Trust Fundamentals – Core principles of trusts

Professional Development

Overview

The Trust Fundamentals programme is a four-part deep dive into the world of trusts in the Crown Dependencies and other offshore jurisdictions.

In this opening seminar, we explore the foundations of the trust as a legal mechanism, explaining its essential elements and how it differs from corporate structures and civil law foundations. Participants will become familiar with the core constitutional documents of a trust and how they ensure effective separation of legal and beneficial ownership.

Supported by interactive case studies, this course provides trust administrators with essential knowledge to become more effective in their roles.

Online Classroom

This course will be delivered through Online Classroom Live.

Suitable For

New joiners and early career professionals in offshore trust administration

11 Sep 2026    View session times
11 Sep 2026    09:30 - 11:30
2.00 CPD hours
2 hour
Online Classroom Live
All times on this page are in the Europe/London timezone.

Trust Fundamentals – Core principles of trusts

Start Date: 11 Sep 2026

Cost: GBP 135.00

Course Content

  • Introduction to trusts – the historical background
  • Separation of legal and equitable ownership and its consequences
  • The three certainties – of intention, subject and objects
  • Quick overview of express, resulting, constructive and implied trusts
  • Settling a trust, trust property and the core constitutional documents
  • The risks of sham trusts – including the case of Rahman v Chase Bank (1991)
  • Trust deeds and declarations of trust – purpose and structure
  • What is a letter of wishes and does it count for anything?
  • How a trust compares to corporate structures and civil law foundations
  • Swiss law as a hybrid that recognises and gives effect to foreign trusts
  • Q&A and Slido Quiz

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the separation of legal and equitable ownership and appreciate why it is the defining feature of a trust
  • Know the principal constitutional documents of a trust, how it compares to corporate structures and civil law foundations, and be aware of the risks of a sham trust
  • Leave with practical summaries and relevant case studies to help boost their effectiveness as trust administrators
 

 

speaker

 

Paul Groden

Prize-winning author, speaker and tutor with over two decades of experience in international finance

Paul is a freelance tutor specialising in finance, business strategy, and soft skills. He has worked for over twenty years in leading global firms, primarily in securitisation, structured products and change management.

Paul gained a first-class degree in Modern History from Oxford University, where he was a Centenary Scholar at St Hugh’s College. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in Business Studies with Distinction from the London School of Economics.

He is winner of the Shell Economist Writing Prize and is the author of two published books. Paul is a Fellow of CIMA and a Chartered Fellow of CISI, and is a former President of CISI Jersey branch.