Paula Myers > Irwin Mitchell > Leeds, England > Lawyer Profile

The ‘brilliant’ lifetime and estate planning team at Irwin Mitchell offers advice to clients in the business wealth, rural business and private wealth spaces on all elements of tax, trusts and estate planning, including financial administration for individuals that lack capacity and Court of Protection work. Offering two trust companies and its in-house service, Irwin Mitchell Asset Management Limited, the team in Gatwick is led by the ‘fantastic’ and ‘exceptionally good’ Caroline Shelton, who acts for business owners as well as professional sportsmen and landowners with complex assets, wealth preservation issues and succession planning needs. Leading the Chichester office is Naomi Neville, who focuses on instructions from high-net-worth clients and handles probate and estate administration work for those with urban and rural businesses. Also co-heading the team is the national director of legal services for private clients Paula Myers, and national head Paula James. Rose Macfarlane is ‘a standout’ lawyer with a niche practice in non-contentious court applications for trustees.

Claire-Marie Cornford and Paula Myers co-lead the practice at Irwin Mitchell, which advises on a broad range of private wealth disputes for high-net-worth clients. It frequently advises on contentious trust claims, disputed wills and on specialised Court of Protection applications and disputes. Clients include successful entrepreneurs and businesspeople, landed gentry, farmers, charities, trustees and individuals. There have been some recent changes to the team at a senior level. Sangita Manek joined the team from Blaser Mills Law while Nicola Bushby is now at Boodle Hatfield LLP.

Paula Myers, national head and director of private client services, co-leads the team at Irwin Mitchell alongside head of the firm’s Leeds and Sheffield contentious trust and probate teams James Laycock. Both are highly recommended, Myers as ‘a national player of premier-league standard’ and Laycock an ‘estates and trusts litigation heavyweight’. The team deals with a variety of contested matters, from validity of wills and lifetime gifts to professional negligence claims arising from defective trust instruments and wills, in addition to Court of Protection work regarding financial abuse. Laura Pang joined the team February 2023 from Freeths LLP, bringing expertise regarding cross-border disputes and high value estates. Former Sheffield team head Carla Rist  has left the firm.

The lifetime and estate planning team at Irwin Mitchell is led by Paula Myers, director of private client services, and Andrea Jones in the Leeds office, while Gillian Coverley leads the team in Sheffield. The team has experiencing of dealing with a range of clients, from business owners to old and vulnerable clients, along with landowners and those with agricultural interests. Notably, the team works closely with the firm’s medical negligence department, and offers expertise regarding disabled person’s trusts and personal injury trusts. Senior Associate Hollie Marcham‘s ‘considered and objective’ approach is appreciated; Katherine Wainman is also recommended.