I am a partner and head up our team specialising in will, trust and inheritance disputes.
I have been helping clients resolve disputes concerning theirs or their family’s property and affairs for over 20 years. I understand the deeply personal nature of disputes involving private wealth and use my experience and tactical acumen to resolve these for my clients, whether by finding agreement through negotiation or mediation or by presenting your arguments to the Court clearly and concisely.
I pride myself on being empathetic and pragmatic, focusing on understand my clients’ objectives and developing the right strategy to achieve these.
Areas of expertise:
- Will validity disputes
- Inheritance claims
- Disputes involving trust and trustees
- Disputes involving executors and the administration of estate
- Proprietary estoppel and claims concerning the ownership of property.
- Family enterprises
Qualifications and memberships
- Admitted as a solicitor in September 2001
- Member of The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists
If I'm unavailable, please contact:
Sharon Borrows
Legal Secretary +44 (0)1892 506 167 [email protected]
Sarah Stone
Legal Secretary +44 (0)1892 506 275 [email protected]
My experience
Advised a family challenging the validity of a Will that benefitted the deceased’s neighbours at their expense. The disputed Will was set aside following a High Court ruling.
Advising a widow pursuing an inheritance claim in a high value estate seeking to vary her entitlement under the terms of her late husband’s Will, resolved following a mediation.
Successfully pursuing a challenge to the validity of a Will on the basis that it was prepared as a result of false statements. Resolved following a mediation.
Advising two professional executors and trustees of a valuable estate on issues relating to the administration of the estate and on the resolution of financial claims.
Advising siblings in connection with their constructive trust claims against their brother concerning the ownership of multiple rental properties with a value of over £5 million currently held in his name.
Defending a challenge on behalf of the adult children beneficiaries of an estate from an inheritance claim made by their stepmother. This claim was resolved at an early stage.
How we made a difference
Philip Youdan took a holistic approach to the problems, offering a high standard of expertise, and being ethical and solution-led. He's easy to talk to and with a great deal of integrity.
Phil is excellent and, from what I have seen, is very good with clients. He is very easy to work with.
Phil is top-notch and a very safe pair of hands - I recommend him regularly.
Thank you so very much for the tremendous work you have done for us and for achieving a result far surpassing our expectations. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with you. From the very beginning we felt reassured and as though an enormous weight and stress had been lifted and carried, Herculean style, by yourself! It has made such a difference to our peace of mind to have felt so supported and confident in you at every step of the way. We really cannot thank you enough. We will be in touch if any new queries arrive. Wishing you all the very best and thank you again,
Philip Youdan is a top-quality partner who achieves a lot for his clients and is always mindful of how to get to a commercial settlement.
Legal 500 2024
Philip Youdan was very friendly and professional. He gave clear advice which was easy to understand – excellent communication skills.
Legal 500 2024
“Youdan is just fantastic. He is so knowledgeable and is not afraid to get down to the nitty-gritty.”
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2023
“Philip is very good: practical, responsive and very client-oriented. He is great, really gets the practice area, so on the ball and is very client-focused.”
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2023
“Youdan is just fantastic. He is so knowledgeable and is not afraid to get down to the nitty-gritty.”
Chambers High Net Worth guide
“Philip is very good: practical, responsive and very client-oriented. He is great, really gets the practice area, so on the ball and is very client-focused.”
Chambers High Net Worth guide
My thinking
Ice-cream wars – a cautionary tale on family business inheritance
How to remove a caveat
Can grandchildren contest a will?
Who can decide what to do with someone’s ashes?
DNA testing in estate disputes
What happens if a Will is not properly witnessed?
Can a will be executed if a person loses capacity after giving instructions to a solicitor but before signing?
Can I bring a claim under the Inheritance Act (Provision for Family and Dependants) as the spouse of the deceased?
We are in disagreement about chattels forming part of a deceased’s estate – what can I do?
When might a conflict of interest arise between an Executor and a beneficiary?
Awards
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