Anne Stockley Associate Solicitor | Wills, Trusts, & Probate Team

Expertise

I help executors and administrators with every aspect of estate administration, whether or not a will is in place. This is often a difficult time for clients who are bereaved, yet faced with substantial paperwork and strict deadlines from bodies such as HMRC. I ease this burden by guiding them through each stage of the process, right up to distributing the estate to the beneficiaries.

Where there is no will, I can advise on identifying and tracing those entitled under the intestacy rules.

If the deceased held assets abroad, I liaise with professionals in the relevant jurisdictions to ensure the estate is administered efficiently.

I advise clients who want to make or update their wills on the options available to reduce inheritance tax liability or potential nursing home fees, and on steps they can take to protect vulnerable beneficiaries.

I prepare and register Powers of Attorney and make deputyship applications to the Court of Protection.

I also work closely with colleagues in the family and conveyancing teams, and with other professionals such as independent financial advisers, to ensure clients receive well‑rounded and coordinated advice.

Key Experience

• Acted for a family where the deceased left no will, and multiple assets needed to be identified and located.
• Acted for executors where the deceased held assets in Spain and also owned a business in England.
• Prepared a Deed of Variation and advised on a gift of property to help a couple minimise their inheritance tax liability.
• Prepared a will and Lasting Powers of Attorney for a person diagnosed with early‑stage dementia to ensure key decisions were made before mental capacity declined.
• Acted as a professional deputy in the Court of Protection to manage the affairs of a person born without mental capacity.