Chancery: Traditional

5 Stone Buildings is one of the pre-eminent traditional chancery sets in London and is notable for its strength and depth. A source says that the set has "an impressive depth of knowledge and experience in relation to a whole range of Chancery matters." Its barristers are highly sought after in the higher courts and continue to be instructed in high-profile and complex disputes, such as Guest v Guest, a Supreme Court case which provided crucial guidance on the approach to relief in proprietary estoppel. "5 Stone Buildings is the go-to set for high-value and complex trust and probate work," concludes a source, who continues: "They have an excellent range of expertise from juniors to silks. 5 Stone really have strength in depth in this area; they are the go-to set for inheritance disputes."

"Paul Jennings, the senior clerk, and his team work tirelessly to help provide a smooth and cost-effective service for their clients."

"They have first-rate clerks that focus on client-focused solutions."

"The clerks are helpful and approachable. They provide a friendly and efficient service."

Penelope Reed KC is an exceptionally well-respected silk whose broad chancery practice includes contentious probate, disputed wills and the administration of estates. She handles the most complex and high-profile matters and is also noted for her mediation practice in this area. "Penelope is an exceptional barrister. Her advocacy is second to none." "She is the top of her field for proprietary estoppel in particular. She is a go-to person and is very experienced. She is listened to by judges." "She is a true leader in her field. Despite her considerable gravitas, she has a gentle and empathetic bedside manner with clients, which makes her particularly well suited to contentious probate work."

David Rees KC is regularly instructed in both contentious and non-contentious matters, and is highly respected for his work on inheritance matters and those with a capacity question. "David is always responsive; he's willing to pick up the phone and check over a detail or discuss a problem. He is very flexible and accommodating. His expertise is proven every time." "He's very good in court and very good at explaining complicated things clearly and succinctly. He has a good rapport with judges, is good in a team and is easy to get hold of." "He was extraordinarily well prepared as an advocate and commanded the confidence of the court."

Henry Legge KC is a renowned silk who has an extremely strong reputation at the Chancery Bar for his handling of a wide variety of work, including complex estate disputes. "He has a fantastic client manner. He has this ability, which is quite rare, to convey very difficult and technical issues in easily comprehensible language for clients." "He has an amazingly diverse practice. He continues to amaze me with his unique arguments that he brings up and his academic approach, but he is also so modest and an absolute pleasure to work with." "He's an effective and powerful advocate."

Ruth Hughes has a wide-ranging traditional chancery practice, with a focus on trusts, tax and Court of Protection cases. "She's extremely technical and really good at dealing with knotty issues that arise." "Ruth is an excellent barrister and is very focused on doing what's best for the client. Her Court of Protection knowledge in particular is unparalleled." "She gets thoroughly behind her client's case and has an outstanding knowledge of all things trust and probate."

Shân Warnock-Smith KC is an exceptionally well-regarded silk who is a particular expert in offshore matters, maintaining chambers in the Cayman Islands as well as practising from 5 Stone Buildings. "Shân is incredibly enthusiastic about the law. She's very diligent and delightful to work with, with a laser focus on what the client is trying to achieve." "She has the ear of the court. She is hugely respected and a phenomenal advocate." "She's charming, really nice to work with and incredibly hard-working but gives the impression that it is easy for her."

Tracey Angus KC is a well-known silk who is regularly instructed in the most high-profile traditional chancery cases and has a depth of expertise in trusts and contested wills. "Tracey can determine the outcome of cases single-handedly. Her attention to detail and retention of knowledge are second to none. She is a delight with clients and always takes a hands-on approach." "Tracey is formidable in court and is able to get into the detail very quickly. Tracey's advice is always sensible and she is very responsive when needed." "She is a terrific strategist and has almost a photographic memory and an immense eye for detail. She is very good at getting results and is someone who solicitors can have complete confidence in."

Barbara Rich is a highly respected and well-established junior who focuses her traditional chancery practice on contentious probate and trusts matters. She is also highly respected for her mediation practice. "She was superb. We needed someone like Barbara to navigate us through it."

Edward Hewitt has a respected traditional chancery practice which regularly handles multimillion-pound estate disputes. He further undertakes a number of Court of Protection cases. "Edward is personable, intelligent and always on hand to provide practical and user-friendly advice." "Edward is a star. He's excellent on 1975 Act cases, but we also use him for drafting of precedents and legal updates." "I was particularly impressed by his ability to grip complex matters quickly and at short notice."

Jordan Holland is frequently instructed on complex, high-profile and high-value matters. He handles cases across the full breadth of traditional chancery, including those relating to trusts, estates, wills, probate and other contentious matters. Holland also handles Court of Protection cases and advises on art and cultural property matters. "He is fantastic with clients and is completely on top of the law." "Jordan is a true team player. He is highly intelligent, great on his feet and loved by the clients." "Jordan is excellent in every way. He is bright and gives clear advice. He is approachable and a really safe pair of hands on any issue."

Luke Harris has a well-established traditional chancery practice with a particular depth of expertise in private client disputes and art and cultural property matters. "He is great. He has a great manner with the solicitors' team and client. He explains things clearly and produces detailed and well-researched advice." "Luke is holistic in his approach to the matter and manages to foresee and manage issues before they even arise. He's first rate." "He is excellent. He is really commercial in his thinking but equally understands the law and the nuances that come with it. He is very user-friendly and very sensible in his insights."

Toby Bishop has a strong following among solicitors, who value his traditional chancery expertise and his client-handling skills. He specialises in succession and trust disputes including contentious probate, 1975 Act claims, the administration of estates and trusts, proprietary estoppel, constructive, resulting and express trusts, and issues of domicile. "He is excellent on his feet, always thoroughly prepared, a brilliant strategist, and clients love him." "Toby has managed the client's expectations and instilled a sense of calm at a time of flux." "Toby is an exceptionally good barrister. He's an absolute pleasure to work with, tactically excellent and tremendous with clients. He's also a very persuasive advocate. Judges listen to Toby."

Christopher Tidmarsh KC is an established silk with a broad traditional chancery practice which includes estates and tax advice as well as an array of contentious matters. He is noted for the depth of his experience in trusts matters. "He's a very safe pair of hands and makes himself available. He's been extremely good at coming back to us promptly and has gone over and above what I asked him to do." "He's very easy to work with, has a nice manner and is good technically."

Eliza Eagling advises on contentious trusts and probate and 1975 Act claims. She also acts in contentious Court of Protection matters. "Eliza is stellar. We use her regularly for Court of Protection cases and contentious matters. She's excellent with clients." "She's always on top of the detail and is great with clients." "Eliza is adept at managing intricate trust and estate disputes effortlessly. She has a knack for quickly grasping the nuances of a case and possesses an in-depth understanding of every matter."

Leon Sartin is a well-established junior whose practice includes both contentious and non-contentious matters across the full scope of traditional chancery. "He's a stellar operator and someone who can have confidence in, especially for complex matters. You can always pick up the phone and feel comfortable and confident in his advice." "Leon is an excellent practitioner and a pleasure to work with." "He's a really high-level operator who gives brilliantly clear analysis."

Mark Baxter's particular strengths within a respected traditional chancery practice are contentious probate and Inheritance Act cases. He also handles Court of Protection work. "He grasped the details of the matter immediately and achieved a fantastic outcome for the client at mediation. He put the client at ease with his very calm manner and knowledgeable disposition." "He is an absolute pleasure to work with and will always go the extra mile for his clients and instructing solicitors." "Mark is an excellent strategist and communicator. He is highly recommended."

Miranda Allardice is a well-regarded junior with a wide-ranging traditional chancery practice which takes in cases concerning contentious trusts and disputed wills. She also acts as a mediator in inheritance, trust and probate disputes. "Miranda Allardice is a highly regarded mediator and adviser in Inheritance Act claims." "She is super approachable, turned work round speedily, and gave us a clear and concise opinion."

Sam Chandler handles onshore and offshore chancery matters, tackling cases relating to pensions, trusts and probate. He also has a strong Court of Protection practice. "Sam is excellent at looking at the broader picture. He is extremely knowledgeable, very helpful and pragmatic." "Sam produces detailed opinions and is excellent at dealing with difficult clients and cutting to the root of any issues." "Sam is sharp, approachable and a delight to work with. He possesses a strategic mind far beyond his year of call. He is fantastic with clients and is someone you want in your corner."

Sarah Haren KC is a well-liked silk who is commended for her calm and pragmatic approach. She is noted for her work on Inheritance Act cases and probate and the administration of estates. "Her advice was always insightful and extremely thorough, but was also delivered with a firm eye on the commercial context of our client's situation." "Sarah has consistently excellent judgement and the ability to cut through the issues in the case. She is a powerful strategist and advocate." "Sarah is often the first to find the path through at mediations, being canny about the optimal strategy for her client while all the time providing a reassuring presence for her lay client."

William East is a noted junior who has a broad traditional chancery practice and is regularly instructed in cases concerning wills, trusts, probate and estates. "He is incredibly knowledgeable and an absolute pleasure to deal with professionally. He is a steady hand on the tiller, which is of huge reassurance to the client." "Will is a fantastic barrister who, in my experience, delivers an exceptional service on every single instruction." "Will combines a very charming approach with clients with a colossal legal brain capable of handling the most complex of legal problems. He is a real star."

Alexander Drapkin's expertise includes handling trusts and inheritance disputes as well as sizeable probate claims. "Alex is brilliant to work with. He is down to earth and responsive, great with clients and impressive on his feet." "Alexander is top drawer. He's client-friendly, smart and attentive to the client's concerns." "Alex is a very amiable barrister with excellent attention to detail and a usefully diverse range of practice interests."

Francis Ng is often instructed in complex trusts litigation. He has developed a reputation for an impressively personable approach when assisting clients. "Francis is excellent to work with and fulfilled all of our requirements." "Francis is very thorough in his preparation. His advice is very detailed and clear. He is extremely intelligent while also being very approachable and reassuring from the client's viewpoint." "Francis was incredibly knowledgeable in relation to a complex trust and estate matter. He was very quick to identify the issues and gave prompt, practical and very helpful advice."

Hugh Cumber has developed a strong reputation among solicitors for his traditional chancery work, which covers all aspects of trusts, estates and probate work. "Hugh provides careful and concise advice and is incredibly fast thinking on his feet in court. He's a very impressive advocate." "He is extremely experienced. He is confident in his advocacy and does not get flustered in court. He is really responsive and is able to convey complex trust principles to lay clients." "Hugh has great technical knowledge and is very capable all round."

Mathew Roper has a busy contentious and non-contentious practice with a particular emphasis on trusts, estates, 1975 Act claims and the Court of Protection. "Mathew is very technically capable and a safe pair of hands." "He is extremely skilled, personable, confident, always willing to assist and will regularly go the extra mile for me and my clients." "Mathew Roper is an excellent barrister with great technical ability."

Michael O'Sullivan is regularly instructed in matters across the full breadth of traditional chancery. His practice is mainly focused on trusts, probate, Court of Protection and estate litigation. "Michael turns written advice around very quickly and is effective, but often subtle, in his advocacy." "He turns work around really quickly, and his advice always helps to progress the matter." "He's very responsive and approachable."

Rose Fetherstonhaugh's chancery offering includes handling probate claims, Court of Protection work and often multi-jurisdictional trust disputes. "She is a really excellent junior and a brilliant advocate. Her level of detail is excellent and she frequently identifies niche yet genius arguments that others have overlooked." "Rose is a go-to junior for traditional chancery disputes. She is extremely popular with clients and private client solicitors alike." "Rose is extremely intelligent and handles the legal complexities of a matter with ease while also being a true team player. The quality of her work is exceptional."