Philip is a Partner and head of the firm’s Contested Estates and Probate team. He is an expert in handling a range of disputes for private individuals involving the administration of an estate or trusts (often involving instances of fraud), challenges to wills on grounds of testamentary capacity, lack of knowledge and approval, and improper execution and undue influence. In addition to this Philip regularly brings and defends claims against estates brought under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and for proprietary estoppel. He also handles disputes involving lifetime gifts.

Philip fully understands the concerns of private clients when they are faced with any form of litigation. He is well-known for being able to strike the right balance between avoiding court proceedings wherever possible and being a successful and robust litigator when necessary. Philip is a keen advocate of alternative dispute resolution and regularly represents individuals and charities at settlement meetings and mediations.

Recent Experience

• Pursuing an Inheritance Act claim for a client who was co-habiting with her partner for many years prior to his death, but where his Will did not make reasonable financial provision for our client and their two children.
• Acting for a client in a long running dispute with his siblings over whether our client’s transaction with his father to sell his parents’ property and split the sale proceeds was a ‘double portion’ and therefore the gift of their parents’ further property in their will should be set aside.
• Defending a claim where our client was the surviving widow and the main beneficiary of her husband’s estate. A significant part of the deceased’s estate were the shares from his private limited company and a claim had been started by two long standing associates of the deceased suggesting that they owned 2/3 of the company.
• Acting in a very acrimonious dispute for a client against his younger siblings concerning the contents of their parent’s wills.
• Defending our client in an unpleasant claim from her two sisters who sought to challenge the Codicil of their parents on the grounds of testamentary capacity, knowledge and approval and undue influence.
• Advising numerous other private clients on contested estates where their financial entitlement is at risk.