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St John's Chambers

Chancery

UK Bar Guide 2026 : Western (Bar)

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St John's Chambers

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About

Provided by St John's Chambers

St John’s Chambers offers specialist advice and representation across the full spectrum of wills and trusts matters, with a particular focus on complex and contentious disputes. Our dedicated Wills & Trusts team is nationally recognised for its expertise, and regularly acts in some of the most significant and challenging cases in this area of law.

  • Crew v Oakley [2024] EWHC 2847 (Ch) – revocation of wills by destruction and capacity issues
  • Winter v Winter [2023] EWHC 2393 (Ch) - doctrine of mutual wills, proprietary estoppel and to enforce an option contained in a partnership agreement
  • Hughes v Pritchard and others [2021] EWHC 1580 (Ch) – testamentary capacity and the evidential role of the will draftsman
  • Ann Legg and Lynn Burton v Aaron Burton, Victoria Brooks and Michael Burton [2017] EWHC 2088 [2017] 4 WLR 186 – mutual wills

Our team is featured in the Chambers UK High Net Worth Guide 2025.

What We Offer

We combine technical expertise with a sensitive, client-focused approach, particularly when dealing with bereavement-related disputes. Our barristers are known for their pragmatic, compassionate guidance and robust advocacy.

We advise and represent clients in a wide range of matters, including:

  • Contentious probate claims
  • Construction and rectification of wills and trusts
  • Estate and trust administration
  • Claims involving personal representatives and trustees
  • Inheritance Act 1975 claims
  • Proprietary estoppel
  • Associated taxation issues

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chancery - Western (Bar)

Band 1

What the Team is Known For

St John's Chambers is highly esteemed on the Western Circuit for its expertise in traditional and commercial chancery work. The chambers assists with contentious wills and trusts disputes, property disputes and Court of Protection matters, as well as professional negligence claims. It is also well known for its expertise in high-value agricultural land disputes. Members of the set appeared recently in Crew v Oatley, a High Court case concerning a contested will on capacity grounds. An interviewee states: "St John's Chambers has a broad range of experience within the set for any case you may have." Another adds: "This department is always decisive, clear and practical in its opinions and advice."

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerks are responsive and accommodating.

    Chancery respondentUK Bar

  • The clerks are always helpful, efficient and responsive.

    Chancery respondentUK Bar

  • At St John's Chambers there is an excellent set of clerks that support the barristers well.

    Chancery respondentUK Bar

  • Clerks at St John's Chambers respond promptly and provide accurate timeframes for availability and completion of work.

    Chancery respondentUK Bar

  • The clerking team is exceptional and second to none. Paul Bennett, Simon Lyons and Rob Bocock in particular are fantastic.

    Chancery respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Alex Troup
    Alex Troup

    Alex Troup

    Alex Troup KC is recognised for his impressive traditional chancery practice. He specialises in contentious trusts and probates, as well as property litigation and associated professional negligence cases. He acts as a mediator and as a representative at mediations. He is also commended for his handling of Court of Protection matters.

    • Alex Troup is exceptionally talented, calm, and has a really great manner with clients. They trust him as he puts them at ease. He has lots of gravitas and great court presence.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Alex Troup is technically on point. He's our go-to barrister for complex disputes.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Alex Troup is good with clients, a formidable advocate, and tactically astute.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Alex Troup is reassuringly good when dealing with complex cases.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • Christopher Jones
    Christopher Jones

    Christopher Jones

    Christopher Jones is a trust litigation and advice specialist with a broad chancery and commercial practice. He also assists clients with landlord and tenant disputes, property litigation and professional negligence cases. He is a trained mediator.

    • Christopher Jones is very good at esoteric points of law. He is a very able lawyer and good on his feet at trial.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Christopher Jones is fantastic with clients and particularly strong at explaining complex matters in a way they understand. He is technically very good.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Christopher Jones is remarkable on his feet.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Christopher Jones is very approachable and knowledgeable, with excellent client care skills.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • John FH Dickinson
    John FH Dickinson

    John FH Dickinson

    John Dickinson is a well-regarded chancery practitioner and experienced in contentious trusts and probates, as well as company law, restructuring and insolvency, and shareholder litigation. His professional negligence work includes cases concerning solicitors, financial advisers and accountants.

    • John is always helpful and responsive, and puts clients at ease.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • John Dickinson is very approachable and helpful, giving clear, excellent advice. He is very skilful in negotiations.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • He's excellent, attentive, and makes himself available.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • John Dickinson is a very calming presence.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • John Sharples
    John Sharples

    John Sharples

    John Sharples is a property barrister who often acts for public authorities, developers, landowners, house builders and private individuals. He is held in high esteem for his client care skills.

    • John Sharples is also very good and very technical.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • John Sharples is a very safe pair of hands. He is thorough and produces reasoned written advice.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • John Sharples is a superb practitioner and technically excellent.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • Oliver Wooding
    Oliver Wooding

    Oliver Wooding

    Oliver Wooding is a chancery and commercial junior with a broad practice spanning traditional chancery, real estate litigation and agricultural law. He is experienced in contentious probates, wills, trusts and tax matters, and also handles Court of Protection cases. He also acts as a mediator.

    • Oliver is very experienced and a pleasure to work with. He is good with clients, commanding in court and tactically minded.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Oliver Wooding has a great way with clients and provides well-reasoned and user-friendly advice.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Oliver Wooding is helpful and knowledgeable, and has a very good client manner.

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  • Adam Boyle
    Adam Boyle

    Adam Boyle

    Adam Boyle is a specialist in proprietary estoppel with additional expertise in probate and will cases. He has a vast knowledge of a range of issues including partnership matters, estoppel disputes and injunction cases.

    • Adam gives succinct and clear legal advice.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Adam Boyle is very commercially minded and able to identify both the financial and point of principal importance to the clients.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Adam Boyle is very focused and is able to get to the root of the issues. He cuts through a lot of evidence very quickly and gives clear and focused advice.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • Charlie Newington-Bridges
    Charlie Newington-Bridges

    Charlie Newington-Bridges

    Charlie Newington-Bridges is a traditional chancery practitioner with a specialism in Inheritance Act 1975 claims and experience with high-value estates and complex wills. He previously worked in banking, and his commercial cases include insolvency, banking and financial services and partnership matters.

    • Charlie Newington-Bridges is trusted with tough commercial cases. He is responsive, shrewd and great on his feet.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Charlie Newington-Bridges is excellent. He is a really good advocate.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • Michael Clarke
    Michael Clarke

    Michael Clarke

    Michael Clarke is a chancery and commercial barrister with a broad practice spanning traditional chancery, professional negligence, and commercial and contractual disputes. He is experienced in contentious probates, wills, trusts and tax matters.

    • Michael Clarke puts clients at ease and delivers pragmatic, practical advice and solutions.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Michael Clarke is technically very good.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Michael Clarke has a great depth of technical and tactical knowledge. He is excellent with clients and is calm, considered and commanding in court.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • Brittany Pearce
    Brittany Pearce

    Brittany Pearce

    Brittany Pearce has significant knowledge of acting in property-related matters, as well as being regularly sought out to act in traditional chancery issues such as trust and will disputes.

    • Brittany Pearce is competent, thorough and gives advice which is easy for clients to access and understand.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Brittany Pearce provides excellent client service, good practical advice and successful court representation.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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  • Daniel Soar
    Daniel Soar

    Daniel Soar

    Daniel Soar is a chancery and commercial barrister who has expertise in handling matters concerning inheritance disputes, propriety estoppel, boundaries, and landlord and tenant work.

    • Daniel is ferociously bright, extremely conscientious and wholly reliable.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Daniel Soar is excellent with clients, knows his stuff and has very sound technical knowledge.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar

    • Daniel Soar is extremely technical but is able to explain the complex legal issues in a user-friendly and accessible manner.

      Chancery respondentUK Bar
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Ranked Barristers at St John's Chambers (10)

Western (Bar)

Members

Provided by St John's Chambers

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