Private Wealth Disputes - South West
Band 1
What the Team is Known For
Ashfords has an excellent reputation in the South West for advising high net worth individuals on contentious and non-contentious private client matters.
Strengths
Their wealth of expertise, experience and available capacity allows them to offer a high level of client servicing. The team has proved to be very technically able with matters and very timely and efficient with their communications.
Ashfords is an exceptionally strong outfit and is very highly regarded in the private client sector. The team has strength in depth and is efficient and slick.
Ashfords offers direct access to partner-level advice and has strong associate-level skills too. They are quick to respond and demonstrate sound commercial awareness.
Ashfords has knowledgeable experts in their field of contentious trusts and probate. They are empathetic and not overly aggressive in their style of litigation, which I believe is one of the reasons they are so successful. They put the client and the client's needs first.
Notable practitioners
Kerry Morgan-Gould is the head of trusts and estates at Ashfords. Morgan-Gould has a strong reputation, and advises wealthy families and individuals on complex and high-value contentious probates, trusts and Court of Protection matters.
Kerry is measured in her approach and is empathetic and engaging with clients. She is confident and articulate, which always reassures a client, especially as litigation can be quite challenging. Kerry is the epitome of professionalism.
I genuinely think Kerry is one of the best lawyers in this area you could hope to instruct. She is excellent at preparing clients for court and she is an excellent and natural litigator. She's masterful.
Kerry is an absolute pleasure to deal with. She understands the market to an exceptionally high level and runs a very impressive team at Ashfords which is renowned for being super efficient.
Michael Alden advises on estate and trust administration. He is particularly praised for his ability to develop strong working relationships with clients and other professionals.
Michael is superb.
Michael is very well connected with land agents and landed estates and he runs a good team.
Robert Horsey heads Ashfords' wills and inheritance disputes team, representing clients in complex contested estate matters.
Robert Horsey is hugely experienced and a real leader in this field.
Robert Horsey is calm, reassuring, and very experienced in inheritance disputes. He brings that experience to bear and instinctively knows the best line to take.
Robert is a delight to work with. He has vast experience and is wonderfully patient, which clients love, especially as much of the contested trusts and estates work can be challenging due to the personal element.
Jonathan Hickman is a private client partner at Ashfords. He advises clients on succession and tax planning, including establishing complex trust structures.
Jonathan absolutely knows his stuff in the rural private client sphere.
Jonathan is an extremely good operator who is popular with clients and demonstrates high technical ability.
Jonathan Hickman is very diligent, collaborative and timely in delivery.
Mike Westbrook is a partner at Ashfords who advises wealthy clients on estate planning, trusts and tax.
Mike Westbrook is the oracle of trust and estate administration. He is an intelligent man with very good client-handling skills.
Mike provides an excellent service.
I thoroughly recommended Mike. He knows his stuff, and is a pragmatic and knowledgeable person in capital taxation and related matters. I really recommend him; he is very good.
David Tomlin is an associate in the wills and inheritance disputes team at Ashfords. He advises clients on Inheritance Act claims, will validity challenges and a range of other contentious estates matters.
David is very responsive and professional and has a good handle on matters.
David Tomlin is extremely hard-working and is a master of detail.
David Tomlin is a rising star. He is very switched on, clear-sighted and keeps his eye on the ball.
