Expertise
- Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims.
- Will validity disputes (including testamentary capacity, undue influence and fraud).
- Executor issues (such as failure to pay a legacy, produce (accurate) estate accounts or complete an administration, disputes between executors and costs).
- Application concerning the interpretation and construction of Wills.
- Proprietary estoppel claims.
- Professional negligence claims arising out of advice regarding trusts, Wills and estate/trust administration.
Related Sectors
Related Services
Career & Experience
Fiona is a leading expert in the field of trust and probate litigation. She has advised on a full range of contentious trust and probate issues for over 19 years, with a decade of general litigation experience prior to that.
Fiona prides herself on having a proactive, yet pragmatic, approach to her work. She looks to achieve a swift, advantageous resolution to disputes in a manner that is cost-effective for her clients.
She aims to resolve matters out of court, but will not shy away from active litigation where appropriate.
Fiona has particular expertise in advising charities and understands the specific issues charities need to consider in the context of trust and probate disputes.
Fiona’s charity client base ranges from most large national charities to a multitude of small local ones.
Outside of work, Fiona has been a school governor for over a decade and is very involved in her local community, resulting in her being presented with a Civic Award in early 2025.
Work highlights
- Whilst disputes Fiona has advised upon do, on occasion, result in Court hearings, they are rarely reported, which is her clients’ preference.
- Reported judgments include:
- Poole & Anor v Everall & Anor [2016] EWHC 2126 (Ch)
- Stephen Drake & Ors v Nadia Dervish & Ors (including charities) [2019] EWHC 646 (Ch)
- The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, Yorkshire Cancer Research, The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty v Linda Mary Box & Ors [2020] EWHC 2809 (Ch)
Accolades
Career & Experience
Fiona is a leading expert in the field of trust and probate litigation. She has advised on a full range of contentious trust and probate issues for over 19 years, with a decade of general litigation experience prior to that.
Fiona prides herself on having a proactive, yet pragmatic, approach to her work. She looks to achieve a swift, advantageous resolution to disputes in a manner that is cost-effective for her clients.
She aims to resolve matters out of court, but will not shy away from active litigation where appropriate.
Fiona has particular expertise in advising charities and understands the specific issues charities need to consider in the context of trust and probate disputes.
Fiona’s charity client base ranges from most large national charities to a multitude of small local ones.
Outside of work, Fiona has been a school governor for over a decade and is very involved in her local community, resulting in her being presented with a Civic Award in early 2025.
Work highlights
- Whilst disputes Fiona has advised upon do, on occasion, result in Court hearings, they are rarely reported, which is her clients’ preference.
- Reported judgments include:
- Poole & Anor v Everall & Anor [2016] EWHC 2126 (Ch)
- Stephen Drake & Ors v Nadia Dervish & Ors (including charities) [2019] EWHC 646 (Ch)
- The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, Yorkshire Cancer Research, The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty v Linda Mary Box & Ors [2020] EWHC 2809 (Ch)