Wollens

Personal tax, trusts and probate

Partner in the Private Client department

Chris completed his training contract with a High Street firm in Wiltshire before returning to Devon in January 2010 upon qualification as a solicitor and joined what was then Hooper & Wollen. He became a partner in October 2015 and is part of the Private Client department, the Wealth Protection team and the Estate Administration team.

He is relentlessly client-focused, working regionally & globally in the administration of complex estates, taxation and succession issues. He consistently seeks to adopt a holistic approach by collaborating with other professionals to achieve desired client outcomes ensuring all of a clients financial affairs align – recognising the issues that arise and the best-placed professional to resolve them.

He is passionate about working in the law and helping others achieve their goals. He is the firm’s Training Supervisor meaning he supports the trainee solicitors at Wollens throughout their periods of training and beyond. He also mentors junior and aspiring lawyers – encouraging interests in a career in the law.

 In 2020 he was honoured to be one of two solicitors nationally to be Highly Commended by the judges in The Law Society’s Excellence Awards for Solicitor of the Year – Private Practice.  He was also a Finalist in the global Trusted Advisor of the Year category at the STEP Private Client Awards 2020 and shortlisted in the Solicitor of the Year category in the Devon and Somerset Law Society Awards 2020. He was part of the Wollens team that was awarded The Law Society’s Excellence Award in Private Client Practice in 2017.

Chris is a Full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He is a trustee for the Torbay Medical Research Fund which funds research into local medical projects. He is vice-chair of Trustees of Torquay Boys Grammar School Multi-Academy Trust, vice-chair of governors at Torquay Boys’ Grammar School and is currently the Hon. Sec. of the Torquay Old Grammarians Society. He also sits on the Executive Committee of the Torbay Business Forum.

Chris grew up in the local area attending school in Torquay before reading Law at Kingston University and completing his Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at Plymouth University.

In his spare time, Chris can usually be found either on long walks, swimming in the sea, in a pool, or out and about with his young family in & around the beautiful county of Devon. He enjoys listening to classical music, watching musical theatre, raising money for local charities and watching sports, particularly football, cricket and American Football. He can also be tempted to take part in a quiz when the chance arises.