Carlos de Serpa Pimentel

Carlos is an international private client lawyer with over 35 years' experience of practice. He acts for trustees and settlors of trusts, protectors/enforcers and beneficiaries of trusts and HNW clients generally. Carlos advises on all aspects of Cayman Islands and BVI trusts and estates and international wealth structuring, in particular the establishment and administration of Cayman Islands discretionary trusts, STAR trusts, private trust companies, Foundation Companies, charitable trusts and unit trusts. He has experience of acting in a variety of fiduciary roles personally, including as an individual trustee, Protector and director of private trust companies and foundation companies. He acts as trusted adviser to a number of substantial UHNW clients.

Carlos is a Cayman Islands attorney and Partner of Appleby based in the Cayman Islands and Appleby's Group Head of Private Client & Trusts. He was admitted as a Cayman attorney in 2001 and as a barrister of the British Virgin Islands in 2004. He has appeared as an advocate in many of the leading trust cases heard in the Cayman Islands over the last 25 plus years. Carlos also acts as an expert witness on matters of Cayman Islands and BVI trust law.

He is ranked as one of the leading lawyers in his field by Chambers Global 2020: International Private Client and Dispute Resolution Trusts listings, as well as in Chambers HNW 2022-26 where he is described as the "go-to Cayman trust person". He is also ranked as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 2025, in Who's Who Legal 2023 and by Citywealth. Carlos was named a member of the Legal Week Private Client Global Elite in 2017- 2026. In 2018 he was nominated as a Finalist for STEP's "Trusted Advisor of the Year" Award in the 2018/19 STEP Private Client Awards.

Carlos is a former Chairman of the Cayman Islands branch of STEP and has been a STEP member for over 25 years. He currently acts as co-chair of the STEP Cayman Islands Legislation sub-committee. He is also a member of the International Bar Association and has been a member of the Association of Contentious Trusts & Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) since its establishment.

In 2020 Carlos was elected as a member of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law. He regularly presents on relevant and topical Cayman and BVI trust and estate topics at international conferences.

Outside his professional career, Carlos is a husband and father of four, acts as a School Governor, supports a variety of charitable causes in the Cayman Islands and beyond, enjoys running and keeping fit and travels extensively.