Helen Freely > Druces LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Druces LLP Offices

Druces LLP
SALISBURY HOUSE
LONDON WALL
LONDON
EC2M 5PS
England
Visit website 020 7638 9271 020 7628 7525

Helen Freely

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+44 (0)20 7216 5521 [email protected] View profile View profile

Work Department

Private Client 

Position

Helen is a Partner in the Private Wealth team. Her background and specialisms include Wills, probate including UK and foreign domiciliary estates, trusts, court of protection work, lasting powers of attorney, tax planning and charity law. She also leads Druces’ Charities and Philanthropy practice.

She is a member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS); Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly), Mencap, The Thomas More Society, British German Jurists Association and the National Association of Independent Administrators – (NAIA). She has written articles for the Financial Times and Daily Telegraph and has appeared on BBC TV and Radio to discuss a range of private client topics. Helen speaks fluent German and has experience taking on cases with a German or Austrian element.

In her spare time, Helen enjoys the theatre, and arranging charity fundraising events.

Helen has regularly been commended in Legal 500 for her work in several areas and is known to be a ‘highly trusted advisor’ who is ‘excellent, competent and efficient’.

  • “Helen Freely has unravelled a complicated trust set up in a will. She handled it quickly, efficiently and successfully. She is extremely impressive with an eye for detail and an impressive grasp of trust and tax law”.
    “Helen Freely is excellent with clients and a very good lawyer. She dealt with a monstrously difficult case with calm and compassion but also fought hard for her clients”
  • “High level and wide range of knowledge, very friendly to deal with, sensible and commercial approach. Helen Freely and Caroline Cropley are the key names”
  • “Helen Freely is an excellent lawyer who really goes the extra mile for her clients in order to secure a good outcome for them”.
  • “Helen Freely – very experienced and with good judgment. Keeps focused on client’s best interests even when they struggle to themselves’”.
  • “From a barrister’s perspective, considered one of the very best contentious private client firms. Sterling reputation. Helen Freely and Paul Levy are both superb. Very hardworking, thorough, pragmatic, the complete package. Congratulations to Paul on his recent and well-deserved promotion to Partner”.

    Reported Cases

Eade v Hogg [2021] EWHC 1057 – acted successfully for the widow in this rectification / construction case.

Clark v World Wildlife Fund & Others [2011] WTLR 961 – acted as Independent Administrator in this case.

Languages

German (fluent), French (basic) and Spanish (basic).

Lawyer Rankings

London > Private client > Charities and not-for-profit

Led by Helen Freely, Druces LLP continues to receive a variety of high-quality instructions from its long-established charity clients. It acts for more than 60 charities, and has particular strength in the education, arts, animal, religious, and health sectors. The group has also been busy working for some newer charities. Freely is adept at helping charities which are just launching or in the early stages of their existence. Caroline Cropley has particular experience in advising on structuring and governance issues from both a corporate and a charity law perspective.

London > Private client > Contentious trusts and probate

Paul Levy is at the helm at Druces LLP. It continues to win new instructions on a range of inheritance and will disputes and Court of Protection matters, as well as breach of trust and proprietary estoppel claims. The multi-disciplinary team draws on the strength of its private wealth and dispute resolution colleagues to advise on a range of issues, such as contested applications for the removal of executors. It also regularly advises on other matters, including difficult estate claims over predatory marriages. Helen Freely is another important contact.

London > Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate

Matthew Duncan leads the practice at Druces LLP, which has a particular specialism in family offices. It covers all areas of wealth planning, international tax structuring, and multi-generational succession planning for mobile international families. Other key members of the practice include Robert Macro and Paul Levy. Helen Freely works on a broad range of private client matters, including tax and trusts, as well as advising charities. Phillip Vallon joined the firm from Knights plc in April 2023.

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Top Tier Firm Rankings

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