Excellent chancery and probate team stands out on the Western Circuit, with members offering a wide range of expertise.”

The Legal 500 2024, Chancery, probate, and tax

St John’s Chambers has a specialist Wills and Trusts team to advise and represent clients in a broad range of cases, with a particular strength in complex contentious trusts and inheritance disputes.

The team have appeared in a number of the leading and recent cases, such as Hughes v Pritchard (weight of evidence of will draftsman in testamentary capacity cases), Larsen v Annan (adult children 1975 Act claims), Oliver v Oliver (undue influence), and Legg v Burton (mutual wills).

Members of our Wills & Trusts team are featured in the Chambers UK High Net Worth Guide 2024 as leaders in the private wealth market (outside London). This recognition clearly demonstrates the team are leaders in their field nationally. Read more here.

We pride ourselves in offering a user-friendly legal service, especially for those suffering a bereavement which is compounded by a family dispute. Our barristers have a reputation for handling these types of cases with sensitivity and tact as well as being robust advocates.

Members of the team regularly advise and represent clients in relation to the whole spectrum of issues concerning wills and trusts. Their work covers both contentious and non-contentious matters, including:

  • Contentious probate claims
  • Construction and rectification of wills and trusts
  • Administration of estates and trusts
  • Claims by or against personal representatives and trustees
  • Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
  • Proprietary estoppel
  • Associated taxation issues

Our clerking team are always accessible, and take care and time to understand the case or the individual personalities involved when recommending individual barristers. Read more.

Mediation

As the number of cases being dealt with by way of mediation increases, our mediation team are on hand to help, be it by providing the advocates, mediators or both. Our facilities are specifically designed to meet with clients’ needs for a mediation venue. Read more. For our mediation services during the COVID-19 social distancing lockdown please click on the following news item:

St John’s Chambers – remote mediations in wills & trusts, real estate and commercial disputes

Public Access

Some members of the team are also available to act, where appropriate, for members of the public, as well as for commercial and non-commercial organisations, under the Public Access scheme.

Training

The team delivers workshops and seminars in Chambers and regional centres. We also provide training on behalf of local Law Societies and in conjunction with solicitors’ firms. In addition we can give tailored in-house training for particular firms. If you would like any further information please contact Paul Bennett on 0117 923 4714 or email: [email protected].

View our Will & Trusts digital book here for further details about how we can help you.

Wills & Trusts Team

alex-troup

Alex Troup KC

  • Call: 1998
  • Silk: 2023

Alex is ranked as the only ‘star individual’ on the Western Circuit in chancery matters by Chambers UK and is Head of our Wills & Trusts team. He is also the only silk ranked in private wealth outside...

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John Sharples

John Sharples

  • Call: 1992

John is a very experienced adviser and advocate and has practised in the area of wills and trusts for over 25 years. He is ranked in Band 1 for both chancery and real estate litigation in Chambers UK...

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John Dickinson

John Dickinson

  • Call: 1995

John is a barrister specialising in wills and trusts work including administration of estates matters. He has extensive experience in resolving all aspects of inheritance related problems, both through court proceedings and alternative dispute resolution. John’s work includes...

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Zoë Saunders

  • Call: 2003

As Head of the Divorce & Financial Remedy team and an expert in wills & trusts, Zoë has specialist expertise in complex cases involving Inheritance Act claims, probate disputes, disputes concerning Trusts, property ownership and interests relating to...

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Christopher Jones

Christopher Jones

  • Call: 2004

Christopher is a wills & trusts barrister, regularly advising in cases involving the division of assets between cohabitees, disputed wills and the administration of trusts and estates. In addition his practice includes disputes involving: Advising on trustees’ powers...

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Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke

  • Call: 2009

Michael has an extensive wills & trusts practice, and regularly advises on the construction of wills, challenges to the validity of wills, claims in respect of mutual wills, applications to remove or replace personal representatives, applications for directions...

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Jody Atkinson

  • Call: 2005

Jody’s chancery practice focuses exclusively on wills and trusts. He is a full member of STEP, having passed all of the exams in one sitting. Jody is particularly sought after for Inheritance Act disputes, due to his rare...

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Oliver Wooding

Oliver Wooding

  • Call: 2009

Oliver’s wills and trusts practice spans all contentious and non-contentious matters.  He advises upon and acts, both as advocate and mediator, in disputes involving the validity of wills, claims under Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975,...

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Natasha Dzameh

Natasha Dzameh

  • Call: 2010

Natasha has extensive experience of wills, trusts and probate matters. This includes: applications for the removal of personal representatives and/or trustees, breaches of trust and of fiduciary duty (including dishonest assistance and knowing receipt), claims under the Inheritance...

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Charlie Newington Bridges

Charlie Newington-Bridges

  • Call: 2011

Charlie is a traditional chancery barrister with a specialism in Inheritance Act 1975 claims and experience with high-value estates and complex wills. Recent work includes: Representing the defendant in a two day trial concerning the proceeds from two...

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Adam Boyle

  • Call: 2012

Adam has extensive experience of wills, trusts and probate work and is regularly instructed in all manner of cases across this area. His cases often include assisting executors and administrators with the administration of estates, and the various...

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Oliver Riley

Oliver Riley

  • Call: 2013

Oliver is an experienced trusts practitioner, particularly in the context of separating cohabitees. He is regularly instructed to provide advice prior to the issue of proceedings, as well as acting on behalf of both claimants and defendants in...

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Joss Knight

  • Call: 2014

Joss acts in a wide variety of wills, probate and estates matters. He has particular expertise in claims where the validity of the will is disputed, and claims for an interest in property on the basis of proprietary...

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Annie Sampson

Annie Sampson

  • Call: 2015

Annie’s experience encompasses a broad range of wills and trusts work, including both contentious and non-contentious matters. Annie has particular experience of advising in respect of the construction of wills and challenges to their validity; 1975 Act claims,...

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Brittany Pearce

Brittany Pearce

  • Call: 2015

Brittany is often instructed to advise beneficiaries, trustees and personal representatives in connection with probate, trust and estate matters. Her advice covers technical, discrete points, such as what documents should be disclosed, whilst factoring in practical considerations, bearing...

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Daniel Soar

  • Call: 2016

Daniel has a broad wills and trusts practice encompassing both contentious and non-contentious work. He has experience advising on the proper construction of wills, their formal and substantive validity, will challenges based on lack of capacity, want of...

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georgina-thompson

Georgina Thompson

  • Call: 2017

Georgina is a commercial and chancery practitioner and a qualified mediator. She accepts instructions in all of the main areas of commercial and chancery law. Her main areas of expertise lie in commercial litigation, insolvency matters and contentious...

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Jack Pankhurst

  • Call: 2021

Jack is a specialist commercial and chancery barrister and a trained mediator. His practice spans the breadth of commercial disputes, including company and insolvency; contractual disputes; offshore work; wills and trust litigation; professional negligence claims; property matters; and...

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Kayleigh Bloomfield

  • Call: 2021

Kayleigh is regularly instructed in a broad range of private client matters. Her practice includes: Advising, drafting and / or appearing in: Probate claims concerning the formal validity of wills, testamentary capacity, knowledge and approval, undue influence and...

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Ben Harwood

Ben Harwood

  • Call: 2022

Ben provides representation and advice in all main areas of commercial and chancery law. He frequently represents clients at small claims and fast-track trials, as well as for various interim, procedural and enforcement applications, including strike out, summary...

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Guy Adams

Guy Adams

  • Call: 1989

Guy is an experienced chancery practitioner with a thorough understanding of trust principles, and acts and advises in connection with the administration of trusts and estates. He has a particular expertise in derivative actions. He is a member...

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Richard Gold

Richard Gold

  • Call: 2006

Richard specialises in wills & trusts, and regularly advises and appears in cases where the validity of a will is challenged on grounds such as: non-compliance with the Wills Act 1837; lack of testamentary capacity; want of knowledge...

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Directory Quotes

St John’s Chambers is highly esteemed on the Western Circuit for its expertise in traditional and commercial chancery work. They are the leading chambers for contentious probate matters.”

Chambers UK 2024, Chancery

Highly esteemed on the Western Circuit for its expertise in traditional and commercial chancery work. ‘Consistently provide well-balanced, clear and commercially-minded advice.'”

Chambers UK 2023, Chancery

One of the main strengths of the chambers is the communication skills of the clerks, which ensure that expectations are managed and that levels of service are met.”

Chambers UK 2023, Chancery (Client Service)

Leading regional heavy-weight, very strong in contentious probate and the leading set for trusts and estates work in the South West.”

Legal 500 2023, Chancery, Probate & Tax

St John’s Chambers is highly esteemed on the Western Circuit for its expertise in traditional and commercial chancery work. The set is ‘very capable with a specialist, expert team of barristers who are all helpful and skilled and keep their knowledge well updated.’ “

Chambers UK 2022, Chancery

The set’s clerks are very helpful, prompt to reply and very easy to work with. They are swift in responding to instructing solicitors and act as a sensible, seamless and proactive conduit between the barristers and their instructing solicitors.”

Chambers UK 2022, Chancery (Client Service)

St John’s Chambers is an excellent contentious trust and probate set with ‘a very strong Chancery team’, housing members who rival London counsel in ability and experience.”

Legal 500 2022, Chancery, Probate and Tax

St John’s Chambers is highly esteemed on the Western Circuit for its expertise in traditional and commercial chancery work. ‘There is a real depth in their chancery practice,’ says one source. The set assists with contentious will and trusts disputes, property disputes and Court of Protection matters, as well as professional negligence claims. It is also well known for its expertise on high-value agricultural land disputes. Sources say it is ‘an approachable and effective set, with individuals who are knowledgeable and invariably keen to support.’ “

Chambers UK 2021, Chancery

Client Quotes

“The go-to set for traditional chancery work, both in the South West and arguably nationally: they give London a run for their money: London quality, without London fees.”

Legal 500 client feedback

“St Johns has a very strong Chancery team and excellent clerks. Their barristers are expert, approachable, down to earth and offer London expertise at regional rates.”

Legal 500 client feedback

“St John’s Chambers are a regional set with a number of experienced Chancery barristers and mediators. They are well known and respected on the western circuit. Although a regional set, they have a wealth of experience on par with London sets.”

Legal 500 client feedback

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