Chancery, probate, and tax in Regional Bar
Dere Street Barristers
Dere Street Barristers' Stephen Fletcher is a Chancery, commercial, and property law practitioner who is seen as an 'experienced and formidable litigator'. 'I have never yet been let down by Stephen,' said one instructing solicitor. His practice includes shareholders' disputes, director’s duties, appointment and removal of directors, and unfair prejudice petitions, as well as wills, probate, and Inheritance Act claims.
Park Square Barristers
Park Square Barristers' David Rose is a senior junior 'but of a silk quality', according to instructing solicitors. He is experienced in probate and inheritance matters, including those with an international dimension. He has particular expertise in contentious probate, such as challenges to wills upon the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence. He is commended for 'excellent personable skills and always manages to build a good rapport with clients especially during meditations'. His experience is 'invaluable when dealing with complex and challenging cases and he is an excellent negotiator when it comes to achieving the right outcome for clients'.
Trinity Chambers
Trinity Chambers has 'a deserved, strong reputation' with members are instructed across the gamut of Chancery matters. A 'tenacious and authoritative' advocate, Jonathan Rodger's practice covers commercial and traditional Chancery, real property, landlord and tenant and insolvency; contentious probate and Inheritance Act claims is a core practice area. Described as 'formidable in court', the head of chambers’ Business and Property team Simon Goldberg regularly appears in the Chancery division of the High Court and has experience of contentious probate and Inheritance Act claims. Recent instructions include representing the claimants in a farming partnership dispute concerning a portfolio of farms and buildings valued in excess of £2m.
Enterprise Chambers
With 'a good crop of juniors', Enterprise Chambers offers 'a very good service and an array of counsel to assist with Chancery matters'. Instructed by leading law firms, members are experienced in the traditional fields of trusts and probate and Inheritance Act claims, as well as specialist areas like insolvency, real property, and company law, which benefit from their Chancery expertise. Among the team, the 'knowledgeable' Hugo Groves is a leading junior in this sector and has recently been involved claims arising out of tax avoidance/mitigation schemes. 'Always in-demand for a reason', Duncan Heath is a 'go-to junior'for contentious trusts and probate, and property matters, and Stephanie Jarron has 'an excellent reputation' in estate disputes. Christopher Buckingham appeared unled for the successful appellant in Lomax v Lomax in the Court of Appeal and is considered 'without a shadow of doubt amongst the best of the best. You want him on your side'.
Parklane Plowden
Parklane Plowden is 'an excellent set with a number of good, specialist counsel'. Chambers is also seen as 'approachable, helpful, and never fail to address and deal with issues in a timely, efficient, and friendly manner; service has always been second to none'. Members are instructed across the full spectrum of Chancery, probate, and tax-related work, including contentious wills and trusts, as well as non-contentious estate work. In recent instructions of note, Sarah Harrison acted in an Inheritance Act claim against estate worth £2.4m with complex taxation and foreign property issues as well as a separate claim by a spouse against an estate of more than £6m which included issues relating to shari'ah law. Solicitors are full of praise for the 'knowledgeable and pragmatic' Nicola Phillipson for her 'approachability' and 'clients like and trust that she sits as a Deputy District Judge'. Phillipson has strengthened the junior rankings after joining from the now-closed Zenith Chambers.