At Sydney Mitchell LLP, Mitra Mann (who was promoted to the partnership in April 2024) and Dean Parnell co-head the department. Mann joined the firm from Wright Hassall LLP in June 2023.  She has a wealth of experience in dealing with a variety of contentious probate matters, in addition to Court of Protection disputes. Mann regularly advises attorneys, deputies and families on how best to protect vulnerable individuals. Private client head Tracy Creed assists with challenges to the validity of wills and claims against trusts.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Mitra’s team is efficient and responds to, and acknowledges, emails quickly. Information is relayed in a timely manner, ensuring a reassuring continuity of work and contact. I want professionalism, reliability, honesty and efficiency in all services I pay for. Mitra’s team more than meets all of these.’

  • 'Mitra is very experienced, meticulous, and excels in her attention to detail. She *listens* and *remembers*, so time isn’t wasted on repetition. She never underestimates the adversary, nor indeed her client.' 

  • ‘Mitra Mann is an incredible lawyer with a calm and confident approach to rival other professionals. Her approach at mediations is very helpful while maintaining her clients’ confidence and position.’

  • ‘Provides a gold-star service and very personable. Great knowledge and expertise with very clear and concise advice. Mitra Mann is an exceptionally knowledgeable and reliable legal professional, she is highly skilled and capable, providing an outstanding service with a personable and pragmatic approach.' 

  • ‘Mitra Mann is one of the few lawyers in the area able to advise on complex Court of Protection cases. Mitra's wide experience in contested probate and trust cases, often of high value, allows her to navigate the most complex of cases to achieve the very best of outcomes for her clients.’

  • ‘The team is headed by Mitra Mann who is a dynamic, intelligent and steadfast lawyer whose reputation in this area is the top of the field.’

  • ‘Ian Sheppard: very hard-working and well versed in matters of commercial and property litigation, enabling a cross-over to suit the client's needs.'

  • 'Mitra Mann: a genuine market leader in Court of Protection work, who holds many years' worth of specialist contentious probate experience.’

Work highlights

  • Successfully acted for a client who disputed the validity of his sister’s will.
  • Successfully acted for an administrator who was in dispute with his co-administrator in relation to the distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries.
  • Successfully acted for an adult child in securing reasonable provision from an estate under the 1975 Act by way of a life interest in the property where she resided with her mother most of her life.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Mitra Mann, Dean Parnell

Other key lawyers

Tracy Creed, Ian Sheppard