Owning a classic car can be one of the most enjoyable hobbies for high-net-worth individuals. The purchase, selling and maintenance of such items can, however, involve a number of legal complexities.
A classic car lawyer can be an essential safeguard for collectors of high-value marques. They are able to assist on matters such as contracts, taxation and – should it arise – litigation.
The advisers featured in the Spear’s index 2024 are among the leading names in the field, with experience in provenance, restoration, ownership, and forgeries.
‘Our classic car lawyers understand the importance of a vehicle’s provenance, condition and ownership documentation. They can advise on forgeries and fraud, building up a collection of vehicles and restoration projects, and consumer protection regulations — everything you need to fully enjoy your acquisition of a 20th-Century Rolls Royce or Aston Martin.‘
Ian Douglas, Spear’s head of research
Jump to:
Best classic car lawyers: names to know
Nigel Adams – Recommended
Firm: Druces
Content from our partners
Head of dispute resolution at Druces, Adams has years of experience working with businesses and individuals. He advises on contract disputes, professional negligence, and insolvency matters, and is a specialist in media-related issues. He also has expertise in classic car disputes, focusing on provenance, restoration, and repair.
Read Nigel Adams’s full profile on Spears500.com
Matthew Ball – Recommended
Firm: Sherrards
Matthew Ball, a partner at Sherrards, advises high-net-worth clients on sales terms, car restoration, ownership, and history verification. Clients, mainly from India, China, Hong Kong, North Africa, and the Middle East, describe his advice as reassuring yet robust.
Read Matthew Ball’s full profile on Spears500.com
David de Ferrars – Recommended
Firm: Taylor Wessing
David de Ferrars is a market leader in resolving disputes related to classic car sales. He has been with Taylor Wessing for more than 25 years and brings a solid understanding of the classic car market. His interest in cars has merged with his legal career, allowing him to handle issues such as provenance discrepancies, unauthorised sales, and the increasing problem of forgeries in the market.
Read David de Ferrars’s full profile on Spears500.com
Methodology
In selecting and ranking the best classic car lawyers, the Spear’s Research Unit conducts extensive research of the market, including interviews with well-informed observers, industry insiders and of course the advisers themselves. These take place both face-to-face, and on video and telephone calls. Candidates for inclusion are asked to fill in a form to provide data and a description of their work and client base. In finalising its selections and rankings, the Spear’s Research Unit employs a proprietary methodology that includes a weighted scoring system. This takes into account factors including an adviser’s standing, reputation, client base, recommendations and testimonials, the firm they represent, their level of engagement with the process and certain industry-specific criteria.
Best classic car lawyers: the complete list
Click on the individual names to be directed to more detailed profiles of each adviser on The Spear’s 500 website. The table is ordered by ranking and then alphabetically by surname.
Find out more
To explore all the Spear’s indices, and to use our find-an-adviser tool to identify the private client adviser who is right for your specific requirements, go to the Spear’s 500 website.
To receive relevant research updates from Spear’s – and thereby give you and your firm the best chance of being included in future Spear’s indices – please register here. If you are an adviser featured in an index and would like to update your profile or provide additional information, please email research@spearswms.com. If you are not featured but would like to be, please fill out our form.
