Kate Arnold > Cripps > Tunbridge Wells, England > Lawyer Profile
Cripps Offices
NUMBER 22
MOUNT EPHRAIM
TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Kent
TN4 8AS
England
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Kate Arnold
Work Department
Advisory group, private client.
Position
Partner in the private client advisory group providing bespoke succession and inheritance tax planning advice to individuals and their families, advising on wills, lasting powers of attorney, trusts, co-habitation agreements, Court of Protection matters, lifetime tax planning and estates. Acting for both domestic and international clients and working on cross-border UK/French issues. Advising family businesses on longer term succession, with a particular emphasis on agricultural businesses and properties. Partner in Cripps charities sector advising on the set up and governance of charitable companies and trusts. Interesting cases: acting for executors of multi-million pound agricultural estate advising on agricultural property relief, administration of estate dealings with difficult beneficiaries; advising trustees of trust consisting of substantial company shareholding on ongoing governance and inheritance tax issues; providing advice to trustees of a private charitable trust generally and particularly in relation to a multi-million pound project being undertaken by the trustees.
Career
Trained Cripps LLP; qualified 2007; associate Cripps LLP 2012, partner 2014 to date.
Languages
French (fluent).
Memberships
STEP; Charity Law Association.
Education
University of Exeter (2003 LLB/Maitrise 2(1)); University of Rennes II (2005 Legal Practice Course, Distinction); College of Law, Guildford (2008 STEP).
Leisure
Walking, skiing.
Lawyer Rankings
South East > Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
(Leading partners)Cripps offers the full spectrum of support to charities and not-for-profits, advising on governance, formation, incorporation, risk management, investigatory and liability matters. Its experience includes advising clients in the art, education, religion and social housing sectors. The firm can also assist charities on commercial and real estate matters through its broader expertise. The firm merged with PDT Solicitors in February 2024, bringing James Clewlow, Chehraz Fox, Holly Goacher and Ian Lindley into the fold. Kate Arnold heads the practice, with expertise in the commercial activities of charities. Joanna Ford is also noted for her experience in trustee duties and insolvency matters.
South East > Private client > Agriculture and estates
Cripps advises on a wide range of matters within the agricultural and rural sectors, including grazing agreements, farm sales, commercial leases, and succession planning issues. Described as ‘passionate, driven, and extremely knowledgeable in her field’, Sally Firby leads the team in Tunbridge Wells and focuses on high-value property transactions. Kate Arnold and Paul Fairbairn are further standout lawyers; Fairbairn is recommended for tax matters, while Arnold regularly advises on trusts. The team is also familiar with diversification schemes and has experience assisting clients with development projects.
South East > Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
(Leading partners)The team at Cripps is praised for going ‘above and beyond’ for clients. The Tunbridge Wells-based practice acts for a range of clients, including national and international business owners, directors, and agricultural and estate owners, and is recognised for its trust and estate administration, accounting and tax compliance experience. Kate Arnold leads the team and has significant expertise advising on succession and tax planning. Paul Fairbairn specialises in advising both domestic and international families on UK tax planning, while the ‘technically excellent’ Jessica Jamieson advises on wills, trusts, powers of attorney and international probate matters. Clare Savory is recommended ‘wholeheartedly’ for her estate planning advice.
Lawyer Rankings
- Charities and not-for-profit South East > Private client
- Leading partners South East > Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Leading partners South East > Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex South East > Private client
- Agriculture and estates South East > Private client
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Kent, Surrey and Sussex
- Real estate > Commercial property: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Real estate > Construction
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Employment > Employment: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Real estate > Environment and planning
- Private client > Family: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Public sector > Public sector