Greenwoods has a large firm-wide private client practice with a foothold in Cambridge, where practice head Clare Harris is the standout practitioner. Clients regard her as 'a proactive, commercial lawyer who has great technical competencies'. Legal executive Ellen Eley also plays a key role in the 'slick and impressive team'. Both are STEP-qualified, and Harris is also a Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association. Locally, the firm has a strong bank of multi-generational trusts and estates work, and is also adept in Court of Protection matters.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘A slick and impressive team.’

  • ‘Clare Harris - a true professional.’

  • ‘The team is responsive from the initial enquiry through to completion and billing. The fee earner is made known to the client from the start and will ensure that they are the principal contact for the matter and takes full responsibility for engagement delivery. If there is an area outside their expertise they will acknowledge and revert with the answer / conversation with an appropriate colleague.'

  • 'I find the Greenwoods approach refreshing against an age of hiding behind an email and no sense of relationship being built.’
  • ‘The team at Greenwoods is very attentive, client centric and are able to distil complex information in a user friendly manner.’

  • ‘Clare Harris is an excellent example of a proactive, commercial lawyer who has great technical competencies.’

Work highlights

  • Advising executors of an estate containing numerous parcels of land and woodland, in relation to IHT and eligibility to claim Agricultural Relief (and the applicable rate), Business Relief or Heritage Conditional Exemption depending on the nature and use of the land.
  • Advising a client on how his IHT position would differ if he were to enter into a civil partnership.
  • Varying a Will to leave AIM portfolio to non-exempt beneficiaries in order to benefit from Business Relief.

Lawyers

Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Clare Harris

Other key lawyers

Ellen Eley