Advising private trust companies which act as trustees of a large group of family trusts with UK resident beneficiaries on general Bermuda trust law matters as well as advising in relation to a contested application to the Bermuda Court to approve a restructuring of the trusts
- Advising the trustees on the re-organisation of a Bermuda law trust with US resident beneficiaries leading to a successful application to the Bermuda Court to approve the re-organisation.
- Advising on the complex re-organisation of a series of Bermuda law trusts with local and international beneficiaries working closely with US and UK advisors on cross jurisdictional trust and tax issues.
- Establishing a Bermuda private trust company structure for an Eastern European resident client involving complex family and corporate governance issues.
- Advising cross-jurisdictional beneficiaries of a Bermuda law trust on a corporate property ownership structure of UK real estate liaising with UK and US advisors on trust and corporate tax issues.
Expertise
Qualifications
Professional Background
- Penningtons Manches LLP, London, Associate
- Conyers Dill & Pearman, Bermuda (Secondment)
Education
- BPP Law School, London, 2004-2006
- University of Sheffield, BA (Hons), 2000-2003
Bar Admissions
- Bermuda, 2015
- England & Wales, Solicitor, 2008
Awards & Accolades
- Recognised in the 2024 edition (and since 2021) of Legal 500 Caribbean (trusts/private client)
- Recognised as a Global Leader in the 2022 edition of Who’s Who Legal (private client)
- Recognised in Legal Week’s The Private Client Global Elite 2024
Associations
- Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
- Member of the Bermuda BDA Trust Focus Group
- Member of the Private Client Practitioner Top 35 Under 35 Group in 2011, 2012 and 2013