Esther Woolford > Clarke Willmott LLP > Taunton, England > Lawyer Profile

Clarke Willmott LLP handles professional negligence cases on behalf of claimants, where the firm acts for private individuals and corporations in areas such as accounting, banking, construction, and financial services. Multi-party actions are another key strength for the practice under the leadership of Alex Jakubowski, who is particularly well versed acting in claims pertaining to development finance. Agriculture and rural property work forms part of Esther Woolford‘s portfolio, while Philippa Hann focuses on matters relating to the financial services sector. Stephen Searle left the firm in January 2023 for an in-house position.

Praised for its capability to ‘inspire unparalleled trust and respect’ among its roster of clients, Clarke Willmott LLP has stellar experience in the agriculture sector, advising on a broad range of disputes concerning agri-technology, agri-commerce and agri-finance. Other key areas of expertise include professional negligence claims, shareholder litigation and contract claims. ‘Technically excellent’ Esther Woolford leads the team and handles agricultural disputes, property litigation and proprietary estoppel claims, while senior associate Laura Mackain-Bremner ‘continues to impress in commercial litigation, especially in the agricultural sphere’. Woolford and Mackain-Bremner form a ‘formidable team’.

Regarded as ‘outstanding in the agricultural and estates market‘, Clarke Willmott LLP fields a ‘highly efficient and knowledgeable‘ team who work with a mix of farmers, rural landowners and agri-food businesses on both contentious and non-contentious matters. Esther Woolford, who heads the team, has extensive experience of dealing with contentious probate matters. Polly Ridgway is an experienced litigator who recently acted as the lading solicitor in the Guest v Guest Supreme Court case.

Clarke Willmott LLP fields ‘a first-rate team of contentious probate lawyers’. The practice benefits from close relationships with the agriculture litigation team and private wealth team to offer clients a fully comprehensive legal service. The team is led by Bonita Walters and Esther Woolford; Walters has over 20 years of experience, with specific expertise in complex succession disputes, while Woolford is an expert in contentious probate matters concerning agricultural estates.