Wake Smith’s head of Will, Trust and Inheritance Disputes John Breeze has been named as a leading individual in his sector in Yorkshire and The Humber by a leading industry guide.
Solicitor John, who has headed up the firm’s new Will, Trust and Inheritance Disputes team since January this year, graduated from Rising Star for the last three years to Leading Individual in the 2024 list in the UK’s eminent legal directory, The Legal 500.
His team at Wake Smith also comes straight in as a new entry in Tier 2 of the Contentious Trusts and Probate category in Yorkshire and The Humber.
John is recommended as ‘an excellent contentious probate lawyer’, and ‘an expert in his field’ with his team offering experience regarding complex Inheritance Act claims, disputes over will validity, and trustee and executor disagreements.
John, who is a registered member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS), said: “Wake Smith is among only a small number of firms who can claim expertise in this niche and developing area of the law, and I am incredibly proud to be named as a Leading Individual in this field in the region.
“My job is to guide clients including claimants, executors or beneficiaries, confidently, swiftly and hopefully amicably through a range of emotionally and legally challenging issues, with a view to resolving the matter as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, to allow all parties to move forward and plan with certainty for the future.”
The team handles issues regarding the validity of a deceased person’s will; problems arising in the administration of a deceased person’s estate, or in the context of a family Trust, and disputes in connection with the management of the financial affairs of the elderly or vulnerable.
It also has experience in successfully pursuing proceedings through the High Court, Probate Registry and the Court of Protection.
Comments in The Legal 500 about John included “John Breeze always tries to do the best for his clients and ensures that they receive the correct advice. His experience in the field means that he comes across as knowledgeable and approachable.”
Other clients called him pragmatic, tenacious and knowledgeable, pulling out every stop to ensure a client gets the best result and advice.
Wake Smith remains one of Yorkshire and The Humber’s top firms of solicitors in the 2024 edition of the industry guide with high praise for individuals across the firm.
The established firm retained its Yorkshire rankings in numerous departments including family, commercial property, commercial litigation, property litigation, corporate and commercial, banking and finance and clinical negligence.
Individuals highlighted for their exceptional work included Elizabeth Shaw, Mike Doherty, Sophie Kerry, Suzanne Porter, Colleen Dooney, Neil Salter, Paul Gibbon, Ben Spencer, Laura Saul, Tom Weightman, John Baddeley, Rebecca Robinson, Tom Haywood, Terry Regan, Scott Haslam, Kate Lax and Lindsey Canning.
Law firms only appear in The Legal 500 ranking tables and commentary on merit, through independent research and feedback from 250,000 in-house peers and access to law firms' deals and confidential matters.
For further information on wills, trust and inheritance disputes contact John Breeze at [email protected] or Rachel Valentine at [email protected] or call 0114 266 6660.
