Hall Of Fame

Next Generation Partners

Personal tax, trusts and probate: Norwich in East Anglia

Birketts LLP

Birketts LLP's practice is highly regarded for its ‘strength-in-depth'. The practice has a diverse client base, which includes many high-net-worth individuals and landed estates. Lorna Spear, who specialises in complex trusts, and June 2022-promoted partner Hayley Pettitt lead the practice. Spear advises on high-value matters, including estates with assets in excess of £100m. Senior associate Emily O’Donnell is noted as ‘efficient, wise and personable' in trust and succession planning matters. Agriculture specialist Jack Royall frequently advises landed estates on private client matters.

Practice head(s):

Hayley Pettit; Lorna Spear


Other key lawyers:

Emily O’Donnell; Jack Royall; Helen Cordingley


Testimonials

‘Emily O’Donnell’s approach was efficient, wise and personable. These are important characteristics when dealing with clients who are requiring help to plan their affairs prior to death. The complications of sorting out what both of us wanted to consider requires a legal advisor to illustrate mastery of legal possibilities in a sensitive manner. Emily provided this service superbly.’

‘The team are professional in their dealings with clients and work hard to achieve desired objectives. They are timely in their dealings with cases and the work is accurate.’

‘I have dealt with Hayley Pettitt on many occasions and I find her work of a good quality and of timely delivery to the client which is important when a recommendation has been made. She is also a very pleasant person to deal with and is happy to discuss and advise on various issues.’

‘I found the Birketts’ trusts team approach to be very responsive, professional and friendly. We were looking to prepare new family wills and the team provided holistic advice around the the whole topic, including inheritance tax planning, and showed a genuine interest in what the family was trying to achieve as a group.’

‘Emily O’Donnell has been very thoughtful, responsive, creative and has brought a huge range of knowledge and experience to achieve a smooth advisory process and successful outcome. The service and advice we have received compares very favourably indeed with trusts advice we have received elsewhere before.’

‘Jack Royall is very knowledgeable, personable, very quick to grasp situations, very clever without being arrogant and utterly trustworthy. I would trust Jack’s opinion, not simply on legal matters, but also in more complex human dilemmas that require a legal response. Helen Cordingley is an excellent member of the Birketts team with very good attention-to-detail who is totally trustworthy. An excellent lawyer.’

‘Birketts has strength-in-depth and a collaborative approach across practice areas.’

‘They are highly personable, explaining in relatively uncomplicated terms what would be generally regarded as quite complex interrelated issues which gave us a clear line of sight. Their turnaround times were extraordinarily sharp, giving us confidence that the measures agreed were lawfully recorded and in place in timely fashion.’

Howes Percival LLP

Howes Percival LLP has a prominent private client practice that handles work across East Anglia and beyond, and in which the Norwich office plays a central role. Tom Lawrence leads the practice following the January 2023 departure of Catherine Scott to Mills & Reeve LLP. Lawrence's work includes advising on complex intergenerational estate planning, the creation of trusts and wills, and tax matters. Stuart Maggs provides strategic advisory and estate planning services for high and ultra-high-net-worth families and trustees. Key partner Katharine Danks frequently assists farmers, families and landed estates with issues concerning partnerships, tenancies and land projects. Senior associate Jan Tyler also stands out ‘owing to her combination of expertise and professionalism with a compassionate and down-to-earth manner'.

Practice head(s):

Tom Lawrence


Other key lawyers:

Stuart Maggs; Katharine Danks; Jan Tyler


Testimonials

‘Jan Tyler stands out owing to her combination of expertise and professionalism with her compassionate and down-to-earth manner. She takes the time and care necessary to deliver excellent outcomes.’

‘A well-balanced team with varying specialisms.’

‘Stuart Maggs is an excellent no nonsense tax adviser prepared to give opinion and to advise. Nice to work with.’

‘There is depth and strength to the private client department.’

Mills & Reeve LLP

The Norwich-based team at Mills & Reeve LLP is noted for its real depth and breadth of experience and knowledge’ and clients note that the practitioners in the team are ‘very hands-on and proactive’. The firm acts for numerous landed estates, entrepreneurs and high-net worth individuals in the UK and overseas. Practice head Lauren Parker ‘deals with complicated matters in a calm and helpful manner.’ Senior partner Justin Ripman and ‘very clever and innovative thinkerGregory Laming play key roles in the practice. Virginia Edgecombe is a key adviser to landowners on asset protection and tax planning, working closely with June 2022-promoted partner and ‘extremely bright and thoughtful adviser' Elizabeth Field. Alexandra Clark is a senior associate to note in the team. Vastly experienced partner Catherine Scott joined from Howes Percival LLP in January 2023.

Practice head(s):

Lauren Parker


Other key lawyers:

Justin Ripman; Gregory Laming; Virginia Edgecombe; Elizabeth Field; Catherine Scott; Alexandra Clark


Testimonials

‘Lauren Parker deals with complicated matters in a calm and helpful manner.’

‘A team with real depth and breadth of experience and knowledge. They are very hands-on and proactive.’

‘Lauren Parker is a very calming and reassuring operator who inspires confidence. Gregory Laming is a very clever and innovative thinker, leaving no stone unturned for his clients. Elizabeth Field is an extremely bright and thoughtful adviser.’

Fosters

Fosters is a prominent firm in the Norfolk private client market, and its wills, trusts and probate practice is regarded as ‘courteous, friendly, and efficient‘. Practice head Lisa Glynne works across all of the firm’s offices, while Norwich-based associate Paige Gouldthorpe is deputy head of the practice. Gouldthorpe, who frequently handles Court of Protection matters, has ‘a totally committed, personal approach, and is very caring and patient’, whilst senior associate Rachel Chiarotti ‘takes the time to explain everything carefully and thoroughly’.

Practice head(s):

Lisa Glynne


Other key lawyers:

Paige Gouldthorpe; Rachel Chiarotti; Louise Gibbs-Kneller; Lauren Crosby


Testimonials

‘A very knowledgeable and expert team. I feel I’m getting the best advice from them.’

‘Rachel Chiarotti is not only an excellent solicitor but a truly wonderful and warm person. With her extensive knowledge and expertise, as well as her lovely manner, she made the challenging process of writing a will extremely simple, straightforward and stress-free. I would recommend her to anyone.’

‘Lisa Glynne was outstanding. I felt my needs and wishes were fully understood and good suggestions were made and explained fully and in a straightforward way. It was a pleasure dealing with Lisa and her team.’