Contentious trust lawyers represent clients involved in disputes over trusts and estate matters. The best lawyers guide their clients through these difficult and complex situations, handling them with the sensitivity and detail demanded of such cases.
Contentious trust disputes can be particularly complex for high-net-worth individuals, where significant assets, family dynamics, and multiple jurisdictions often come into play. Whether the issue involves a breach of fiduciary duty, contested trust terms, or disputes among beneficiaries, navigating these challenges requires specialised legal expertise.
Spear’s Tax & Trust Indices 2024
Spear’s top contentious trust lawyers have a deep understanding of trust law, estate planning, and dispute resolution, ensuring that your interests are protected in even the most intricate and high-stakes conflicts.
These lawyers offer strategic advice, skilled negotiation, and, when necessary, robust litigation support to resolve trust disputes effectively and with minimal disruption to your financial legacy.
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Best contentious trust lawyers for high-net-worth clients: names to know
Lynsey Harrison – Recommended
Firm: Clarion Solicitors
Described as a figurehead for contentious probate litigation in Yorkshire, Lynsey Harrison is a leading contentious private client litigator with more than two decades’ experience in disputed estates and trusts. She is highly regarded for her expertise in mental capacity disputes.
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Read Lynsey Harrison’s full profile at Spears500.com
Charlotte Fraser – Top Recommended
Firm: Farrer & Co
Fraser frequently advises on matters involving fraud, freezing injunctions, trust and estate disputes, asset tracing, breaches of trust, and jurisdictional issues, with a diverse clientele pool including beneficiaries, trustees, executors, and settlors.
Read Charlotte Fraser’s full profile at Spears500.com
Jeremy Gordon – Recommended
Firm: Farrer & Co
Gordon has experience handling will disputes, inheritance tax claims, and other contentious cases. He specialises in advising on trusts, estates, and inheritance issues, often with an international dimension. While some cases end up in court, he aims to resolve disputes through alternative means whenever possible.
Read Jeremy Gordon’s full profile at Spears500.com
Emma Jordan – Top Recommended
Firm: Taylor Wessing
A commercially astute adviser with a formidable reputation for trust litigation work, Jordan has advised on landmark cases including the first ever action involving an insolvent trust. A dual qualified as an English Barrister and a Jersey Advocate, Jordan advises across aspects of contentious trusts work with a particular focus on representing trustees and high net worth clients.
Read Emma Jordan’s full profile at Spears500.com
Kirstie McGuigan – Recommended
Firm: Taylor Wessing
Kirstie McGuigan’s focus is in contentious and non-contentious private client matters, including trusts and estates in both UK and international contexts. She is known for her involvement in complex trusts and contested estates matters and also advises on Court of Protection matters.
Read Kirstie McGuigan’s full profile at Spears500.com
Rose Chamberlayne – Recommended
Firm: Wiggin Osborne Fullerlove
Rose Chamberlayne specialises in family governance, trust structuring, asset protection, and identifying vulnerabilities in family and trust structures. Her practice focuses on international succession planning for UHNW individuals and families, trust creation, family governance, defensive structuring, and general tax planning work with a strong international focus.
Read Rose Chamberlayne’s full profile at Spears500.com
Claire-Marie Cornford – Top Recommended
Firm: Irwin Mitchell
As head of will, trust, and estate disputes in London, Cornford handles high-value private wealth disputes for various clients and leads Irwin Mitchell’s global UK group focused on international private wealth work.
Read Claire-Marie Cornford’s full profile at Spears500.com
Paula Myers – Recommended
Firm: Irwin Mitchell
Myers, director of legal services for private client services with Irwin Mitchell, deals with all types of challenges of wills, including issues relating to mental capacity, undue influence, irregularities, and claims for financial provision for spouses, cohabitees, and children. Myers also has particular experience handling farming dispute claims involving the doctrine of proprietary estoppel.
Read Paula Myers’ full profile at Spears500.com
Scott Taylor – Top Recommended
Firm: Moore Barlow
With over a decade of experience, Taylor specialises in trust disputes, will disputes, matters involving mental capacity, and court of protection. He resolves complex disputes efficiently, often using mediation.
Read Scott Taylor’s full profile at Spears500.com
Jan Atkinson – Top Recommended
Firm: Osbornes Law
Jan Atkinson, senior partner at the London-based Osbornes Law, specialises in wills, estates, and trusts. She is an expert in high-value estate administrations and disputed probate and trust cases.
Read Jan Atkinson’s full profile at Spears500.com
Roberta Harvey – Top Recommended
Firm: Forsters
Harvey is experienced in handling a wide variety of issues relating to trusts for high-net-worth individuals, trustees, family offices, executors, and beneficiaries of contested estates. She is known for prioritising her clients’ interests, using mediation where possible, and being prepared to pursue a trial solution when necessary.
Read Roberta Harvey’s full profile at Spears500.com
Graeme Kleiner – Top Recommended
Firm: Charles Russell Speechlys
Head of contentious trusts and estates at Charles Russell Speechlys, Kleiner has extensive experience and expertise in the field. He is known for his ability to navigate complex and challenging situations in the realm of trusts and estates.
Read Graeme Kleiner’s full profile at Spears500.com
Methodology
In selecting and ranking the best contentious trust lawyers for HNW individuals, 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 contentious trust lawyers for HNW individuals: the complete list
Find out more
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