United Kingdom > North > Private client
Agriculture and estates
Agriculture and estates
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1
- Dickinson Dees LLP Newcastle
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- Cartmell Shepherd Carlisle
- Ward Hadaway Newcastle
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3
- BHP Law Stockton on Tees
- Burnetts Carlisle
- Iain Nicholson & Co Ponteland
- Jacksons Law Stockton on Tees
- Latimer Hinks Darlington
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- Hayton Winkley Kendal
- Smith & Graham Hartlepool
Simon Kirkup heads up the market-leading team at Dickinson Dees LLP, which includes Stefan Bainbridge, Andrew Farquharson, David Towns and Harry Chrisp on the non-contentious side, and Jen Smurthwaite and Elizabeth Allen on the contentious side. The team represents substantial estate owners and landowning organisations, and was recently instructed by various public and quasi-public bodies in connection with their rural property portfolios.
Tim Cartmell at Cartmell Shepherd advises agricultural clients on contentious and non-contentious matters.
The team at Ward Hadaway handles a wide range of matters and has recently seen an increase in complex inheritance tax, high-value divorce and renewable energy instructions. Key clients include English Heritage, Northumberland National Park and The National Trust. William Green has left the firm.
At BHP Law, Peter Blackett recently advised a longstanding client on the acquisition of a farm with two other landowners for £3m, and is retained by a large-scale developer of residential holiday caravan parks.
Richard Miller’s team at Burnetts recently advised on the sale of a £2.75m farm in Cumbria, and the cross-border sale of a farm and former animal testing laboratories to a US buyer. It also acted for Lloyds TSB Bank and Clydesdale Bank on multimillion-pound agriculture financing transactions.
The specialist team at Iain Nicholson & Co includes Iain Nicholson, Peter Dakin and Victoria Stevenson. Recent highlights include advising on the grant of an option to a wind farm operator to take a lease of land in Northumberland, and on the acquisition of a high-value country house.
Jacksons Law retains its position as one of the NFU’s panel firms, and was recently appointed as the northern panel firm for the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers. Adrienne Patterson leads the team.
At Latimer Hinks, Anne Elliott advised on several complex succession and tenancy status matters for farm owners, and Neil Stevenson acted for several landowners based in County Durham and Sedgefield in negotiations with wind farm developers.
Charities
Charities
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1
- Dickinson Dees LLP Newcastle
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2
- Ward Hadaway Newcastle
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3
- Hay & Kilner Newcastle
- Muckle LLP Newcastle
- Sintons LLP Newcastle
- Watson Burton LLP Newcastle
At Dickinson Dees LLP, practice head Ros Harwood and Emma Moody are praised for their ‘exceptional communication skills and knowledge of the sector’. Recent highlights include advising new clients Senhouse Museum Trust and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle on incorporation matters.
Charity law specialist Fiona Wharton recently joined the team at Ward Hadaway from Wrigleys Solicitors LLP. Key highlights included advising the board of Age Concern Federation on negotiations for a new brand partnership agreement with Age UK, and advising PC David Rathband in setting up a charity. The ‘professional and personable team is extremely competent and trustworthy’.
The ‘professional, knowledgeable and personable’ team at Hay & Kilner is led by Jonathan Waters, and continues to advise charities on constitutional, corporate governance and incorporation matters.
Muckle LLP advised the board of Mental Health North East on its proposed independence and sustainability agenda, and also advised on the Hudswell Community Pub initiative relating to the transfer of assets to the local community. Hugh Welch and Joanne Davison are the key contacts.
Clients have ‘no hesitation in recommending’ the team at Sintons LLP, and rate its services as ‘excellent on all levels’. Tim Gray’s team continues to advise the Virgin Mary Trust and the dioceses of Newcastle and Carlisle. Amanda Maskery’s ‘great ability to explain complex issues in a clear and simple manner’ is valued by clients.
Watson Burton LLP recently handled the Gateshead Dispensary Nursing Home (Craigielea) and Gateshead Dispensary Housing Association merger, and has been active in creating and registering charitable companies, including the Tony Blair Sports Foundation. Katrina Brady is the firm’s primary contact for charities work.
Family
Family
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1
- David Gray Solicitors Newcastle
- Major Family Law Newcastle
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2
- Hay & Kilner Newcastle
- Jacksons Law Stockton on Tees
- Mincoff Solicitors LLP Newcastle
- Muckle LLP Newcastle
- Samuel Phillips Law Firm Newcastle
- Silk Family Law Newcastle
- Sintons LLP Newcastle
- Ward Hadaway Newcastle
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3
- BHP Law Darlington
- Beecham Peacock Newcastle
- Burnetts Carlisle
- Colette Stroud Solicitors Ponteland
- Crutes Law Firm Newcastle
- Hayton Winkley Kendal
- McKeag & Co Newcastle
David Gray Solicitors is ‘the leading legal aid firm in Newcastle’, and ‘services its publicly funded clients in as good and as thorough a way as its private clients’. Mary Shaw is ‘exceptional, diligent and well informed’; Lesley Monkhouse is ‘approachable and personable’; and Lucy Mead is ‘extremely professional and knowledgeable’. Claire Hunter recently joined the team from Samuel Phillips Law Firm.
Major Family Law continues to flourish and grow as a niche firm specialising in ancillary relief matters arising out of high-net-worth divorce and separation cases, and has a strong children law arm. The team is ‘at the top of the pile in this area’, and is praised for its ‘focus on exceptional client care’. The ‘dynamic’ Joanne Major is a ‘strong communicator and a force to be reckoned with’, and Rebecca Tarn is ‘understanding yet professional’.
Collaborative lawyer Nicola Matthews at Hay & Kilner is ‘patient and extremely supportive’ and ‘very effective in court’. The team handles publicly funded cases and advises high-profile private clients in a diverse array of matters. Higher rights advocate Robert Hart was recently involved in a landmark case involving paediatric evidence.
The ‘great’ Amanda Baker heads up the team at Jacksons Law, which was recently joined by Stephen Duffy, who is ‘fearless and industrious’ and ‘one to watch’. Key highlights included establishing a pre-nuptial agreement for a prominent local businessman, and handling a complex divorce settlement involving the valuation of an interest in a trading business.
The ‘excellent’ Mike Smith at Mincoff Solicitors LLP continues to provide a ‘very good’ service to matrimonial clients, and is particularly strong on the financial settlement front.
The ‘professional, personable and outstanding’ Jonathan Dunkley leads the team at Muckle LLP, which acts for high-net-worth individuals in divorce and ancillary relief proceedings.
Samuel Phillips Law Firm has three dedicated family lawyers in Jennifer Goldstein, Elizabeth Gallagher and Ailsa Gilhespy. They advise clients on all facets of family law, and have particular strength in international matters.
Silk Family Law is a specialist family firm that includes a number of former Dickinson Dees LLP lawyers.
The ‘excellent’ Tim Gray is a standout figure at Sintons LLP, and Jo Whitfield is notable for her experience in advising non-UK residents seeking divorce and financial provision in England. Key highlights included several divorces for prominent individuals in the North East.
Ward Hadaway recently handled an application to vary a periodical payments order and a complex relocation case. Jonathan Flower leads the experienced team, which was recently joined by Teresa Davidson from Dickinson Dees LLP.
BHP Law advisies high-net-worth private clients on divorce matters. Terry Hamer has experience in novel children-related cases, and Margot Moffitt provides national and international adoption advice.
Practice head Sophia Yau-Rosher and Fiona Ryans advise on high-value ancillary relief cases at Beecham Peacock, and Charlotte Walker and Lucinda Connell advise on complex children matters.
Burnetts exclusively acts for private clients, and recently handled a high-value farming divorce and an application for a residency order by a set of grandparents.
Colette Stroud Solicitors’ name partner assists private clients both domestically and internationally in ancillary relief matters.
The Carlisle-based team at Crutes Law Firm almost exclusively acts for private clients, and specialises in police pension issues related to divorce and ancillary matters.
Hayton Winkley is considered the ‘premier firm in south Cumbria’, and provides ancillary relief and children law advice to high-net-worth individuals. It offers specialist advice on pensions and agricultural matters related to divorce.
McKeag & Co’s Susan McArthur provides divorce and finance-related advice to private clients, and assistant solicitor Victoria Newton handles children law matters.
Personal tax, trusts and probate
Personal tax trusts and probate
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1
- Dickinson Dees LLP Newcastle
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2
- Hay & Kilner Newcastle
- Ward Hadaway Newcastle
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3
- Crutes Law Firm Stockton on Tees
- Gibson & Co Newcastle
- Iain Nicholson & Co Ponteland
- Muckle LLP Newcastle
- Sintons LLP Newcastle
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- Archers Law LLP Stockton on Tees
- BHP Law Darlington
- David Gray Solicitors Newcastle
- Jacksons Law Stockton on Tees
- Latimer Hinks Darlington
- Mincoff Solicitors LLP Newcastle
- Samuel Phillips Law Firm Newcastle
Dickinson Dees LLP’s Alexander Dickinson ‘inspires complete confidence in clients, and gives clear and diplomatic advice in difficult situations’. David Dale leads the ‘first-choice’ team, which has a specialist offering in landed estates and heritage property, and provides bespoke wealth management services.
Kirstin Cook’s experienced team at Hay & Kilner, which includes new arrival Jon Gould, provides wills, trusts, estate administration and succession planning advice to business clients, high-net-worth individuals and the elderly.
At Ward Hadaway, Alison Hall and Andrew Facer specialise in succession planning for entrepreneurial and landed clients.
Newly promoted partner Paul Nickalls leads the team at Crutes Law Firm, which increasingly advises high-net-worth individuals and handles tax-planning referrals. Carlisle-based Emma Fidler recently joined the team from Gorvins.
In 2010, the ‘extremely professional’ team at Gibson & Co handled the administration and winding up of over 130 estates. Tony Gibson is a key figure, and David Bawn is valued for his ‘skill, speed and efficiency’.
The team at Iain Nicholson & Co provides a ‘very impressive’ service, and advises on wills and inheritance tax planning. Recent highlights include obtaining an ad colligenda bona grant to protect the value of a wealthy client’s assets.
Muckle LLP saw the arrival of ‘unrivalled technical expert’ Keith Hately from Watson Burton LLP. It has a full-service offering and advises business clients, senior executives, professionals and wealthy individuals.
Sintons LLP’s team provides ‘a very good service’, with Alan Dawson and Julie Garbutt considered ‘very client friendly’. It continues to provide tax-planning advice to high-net-worth individuals, and has recently received referrals from Coutts Bank.
David Collier provides inheritance tax advice to high-net-worth individuals at Archers Law LLP.
BHP Law continues to advise clients on the administration of high-value estates, and has recently provided trust advice to parents with children with learning disabilities. Emma Gaudern recently joined Helen Biglin’s team from DWF LLP.
At David Gray Solicitors, Cliff Veitch specialises in property acquisitions and disposals, and wills and probate.
In 2010, Lydia McCaslin joined the team at Jacksons Law from Hay & Kilner; Rosemary Young retired.
Anne Elliott’s team at Latimer Hinks handles strategic inheritance tax planning matters, and advises on statutory will applications.
Mincoff Solicitors LLP has entered the market with the recent hire of the ‘outstanding’ Louise Miller.
Edward Pybus and Ingrid Forshaw assist wealthy clients on a wide range of matters at Samuel Phillips Law Firm.