Sinclair Gibson LLP

Sinclair Gibson LLP

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Lizzie Barclay

Lizzie Barclay

Senior Associate, Litigation:Lizzie Barclay is a Senior Associate in the Litigation team, specialising in contentious trusts, estates and private wealth disputes. She advises beneficiaries, trustees, executors and personal representatives on a broad range of trust and succession-related litigation, including high-value and complex disputes with cross-border elements. Lizzie has significant experience in managing contentious probate claims, trust disputes, fiduciary disputes and claims arising from the administration of estates. She is recognised for her strategic and commercially focused approach to dispute resolution, combining meticulous case management with practical advice to help clients navigate often sensitive and emotionally challenging circumstances. Having acted in substantial and high-profile private wealth disputes, Lizzie is trusted by individuals, families, trustees and fiduciaries to deliver clear, pragmatic solutions in complex matters. Her practice frequently involves international assets and cross-jurisdictional considerations. Lizzie joined Sinclair Gibson LLP in 2025 from a leading London firm and is a member of the Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA). She has been previously been recognised by The Legal 500 and was formerly awarded the Bronze Award for Lawyer of the Year (Contentious Trusts) at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards in . She is also shortlisted for multiple categories in the 2026 Citywealth Future Leaders Awards.
Oliver Bishop

Oliver Bishop

Partner, Private Client:Oliver Bishop advises UK and international private clients, trustees, beneficiaries and protectors on a broad range of private wealth matters. His practice encompasses UK taxation, succession and estate planning, wills, landed estates, trust structuring and estate administration, with expertise in complex onshore and offshore trust arrangements and cross-border wealth structures.He is also experienced in contentious trusts and estates work, regularly advising on high-value disputes and litigation before the High Court, Court of Appeal, Court of Protection and the Royal Court of Jersey.Oliver joined Sinclair Gibson in 2015, trained with the firm and became a Partner in 2024. He is recognised in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide as an ‘Up and Coming’ practitioner, with clients and peers praising his technical expertise, commercial approach and responsiveness.
Lauren Brolly

Lauren Brolly

Associate, Family department:Lauren Brolly is an associate in the family team at Sinclair Gibson LLP. She advises on all aspects of financial remedies arising from divorce and separation, with experience in high-net-worth and international cases involving trusts, inherited wealth, complex asset structures and non-matrimonial property. Lauren regularly assists clients through private FDRs, arbitrations, mediations and court proceedings and has experience of cases involving substantial business interests, maintenance claims and cross-border issues. Lauren works closely with the head of the department, Kathryn Peat, and senior associate, Xanthy Papageorgiou. She is recognised for her technical ability, attention to detail and client-focused approach, and is frequently entrusted with significant responsibility in high-value and complex proceedings.
Keith Bruce-Smith

Keith Bruce-Smith

Partner, Private Client:Keith, who is ranked in the Legal 500 ‘Hall of Fame’, is a senior private client tax and trusts lawyer with over 40 years’ experience in the area of trust and estate planning for wealthy UK and foreign families. Keith has a well-earned reputation for an innovative approach and a robust, incisive style. He is particularly regarded for his commercial and technical acumen. Keith acts for a wide spectrum of UK and foreign families, advising on the management of their wealth and its tax-efficient devolution down the generations. He has extensive experience in advising on landed estates, and is a trustee or protector of both domestic and offshore trusts, giving him a depth of knowledge of the issues involved in structuring major trusts and devising creative and commercial solutions in relation to the devolution of family wealth. Keith was the co-author of ‘Practical Will Precedents’ and ‘Practical Trust Precedents’ (Sweet & Maxwell) and an original co-editor of ‘International Trust Precedents’ (Sweet & Maxwell). He is described in the Legal 500 as ‘high calibre’ and in Chambers & Partners as ‘a master strategist’ who ‘brings fresh and creative thinking to complex situations’.
Roger Cobden-Ramsay

Roger Cobden-Ramsay

Consultant, Family:Roger is a senior divorce solicitor. With over 30 years of experience in his field, Roger does a great deal of work on pre- and post-nuptial agreements and brings a wealth of practical experience to Children Act matters. He is also a recognised expert in high-value ancillary relief cases, frequently involving international issues.Recommended in Chambers & Partners for his “extraordinarily good judgement” and also ranked in The Legal 500, Roger has an excellent reputation for giving practical and robust advice on all aspects of family law. Roger has acted in a number of landmark family law cases and a rapidly expanding element of Roger’s practice is advice to trustees of substantial UK and international trusts on the effect of UK divorce law on assets held in family trust structures.
Emily Cook

Emily Cook

Associate, Private Client:Emily Cook is an associate in the firm's Private Client team. She advises individuals, trustees and families on a broad range of private client matters, with a particular focus on tax and trust work. Emily has experience in advising on the creation, structuring, ongoing management and tax position of both domestic and offshore trusts and landed estates. She works with clients to develop and implement tailored succession planning strategies, taking into account the associated UK tax implications. Her work includes advising on the use of trusts in estate planning to ensure the tax-efficient devolution of wealth for an array of clients.  She works closely with senior members of the team to deliver tailored advice to clients on complex wealth structuring and inheritance matters.
Lucy Gibson

Lucy Gibson

Partner, Private Client: Lucy Gibson client lawyer specialising in trusts, tax and succession matters for high-net-worth individuals, families and trustees in the UK and internationally. She advises on the establishment, restructuring and administration of family and charitable trusts, particularly in relation to succession planning and tax efficiency.Her practice encompasses both contentious and non-contentious trust and estate matters, including trust variation and compromise proceedings, trustee removal applications and disputed wills. Lucy regularly advises private clients and trustees, often with international connections, on complex trust and probate matters.Lucy is frequently instructed by trustees in relation to claims against them and in cases where trusts become involved in proceedings arising from high-value divorces. She is also regularly asked by solicitors and accountancy firms to provide independent advice to particular family members or beneficiary classes in complex trust and probate disputes.In addition, Lucy provides bespoke trust drafting services to trust companies and financial institutions, including international fiduciary businesses.Lucy has been consistently recognised as a leading individual in her field by Chambers & Partners, which describes her as "widely acclaimed for international trust and estate law expertise" and "extremely able, highly intelligent."
Henry Hickman

Henry Hickman

Partner, Litigation:Henry Hickman heads the litigation practice at Sinclair Gibson and is recognised as a leading contentious trusts and estates lawyer. He advises private individuals, trustees and other fiduciaries, family offices and privately owned businesses on complex domestic and international disputes. His practice spans contentious trust matters, inheritance and probate disputes, disputes involving family-owned companies, executors' malpractice claims, and claims brought under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.Widely regarded for his expertise in cross-border trust litigation, Henry regularly acts in high-value offshore trust disputes and is also noted for his extensive Privy Council practice. He has advised on more than 50 appeals and applications before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and has been involved in a number of the most significant trust law appeals of recent years.Drawing on previous experience in the investment management sector, Henry also advises clients pursuing professional negligence claims and/or investment loss claims against financial advisers and investment professionals.
Charlie Kassell

Charlie Kassell

Associate, Litigation:Charlie Kassell is an associate in Sinclair Gibson’s litigation team, specialising in contentious trusts, inheritance disputes and probate litigation. He advises private individuals, trustees, protectors, executors and beneficiaries on a broad range of private wealth disputes, often involving complex trust and estate structures.His experience includes trust and estate litigation, claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, will validity disputes, allegations of undue influence, proprietary estoppel claims, and disputes concerning the administration of estates and trusts. He also advises on offshore trust disputes, including trustee blessing applications connected with significant corporate transactions, as well as claims involving alleged breaches of trust and fiduciary duty.Charlie works closely with clients throughout the lifecycle of a dispute, advising on strategy, settlement negotiations, mediation and court proceedings. He is known for providing clear, pragmatic advice in often sensitive and high-value private wealth matters.
Paige Layzell-Payne

Paige Layzell-Payne

Associate, Litigation:Paige Layzell-Payne is an associate in Sinclair Gibson's litigation team, advising on a broad range of contentious private client matters. She works closely with colleagues across the firm's Litigation and Private Client departments on inheritance disputes, contentious probate and trust matters, and Court of Protection applications.Paige has developed expertise in matters involving valuable works of art and collections. Drawing on five years' experience as a Books and Manuscripts Specialist at Sotheby's, she advises on disputes concerning art and heritage assets and is building a specialist practice in art law. She regularly assists on matters involving high-value artworks and collections, combining technical legal knowledge with an in-depth understanding of the international art market.Originally from Bermuda, Paige gained legal experience with several offshore firms before joining Sinclair Gibson and continues to maintain strong professional connections within the offshore legal community. This experience is particularly valuable in matters with international or cross-border elements.Paige joined Sinclair Gibson as a trainee solicitor and qualified into the firm's litigation team in September 2024. She is a member of ConTrA and PAIAM (Professional Advisors to the International Art Market).
Celia McLuskie

Celia McLuskie

Associate, Private Client:Celia McLuskie is an associate in Sinclair Gibson's Private Client team, advising individuals and families on a broad range of private wealth matters. She works closely with senior members of the department on trust and estate planning, succession and related private client issues, supporting clients with the delivery of practical and tailored advice.Celia joined Sinclair Gibson upon qualification as a solicitor in September 2022, following the completion of her training contract at a London-based firm. During her training, she gained experience across private client, family, corporate and property matters, providing her with a well-rounded understanding of the legal and personal issues that frequently intersect in private wealth work.Prior to qualification, Celia worked as a paralegal and developed experience supporting clients across a variety of practice areas. Her academic background includes a First Class degree in History from Mansfield College, Oxford, followed by a Master's degree in Gender, Sexuality and Culture at Birkbeck, University of London, awarded with Distinction. She subsequently completed both the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School, achieving Distinction in each. 
Xanthy Papageorgiou

Xanthy Papageorgiou

Senior Associate & Mediator, Family department:Xanthy Papageorgiou is a Senior Associate and Family Mediator in Sinclair Gibson's Family team, advising high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals on a broad range of family law matters. Her practice encompasses divorce and separation, complex financial remedy proceedings, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, cohabitation disputes, and private children matters. She is particularly experienced in cases involving cross-border issues, interveners, capacity issues, substantial business and property interests, and complex family wealth structures.Known for her pragmatic and sensitive approach, Xanthy advises clients through some of the most challenging personal and financial circumstances, combining technical expertise with a clear understanding of the emotional and commercial considerations.Alongside her advice work, Xanthy is a Resolution-trained mediator and is registered with the Family Mediation Council. She assists separating couples in resolving financial and children-related issues constructively through mediation and is a strong advocate of non-court dispute resolution, helping clients achieve practical and durable outcomes wherever possible. Xanthy is committed to using NCDR in all her cases where appropriate and sits on Resolution’s National DR Committee.Xanthy is an active member of the family law community and contributes to thought leadership initiatives. She has written numerous articles for various publications, spoken on a podcast and on webinars and will be speaking at the TL4 Flagship Divorce Conference in November 2026. .
Kathryn Peat

Kathryn Peat

Partner, Family:Kathryn Peat is a highly regarded family lawyer with more than 30 years' experience advising clients on complex domestic and international family matters. She specialises in high-value financial remedy proceedings, frequently involving family businesses, corporate structures, offshore trusts, and internationally held assets.Her practice encompasses divorce and separation, nuptial agreements, Schedule 1 Children Act applications, private children matters and complex jurisdictional disputes. Kathryn is particularly experienced in international relocation and leave-to-remove cases, as well as matters involving cross-border asset structures and multi-jurisdictional family law issues.Kathryn brings a distinctive perspective to her practice through more than two decades of judicial experience, having sat in a part-time judicial capacity, most recently within the Financial Remedies Unit of the Central Family Court. This experience enables her to provide clients with strategic and pragmatic advice informed by a deep understanding of the court process and judicial decision-making.A qualified Family Law Arbitrator and member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Kathryn is recognised for her expertise in alternative dispute resolution and for helping clients achieve favourable outcomes through arbitration and other forms of non-court dispute resolution where appropriate.The Legal 500 directory notes that Kathryn is ‘highly recommended’ and very active in children matters including Schedule 1 financial applications. Chambers & Partners has previously commented on her being “extremely astute and gifted at analysing the situation and individuals, recommending the best course of action at every turn, and executing it in such a succinct and powerful way” and notes that clients describe her as “extremely plugged-in and immensely effective”.
Hazel Power

Hazel Power

Partner, Private Client:Hazel Power is a Partner in Sinclair Gibson's Private Client team, advising high net worth individuals, families and trustees on complex UK and international private wealth matters. Her practice spans personal tax planning, estate and succession planning, trust structuring and administration, wealth preservation strategies and cross-border private client issues.Hazel works closely with UK-based and international families to develop practical and commercially focused solutions to succession, tax and wealth structuring challenges. She is particularly experienced in advising on trusts, intergenerational wealth transfers and estate planning arrangements involving multi-jurisdictional considerations. turn1search6Having trained with a leading Scottish firm, Hazel qualified as a solicitor in Scotland in 2018 before moving to London, where she practised in a recognised tax and estate planning team. She joined Sinclair Gibson in 2021 and was promoted to Partner in 2024. Hazel is dual-qualified in Scotland and in England & Wales, providing valuable insight for clients with interests across multiple jurisdictions.Hazel is a member of STEP and has been recognised by Chambers High Net Worth as an "Up and Coming" individual in Private Wealth Law. Clients and peers praise her practical approach, attention to detail and ability to navigate complex technical issues while maintaining a strong focus on client objectives.
Charles Richardson

Charles Richardson

Partner, Private Client: Charles Richardson is a private client lawyer specialising in UK and international tax, trusts and succession planning. He advises high-net-worth individuals, families, trustees and family business owners on complex wealth structuring, estate planning and capital tax matters, with expertise in landed estates, inherited wealth and cross-border succession issues. He also acts for executors and trustees on the administration and restructuring of trusts and estates.Known for his technical expertise in trust law and taxation, Charles is particularly valued for delivering clear, practical advice on complex legal and tax issues. His practice combines domestic and international work, and he is a registered DIFC Wills Draftsperson.
Hannah Storey

Hannah Storey

Associate, Private Client:Hannah Storey is an associate in Sinclair Gibson's Private Client Group, advising individuals, families, executors and trustees on a broad range of private client matters. Hannah’s practice centres around the administration of high value and complex estates, advising executors on the collection and realisation of estate assets, the settlement of liabilities, the preparation of inheritance tax returns and the distribution of estates.Hannah also advises on succession planning matters, including the preparation of wills, codicils and Lasting Powers of Attorney. She also supports clients on trust administration issues, including trust registration requirements, ongoing tax compliance and liaison with HMRC.Hannah joined Sinclair Gibson in 2022 following qualification as a solicitor in the private client department of a London law firm. Her experience across a wide range of private wealth matters enables her to provide practical, responsive and tailored advice to clients at often sensitive and significant moments in their lives. 
Eleanor Walsh

Eleanor Walsh

Partner, Private Client:Eleanor Walsh is a partner in the private client team, specialising in UK and international tax, trust and succession planning matters for high-net-worth individuals, families and trustees. She advises on the establishment, restructuring and administration of trusts, wealth transfer strategies, estate planning, and tax-efficient ownership structures for both UK-based and internationally connected clients.Her practice encompasses a broad range of domestic and cross-border private client work, including the implementation of complex succession and wealth preservation structures. She regularly works alongside professional advisers in offshore and multi-jurisdictional jurisdictions on international planning matters and advises trustees on the ongoing management of trust structures.Eleanor also advises landed estates and family wealth structures on long-term succession planning, governance arrangements, and the structuring of ownership. Clients value her combination of technical expertise and pragmatic advice, particularly in relation to complex tax and succession planning issues.
Angela White

Angela White

Partner, Private Client:Angela White is a Partner in Sinclair Gibson's Family Office Services Group with more than 30 years' experience advising high-net-worth individuals, families, trustees and executors on a broad range of trust and estate matters. She specialises in the administration and management of complex family trusts and estates, including matters involving cross-border assets, multi-jurisdictional succession issues and contentious elements.Angela advises on all aspects of trust and estate administration, with particular expertise in inheritance tax, capital gains tax and income tax compliance. She is highly experienced in the preparation of trust and estate accounts and regularly supports trustees and executors in navigating complex administrative, reporting and regulatory obligations, including dealings with HM Revenue & Customs.A key member of the firm's private client practice since joining in 2002, Angela spent 14 years at Withers before moving to Sinclair Gibson, where she worked alongside the firm's founding partners. She has played an integral role in the development of the Family Office Services Group and was appointed Partner in 2021.
Amy Williams

Amy Williams

Partner, Litigation:Amy Williams is a partner in the litigation team at Sinclair Gibson LLP, specialising in contentious trusts, probate and estate disputes. Having trained and qualified with the firm, she has developed a broad practice advising beneficiaries, trustees, executors, family offices and private individuals in complex and often high-value succession and trust-related disputes. She is recognised as playing a central role in the continued growth and success of the firm's litigation practice.Amy has extensive experience acting in disputes concerning the validity of wills, including allegations of undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity, and want of knowledge and approval. She regularly advises on claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, acting for both claimants and defendants, and is experienced in resolving disputes through negotiation, mediation and litigation.Her practice also encompasses contentious trust matters, including trustee removal applications, applications for directions, disputes concerning trust administration and beneficiary rights, and applications to vary trust structures. In addition, Amy advises on Court of Protection matters, including deputyship and safeguarding applications. The wider team is recognised for its expertise in trust, probate and succession disputes, together with Court of Protection proceedings and complex private wealth litigation.
Harry Yeoward

Harry Yeoward

Associate, Private Client:Harry Yeoward is an Associate in Sinclair Gibson's Family Office Services Group. He advises individuals, families and personal representatives on a broad range of private client matters, with a particular focus on probate and estate administration.Harry regularly assists executors throughout the administration of estates, including identifying and valuing assets and liabilities, preparing inheritance tax accounts and overseeing the distribution of estate assets. He also advises on succession planning matters, including the preparation of wills, codicils and lasting powers of attorney. In addition, Harry supports the firm's trust practice, assisting with trust administration, registration requirements, ongoing tax compliance and liaison with HMRC.