Matthew Morton

Practice Areas

Matthew is the National Head of the Disputes Wills Trusts and Estates Department and is experienced in disputes involving the administration of estates, will validity claims, proprietary estoppel, Inheritance Act claims and disputes involving trustees, executors and beneficiaries.

Matthew is regularly instructed by a number of well-known charities for his specialist knowledge in contentious trust and estate disputes. Matthew also receives instructions from solicitors, barristers, high net worth individuals and accountants. Matthew is regularly the lead solicitor on high profile cases that are reported in the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Matthew has extensive experience of alternative methods of dispute resolution, particularly mediation.

The private wealth team in Leeds and Newcastle provides a comprehensive private client service for individuals including those of ultra-high net worth and for companies, trusts, charities and foundations:

• Disputed wills, trusts and estates– challenging a lifetime gift, contentious probate, disputed wills, estate & trust disputes, inheritance act claims, pre-death agreement

• Private wealth– asset protection, business succession planning, court of protection, charitable trusts, family investment companies, inheritance tax, lasting powers of attorney, probate, trusts & wills

• International private wealth- international tax, trusts, estates & succession planning; international family wealth structuring & wealth planning; domicile and tax residency; offshore trust & company structuring; international tax compliance & disclosure

• Family– divorce & separation; children; cohabitation; HNW divorce, inheritance claims; pre and post marital agreements, family mediation, financial advice on marriage & dissolution, international, LGBTQ & Scottish family law

• Employment– settlement agreements; director’s service agreements; employee benefits; business immigration; directors’ duties; boardroom disputes

• Property– residential property; buy to let; leases; remortgaging; leasehold enfranchisement; business premises

• Business owners– share sales; partnerships and JVs; investments; succession; insolvency & bankruptcy; business crime

Professional Memberships

Matthew is a longstanding Member of The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS), The Northern Contentious Probate Group and the Contentious Trust Association (ConTrA)

Publications

Matthew is co-author of the Resolution Handbook chapter on Inheritance Act claims practice and procedure.