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Fielding one of Nottingham’s largest dedicated teams, Berryman moves up in the ranking this year. John Pears and Jacqueline Lewis have ‘exceptional breadth of knowledge’, and advise individuals and trusts with net assets worth in total more than £600m.

William Colacicchi and Wenna Thompson at Browne Jacobson LLP each have 20 years’ experience advising a mix of landowners, entrepreneurs and professional private client advisers on the structuring or reorganisation of trusts and on tax legislation. Alan Radford deals with contentious trusts and probate. Advising on over 1,000 trusts in 2008, highlights included enforcing the rights of the beneficiaries of a £10m trust, and administering three estates totalling £75m in value.

Head of the private client team at Freeth Cartwright LLP, Nigel Cullen has 30 years’ experience and is currently overseeing the administration of over 100 estates and 200 charitable, family and personal injury trusts. His counterpart for contentious probate and trusts, Mark Keeley, recently settled a contentious probate case involving an estate of £50m.

Three partners and six associates form Harvey Ingram LLP’s strong department in Leicester, handling inheritance tax planning, wealth protection, trust creation and pensions matters for a range of SME owners among others. Mark Dunkley and senior partner Stephen Woolfe are also known for their art law experience.

Flint Bishop Solicitors’ expanding team, headed by chartered tax adviser Grace Steele, has seen its will-writing services taken up by ten new organisations, including the police, and continues to handle high-net-worth estates and trusts.

Geldards LLP advises a high-net-worth/SME client base, preparing and managing trusts and conducting capital tax and succession planning and probate appeals. The experienced Penelope Dickens has taken over as head of the five-strong group, from Charles Bignall. Non-domiciled issues are a feature of the practice.

The establishment, administration, variation and termination of high-value and complex family trusts is a particular area of expertise for Hewitsons LLP, which has seen an increase in trusts created for vulnerable and disabled beneficiaries.

The ‘very sensible’ Richard Grosberg leads Nelsons’ busy practice, drafting over 1,000 wills, advising on 200 IHT matters, and dealing with several £1m-plus estates in 2008.

Graham England at Roythornes is widely recognised for his experience with the high-value trusts and estates planning for landowning clients.

At Shoosmiths, Trevor George and Carolyn Bagley offer advice to high-net-worth clients on complex trusts, and also handle public guardian work.

Actons’ clients range from individuals to charities and NGOs seeking advice on trusts, tax and the legislation relating to trusts and public guardianship matters.

Chattertons advises on wills, tax planning, and trust and estate administration.

The ‘excellent’ Tim Addinell at Howes Percival LLP in Northampton is praised for his ‘commercial, pragmatic and balanced advice’.

Langleys’ client base of predominantly landowner and high-net-worth individuals praise David Wood for his ‘confidence-inspiring, approachable and professional manner’.

The experienced team at Rothera Dowson includes an in-house IFA.

Shacklocks is experienced in IHT and financial planning, wills drafting and elderly care.

Simon Richardson at Smith Partnership has a focus on Court of Protection and probate litigation for adults with learning disabilities.

Tollers LLP has a substantial Northamptonshire team, advising on matters ranging from agricultural property relief to the administration of charitable trusts.

Wilkin Chapman’s recent cases include a successful appeal against the pension trustees of GlaxoSmithKline for a co-habitee, to the settlement of the £1m estate of an intestate with five aliases.

Wilson Browne has a substantial and experienced team offering quality advice on matters ranging from the administration of large estates to lasting powers of attorney and wills.

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