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)

1
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."

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

1
Alex Troup
1
Band 1

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.

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

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

Alex Troup is reassuringly good when dealing with complex cases.

1
Christopher Jones
1
Band 1

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.

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

Christopher Jones is remarkable on his feet.

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

1
John FH Dickinson
1
Band 1

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.

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

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

John Dickinson is a very calming presence.

1
John Sharples
1
Band 1

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.

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

John Sharples is a superb practitioner and technically excellent.

1
Oliver Wooding
1
Band 1

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.

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

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

2
Adam Boyle
2
Band 2

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.

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

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.

2
Charlie Newington-Bridges
2
Band 2

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.

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

2
Michael Clarke
2
Band 2

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.

Michael Clarke is technically very good.

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

Natasha Dzameh
2
Natasha Dzameh
2
Band 2

Natasha Dzameh is a commercial and chancery practitioner handling property, insolvency, wills and trusts disputes. She is regularly instructed in high-value and complex litigation.

Natasha Dzameh's submissions are incredibly compelling and insightful. She is able to make a genuine positive difference in every case.

Natasha Dzameh demonstrates a deep and thorough legal understanding and provides follow-up assistance should it be needed. She is a very safe pair of hands.

Natasha Dzameh is brilliantly detail-oriented and thinks about things that others don't think about.

Natasha Dzameh has an excellent eye for detail and looks at every matter from every possible angle.

3
Brittany Pearce
3
Band 3

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.

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

3
Daniel Soar
3
Band 3

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.

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

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

3
Joss Knight
3
Band 3

Joss Knight maintains a mixed practice of commercial and chancery matters. His work includes property disputes, contractual claims, and wills and trusts matters.

Joss Knight's advocacy skills and commercial awareness are excellent.

Joss Knight is very good technically with excellent client care skills.

Joss Knight is good with clients, tactically astute and very persuasive in court.

Ranked Barristers at
St John's Chambers

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

Western (Bar)

Chancery

1
Alex Troup KC
1
Band 1

Juniors

Western (Bar)

Chancery

1
Christopher Jones
1
Band 1
1
John FH Dickinson
1
Band 1
1
John Sharples
1
Band 1
1
Oliver Wooding
1
Band 1
2
Adam Boyle
2
Band 2
2
Charlie Newington-Bridges
2
Band 2
2
Michael Clarke
2
Band 2
Natasha Dzameh
2
Natasha Dzameh
2
Band 2
3
Brittany Pearce
3
Band 3
3
Daniel Soar
3
Band 3
3
Joss Knight
3
Band 3