Between offices in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich, Ashtons Legal houses a number of private client experts, alongside those in Cambridge and Norwich. Its sizeable team has impressive breadth: Louise Cardwell and Janette Wand jointly lead the lifetime planning practice group from the Ipswich office. Cardwell’s specialism is in advising business owners, farmers, and HNWIs on complicated succession issues, with Wand being an expert across taxes and trusts. Alan Brown in Bury St Edmunds is one of the senior tax planning advisors in East Anglia, and Matthew Cameron adds niche strength in cross-border matters between the UK and France, being a French law expert. January 2025 hire Richard Guy bolsters the group’s mid-seniority level, while at a more junior level, Chris Cumberbatch and Natalie Westgate support.
Personal tax, trusts and probate: elsewhere in East Anglia in East Anglia
Ashtons Legal
Responsables de la pratique:
Janette Wand; Louise Cardwell
Autres avocats clés:
Alan Brown; Matthew Cameron; Richard Guy; Chris Cumberbatch; Natalie Westgate
Les références
‘The team here work collaboratively to ensure the best outcomes for clients. Client matters are not jealously guarded as they are in some firms.’
‘Attention to detail and genuine client care sets Janette Wand and Louise Cardwell apart from many of their peers.’
‘We find working with the team at Ashtons incredibly easy, especially when collaboration is required. Everyone is friendly, approachable, and responsive when handling client matters. The team possesses strong expertise and is able to bring in specialists from other areas when needed, ensuring comprehensive support for clients.’
Birketts LLP
Characterised by its delivery of ‘exceptional legal advice in a client friendly and commercial manner’, Birketts LLP has notable strength and some of the firm’s most experience private client practitioners at its Ipswich office. Considered to be ‘at the very highest level’, Louise Long is the head of the wider private client offering of the firm and draws on three decades of experience to advise on the range of personal tax and estate management. Gavin Birchall is the name to note for land and property taxes, while Claire Tenwick, who was appointed to the partnership in April 2024, is private client advisory lead in Ipswich. Working closely with Louise Long, Jessica Godfrey-Withey is seen as ‘a true up and coming star in the private client arena’.
Responsables de la pratique:
Louise Long; Claire Tenwick; Gavin Burchall
Autres avocats clés:
Claire Tenwick; Jessica Godfrey-Withey
Les références
‘Extremely efficient and timely attention to my requests and requirements for legal advice and guidance.’
‘Personal attention to my particular issue. Flexibility in terms of time and availability, always available to reasonably short notice in case of need. A clear and knowledgeable understanding of the subject under discussion or consideration.’
‘Louise Long is the partner responsible for my private affairs. Louise is first class and has a very strong grasp of the law insomuch as it relates to my own issues such as estate planning, inheritance tax etc.’
Greene & Greene
Clients with complex taxable estates in the East Anglia region can rely on a ‘truly exceptional’ team at Greene & Greene in Bury St Edmunds to assist with the range of issues in the field, including new Trust Registration Services (TRS) changes, trusts and personal tax issues. Wayne Perrin heads the department and is retained by a number of trustees for general trust matters, as well as high value wills, succession planning for multi-million-pound estates, power of attorney, and pensions advice. Jonathan Mathers has wide experience in property and private client work, and tax expert Martine Swaep comes recommended as ‘very professional, thorough and well informed’. Nigel Scase, Zoe Hodge and Amy Taylor are additional contacts to note, evidence of the office’s strength in depth.
Responsables de la pratique:
Wayne Perrin
Autres avocats clés:
Jonathan Mathers; Martine Swaep; Nigel Scase; Zoe Hodge
Les références
‘The team at Greene and Greene were truly exceptional in their ability to provide us with a professional service combining empathy, understanding and communication skills. They helped us to comprehend how to navigate a very complex situation and we felt really reassured throughout the whole process. What we imagined as being a stereotypical sterile environment was the complete opposite and they made us feel really comfortable throughout. I’m really impressed by their diligence and commitment to their clients.’
‘We dealt with Martine Swaep over an extensive period of time and we found her to be very professional, thorough and well informed. She explained everything to us and nothing was too much trouble for her. She was impressive in her comprehension of our requirements and her ability to provide us with information, even though we wanted specific and bespoke needs. We were delighted with her technical expertise and the manner in which she handled our situation.’
‘Friendly and professional with a good knowledge of their subject.’
Buckles Solicitors LLP
A team in Peterborough are a key component of Buckles Solicitors LLP‘s national private client group, working closely with practitioners in Cambridge and London, as well as handling local instructions for estates of high value. Rebekkah Cooper is a senior figure that has built up a strong client base of high net-worth individuals in the area and continues to act as a key source of knowledge on estate planning in Peterborough and the surrounding areas. Stephen Duffy maintains his strong reputation for inheritance tax planning and mitigation.
Responsables de la pratique:
Rebekkah Cooper
Autres avocats clés:
Stephen Duffy
Les références
‘This practice has a very strong team of qualified and dedicated professionals. They have been expanding their team and I am very confident with referring individuals.’
Hunt & Coombs LLP
Hunt & Coombs LLP has offices in Peterborough and its surrounds, housing practitioners equipped to act on estate planning and will preparation, and winding up estates of all sizes. Sally Power leads the wills, trusts and probate team and specialises in all aspects of private client law. Henry Anstey has considerable experience across wills, trusts, probate, and tax planning, and Sallyann Short‘s ‘excellent customer service’ is a draw for clients.
Responsables de la pratique:
Sally Power
Autres avocats clés:
Henry Anstey; Sallyann Short; Paddy Appleton
Les références
‘Sallyann Short is the reason I use this firm due to her excellent customer service and her ability to converse with all types of people.’
‘I have always found my contacts at Hunt and Coombs to be friendly, efficient and very professional in their dealings with us and the clients.’
‘Friendly and approachable.’
Prettys Solicitors LLP
Prettys Solicitors LLP‘s Ipswich office houses two of the firm’s notable lawyers in its wills, trusts and estates practice, whose broad offering has seen an increase in work for families regarding mental capacity, care fee funding, inheritance tax, estate planning and the court of protection. Emma Woollard is well versed in advising HNWIs on tax and estate planning, and Fiona Ashmead is particularly strong in inheritance tax advice. Both come with client recommendation.
Responsables de la pratique:
Emma Woollard
Autres avocats clés:
Fiona Ashmead
Les références
‘I think the firm are down to earth and give excellent client care.’
‘Emma Woollard is both pragmatic and efficient.’
‘We admire their ability to present themselves as a real team and function as a team for the benefit of their clients. While smaller than other firms’ private client teams, this brings the benefit of clients feeling as if the whole team are helping them rather than just one individual. They build genuine connections with clients and are always willing to take the time to truly understand what is important to a client.’
Roythornes Solicitors
Roythornes Solicitors remains a strong choice for succession planning and capital tax advice to landed estates, farmers, agribusiness owners, and stakeholders in the renewable energy space. At its Alconbury office, Tim Galloway draws on extensive experience across succession planning, and Joseph Stoehr has a network of clients in Cambridgeshire and the surrounding counties. Alexandra Hamilton is a further key figure, supporting Galloway across the full spectrum of matters.
Responsables de la pratique:
Tim Galloway
Autres avocats clés:
Joseph Stoehr; Alexandra Hamilton
Les références
‘Superb attention to technical detail coupled with tremendous care and attention to the client and their need to understand.’
‘We recommend Tim Galloway and Alexandra Hamilton.’
‘Roythornes LLP have always delivered a professional and courteous service. The staff listen and give you the time and patience in order for you to understand the complexities of law and help you through the process of which you are applying for.’
Principaux dossiers
- Advising the partners of a family farming partnership with land assets approaching £22m in value on a restructuring of the business for succession planning purposes in circumstances where none of the next generation were coming home to farm.
- Prebudget planning to secure relief on development land in a farming partnership.
- Prebudget restructuring of the ownership of a farming business in a limited company.
Barker Gotelee
Nick Palmer at the Ipswich office of Barker Gotelee has a strong regional client list of farmers, landowners and owners of small to medium-sized businesses that look to him and his team for assistance with wills, tax planning, trusts and estate administration, and capacity issues. Further private client lawyers to note are Lindsey Ottywill and Kiri Nichols.
Responsables de la pratique:
Nick Palmer
Autres avocats clés:
Lindsey Ottywill; Kiri Nichols
Les références
‘Personal touch with friendly and sympathetic members of staff from start to finish.’
‘A very professional and personable team. I have always found the level of knowledge to be excellent when dealing with complex cases and the variety of individual solicitors means that there is always someone willing to support clients and their needs. They are very collaborative with other professionals and this has supported their knowledge on areas such as pensions so they can highlight needs clients have where other advisers should be brought in.’
‘Lindsey Ottywill is always happy to pick up the phone and discuss client cases. This has meant I am able to highlight needs to my clients and ultimately refer them on to Lindsey. Her knowledge is exceptional while also being practical to the needs of her clients. She is very good at explaining legal jargon in plain English so clients can make informed decisions.’
Ellisons
Ellisons‘ strong Essex-based offering in private client matters is bolstered by its practitioners in Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds, opening up work across East Anglia. The ‘considered and well judged’ advice of practice co-head Nicola Weldon is a boon to clients, and fellow leader Rachel Dawson, who was promoted to the partnership in May 2024, is a specialist in trust creation, administration and winding up. Lorna Denton-Cardew is an additional contact to note. The team was also strengthened by the March 2025 hire of Peter Crix from Gotelee Solicitors.
Responsables de la pratique:
Nicola Weldon; Rachel Dawson
Autres avocats clés:
Lorna Denton-Cardew
Les références
‘The team are knowledgeable, approachable and responsive. In times of stress there was an immense amount of support and every team member listened with an intention to listen. The advice was easy to understand and options were discussed.’
‘Nicola Weldon led her team well and was extremely personable. She clearly went the extra mile. Her advice was considered and well judged.’
‘Very friendly and efficient team, very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with.’
Fosters
An office in Wymondham broadens the coverage of the private client offering at Fosters, which has a central Norwich office, and a location in Lowestoft. The practice acts on preparation of wills, lasting powers of attorney, declarations of trust, Court of Protection work, and care home fees. Lisa Glynne and Lauren Crosby jointly lead the department, and Charlotte Ranson comes with client praise.
Responsables de la pratique:
Lisa Glynne; Lauren Crosby
Autres avocats clés:
Charlotte Ranson
Les références
‘It is great that our little market town has such a practice and we didn’t need to travel.’
‘Charlotte Ranson has been extremely good in helping set up our lasting powers of attorney. She has guided us patiently and expertly through the process with utter professionalism but also with a warm and engaging manner. It was somewhat nerve wracking initially but her reassurance instilled confidence in us.’
‘The service has been very good, and the feedback extremely positive, over the year. The Wymondham office in particular have been efficient and friendly in their handling of affairs for clients.’
Fraser Dawbarns
Fraser Dawbarns‘ private client offering in East Anglia includes notable practitioners in Ely, King’s Lynn and March. Seema Solanki receives considerable client praise and is noted as ‘very good in advising and negotiating in cases where personal and family difficulties exist’. She has a broad client base of HNWIs, businesses, entrepreneurs, families, and academics. Kim Neal, Harleen Hanson and Danielle Dennis-Betts are among the additional lawyers to note.
Responsables de la pratique:
Seema Solanki
Autres avocats clés:
Kim Neal; Harleen Hanson; Danielle Dennis-Betts
Les références
‘Seema Solanki has a very friendly, calm, efficient and effective support team.’
‘Seema Solanki is very experienced and knowledgeable in trusts. She is very good in advising and negotiating in cases where personal & family difficulties exist, having a very friendly, approachable, considerate and concerned manner, while maintaining strict legal propriety at all times.’
‘Frazer Dawbarns is unique in that unlike other law practices it really is interested in helping their clients. One is not seen as a potential fee but as a person who needs legal assistance and is prepared to pay for a good service.’