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Payne Hicks Beach LLP

Private Wealth Disputes

High Net Worth Guide 2025 : London (Firms)

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Payne Hicks Beach LLP

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About

Provided by Payne Hicks Beach LLP

Trust law and probate disputes are becoming increasingly international with greater scope for disagreement.

As one of the leading firms in the country in this area Payne Hicks Beach is able to unlock difficult inheritance and trust disputes. Sometimes the disagreement is between trustees and beneficiaries, but often complex issues are involved such as rights governed by multi-national jurisdictions asserted over the same property involving high net worth parties.

Our work includes:

  • handling UK trust and estate disputes and the co-ordination of multi-jurisdictional disputes relating to ownership of assets
  • resolving conflicts between beneficiaries and trustees or executors and between trustees and protectors
  • advising executors when faced with claims by disappointed beneficiaries
  • dealing with defective or unclear wills or trust documents
  • advising trustees on their duties and obligations to individuals and authorities
  • advising beneficiaries on the enforcement of their rights
  • obtaining court directions for trustees in both hostile and non-contentious circumstances.

In disputes of this nature, resolving the conflict with the minimum of time and expense is essential as is having an expertise in this complicated area of the law. We always explore ways to resolve problems and examine all alternatives before resorting to litigation.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Private Wealth Disputes - London (Firms)

Band 1

What the Team is Known For
The team at Payne Hicks Beach advises on the full spectrum of contentious trusts and estates matters. Partners handle cross-border litigation and represent clients involved in cases concerning Inheritance Act claims, fiduciary removals and breach of trust allegations.
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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Payne Hicks Beach is behind some of the biggest international trust litigation. It is a powerhouse for that sort of work out of London.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

  • Payne Hicks Beach is a long-established old firm, but it has a young team: ambitious, driven and deadly effective. I think they are some of the best private client litigators in London.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

  • Payne Hicks Beach is excellent. It is a go-to team for private clients.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

  • We associate PHB with its breadth and depth across a range of HNW/UHNW disputes work: from pure private client work through to international trust litigation, UHNW divorce and relationship breakdowns.

    Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Jessica Henson
    Jessica Henson

    Jessica Henson

    Jessica Henson handles significant domestic and cross-border contentious trusts and estates matters. Her work also includes advising on trusts issues arising during divorce cases.

    • Jessica has impeccable judgement, a total sense of cases and is fantastic at leading a team. One of my favourites to work with.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Jessica has fantastic soft skills and works incredibly hard. She is excellent to work with on trust litigation.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Jessica Henson is extremely hard-working, clever and eloquent. She is very bright and always knows the right way in tricky cases.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Jessica Henson is super-impressive. She is unflappable and a delight to work with. She has really great judgement and knows the law back to front.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Jessica Henson is extremely well known by everybody across the industry. She is very tenacious and really masterminds the process using her considerable network.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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  • Richard Manyon
    Richard Manyon

    Richard Manyon

    Richard Manyon represents high net worth clients both domestically and offshore. His broad range of matters includes high-value cases, including breach of fiduciary duty claims, will validity challenges and Inheritance Act matters.

    • Richard is clever, strategic and has a very reassuring way with clients. He's a sage adviser. He is really valuable to have on your team or in the room as a sensible and honest broker.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • He is very clever and will deal with things as they come up. The unexpected doesn't faze him. He will bat it off and find the right solution.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Richard Manyon is a master tactician. He is very commercial, results-focused and great with his clients.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Richard Manyon is a market leader. He brings a great presence and a calm authority. He has great judgement, good tactical nous, and appears in some of the biggest cases.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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  • Clementine Dowley
    Clementine Dowley

    Clementine Dowley

    Clementine Dowley was promoted to partner at Payne Hicks Beach in June 2025. She brings a corporate law background to complex domestic and international trusts disputes.

    • Clementine Dowley is most definitely a rising star.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Clementine is an excellent person to have on the team. She knows the detail backwards.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • She is really impressive - a sophisticated operator that knows the law but has also got a good way with clients and opposition. You can really work with her.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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  • Charlotte Henshall
    Charlotte Henshall

    Charlotte Henshall

    Charlotte Henshall is a legal director at Payne Hicks Beach, assisting with contentious trusts and estates matters. She represent trustees, protectors and beneficiaries in breach of trust issues and 1975 Act claims.

    • Charlotte is super-organised. She can respond to providential queries and knows the documents at a click of a button. She is a real star at keeping things ticking in the case.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth

    • Charlotte is an absolute pleasure to deal with and always on top of her cases. She is a fountain of knowledge.

      Private Wealth Disputes respondentHigh Net Worth
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Ranked Individuals at Payne Hicks Beach LLP (4)

London (Firms)

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