Helen Stewart

Helen is an experienced Private Client Partner who leads the Probate team as part of the Estates, Tax & Succession team. With over 25 years’ experience covering a broad range of Private Client work including contentious estates.

Helen’s experience has led her to be panel listed as an Independent Administrator where she is appointed to deal with complex and often fractious estates. She deals with and leads on high net worth estates including multijurisdictional assets and estates that include domicile issues. Helen enjoys dealing with Agricultural and Business estates where relief claims have to be negotiated with HMRC-IHT.

Helen has held various rates of responsibility over her career with the firm including the firms training principal and currently sits on the board.

Helen acts for all manner of clients ranging from Business Owners, Accountants, Solicitors, Barristers, Farming families, Surviving spouses and Investment Managers.
Probate and estate administration
Estate and trust administration, including life interest and discretionary trusts
Inheritance tax agricultural and business property relief claims
Post death tax planning and CGT mitigation
Independent administration appointments for contentious estates
Estates including multijurisdictional assets, farming and business estates.

Dealing with multiple death intestacy case for UK and non UK domiciilaries

Administering high net worth individuals estates with multi-jurisdictional assets

Working with overseas professionals on multi-jurisdictional probate cases including analysis and interpretation of difference taxation rules

Being a court appointed Administrator for contentious estates requiring neutral administrator to manage estates in conflict

Acting for estates transferred from other law firms which have involved complex agricultural and business property relief claims

Addressing post death tax strategies to save CGT on disposals (property and shares) and dealing with non-domiciled beneficiaries CGT reporting in the UK on property disposals

Undertaking estate administration work for overseas executors and beneficiaries

Acting as trustee on trusts including Will trusts and PI trusts

Holding executor appointments on estates

Types of client

All manner of clients ranging from Business Owners, Accountants, Solicitors, Barristers, Farming families, Surviving spouses and Investment Managers.

Achievements & other appointments

Helen is listed as a Citywealth Leader for a second time
Included in Citywealth’s Top 100 Private Client Lawyers 2021
Panel appointed Independent Administrator
Recommended lawyer in the legal 500 2023
The Legal 500 has described Helen as “calm, focussed and very clear in what she says” and for having “a knowledgeable and friendly approach in dealing with emotional issues”
Helen is ranked in Chambers HNW.

Helen Stewart, ranked in Chambers High Net Worth 2024

Probate Provider of the Year S - Thomson Snell & Passmore

Education

Helen obtained her Law Degree from the Thames Valley University (London) and her Legal Practice Course at Guildford Law School. She was admitted as a Solicitor in 1998. Helen became an Equity Partner in 2016 and has been Head of Probate since 2011. Helen also sits on the management board and is on her second term.

Head of Probate

Specialisms & expertise

Examples of work