Under the joint leadership of Charlotte Watts and Gillian Fletcher, who are both based in Salisbury, the team at Wilsons acts for several hundred charities in will disputes, and the specialist practice is respected for its experience in all types of disputes involving trusts and wills. James Aspden is another name to note for his work in resolving trust and probate disputes, and Fiona Campbell-White is a key contact at the London office.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘This is a fantastic team. What really marks them out is the depth of their client-base: they act for seemingly all the major national charities dealing with the simplest claims up to the most complex ones.'

  • ‘James Aspden — Very good partner with a very good sense of which points to press. Has a real brain for numbers and surrounding taxation issues as well, which is absolutely vital in this area.'

  • 'Charlotte Watts is an extraordinary partner. She fights hard for client interests, takes no prisoners, but always gives commercial and practical advice. She is particularly adept at recognising charity-specific risks, and wins real results for her clients as a result.’

  • ‘Both the charities and the contentious trusts and probate teams at Wilsons are thoroughly excellent.'

  • ‘Charlotte Watts and James Aspden are the two most impressive partners and I have worked with both of them on private client cases for many years.'

  • 'Charlotte is second to none when it comes to managing legacy disputes cases and she is the go-to solicitor for charities. James is technically brilliant and handles complex private client disputes with empathy and precision.'

Key clients

  • RNLI
  • RSPCA
  • Macmillan Cancer Support
  • Blue Cross
  • PDSA
  • RNIB
  • Royal Star and Garter Homes
  • Battersea Dogs and Cats Home

Practice head

Charlotte Watts; Gillian Fletcher

Other key lawyers

James Aspden; Fiona Campbell-White