Paula is a Partner in the Tax & Trusts and Wills & Estates teams.
With over 30 years’ experience in the private client sector, Paula has dealt with complex wills, administration of estates and trusts and advised clients about the Court of Protection and Powers of Attorney.
She has specialist knowledge of trusts, whether for asset protection, tax purposes, or to protect vulnerable and/or disabled beneficiaries.
Primarily acting for private individuals, including those with land and high value private residences, she also works with business owners and directors. She supports on business and agricultural tax and succession issues, as well as issues involving overseas assets.
Examples of how Paula has supported clients include:
- identifying that a client who had lost capacity was being targeted by individuals trying to arrange a new will and power of attorney in their favour. She alerted the existing attorney and made an application for a statutory will, liaising with the police in their investigations;
- advising on a complex estate involving business assets, chargeable lifetime gifts, lifetime trusts, overseas assets and involvement in film partnerships with beneficiaries with conflicting interests;
- working with a farming client to draft a will that allows their farming offspring to continue farming the land with as much freedom as possible, whilst making provision for the non-farming offspring to benefit in the event of development options being exercised in the future; and
- acting as a deputy for a minor disabled client with a large personal injury settlement, especially in respect of acquiring a suitable residence for his needs and that of his family.