Private Wealth Disputes
High Net Worth Guide 2024 : London (Firms)
Band 1
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
(020) 7863 8333About
Provided by Forsters
Matters relating to trusts and probate can become contentious and, when that happens, clients need to know that they will be represented by a team of experienced litigators who have extensive knowledge of both trusts and wills.
Forsters’ multidisciplinary team take an intelligent and creative approach to legal disputes and are often able to achieve a result for clients without the need for recourse to the courts. Where court proceedings are necessary their experience means that they are able to handle the process for clients with minimum disruption to their lives.
The team regularly advise trust companies in the UK and offshore on complex cross-border issues relating to succession and tax planning as well as a wide variety of disputes arising in a trust context. Their knowledge of the global trust industry means that they are also often instructed in asset tracing cases and anti-trust litigation by settlors, trustees and beneficiaries.
Forsters regularly deals with all types of probate disputes, including will validity challenges, forgery disputes and bringing and defending challenges under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, which allows claimants to apply to the Court for provision out of a deceased's estate if reasonable provision has not been made for them. In addition, they have successfully acted on a wide range of Court of Protection applications.
Chambers Review
Forsters' specialist contentious trusts and estates lawyers represent various clients globally in private wealth disputes. Mandates often relate to administration issues, will challenges and breach of trust claims.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"I have found the quality of the work to be excellent and the firm to be extremely professional, creative and focused on providing the best possible outcome for the client."
"They are a great team all round. They are a very business-savvy team that is very hard-working, reliable and has great experience across the board."
"I rate the Forsters team very highly. Everyone I dealt with at Forsters was excellent. The clients seemed very happy with the service being provided. The team was always responsive."
"I have found the quality of the work to be excellent and the firm to be extremely professional, creative and focused on providing the best possible outcome for the client."
"They are a great team all round. They are a very business-savvy team that is very hard-working, reliable and has great experience across the board."
"I rate the Forsters team very highly. Everyone I dealt with at Forsters was excellent. The clients seemed very happy with the service being provided. The team was always responsive."
Notable Practitioners
Managing partner Emily Exton is a distinguished litigator in contentious trusts and estates who continues to represent clients in complex matters.
"Emily is hugely experienced and knowledgeable."
"She's a class act. She's incredibly calm, very pragmatic and a very easy person to work with."
Roberta Harvey handles an array of significant trusts and estates work at the firm, in which overseas assets are often involved.
"She is so calm in difficult cases, knows the sector well and is someone who is sensible, commercially minded and very technical in her skills."
"She's very commercial and practical. She's has very good judgement."
Alison Meek handles a wide range of trusts and estates disputes, such as breach of duty claims and probate disputes concerning questions of capacity.
"She is extremely commercial, astute and exceptionally good at understanding the dynamics underlying a dispute and how to achieve the best possible outcome for the client."
"Alison is an outstanding litigator who works very hard for her clients and is extremely practical."
Hannah Mantle was promoted to partner in 2023. She advises professional clients and private individuals on probate disputes, 1975 Act claims and estate administration matters.
"She has very strong understanding of the law in cross-border chancery and estates matters, allied to a very practical and user-friendly approach."
"She's really thorough, really calm and has excellent judgement."
Ashleigh Carr is a senior associate in the firm's dispute resolution team. She assists on 1975 Act claims, and significant estate administration and property division work.
"She has the whole package of being a good lawyer, good at strategy and exceptionally good with the client. I was really impressed with her."
"She's really knowledgeable and also very good with clients."
Maryam Oghanna is a senior associate at the firm. Her clients include private individuals, professionals and fiduciaries, and she regularly advises them on multi-jurisdictional disputes.
"Maryam Oghanna is commercial, focused and user-friendly."
"She's really superb. She knows what she's doing and is incredibly on top of everything. She's great on the detail."
"Maryam is a real star - very responsive and very clear."
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Forsters
London (Firms)
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