‘They offer unparalleled expertise and a hands-on approach that truly sets them apart. Anthony Poulton and Gemma Willingham have been not only accessible but deeply engaged. Their vast network, transparency, and collaboration, have all contributed to a comprehensive service that consistently yields solutions to complex problems.’ 

‘Anthony Poulton is an industry veteran with a highly analytical and consistently level-headed approach. I can always rely on him for an objective view and a deeply thought through strategy.’

‘Gemma Willingham’s attention to detail and client-specific consideration is unmatched. Her network, breadth and depth of knowledge, and problem-solving capabilities have been invaluable.’

‘Luke Richardson is tremendously bright and highly knowledgeable. His contributions are of the utmost value in deciding a course of action.’

‘Market-leading reputation aside, what makes this team stand out from its competitors is the quality of its members. Without exception, they are exceptional – clever, responsive and engaging. They all really support each other.’ 

‘Gareth Roberts is a fantastic lawyer; he is very hard-working, responsive and precise. He is all over the detail of our case and is always calm and unruffled, no matter how pressurised the situation gets. He is really friendly, easy going and approachable.’

‘Luke Richardson is very clever and hardworking, and has a real eye on case strategy. Most importantly, he has excellent emotional intelligence, which has obviously gained him the client’s, and legal team’s, complete trust and confidence.’

‘Gemma Willingham is an exceptional partner who has the complete trust and confidence of her partner, her team and the wider legal team. She is on top of all issues in what is complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation, and has huge reserves of emotional intelligence. She is phenomenal.’

‘Graeme Kleiner is known everywhere. Thomas Watts is a really great associate who will really go somewhere.’

‘Graeme Kleiner is highly experienced and tactically adroit. Tamasin Perkins is extremely client focused and inspires confidence in her clients. Oliver Auld is an excellent lawyer and litigator. Tom Watts is an impressive member of the team.’

‘Duncan Elson has enormous experience, he really fights his client’s corner. Graeme Kleiner is hugely experienced, a superb lawyer, excellent with clients and knows when to fight and when to settle. Tamasin Perkins is also excellent with clients and has enormous experience. There are some excellent associates such as Tom Watts.’

‘Graeme Kleiner is always moving the case forward with great communication skills, keeps the clients informed every step of the way, and can summarise complicated things in a very simple and understandable way.’

‘The CRS contentious trusts and probate practice team is one of the go-to London firms to work with. They are experienced, commercial and pragmatic in their approach.’

‘Ziva Robertson has vast experience and is a standout partner at CRS for her trust and estate litigation work. Given her offshore experience in the Cayman Islands, she is well placed to advise on cross-border matters, especially with an offshore connection.’

‘Sarah Moore is clearly an up-and-coming senior associate in the CRS team who is a pleasure to work with and on the path to becoming a leading trust litigation lawyer. Very responsive, knowledgeable and commercial in her approach.’

‘Jessie Davies is an exceptional associate, with a strong grasp of litigation procedure, a calm energy around clients and an intelligent approach to litigating. She is an asset to CRS and a real star.’

‘Formidable department whose cross-over with expertise in the commercial world, banking and private equity make it the ideal choice for the most dynamic entrepreneurs’ contentious private client needs.’

‘Jeremy Kosky is a hugely respected and influential figure in the private wealth disputes arena. He is currently engaged in a number of enormous matters. Utterly committed to his client, absorbed in the detail of his case, while being able to bring perspective and commerciality to the client’s needs. Emily Elliott is a star associate of the future.’

‘An absolutely top-drawer contentious trusts practice led by the formidable Jeremy Kosky and stocked with an array of outstanding talent through the ranks.’

‘They have the scale, ability, work ethic and dedication that is required to handle the largest and most complex cases in this area, and they are brilliant at what they do. ’

‘Jeremy Kosky is one of the leading partners of his generation. He is absolutely committed to his client’s interests and never takes his eyes off those. He is a creative thinker and has masses of experience in this field, which he uses to get results for his clients. He is also a pleasure to work with.’

‘Emily Elliott is going to be a superstar. She is incredibly sharp, hard-working and effective, and punches well above her level of experience. Clients love her and opponents listen to her. Brilliant on the very biggest and most complex cases with a bright future ahead.’

‘Exceptionally easy to deal with coupled with all the capabilities and expertise you’d expect from such big hitters. Jeremy Kosky is smart, smooth and very commercial. Charles Joseph is a force of nature when it comes to the retention of complex factual matters.’

‘Jeremy Kosky is a stand out litigator with a huge wealth of experience, particularly in the cross border and offshore trust disputes market. He is extremely responsive, on top of details and the papers and clearly dedicated to providing a first-rate service to clients. Laura Hasson is a star of the future. She is very bright, diligent and responsive.’

‘Toby Graham, Jeremy Gordon, and Charlotte Fraser are all stars in this field. All the more junior associates are impressive.’

‘Undoubtedly one of the best teams in the country. It comprises several very strong solicitors, but the superb Charlotte Fraser and wonderful Joanna Poole are particularly well respected in the contentious trusts and probate world.’

‘Tom McPhail is without a doubt the best associate I’ve worked with. He is extremely clever and very pleasant to work with. Toby Graham is brilliant at moving a case forward, and despite his seniority will get his hands dirty in the detail.’

‘At all levels of the firm, they combine an incisive legal judgement with a practical and unpretentious manner which underlines that they know what they’re doing.’

‘Farrers have a great, and well deserved, reputation in the market for providing extremely high-quality, highly strategic advice in tricky litigation, and for leveraging great settlements’

‘Toby Graham is tenacious and methodical holding years of private client trust and probate litigation experience. Toby is an outstanding leader in the private client trust and probate litigation realm.’

‘The very talented Charlotte Fraser and Joanna Poole are hugely experienced and able, with the ability to see the bigger picture. Charlotte is supremely well organised. Joanna has a disarming combination of real steeliness and charm who fights for the right result for her clients.’

‘Elizabeth Sainsbury is a brilliant new partner who has proven herself fully able to lead the very biggest trusts cases. She is incredibly efficient, on top of the detail, and a wonderful team manager.’

‘Forsters provide an excellent service, with great knowledge and expertise in this specialist area. They have a first-rate team, with great strength in depth. They also have the ability to call on the assistance of a very strong private client, non-contentious team, where the occasion demands.’

‘Roberta Harvey is a formidable litigator with astute judgement and vast experience. Hannah Mantle is extremely impressive; she is very responsive and gives calm and wise counsel in fraught situations. At associate level, Ashleigh Carr is a stand-out associate. She is unflappable and all over the detail of a case.’

‘The team at Forsters is simply brilliant. They are all well on top of their brief, fiercely intelligent and have a brilliant client manner.’

‘Roberta Harvey is fantastic; on top of the detail, extremely intelligent and charismatic. Ashleigh Carr is a rising star; highly intelligent and brilliant with clients.’

‘An extremely strong team in which Hannah Mantle is a particularly valuable asset. They are real experts and give a very bespoke, personal service.’

‘Roberta Harvey is a leading light in this area, fast becoming one of the best. Maryam Oghanna has all the right qualities to reach the top of this field. Also, one of the most engaging public speakers I have seen on the legal circuit.’

‘They are really good lawyers who put their client’s interests first and seek a negotiated settlement where possible. Alison Meek is so experienced and always empathetic. Roberta Harvey is dogged and determined to do the best for her clients.’

‘The team is ably led by Roberta Harvey and together with Alison Meek and Hannah Mantle. Their reputation in the contentious trusts and estates field is building. They are one of the go-to law firms.’

‘Quite simply, they have it all. They have superb technical abilities, and clients feel absolute commitment to their cases. They are also fun to work with, relatable, and the quality of work is second-to-none.’

‘Charles Lloyd is just brilliant. Incisive and utterly fearless. Jacob Ward is a standout with fantastic technical knowledge. He is a great communicator and absolutely on top of the detail. I’d have him on my side anytime.’

‘Jonathan Arr has a great team working for him who are all clearly loyal and consistently talented focused and hardworking. Jonathan and his team have helped build a great relationship with our team which makes the challenging and complex environment also enjoyable.’

‘Jonathan Arr as lead partner, supported by Emma Cohen, has been excellent. As well as being great at their jobs they are a pleasure to deal with and have made us feel so well supported in a particularly unpleasant environment.’

‘Charles Lloyd, Jonathan Arr and Elizabeth Doherty offer a unique and diverse team addressing all possible complex trust and probate situations. They are very professional and approachable alike, a true pleasure to work with.’

‘Charles Lloyd is avuncular and yet a master strategist and litigator. Elizabeth Doherty has razor intellect and is incredibly personable.’

‘Charles Lloyd is a senior statesman. Unflappable, wise, calm, and possessed with tremendous judgement. Elizabeth Doherty is smart, energetic, sensible, and with a keen sense of what matters.’

‘Elizabeth Doherty is ultra smart, commercial and client focussed with an excellent eye for strategic issues and a real pleasure to work with.’

‘Mark Keenan has seen it all in contentious probate. He has exceptional legal knowledge and he is also an excellent tactician, very approachable and personable.’ 

‘The team is both deep and broad, and seems to be able to handle huge amounts of work, some of it international, without losing quality.’

‘Mark Keenan is a calm, good strategic thinking with very good client management skills. Jessica Medus is thorough and methodical, and she seems like a very good manager of the associates under her.’

‘Emilia Piskorz is supremely talented, super bright, amazingly organised and a genuinely fun person to work with.’

‘Mark Keenan is whip smart and brilliant with strategy. Jessica Medus is a fantastic new partner, fiercely bright and brilliant with clients.‘

‘Mark Keenan and Peter Steen are superstars! They understand the difficulties of law but balance those against the real world issues that arise in their cases. Fantastic lawyers.’

‘Mark Keenan defends his client’s corner forcefully and is a feared opponent. Emilia Piskorz is a partner in the making who is on top of the detail but understands the big picture. Mariel Stringer Fehlow is a pleasure to deal with and throws herself into her cases.’

‘Mark Keenan is fantastic; a litigator’s litigator, he is calm, hugely knowledgeable and has excellent tactical nous. Emily Bueno is surely a star of the future. Super bright and fantastic with clients.’

‘PHB has a first-rate contentious trust and probate team. They are knowledgeable, fast to react and have very good litigation instincts. They also have excellent resources within the firm to call on when needed, where issues of tax, family law or company issues arise.’

‘Richard Manyon is superb. He is very clever but always has a practical solution in mind and works tirelessly to achieve it. Jessica Henson is equally determined, pragmatic and knowledgeable.’

‘The team has some excellent associates. Rosie Sells is fantastic with an amazing eye for the crucial detail, and she is bright and very responsive. Charlotte Henshall is also a standout member of the team; she manages complex dynamic situations with calm and expertise.’

‘This is one of the smaller teams in this area but nevertheless is capable of taking on large value, complex contentious private client work. There is a high degree of partner involvement and the associates are impressively hard working and devoted to the cause.’

‘Richard Manyon and Jessica Henson are both extremely intelligent and personable. They are each leading practitioners in the contentious trust and probate sphere; clients can be reassured that they will deliver well-thought through strategies and legal product.’

‘Richard Manyon and Jessica Henson make a great team. They are an impressive double act and they’re building a great team around them. Emily Stoneham and Clementine Dowley are both very impressive.’

‘Jessica Henson is one of the most impressive contentious trusts partners in London. She is a fierce advocate for her clients’ interests, a true pleasure to work with due to her responsiveness and reassuring manner, and her knowledge of the law and intellect are exceptional.’

‘Richard Manyon is the unquestioned leader and driving force behind the team. He’s very smart but equally enjoys rolling his sleeves up and fighting his client’s corner. A tough adversary but a very pleasant person to work with.’

‘Judith Swinhoe- Standen is super on the ball. Emma Holland’s planning is amazing. I love working with them.’

‘Geoff Kertesz is brilliant. He is switched on, pragmatic and commercial and is fantastic to work with or against. James has done an impressive job building up the team and the practice. Emma Holland is really excellent.’

‘Marcus Parker is an outstanding operator. He instinctively knows how best to situate clients with the right advice and solve the problems that every mandate poses. He does all of this seemingly effortlessly and with a pitch-perfect manner.’

‘Stewarts have gone from strength to strength and they are the clear lead specialist litigation team in London. They have one of the most impressive partner teams and some talented associates coming up the ranks. The team is highly responsive and technically strong. They continue to attract large mandates and get good results.’

‘Geoff Kertesz has fantastic commercial instincts and an impressive strategic compass. He is the person who will always get you where you need to be, with efficiency and success.’

‘James Price is one of the best commercial litigators in the industry. He is fearless but fair and manages to always get the result the client wants by intelligent and commercial strategy.’

‘Marcus Parker is a clear leader in the field; his knowledge of the market is unparalleled, and he is who you want on your side when things get complex and hostile.’

‘James Price is well respected and top tier. He has done a great job of establishing the team. Geoff Kertesz is an excellent practical lawyer with a deep understanding of the area and great experience. Emma Holland has an exceptional eye for detail.’

‘Emma Jordan combines both a keen knowledge of the law and sound practical and client management skills.’

‘Emma Jordan’s knowledge of different jurisdictions is outstanding.’

‘Their knowledge base is incredibly deep. They work effectively and efficiently as a team which is sometimes difficult with large teams. Very easy to work with and seem to work well with other lawyers from other jurisdictions.’

‘Caroline Tayler is a star; very detail orientated and sharp as a tack. Kirstie McGuigan is an efficient leader who excels in complex trust disputes.’

‘This team works in close cooperation with the firm’s private client team, giving them a breadth of understanding of trusts and probate issues not always found in competing firms.’

‘Kirstie McGuigan and Caroline Tayler are super-organised and hardworking. They are very warm and sympathetic to deal with, but have excellent legal and strategic judgement and are utterly committed to helping their clients. Nothing escapes their notice.’

‘Industrious, focused on client interests and thorough. A real specialist team who know the sector well.’

‘Kirstie McGuigan is super. A natural team leader and one who always puts the client interest in front. Very experienced.  Kate Silbermann is a very promising private client lawyer who is destined for great things.’

‘This is one of the strongest contentious trusts and probate teams in the country. Paul Hewitt is a master of strategy and tactics and not someone you would want to face on the other side.’

‘Stephen Richards is an excellent solicitor and litigator. He is calm and unflappable, providing clear and measured advice to clients, even in very difficult and challenging circumstances and is excellent at identifying a clear strategy for a case.’

‘Natasha Stourton provided seamless support for me and my junior. Other excellent work in the team was done in particular by Richard Walker and Alexandra Dix.’

‘A huge and talented team that is industry leading in its scope, knowledge, and experience. Paul Hewitt is one of the big names. A tenacious and highly effective litigator.’

‘Paul Hewitt is one of the best in this area; an astute tactician, unflappable, clever and hugely experienced. Natasha Stourton is sensitive to the client’s needs, calm, experienced and strategic. Sarah Aughwane is very calm, has a wealth of knowledge and above all a strategic approach.’

‘Steven Kempster is exceptional in his attention to detail, his calmness and clarity of thinking and his manner with clients. He comes without any ego or airs and graces and provides excellent service.’

‘Natasha Stourton and Dawn Goodman are arguably the finest trusts and estates team in London; there is nothing they do not know and nothing they cannot do. Real strength at all levels.’

‘Paul Hewitt is an outstanding practitioner. Extremely knowledgeable and super experienced; a consummate litigator. Stephen Richards is both one of the finest and also one of the nicest litigators around. Sarah Aughwane is clever, approachable, and diligent.’

‘The team is always responsive and collaborative. They are very experienced lawyers and easily understand client needs. Richard Norridge provides reassuring guidance. He is adept at simplifying complex legal matters.’ 

‘They are practical and to the point with solid background knowledge.’

‘Richard Norridge is really a distinguished leader in the area who brings unparalleled niches to his client. His professional knowledge is always up-to-date, and his experience in managing the case and litigation strategy is impressive.’

‘Very capable and knowledgeable.’

‘The HSF team have an innate ability to understand and dissect a problematic contentious situation and quickly distil it into a key risks statement with concise and practical steps to move forward.’

‘Richard Norridge is a standout professional in this area of practice. His mental capacity and agility are incomparable and his ability to assimilate complex situations quickly and deliver well-considered, practical advice is nothing short of impressive.’

‘Together with his colleague John Mathew, Richard Norridge’s ability to horizon scan complex problems and pre-empt potential pitfalls and problems in litigation is a skill to admire and hugely beneficial to his clients.’

‘Herbert Smith Freehills has one of the leading contentious trust and probate teams in London, regularly advising on some of the most significant cross-border disputes with a particular strength in advising on matters involving Asia and the Middle East. They are very responsive and collaborative.’

‘Naomi O’Higgins is a very experienced litigator. She really fights for and empathises with her clients. She is all over the detail and doesn’t hesitate to get stuck in, but never forgets to think about her clients’ best interests.’

‘Monika Byrska’s affable manner endears her to clients and disarms her opponents, while her fierce intellect and steely determination out-manoeuvers her opponents towards her client’s objectives.’

‘Howard Kennedy has a very strong contentious trust and estates team, headed up by the fantastic Naomi O’Higgins. They have huge experience in the wide range of issues which arise in these disputes, from multi-jurisdictional aspects to tax implications.’

‘Naomi O’Higgins has a very clear-sighted and focused approach to any dispute; she hones in on the key aspects and prioritises what will best deliver the clients’ objectives.’

‘Naomi O’Higgins has built a great team around her with the recruitment of the excellent Monica Byrska. At associate level, Brendan Udokoro is a great asset: he is hard-working, utterly reliable and has a cool head under pressure. ’

‘Emily Mailer is a class act.’

‘Naomi O’Higgins is a great head of team, with some fantastic work. A shrewd operator, but approachable too. Monika Byrska is a great addition to the team as a partner; she really knows her stuff. Emily Mailer is very knowledgeable, experienced, and has a great rapport with her clients.’

‘Ryan Mowat is exceptional. He has such good instincts and his commitment to his client’s cause is tireless. He has strong support from Katherine Pymont, who is insightful, tenacious and pragmatic. Kate Salter and Anna Metajder are extremely dedicated and on top of the detail.’

‘Ryan Mowat is easy to recommend. He’s a perfect person to head up any contentious matter, both in terms of high-level tactical considerations and ensuring appropriate resourcing.’

‘Laura Phillips is a highly effective and self-assured litigator who has a great head for both strategy and tactics.’

‘Ryan Mowat and Katherine Pymont put themselves out to accommodate the five hours time difference between UK and USA. We found that we very quickly trusted the exactness of their advice, and correctness of their intelligent opinions and perfect timing. All mixed with a human touch.’ 

‘Ryan Mowat heads a really great team. Fun to work with but dedicated to their clients and achieving a successful outcome.’

‘Ryan Mowat is a very experienced litigator. Katherine Pymont is the newest partner and is fantastically dedicated to her role and to succeeding for her clients. Kate Salter and Laura Phillips make up a great team.’

‘Kingsley Napley have an ability to pick up the most challenging cases and turn them into success stories. They fight hard for clients in the most difficult situations, and get great results by their excellent judgement, technical knowledge and common sense.’

‘Ryan Mowat is one of the best trusts and estates litigators out there. He is completely unflappable and always goes the extra mile for clients. Katherine Pymont and Laura Phillips are both hugely bright and efficient; definitely ones to watch.’

‘Rupert Ticehurst is so clever. He thinks deeply about what is in the best interests of his clients and delivers.’

‘They have sufficient strength and depth to deal with complex matters, yet are small enough to provide a bespoke and highly personal service.’

‘We have worked closely with Rupert Ticehurst. He is truly outstanding; whip smart, personable, commercially minded. One of the best.’

‘Very experienced in this niche but very difficult field.’

‘Rupert Ticehurst is an exceptionally clear thinker who does not get distracted with peripheral issues but focuses his laser-like intellect on the fundamental issues and, unlike other lawyers, can give clear advice.’

‘This is a very strong team both for contentious and non-contentious matters. Rupert Ticehurst is an excellent lawyer with skill in contentious litigation as well as non-contentious advisory work.’

‘Rupert Ticehurst is a wonderful solicitor with a fantastic and well-deserved reputation.‘

‘If I were a lay client looking for a solicitor to fight my corner in a will or trust dispute, Rupert Ticehurst would be one of my first choices. An unwavering, tenacious and determined advocate of his clients and their interests. Rightly regarded as a one of the doyens in his field.’

‘Russell Cooke is an outstanding firm with some of the leading lawyers in their respective fields. The breadth of their expertise means that any related issues can be resolved in-house.’

‘Alison Regan is an exceptional lawyer with superb technical knowledge.  She was able to grasp the gist of the issues and formulated strategies very quickly. Her style of negotiation was persuasive and firm, and she helped to resolve a long-standing issue within a matter of weeks.’

‘Experienced partners, they hire and train to a best in class standard. Expect a Rolls Royce-type service; they are excellent solicitors who I would want on my side.’

‘Really well-led by two highly experienced partners. The team is very close-knit. Alison Regan and Gareth Ledsham provide real leadership and strategic focus.’

‘Andrew Morgan is a real rising star and bound to make partner soon.’

‘Alison Regan is one of the stars of the industry. Clients rightly trust her judgement and her forensic analysis. Her correspondence appears so measured and reasonable, it is very difficult for opponents to try to start scoring points against her. Alison has the air of someone who could solve any problem.’

‘Gareth Ledsham is one of the leaders of our sector. He balances his contentious estates and trusts practice with his complimentary Court of Protection practice. Gareth is a calming influence in the heat of litigation.‘

‘New partner Sarah Arnold is a great addition to the team. Sarah is a fantastic litigator with a client-focussed approach combined with a deft touch for litigation tactics. Andrew Morgan offers real attention to detail combined with subject-matter expertise.’

‘They never cut a corner nor give less than 100% commitment. Always available, even when you know they are frantically busy.’

‘Jenny McKeow is the doyenne of this area of law; she commands huge respect from her peers and clients, as well as immense loyalty from her team.’

‘I have worked with Peter Gillis and Maria Chami and they are all formidable operators. I have also worked with Helena Berman, who is undoubtedly the go-to contentious pensions lawyer.’

‘A top team, they are always extremely busy and seem to have a huge number of dedicated clients on their roster. Once a client gets to know them they very rarely leave. Very lean and efficient teams deliver a top-class service.’

‘Jenny McKeown is extremely hard-working and a great organiser; she demands and gets the best out of any cross-border team she works with. Unlike less confident lawyers she is always ready to re-evaluate the case and conclude that a better strategy is available.’

‘Helena Berman is excellent and lovely to work with. Peter Gillis is brilliant and a future star partner. Maria Chami is an excellent associate, very hard working and easy to work with.’

‘Jenny McKeown is very client friendly and practical in assisting clients in navigating complex technical matters. Peter Gillis is also very strong technically and reliable.’

‘Real presence now in the market; being strong in Far East adds a string to their bow. Jenny McKeown is well respected on the circuit as a strong opponent backed up by an excellent team.’

‘Anthony Gold’s contentious trusts and probate team is a superb group of lawyers with strength at all levels. They are technically excellent and excellent at navigating their clients through complex cases and securing outstanding outcomes.’

‘Tom Dickinson was very deservedly promoted to partner recently. Tom is an outstanding lawyer who combines excellent understanding of the law with fantastic client handling skills. He takes legally and factually complex disputes in his stride and clients really appreciate his sensitive handling of difficult issues.’

‘Kimberley McGhie is loved by her clients, who really appreciate her calm and methodical approach to cases.’

‘David Wedgwood is a venerated figure and one of the ‘godfathers’ of the private client world. David has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and procedure, and he is very focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for his clients.’

‘Anthony Gold stands head and shoulders above the rest. The team is exceptional in every way: friendly, professional and a fantastic bunch lawyers. Their cases are always perfectly managed and commercially and pragmatically handled, making them be received well by the judiciary, and make clients very happy indeed.’

‘Tom Dickinson is second-to-none. The latest partner in an all round exceptional team. His legal know-how combined with his pragmatic and friendly manner makes him a great solicitor to work with, and a formidable opponent to be against. Clients couldn’t ask for more.’

‘David Wedgwood leads the contentious trusts and probate team, and is a fantastic solicitor to work with, commanding the respect of other firms and counsel to such an extent he is often recommended to be brought in as an independent administrator or trustee.’

‘I would highly recommend Beth Holden. She blends sound legal judgement with great tenacity and an ability to effectively deal with both demanding clients and opponents.’

‘The team has enormous experience in this area and really comes into its own when contentious trusts and estates overlap with agricultural work where it is a leader in the field. It competes with the big London teams in this field and attracts high-profile and valuable work.’

‘Kevin Kennedy is excellent with clients and tough with opponents but knows when to settle a case.’

‘The team is very collaborative with the client as well as internally with other departments.’

‘Our main point of contact, Justin Briggs, is very involved and thorough in his analysis of the issues being faced.’

‘A superb team full of talented lawyers who are able to manage the most complex litigation.’

‘Kevin Kennedy is undoubtedly one of the leading contentious trust lawyers in the country. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and is extremely adept at managing complex litigation and large teams.’

‘A top-notch team which attracts first-rate work. Kevin Kennedy is a leader in this field; a first-rate lawyer.’

‘A very capable team. Kevin Kennedy is an excellent trust litigator who is very easy to work with.’

‘Sangita Manek is a standout partner. She has been recruited from a leading provincial practice where she was always treated as a London-style lawyer. She is no-nonsense, strategic, sensible and completely client driven and focused. She knows when to fight and when to seek a compromise.’ 

‘They have a large team with a very modern approach. Laura Gabrel is excellent; she fights every inch for a client, and has excellent commercial acumen.’

’Irwin Mitchell have developed an impressive profile in this type of work. They are extremely client focussed. Claire-Marie Cornford is the standout partner at Irwin Mitchell. She is a great lawyer, resolute under fire and utterly devoted to the client’s interests.’

‘The Irwin Mitchell contentious trust and probate team is very good. It has vast experience of the whole range of disputes in this field and is ably supported by its non-contentious trust and tax team.’

‘Claire-Marie Cornford is a very strong team leader. She is excellent with clients, always calm, professional and empathetic and they rightly have every confidence that she will fight their corner with determination.’

’Irwin Mitchell’s London team has a strong contentious trusts and probate offering. It also has the benefit of a good private client department for support. Claire-Marie Cornford is very astute and experienced. Samantha Ewing is very thorough.’

‘Claire-Marie Cornford is a tenacious litigator who understands client needs. She combines empathy with resilience. Samantha Ewing is an organised and efficient litigator who always keeps the client’s objectives in mind.’

‘Sangita Manek is a great fighter for her clients, is quick to pick up on the other side’s areas of vulnerability and not to let them go. She is extremely efficient, never misses a deadline and is a good team player.’

‘I am a great fan of Mills & Reeve across their various offices nationwide in both contentious and non-contentious private client work. Very capable of handling any contentious trust or probate matter out of any office, including London.’

‘Spread around regional offices but highly integrated as a single team so that they can offer excellence throughout all levels of seniority. They are all extremely dedicated.’

‘Lucy Howard is beyond dedicated; she is so committed to each client, really fights their corner, and is a very savvy operator. Clients love her.’

‘David Catchpole is highly experienced and a thoroughly decent litigator and person.’

‘Kieran Leahy is still relatively junior but demonstrates perception and knowledge of the law and litigation strategy well beyond his years.’

‘Simon Pedley is a seasoned trusts litigator who is experienced and calm.’

‘Mills & Reeve have gone on a recruiting spree recently and picked up some top-class talent, particularly Lucinda Brown from BDB. They now have an offering which happily competes with the big players in London.’

‘Lucinda Brown is a leader in this field. She is widely respected and acknowledged and is able to bring in serious quality work and manage it. She is liked by her team and opponents alike.’

‘An ambitious team who work hard for their clients. Katie de Swarte is a hard working and ambitious lawyer.’

‘The focal point is very much Jan Atkinson, who has a wealth of experience and expertise in this area. She attracts superb clients and she deals with them brilliantly. She is supported by strong associates.’

‘A well-established contentious trusts and probate team. Katie de Swarte is very good with clients and committed to helping them achieve their objectives.’

‘Jan Atkinson heads up the team and is a respected senior lawyer. Elspeth Neilson is excellent. She develops trusting client relationships based on good advice.’

‘Excellent team doing high-end work. Would always consider for referral and conflict work. I would recommend Katie de Swarte, who is easy to deal with and a knowledgeable, formidable opponent.’

‘Katie de Swarte and I have been opponents on matters and we refer conflict work to each other. Katie is professional, capable and I know and trust her to look after clients I refer to her.’

‘Jan Atkinson is a top-class contentious probate lawyer. Always on top of the detail and pleasant with opponents and peers alike, she is much sought-after for referrals work.’

‘Katie de Swarte and Elspeth Neilson are first-rate lawyers. Elspeth has a wealth of experience in acting as an independent administrator.’

‘The team has a strong international practice and contains a lot of knowledge. Sarah Lee considers points from lots of angles. Andrew Bird is good at staying on top of complicated papers.’

‘The partner Michael Cash has an excellent knowledge of the law as well as a down-to-earth, practical approach. The overall service was impressive.’

‘I have worked with Andrew Bird. He is bright and thorough in his approach to cases, and has an excellent manner with clients.’

‘The contentious probate team at PMC is part of the bedrock of the private client market. The solicitors are consistently involved in high-profile matters and are an excellent option for individuals who find themselves in such disputes.’

‘Michael Cash continues to lead the team with his unrivalled experience. I have worked with Sarah Lee, who is wonderfully efficient, and Andrew Bird, who is a gifted lawyer and vital cog in the team. They have always impressed me.’

‘I have worked with multiple people in Penningtons for over a decade now. In particular, Michael Cash and Sarah Lee in multiple cases. Penningtons are an excellent firm for this area of law. Large enough to have the clout and ability to handle the largest of cases, small enough to feel personal, which is essential in this field.’

‘Michael Cash is the leading partner in the team in this field. Years of experience, widely respected, regularly appointed by the courts to handle really difficult estates and trusts, and it shows in his handling of the most difficult of clients and opponents.’

‘Sarah Lee is at the top of her game right now. In particular, she deals with cross-border issues on such a regular basis that she might as well be multi-qualified. Absolutely a delight to work with or against.’

‘Really great boutique style firm. Small in number but attracts great work no doubt because of the strength of its expertise in the private wealth space. Frequently see Lucy Gibson and Henry Hickman on a broad range of trust and estate matters.’

‘Henry Hickman and Lucy Gibson are both fantastic litigators. Henry wears his expertise lightly and is always pragmatic but really knows his stuff.’

‘Lucy Gibson is a delight to work with or against on a case. Charming and with the bigger picture in mind. Very good with tricky clients.’

‘The dedication of the partners and the associates is very impressive. Their attention to detail, speed of response and care in dealing with complex and sensitive matters is exemplary.’

‘Amy Williams is very good to work with, practical and efficient. Henry Hickman is very experienced in contentious probate matters and good to work with.’

‘Henry Hickman is one of the best of his vintage. Straight talking, commercial, and excellent on tactics. I do not hesitate to put him forward.’

‘Sinclair Gibson are a superb boutique firm. Their lawyers have excellent judgement and huge expertise in their field, with a great reputation for both offshore trusts work and high-value UK inheritance disputes.’

‘Amy Williams is a brilliant litigator who fights hard for her clients and gets great results. She is also a calm and reassuring presence for clients even in the stormiest litigation.’

‘I have worked with James Lister, Jack Bailey and Hayley Robinson. James Lister is one of the leaders in our field. He backs up his reassuring confidence with deep technical knowledge and solid judgement.’

‘Jack Bailey has been producing partner level work for some time. He is bright, capable, measured and determined. Jack has the qualities clients need to get them the best possible outcomes from what are often the most difficult times in their lives.‘

‘Hayley Robinson is an excellent senior associate. She has good judgement and is technically able. Hayley is committed to helping clients achieve their objectives.’

‘I would call out partner Jack Bailey as a great litigator, and really great with clients. He’s a good man to have in your corner.’

‘James Lister deserves recognition for leading an effective team with a combination of legal expertise and commercial acumen.’

‘Hayley Robinson is great to deal with, thorough and pragmatic. James Lister is always calm and collected and leading a great team.’

‘Growing and an excellent option. Pick up a lot of referrals on big cases from the main London players. Well deserving of their success.’

‘James Lister is a high-quality operator. Jack Bailey is a good promotion. Hayley Robinson is a fantastic associate and certainly one for the future. Determined and compassionate.’

‘The contentious trusts and probate team at Wedlake Bell is a well-oiled machine and rightly commands the respect of the market.’

‘Andrew O’Keeffe runs the shop with aplomb as the managing partner of the team. He’s very happy to get his hands dirty, especially with negotiation, but delegates appropriately to his talented team of associates.’

‘I remain particularly impressed with Thomas Klemme, who is developing into a brilliant lawyer. He is one to watch.’

‘The contentious trusts and probate team at Wedlake Bell is second-to-none. The quality of all members of the team, from junior solicitors to partners, is exceptionally good and enables the involvement of partners, senior associates and more junior members to be kept at just the right level.’

‘The team members’ technical legal knowledge is excellent, and so is their commercial and financial acumen. They handle good-quality, high-value cases and they get good results.’

‘Caroline Miller is a first-class trusts and estates lawyer who is at the top of her game. She has a huge amount of experience, excellent judgement and a great sense of litigation tactics combined with her knowledge and experience of the technical and practical aspects of tax, trusts and estates law.’

‘This is a very well-known team for private client disputes; having a very well-known private client team means they are often involved in substantial disputes. Andrew O’Keeffe is a realist who sees early on how things will go.’

‘Andrew O’Keeffe is my standout figure within the disputed trusts and estates side of the firm. A relentless opponent, reasoned and thorough tactician and litigator. He is a shrewd operator who I rate very highly.’

‘Neil Long is a standout individual who balances robust practice with an extremely charismatic personality which he can deploy to de-escalate even the most trenchant litigators in order to bring people together to negotiate.’

‘This team has excellent lawyers from top to bottom, with great experience of dealing with private client work and contentious trust and probate work. Their attention to detail is first rate.’ 

‘Neil Long is a top drawer lawyer who provides excellent advice to clients and can be tenacious in contested litigation striving to achieve the best outcome possible.’

‘Will Ford is a very clever lawyer who appreciates the requirement to consider the bigger picture for the benefit of clients. Rosie Taylor is an excellent up-and-coming associate who is always on the ball and has a great eye for detail.’

‘As well as being highly experienced, the team is notably proactive in quickly understanding the issues and nuances of a specific situation, recommending and delivering effective solutions at value-for-money fees.’

‘I have engaged the services of several high-profile London and regional legal firms over the last 15 years. WBD, through Neil Long and Rosie Taylor, have outperformed all.’

‘Neil Long has great trial experience that he deploys to good effect for his clients. He works really hard to achieve his clients’ objectives.’

‘Neil Long’s charming manner disguises the steely determination to achieve his clients’ goals that invariably succeeds.’

‘A small but dedicated team with great commitment.’

‘Paul Levy is an excellent young partner really making a name for himself. Helen Freely is hugely experienced with great litigation instincts and real concern for the clients.’

‘A well-established and very professional private client outfit.’

‘Paul Levy is hyper intelligent and intensely hardworking.’

‘Helen Freely is very bright and will fight like a velociraptor for her clients.’

‘Very client-focused and highly-skilled private client team with a great reputation.’

‘Catherine Naylor is an outstanding lawyer; she is a calm, clever, and sophisticated thinker. Emily Till is a brilliant associate and one of the smartest I have come across.’

‘We deal primarily with the London office and find them to be excellent at understanding the complexities of offshore and cross-border litigation.’

‘Catherine Naylor rises to every challenge and is an excellent litigator. James Sidwell is a seasoned litigator who has outstanding tactical sense and a cerebral approach to litigation.’

‘Gowling have a team of excellent commercial litigators who can bring all that expertise and experience to bear on big trusts litigation.’

‘Catherine Naylor is a standout partner and exceptional litigator with verve and charisma.’

‘Alexa Payet is technically very able and meticulous in her analysis and work product. She cares intensely about moving her client’s positions towards their objectives.’

‘Natasha McKeever is a charismatic leader. She softens her robust determination with a disarming charm. Clients adore her.’

‘Emma Bryson is amiable, confident and has developed a solid technical knowledge. She’s an excellent associate.’

‘This is a strong team with a deserved reputation in this area. New partner Alexa Payet was a great hire for the disputed wills and estates team at Michelmores.’

‘Alexa Payet deserves recognition as a highly effective litigator with the real subject matter expertise that is essential in this area. She is really great with clients.’

‘Tony Cockayne has built an excellent team around him. He is very experienced and has an excellent sense of how a case will develop and where a deal may lie. He is very strategic in his approach and is always looking for the other side’s pressure points.’  

‘Tony Cockayne is a fantastic elder statesman with the rare ability to build a rapport with opponents and make progress on a case.’

‘Alexa Payet is an excellent lawyer and Emily Peacock is her assistant. They are both pragmatic and sensible to work alongside. ’

‘All the practitioners we worked with were attentive. Communication was excellent and timely. Explanations of some very technical trust law was excellent and clear.’

‘The team at Weightmans has some excellent litigators.’

‘I have worked with Nigel West over the last few years on a number of very complex and sensitive matters. He is a brilliant strategist and thinks creatively to win cases.’

‘Good knowledge of contentious trusts and probate, including 1975 Act disputes.’

‘Oliver Haddock had a good feel for the issues raised by the litigation. Previously I have worked with Nigel West on difficult contested 1975 Act claims. Nigel has a good understanding of this sort of work and provided clear and pragmatic advice to the clients.’

‘Extremely helpful all-round practice. I am dealing with Nigel West and find him to be very competent.’

‘I find working with Nigel West easy as he is always available and considerate. Competent and very professional with his advice.’

‘Jonathan Shankland’s judgement and ability to make connections with clients accounts for his huge following. He is not phased by clients, their idiosyncrasies, demands or their wealth. He goes above what is required to find solutions.’