The committee advises on the development of policy and membership resources for private client solicitors. Committee members and their brief biographies are below.
Andrew Bishop
Andrew is a Disputes, Wills & Trusts Partner at Rothley Law. He has acted in multiple leading court cases for clients, both nationally and overseas
Andrew has also acted in cases involving challenges to void marriages (A v A, unreported) and is recognised in Chambers, as a “rising star” in Legal 500.
He has worked extensively with Daphne Franks and Fabian Hamilton MP on the reform required to prevent predatory marriage. He has been widely quoted in national and local media as an authority on the subject.
Ian Bond
Ian is a generalist private client solicitor. He is currently COLP for Dignity Legal Services, Head of Legal for Farewill and Inhouse Legal Counsel for Dignity Funerals. He is a longstanding member of the Law Society Wills & Equity committee and a new member of STEP’s UK Technical Committee. Ian represents the Law Society at HMCTS Probate Professionals User Group meetings and HMRC Trust and Estates Agents Forums. Ian gave evidence to the Justice Select Committee on Probate and to the House of Lords Finance Bill Sub-Committee on changes to Inheritance Tax on pensions. He has recently assisted the working group looking at reforms to the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987. Ian is also a proud trustee (and now chair) of the Law Society’s independent charity which uses orphan and residual client balances to promote legal education and human rights at home and abroad.
Juliet Brook
Juliet is an Associate Professor in Property Law at the University of Reading. She completed her training contract in London, specialising in property law, and practiced in London and Leeds before moving into academia. She has taught property and wills & probate modules on the Legal Practice Course, as well as property law and succession law modules on the LLB. Juliet’s PhD examined testamentary capacity and autonomy, and she researches and writes extensively on issues related to the law of succession.
Paul Clark
Paul is the managing director of Spall Clark Solicitors. He deals with all aspects of private client work but has a particular focus on complex estates (often involving an international element) and advising vulnerable clients.
Paul is a full member of STEP and a former trustee of a charity for adults with learning disabilities.
Chris Claxton-Shirley
Chris is a Senior Associate Solicitor at Tees, based in Cambridge. Chris deals with all aspects of wills, trusts, tax and probate work, including applications to the Court of Protection.
Chris is an Associate Member of Solicitors for the Elderly and is a full member of STEP as well as an examiner for the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. He is also recognised as a ‘rising star’ in the Legal 500.
Blerta Clubb
Blerta is a qualified Private Client solicitor where she currently leads the Legacy Income team at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Passionate about both the charity and legal sectors, Blerta is known as an advocate for championing change and promoting best practice.
Blerta is also a non-Executive Director of the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM), a not-for-profit membership organisation offering specialised training and support to legacy professionals within the charity and not-for-profit sectors.
Charlotte Crawford
Charlotte is an experienced solicitor, Director and Head of our Private Client team and a Director of the Hugh Jones Trust Corporation which acts as corporate trustee and executor.
Charlotte is a Recommended Lawyer in the Legal 500 and in October 2024, Charlotte and her team were delighted to win the British Wills and Probate Awards category for Private Client Firm of the year - Boutique
She is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Charlotte is also a full accredited member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers.
Charlotte advises clients on wills and future planning which includes advice on the use of trusts, particularly if the client has concerns about protection of their assets or wishes to provide for someone who may be disabled or unable to manage their own affairs.
Charlotte also assists personal representatives and executors in the administration of estates. She also specialises in the creation and administration of trusts, particularly family and PI trusts; this might include advising trustees on their duties and the powers available to them, assisting them to comply with increasing regulatory requirements or completing tax returns and trust accounts.
Richard Dew
Richard Dew’s practice is focussed on Wills, Estates and Trusts and related professional negligence. His practice is predominantly litigation, and he is frequently involved in large and complex claims. He also advises and represents in Court of Protection matters and provides expert advice in respect of tax and tax planning (principally capital taxation).
He is a former chair of the STEP Contentious Trusts and Estates SIG and is the treasurer of the Chancery Bar Association Committee. He also sits on the Law Society’s Wills and Equity Committee. He is a member of STEP and ACTAPS.
Richard is the editor of Private Client Business and an editor of Rossdale’s Administration of Estates. He regularly writes and lectures on chancery and private client matters.
Ranked as a Star individual in Chancery: Traditional and Band 1 in both Trusts and Court of Protection: Property & Affairs in Chambers UK 2022.
Richard has been appointed as a Deputy Master of the Chancery Division.
Helen Forster
Helen is a solicitor and Trusts and Estates Practitioner. Since qualifying in 2009, Helen has specialised in Wills, Probate, Trusts, Tax and Court of Protection matters, and Helen is a Dementia Champion with Age UK, a member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers, and a member of STEP (The Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners).
Helen’s other work includes seminars, lecturing and training throughout the Country with institutions such as regional Law Societies and MBL Seminars Limited, as well as providing in house training on a number of subjects. Helen is also an author of Tolleys.
In addition, Helen also teaches night classes at Rossett School Adult Learning in Harrogate, giving individuals an insight into how legal documents such as Lasting Powers of Attorney are drafted, as well as pitfalls and problems.
Over her career Helen has been highly commended twice in the Yorkshire Legal Awards, winning Managing Partner of the Year 2025 in the Modern Law Private Client Awards. HTF Legal has been awarded Boutique Firm of the year 2025 in the Modern Law Awards 2025
Jade Gani
Jade is a founder and CEO of Circe Law. She shows a real passion for supporting older and vulnerable clients within the community and is heavily involved with various local charities and initiatives. She is a fully accredited member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (“STEP), a fully accredited member and Chair for the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (“ALL”), and a member of the Law Society’s Wills & Equity Committee. Jade was named as both the “Wills & Probate Lawyers of the Year” and all-round “Private Client Lawyers of the Year” awards at the Modern Law Private Client Awards 2024.
Elizabeth Gibbison (co-chair)
Elizabeth is an associate solicitor at Irwin Mitchell LLP. Elizabeth has worked in the private client area of law since 2014, and is a full member of STEP.
Elizabeth advises clients, including individuals, families and business owners on all manner of private client work.
Her day-to-day role, among other things, entails her giving advice regarding wealth protection and estate/ succession planning, estate and trust administration, and advising elderly and vulnerable clients and those with capacity issues.
As an area of specialism, Elizabeth advises on the management/ protection of funds in cases involving congenital defects at birth.
Melinda Giles (council member)
Melinda is a partner at Giles Wilson LLP, a small high street firm with two Essex offices. She has worked in property and private client since 1987.
Melinda has represented clients at mental health tribunals, has been a Court of Protection panel deputy for over 10 years, and is on the Mencap list of specialist solicitors providing wills and trust advice to parents of children with learning disabilities. She is the Law Society Council member for Private Client.
Bryon Jones
Byron Jones is a Reader at Cardiff University, with over 30 years’ experience of teaching on vocational postgraduate law programmes. specialising in private client subjects. He is also the author of the OUP SQE Prep and Practise Series.
Stephen Lawson (co-chair)
Stephen is a Partner at IDR Law and a specialist Contentious Probate Solicitor with an extensive history. He has dealt with all aspects of Contentious Will Trusts & Probate cases acting for both Claimants and Defendant clients.
Stephen was formerly the Chair of STEP Cheshire, a member of the STEP England & Wales Committee and a member of the STEP Worldwide Council. In 2023 STEP presented him with the STEP Founders Award for outstanding achievement in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the work of STEP.
In addition to his legal work, Stephen regularly presents lectures, seminars, and webinars at regional and national level – and he also presents informal sessions to external Private Client Departments.
He is also a legal author, having written for numerous publications including The Times, Law Society Gazette, Family Law Journal, APIL PI Focus, STEP TQR, ACTAPS and numerous other journals. Stephen is a joint author of the publication “Testamentary Capacity” with Martyn Frost and Professor Robin Jacoby. Stephen was responsible for the chapter on Testamentary Capacity in the joint Law Society / BMA publication “Assessment of Mental Capacity – 5th Edition”.
Victoria Newey
Victoria is a solicitor at the Office of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee (OSPT). She joined the OSPT in 2010 and has worked in the Court of Protection Property and Affairs team since that time, with a short secondment to the Health and Welfare Team.
The Official Solicitor acts as litigation friend of last resort for vulnerable clients in Court of Protection applications and the work of the Property and Affairs team includes applications relating to statutory wills, gifts, trusts and contested deputyship/attorneyships.
Prior to joining the OSPT she worked in private practice dealing with all aspects of private client work. She is a full member of STEP and an honorary member of Solicitors for the Elderly.
Sophie O’Connell
Sophie is a partner at Wilsons LLP. She specialises in mental capacity law and supports clients to manage their property and financial affairs.
Sophie is also a member of the Capacity Law and Rights Information to You (CLARiTY) team which aims to improve the access to justice for disabled people and family carers through enhancing understanding of mental capacity law and human rights.
Sarah Robinson
Sarah is the senior knowledge lawyer for Penningtons Manches Cooper’s private client department.
She has extensive experience of dealing with all aspects of private client work, including a particular focus on high-net-worth clients and estate planning advice.
Sarah is responsible for the implementation, management and monitoring of strategic knowledge services within the private client department. This includes work on precedents, legal research, training and the identification of key business efficiency projects.
She is also certified as a legal project practitioner with the Institute of Legal Management and has co-authored and written content for PLC’s Private Client Global Guide.
