Natasha is a partner in our trust, estate and inheritance disputes team.
She advises on a wide range of trust and succession disputes both onshore and offshore, including trustee/beneficiary disputes, replacement of fiduciaries, variations of trusts, will validity disputes and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. She also advises on professional negligence in the context of estate planning and trust administration.She advises on Court of Protection matters, including statutory wills, lifetime gifts, contested registrations and Powers of Attorney.
She works in non-contentious situations stress-testing trust structures in light of changes in law and/or changes in family situations.
Natasha has contributed to the past two editions of The Law Society's Probate Practitioner's Handbook, writing on claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. She also contributed to the most recent edition of Jordan's International Trust and Divorce Litigation.
Recent recognition
Me in a minute
I am acutely aware of the emotional strain of litigation... that's not to say I can't fight if I need to
I wasn't one of these people who always knew they wanted to be a lawyer, but now I can't imagine being better suited to any other job! I can usually find an argument in favour or against most positions. This, combined with being patient (which is how one of my clients described me to Legal 500) and possibly pedantic, makes litigation a neat fit.
I am acutely aware of the emotional strain of litigation, so when I can guide my client through to a resolution, this is my focus. That's not to say I can't fight if I need to - I was a keen fencer in my school days and don't feel out of place with a sabre in my hand!
The case I am most proud of is Burgess v Hawes, a will validity dispute in which we were successful at both first instance and in the Court of Appeal. It has been referred to in several subsequent judgments and, what I think got us over the line, was our rigorous examination of the evidence.