Geldards Has Enhanced Its Private Client & Litigation Teams

Geldards has enhanced its private client and litigation teams with the appointment of Laura Alliss as senior associate specialising in probate and trust disputes.

Having gained nearly 10 years of experience in the field of Contentious Probate and Trusts at Swansea Law Firm, Douglas-Jones Mercer, Laura brings with her a wealth of experience in providing specialist advice to beneficiaries, executors, trustees and third-parties on a comprehensive range of probate and trust disputes, together with related property disputes..

Laura is recognised as a specialist in her field, having been accepted in June 2018 as a member of the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) and has experience of dealing with the following disputes;

• Bringing and defending challenges against the validity of a will on the basis of a breach of S.9 of the Wills Act 1837, testamentary capacity, knowledge and approval, undue influence and fraud.
• Challenging the validity of a trust on the basis of lack of capacity, knowledge and approval and undue influence.
• Bringing and defending claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 for reasonable financial provision.
• Claims by disappointed beneficiaries and other professional negligence claims relating to the drafting of wills and trusts.
• Applications for the removal of personal representatives.
• Court of Protection disputes.
• Rectification claims.
• Caveats, warnings and appearances together with applications to remove permanent caveats.
• Burial disputes and disputes relating to “next of kin” and “ownership” of the deceased.
• Administration of estate disputes on behalf of both beneficiaries and personal representatives.
• Challenging a semi/half secret trust within a will.
• Bringing and defending claims against personal representatives and trustees for breach of fiduciary duty.
• Disputes relating to assets transferred prior to death.
• Donatio mortis causa.
• Bringing and defending claims brought under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 relating to constructive, resulting and implied trusts together with cases involving proprietary estoppel.
• Bringing and defending applications for orders for sale by co-owners and charge holders.
• Challenging transfers of property due to lack of capacity or undue influence.

Claire Johnson, Partner and head of Geldard’s Private Client Team, explained:

“Based in the firm’s Cardiff office, Laura will play a pivotal role in spearheading the firm’s practice in the area of Contentious Probate and Trusts, which will compliment and support the firm’s nationwide private client teams”

Laura said:

“Contentious Probate and Trusts is an area which has seen a rapid and significant increase in the number of claims issued every year and as one of only a handful of ACTAPS registered specialists in the area, I am delighted to have joined Geldards to enhance the already very talented private client team to grow the Geldards Contentious Probate and Trusts practice”.