Alison acts in the administration of all types of estate including those involving, foreign assets (working with lawyers in other jurisdictions), business assets and agricultural assets. She offers comprehensive and expert advice on all aspects of private client work.
Experience
- Advising on and drafting Wills
- Advising clients on how to mitigate Inheritance Tax on death by considering the destination of life policies and pension death benefits
- Preparing powers of attorney – including Lasting Powers of Attorney and General Powers of Attorney
- Registering Lasting Powers of Attorney and Enduring Powers of Attorney with the Court of Protection
- Advising on objections to the registration of Powers of Attorney
- Court of Protection matters including deputyships – she acts as a Court appointed deputy for a number of individuals
- Estate planning – including advising business owners / farmers / large families on how to plan for the next generation and pass assets through to the family
- Inheritance Tax planning – including advising on Inheritance Tax reliefs and exemptions
- Estate administration – acting in the administration of estates in situations where a Will may or may not have been left
- She guides the family / beneficiaries through the process of applying for Probate / Letters of Administration and is able to advise on all aspects of sorting out the deceased’s affairs
- Advising on and drafting Deeds of Variation for beneficiaries to redirect entitlement under an estate
- Advising on and drafting trusts – including trusts to protect assets from attack, trusts used to utilise Inheritance Tax reliefs, trusts to earmark assets for the next generation and also shareholder trusts to accompany cross option agreements
- Advising existing Trustees on their obligations and responsibilities and assisting in the administration of on-going trusts, including Settled Land Act trusts
- Advising on the availability of Agricultural and Business Property Relief, drafting farming partnership agreements and providing advice to farmers on succession planning
- The preparation of employee benefit trusts and shareholder trusts subject to cross option agreements for commercial clients
- Advising on succession to farms and drafting partnership agreements for farmers
Awards, memberships & accolades
- Member of the CLA
- Member of the Agricultural Law Association
- Member of STEP
- Involved with the Community Foundation serving Tyne and Wear and Northumberland
- Young Enterprise volunteer
- Trustee of Wag & Company North East Friendship Dogs
- Past President of the Newcastle upon Tyne Law Society
Alison qualified in 1998.