Contentious Probate & Inheritance Claims Circle

9 October 2025 to 9 October 2025
Merchant Taylors' Hall, London, UK

The Contentious Probate & Inheritance Claims Circle is a TL4 Circle that welcomes up to 40 hand-picked senior-level attendees participating in facilitated, Chatham House style discussions across one full day of content and networking at the beautiful Merchant Taylors' Hall in Central London. The Circle is expertly steered by four key private client practitioners.  Introducing your Co-Chairs for 2025, Emma Holland (Stewarts), Tiffany Scott KC (Wilberforce) and Mark Keeley (Freeths) along with an expert leading advisory board, Michael Nueber (NueberKonzett), Helen Stewart (Thomson Snell & Passmore), Oliver Auld (Charles Russell Speechlys) and Tasnim Khalid (Private Client Solicitors) 

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This exclusive invitation only event for 2025 is entitled: 'Dispute Resolution relating to Estates: Modern Challenges & Practical Strategies'. The event will bring together leading estate litigation practitioners to discuss the most pressing issues in the field. Topics will range from challenges faced by professional executors and trust corporations, to instructing capacity experts, valuation pitfalls, foreign assets, creative ADR approaches, and the human dynamics that can hinder settlement. Guests will join facilitated, Chatham House-style discussions across a full day of content and networking at the stunning Merchant Taylors’ Hall.

Designed to be interactive and as inclusive as possible, there are no set-piece presentations or panel sessions with the focus being on open discussion.  The agenda and access to your fellow guests attending will be made available upon confirmation of attendance with a unique login code.

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The event will take place at Merchant Taylors' Hall, Central London, UK.

Your attendance includes:

  • 1x drinks reception
  • 1x three course lunch
  • 1x day of refreshments
  • boardroom sessions
  • hosted round tables

Please find the confirmed list of attendees for the Contentious Probate & Inheritance Claims Circle, along with the 2025 agenda below:

Delegates

Oliver Auld (Advisory Board)
Partner
Charles Russell Speechlys
Emma Holland (Co-Chair)
Partner
Stewarts
Constance McDonnell KC
Barrister
Serle Court
James Aspden
Partner
Wilsons
Alistair Burns
Professor
University of Manchester
Julia Burns
Mediator
Dove in the Room
Richard Dew
Barrister
Ten Old Square Chambers
Katie De Swarte
Partner
Osbornes Law
Thomas Middlehurst
Partner
Blake Morgan
Alison Parry
Partner
JMW
Tamasin Perkins
Partner
Charles Russell Speechlys
Sophia Rogers
Barrister
Radcliffe Chambers
Dr James Warner
Expert
Halcyon Doctors
Hannah Davie
Partner
Grant Thornton
Alison Regan
Partner
Russell-Cooke
Mark Keeley (Co-Chair)
Partner
Freeths
Tiffany Scott KC (Co-Chair)
Barrister
Wilberforce
Michael Nueber (Advisory Board)
Partner
NueberKonzett
Naomi O'Higgins
Partner
Howard Kennedy
Tasnim Khalid (Advisory Board)
Partner
Private Client Solicitors
Helen Stewart (Advisory Board)
Partner
Snell & Passmore
James Warner
Expert
Halcyon Doctors
Clare Nicolle
Partner and Advocate
Nicole Marshall

Agenda

Thursday 9 October 2024
8:30AM
Registration
9:00AM
Welcome from the Co-Chairs

Emma Holland - Partner - Stewarts

Mark Keeley - Partner & Joint Head of Private Client Services - Freeths

Tiffany Scott KC - Barrister - Wilberforce Chambers

9:10AM
The trust corporation’s role as executor – what issues do they encounter in practice? Where can they really add value when there are issues of contention?
  • The challenges professional executors face in complex estates: valuation, delays with the Probate Registry, tax traps, and power struggles.  
  • Where there are entrenched disputes, are they peacemakers, power brokers, or something else?

Emma Holland - Partner - Stewarts

Helen Stewart - Partner - Snell & Passmore

10:00AM
Testamentary capacity – getting it right from the start
  • How to properly instruct experts on capacity issues, spotting flawed assessments, and present coherent evidence in court.

Dr. James Warner - Consultant Psychiatrist - Bramley Medical

Professor Alistair Burns - Professor - The University of Manchester

11:00AM
Refreshment break
11:30AM
Global Estates – dealing with foreign assets and capacity considerations across Jurisdictions. Overview: What types of issue might arise in a UK probate where there are cross-border families and foreign assets? How do attitudes to capacity concerns in a succession context vary across jurisdictions?
  • What types of issue might arise in a UK probate where there are cross-border families and foreign assets?  
  • How do attitudes to capacity concerns in a succession context vary across jurisdictions?  

Michael Nueber - Partner - NueberKonzett

Clare Nicolle - Partner and Advocate - Nicolle Marshall

Tasnim Kahlid - Managing Partner - Private Client Solicitors

12:15PM
Professional Executors & Beneficiary Cost Claims
  • To what extent are beneficiaries entitled to contest the costs of a professional executor? 
  • What is best practice in order to avoid such disputes?
13:00PM
Sit Down Lunch
14:30PM
Farming disputes – throwing in the “Kitchen Sink” Claims
  • The shifting family landscape: blended families, sibling rivalry, longer lives, and more fractured estates.
  • Explore emotionally charged proprietary estoppel, unjust enrichment, and constructive trust claims.

Tiffany Scott KC - Barrister - Wilberforce Chambers

Oliver Auld - Partner - Charles Russell Speechlys

15:10PM
Misbehaviour & misogyny – conduct and bias in alternative dispute resolution
  • Differing perspectives – What do lawyers/clients want/expect from the mediation process? What do mediators expect/want from the parties?
  • Negotiations and offers – Where to start (why do parties want to stay in the comfort zone)? What works and what doesn’t?
  • Conduct and behaviours – What is helpful? What is unhelpful?
  • Bias at mediations – explore confirmation bias and how to avoid falling into the trap.

Mark Keeley - Partner & Joint Head of Private Client Services - Freeths

Julia Burns - Mediator - Dove in the Room

15:50PM
Refreshment Break
16:10PM
Valuing underlying assets – avoiding contention

Valuation “crash course” for lawyers

  • Why can valuations, particularly of private companies, vary so greatly?  
  • Is valuation objective or subjective or both?
  • What are the options in respect of methodology?  
  • How can parties avoid contention, particularly the process with the right experts.
16:50PM
Probate predictions and rising trends 
  • During this closing session, each delegate will get 30 seconds to give their predictions about what may change/develop over the next 5/10 years.
  • These can relate to practice, procedure, the law, claim management, dispute resolution, knowledge sharing etc. 
     
17:20PM
Closing Summary
17:30PM
Drinks Reception

Location

Event Location

Contact

Attendance, Booking & General Queries

For general enquiries please contact:
Rachael Mowle, BD & Director at rachael@thoughtleaders4.com

Partnership

For partnership enquiries please contact:
Rachael Mowle, BD & Director at rachael@thoughtleaders4.com

Venue & Logistics

For venue & logistics enquiries please contact
Chloe Lomas  on +44 (0) 20 3038 4513                
or email chloe.lomas@thoughtleaders4.com

Event Contact