Corporate and Trust Structures

Experts in company law, trusts and financial crime explore the nature of companies and trusts, how they have been used legitimately and exploited illegally. Complex corporate structures, including the ownership structure of the Alibaba Group, are examined. The Panama Papers’ revelations are also discussed.

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Corporate and Trust Structures: Legal and Illegal Dimensions is a collection of essays by experts in company law, trusts and financial crime. It explores the nature of companies and trusts, how they have been utilised for legitimate business purposes, and how they can be exploited by criminals for illegal purposes. Basic concepts relating to trusts and companies are considered, together with recent developments in corporate liability, including when liability may be attributed to companies and when the veil of limited liability may be lifted. Complex corporate structures, including the ownership structure of the Alibaba Group, are examined. The Panama Papers’ revelations are also discussed together with the mechanisms within trusts and company structures that make them vulnerable and attractive for criminal abuse. The essayists address critical issues in the domestic and international contexts, including the requirements of the international standards against money laundering relevant to trusts and companies. Academics, lawyers, business people and policy-makers will find the essays topical and relevant.