Probate, Tax & Trusts
We have nearly 300 years’ experience of advising on the full range of legal issues affecting individuals and families and are recognised as one of the leading firms in the region.
Listening to and understanding your needs is at the heart of what we do. We are tremendously proud of the fact that many of our clients stay with us for their lifetimes and, indeed, we act for a number of families across generations. Such trust and mutual respect is based on a rigorous dedication to the law and our ability to empathise with your practical issues.
Our team is top ranked in both The Legal 500 and Chambers UK directories and our reputation is built on technical expertise across a broad base of practice areas. We are committed to providing you with clear and comprehensive advice, to ensure the effective transfer of your assets to the next generation As well as covering all aspects relating to wills, probate, tax and trusts we specialise in a range of Court of Protection matters and related capacity issues. We are also highly experienced in handling more complex cases, ranging from multi-million pound trusts and estates involving offshore assets to substantial contested estate cases heard at the High Court.
Our team features prominent members of bodies including Solicitors for the Elderly, the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists,
the Association of Taxation Technicians and the Society of Trust and Estate
Practitioners, while Partner Jonathan Gater is Under Sheriff for Berkshire and an authorised High Court Enforcement Officer.
Our Private Client Team
‘For individuals and their families, the firm
has one of the strongest private client teams
in the south of England ‘
• Drafting Wills and Codicils - incorporating Trusts for family or tax reasons • Probate – the administration of estates and the resolution of disputes • Obtaining Grants of Representation
• Preparing Deeds of Variation • Advising on contested estates • Lasting Powers of Attorney
• Court of Protection/Public Guardianship Office • Applying to put in place a Statutory Will
Wills and Probate
Our Private Client team has developed a reputation for its technical capabilities and its expertise in handling all aspects of private client work including wills and probate, tax and trusts and services for later life.
We have one of the largest and most highly respected Private Client teams in the Thames Valley with a breadth and depth of resource that enables us to provide a comprehensive and yet cost effective range of legal services.
A well thought out and well drafted Will can help you to look after the people you care about the most after you are gone, ensuring that your estate can be administered with the minimum amount of disruption and to the maximum benefit for those you leave behind. Tax liabilities can be managed, disagreements minimised, minor children cared for and your assets left in accordance with your wishes.
Our team’s core areas of expertise include advising on estate tax planning in conjunction with the preparation of Wills and Trusts, administering estates when someone dies and dealing with elderly client issues such as Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection issues. We are particularly regarded for dealing with complex issues that many firms do not have the expertise to handle.
Our team is highly respected for their ability to draft Wills for large and complex estates, including those where businesses or children are involved, where the client has remarried and wishes to provide for children from a former marriage and those where the financial situation is particularly complex.
• Reducing the amount of inheritance tax due on your estate
• Holding investments, life policies, pension benefits, private company shares
• Holding funds for the future use of your children and grandchildren • Supporting charitable causes through the use of a charitable trust
• Ensuring that your partner is taken care of but that your estate eventually passes to your own family where you have remarried
• Avoiding split ownership of a business where there are issues with succession
• Providing for someone who is unable to handle their own affairs
Tax & Trusts
Trusts are essentially separate legal entities which hold assets for your beneficiaries. As part of a review of your personal financial affairs and long term estate planning, it may be appropriate to consider setting up trusts to maximise the tax efficient transfer of assets to your family, control your tax liabilities, enable you to make charitable provisions or simply to give you peace of mind that your affairs are in order.
Common use of Trusts include:
• The creation, administration and amendment of Trusts • Advice on all aspects of Trust law
• Advice on related tax issues including Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax
• Winding up Trusts
Inheritance tax
With the increasing price of property many more of us have estates that will exceed the inheritance tax threshold. Through judicious use of tax planning we can help your beneficiaries avoid having to pay some or all of the inheritance tax that would otherwise be payable.
Powers of Attorney
Powers of attorney allow others to look after your wellbeing and day to day affairs should you become incapable of doing so yourself. Enduring Powers of Attorney are no longer available and have now been replaced by a new power known as a Lasting Power of Attorney. We are able to advise on how these new powers work. Access to grandchildren
It is a sad fact that, in today’s world, divorce and separation are more commonplace than ever before. When a relationship breaks down, the wishes and feelings of grandparents are often overlooked. However where there are established relationships with grandchildren, grandparents can seek permission of the Court to make their own independent application in respect of residence or contact. We can help with this process.
Long term care planning
Our advisors are some of the few who are qualified by exam to provide advice on all aspects of long term care. They particularly emphasise the involvement of all members of the client’s family and advisors.
This guide is provided free of charge by Blandy & Blandy LLP for information purposes only. This information is not legal advice
Our Private Client Team
Jonathan Gater, Joint Managing Partner and Head of Private Client
T: 0118 951 6848
Jonathan specialises in all aspects of estate and trust administration, lifetime estate planning and Court of Protection work. He also assists a number of his clients with the day to day management of their affairs. He is a qualified member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) and a High Court Enforcement Officer.
Graham Benwell, Consultant
T: 0118 951 6841
Graham has over 30 years’ experience as a dedicated private client lawyer and has particular expertise in the field of tax and estate planning via Wills and Trusts. He acts for many high net worth individuals and their families and has many clients referred to him by accountants, investment managers, IFA’s and other firms of solicitors. He is also a founder member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Caroline Casagranda, Partner
T: 0118 951 6932
Caroline is highly experienced in all aspects of private client law. She specialises in Wills, probate and estate administration of taxable and non-taxable estates, Lasting Powers of Attorney and tax planning for a wide range of clients. Caroline is an associate member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE).
Philip D’Arcy, Joint Managing Partner
T: 0118 951 6821
E: philip.d’[email protected]
Philip is a widely acknowledged expert in resolving disputes in relation to Trusts, probate and inheritance matters, including disputed Wills, claims to remove Executors or Trustees, Breach of Trust cases and
Inheritance Act claims. He is an established member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS).
Lorna Sansom, Solicitor
T: 0118 951 6920
Lorna Sansom joined Blandy & Blandy’s private client team in 2015 from B P Collins in Gerrards Cross and specialises in estate planning, tax and trusts. With a background in financial services, she is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the Association of Taxation Technicians.
Elizabeth Short , Solicitor
T: 0118 951 6845
Elizabeth specialises in Wills, probate and estate administration of taxable and non-taxable estates, Lasting Powers of Attorney and tax planning. She is an associate member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE).
Rachel Nott, Solicitor
T: 0118 951 6940
Rachel specialises in the preparation of Wills, the drafting of Lasting Powers of Attorney, dealing with Probate and Estate Administration for taxable and non-taxable estates, and dealing with the administration of trusts. Having originally trained at the firm, she returned in 2015.
Jack Bailey, Solicitor
T: 0118 951 6943
Jack specialises in Court of Protection matters and mental capacity law, including contentious and non-contentious applications to the Court of Protection. He also specialises in Lasting Powers of Attorney and providing advice to lay attorneys and deputies on their duties.
Stephanie Scullion, Solicitor
T: 0118 951 6846
Stephanie joined Blandy & Blandy as a Trainee Solicitor in March 2014 and joined the firm’s Wills, Probate Tax and Trusts department in August 2015 upon qualification. She previously worked for a law firm in Guildford as a Paralegal.
Deborah Clark , Legal Executive
T: 0118 951 6849
In addition to dealing with her own caseload, including taking instructions from clients for smaller estates and Wills, Deborah
Patrick Brennan, Solicitor
T: 0118 951 6938
Patrick specialises in all aspects of private client law, including wills and tax planning, estate administration, and drafting of Lasting Powers of Attorney. He joined the firm in September 2013.
What our clients say
“An excellent and friendly
service.”
“We were very impressed as
usual with the service.”
“It was a pleasure dealing with
Patrick and Blandy & Blandy.”
“Very approachable.”
“Very helpful and very
understanding.”
“My second experience of
using the firm and once again I
am most satisfied.”
“Very helpful. We would seek
your advice again.”
“Exceptionally helpful.”
“They made us feel very
comfortable and at ease in
pleasant surroundings.”
“Very helpful, patient and
understanding in the making
of my will.”
About Blandy & Blandy LLP
Blandy & Blandy is a regional firm of solicitors, based in Reading and London. The Thames Valley has been our home since 1733 and we have the heritage and reputation that comes with this longevity.
We enjoy working closely with our clients and are committed to achieving success with them. For nearly 300 years we have advised generations of clients on all aspects of their personal, family and business lives. Commercially, we provide a full range of legal services to both public and private sector organisations, ranging from national and multinational companies, through to banks and lenders, SMEs and owner-managed businesses, charities and educational institutions, professional practices, landowners and developers and venue and event operators.
Our partners and many of our associates are acknowledged as experts by the two major legal directories, Chambers UK and The Legal 500, and we are top ranked as a firm by both. We have also held the Law Society’s Lexcel quality mark since 2003. Of the 11,000 legal practices in England and Wales fewer than 10% have achieved this ‘gold standard’.
We are a people business. We place our clients’ best interests at the heart of all that we do, while ensuring , through our partner led approach, that we embody our values of excellence, integrity and approachability. Feedback from both our clients and peers confirms this – we know that actions speak louder than words.
We seek to balance our heritage with a modern and progressive approach, in terms of the services we offer and the way in which they are delivered. This, underpinned by our independence, means that our clients continue to trust and recommend us year after year.
Contact us
If you would like to speak to us about our legal services, please contact our team.
Blandy & Blandy LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It is incorporated as a limited liability partnership under number OC 348096 and its registered office is at One Friar Street Reading Berkshire RG1 1DA.
