Specialisms & expertise
- Probate
- Estate and trust administration
- Inheritance tax agricultural and business property relief claims
- Post death tax planning
- Creation of Personal injury trusts.
Client stories & examples of work
- Successfully recovering for the benefit of beneficiaries of a multi-jurisdictional estate a large refund of inheritance tax in respect of foreign administrative legal costs
- Considering, advising and implementing a strategy to save beneficiaries capital gains tax on disposal of share portfolios and real estate
- Managing probates on behalf of personal representatives with a contentious element
- Dealing with multi-million pound estates which include foreign elements
- Obtaining Grants of Representation for the purposes of Court Proceedings
- Undertaking estate administration work for overseas executors/ beneficiaries
- Successfully negotiating and agreeing inheritance tax relief for farming estates
- Dealing with the day to day management of Trusts on behalf of Trustees
- Considering and analysis for inheritance tax purposes of domicile status for UK born nationals who have moved abroad
- Dealing with intestacies
- Dealing with complex families
- Setting up personal injury trusts.
Types of client
All manner of clients ranging from surviving elderly spouses, adult children to busy professionals such as accountants, investment managers, solicitors and barristers.
Achievements & other appointments
Best Female in Probate Leadership 2016 - UK and Lead Probate Specialist of the Year 2017 by Wealth & finance international and is the Trainee Principal for the Firm. The Legal 500 2018 described Helen as “calm, focussed and very clear in what she says" and in the Legal 500 2019 is noted by a client for having 'a knowledgeable and friendly approach in dealing with emotional issues'.
Profile
Helen qualified as a Solicitor in March 1998 having obtained a Law Degree at Thames Valley University (London) and completed the Legal Practice Course at Guildford Law School. She joined Thomson Snell & Passmore in 2001 and became a Partner in 2007 and heads up the Probate team. Helen’s background includes a broad range of experience in all areas of private client work, including contentious matters.
