England - Yorkshire And The Humber • Private client
Paula Myers, national head and director of private client services, co-leads the team at Irwin Mitchell alongside head of the firm’s Leeds and Sheffield contentious trust and probate teams James Laycock. Both are highly recommended, Myers as ‘a national player of premier-league standard’ and Laycock an ’estates and trusts litigation heavyweight’. The team deals with a variety of contested matters, from validity of wills and lifetime gifts to professional negligence claims arising from defective trust instruments and wills, in addition to Court of Protection work regarding financial abuse. Laura Pang joined the team February 2023 from Freeths LLP, bringing expertise regarding cross-border disputes and high value estates. Former Sheffield team head Carla Rist has left the firm.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Irwin Mitchell are one of the country's most impressive estates and trusts litigation teams. They have the resources to tackle the full gamut from small Inheritance Act claims to large multinational trusts disputes.’
‘James Laycock is a estates and trusts litigation heavyweight. He has excellent judgment, client handling skills and academic knowledge. Richard Smaller is highly intelligent and has a natural and unfussy style which endears him to those with him and against him.’
‘The team has a national reputation: the team consists of an excellent mix of partners, senior associates, and associates, all of whom are real specialists in the practice area with a wide range of experience. The partners offer excellent leadership and strategic direction, whereas the senior associates and associates provide excellent value for money service to the clients. Because they all know the law and practice so well, they can offer concise, targeted advice at every stage of a dispute. They also all have excellent local knowledge of the north.’
‘Paula Myers is excellent at teasing out the facts from her clients and making them into something worth fighting for. Her knowledge of proprietary estoppel means she is the go-to litigator in this area. She is a fighter for her clients, but knows exactly when to settle.’
‘Paula Myers is very experienced in probate disputes and also manages nationally. Definitely somebody you want on your side.'
‘They have a truly national presence which guarantees a depth of experience and excellent training and career prospects for their solicitors.’
‘Laura Pang in Leeds has recently joined and will be an asset to the firm. Laura is tenacious and tough and gets excellent results for her clients.'
‘Paula Myers dominates the contentious trust and probate sector in Yorkshire, and is a national player of Premier League standard. She heads up the strong team and has been largely instrumental in gathering together the team, while still involving herself in the cut and thrust of litigation, taking no prisoners.’
Hall of Fame
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Director of legal services for private client services at Irwin Mitchell, based in Leeds. Handles claims on validity of wills, involving issues of undue influence, and testamentary capacity, proprietary estoppel claims, rectification actions, financial provision claims, disputes involving trusts and breach of trust claims. Professional negligence claims regarding trusts, wills and advice provided in relation to that.
Rising stars
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Paula Myers, James Laycock