Clerk Details
- Clerk Name: Sam Collins
- Clerk Telephone: 0121 289 4333
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
Probate and Estates
Ashley Blood-Halvorsen (TEP) has a strong understanding of - and caseload in - all aspects of contentious probate and estates work, advising and representing individuals. Before qualifying as a barrister, she spent some time working for a firm tracing beneficiaries to estates.
She acts for clients in respect of a range of estates, from those of a modest value through to those involving substantial sums and including estates with an international aspect. Her practice covers all areas regarding the validity of wills and testamentary dispositions, both as regards the necessary formalities and in respect of the substantive validity, and she also advises on the interpretation and construction of wills and other instruments.
Ashley has undertaken many Inheritance Act cases and has a firm understanding and extensive experience of TOLATA claims. She is a full member of STEP, and earlier earned a merit in her Taxation of Trusts and Estates exam.
Cases include:
- Obtaining a freezing injunction in relation to monies arising out of a sale of a trust property.
- Drafting a particulars of claim regarding breach of trust in the sale of a property from an estate.
- Advising on and appearing in hearings for the removal of trustees and executors.
- Providing advice regarding a beneficiaries entitlement to commence possession proceedings regarding a residential property.
- Advising executors regarding potential inheritance act claims and claims of historic devastavit with limitation elements.
- Advising claimants regarding inheritance act claims by:
- Adult children and those who were maintained by the deceased;
- Cohabitees of the deceased;
- Spouses of a polygamous marriage entered into outside of England and Wales.
She has given talks regarding:
- ‘DIY Will Drafting and Digital Assets – what can go wrong?’ in connection with STEP East Midlands
- ‘The cost of dying - litigation costs in Probate and Inheritance Act claims’
She can provide quantum advices for infant settlement hearings when a compromise has been made on behalf of minor children in Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims.
Cases include:
Re Estate of GB
Advised, and drafted particulars of claim regarding a breach of trust, fiduciary duty, devastavit and fraud of an executor. Ashley subsequently successfully represented the Claimants in a summary judgment application in the High Court.
Re Estate of JC
Part 8 proceedings regarding the construction of a clause in a will and whether or not a trust is properly constituted.
Re Estate of EJ
Advising an executor regarding potential claims on the estate from a beneficiary in Australia.
Re Estate of MS
Advising an executor regarding a 1975 claim from a polygamous wife with a severely disabled child.
Re Estate of KS
Representing the adult child who was maintained by the deceased in 1975 proceedings. Successfully resisted a strike out application in the High Court.
Re Estate of PB
Advised in a 1975 claim involving a cohabitee and a separated spouse. Questions over what formed part of the net estate.
Re Estate of PS
Advising in a 1975 claim involving a cohabitee who has a legal interest in the joint property. Dispute about whether the applicant is entitled to a life interest.
She is willing to consider matters on a Conditional Fee Arrangement in appropriate cases. Ashley also routinely appears in mediations for her clients.
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Recommendations “It has been great to co work with Ashley on a very complex and contentious case. I cannot recommend her enough for her technical knowledge and skill. I was even more impressed with Ashley’s attitude to the case and that she was just as passionate, as I am, in order to get the best result for my client. My client and I felt the case was safe in her hands and I will definitely be briefing her again in the near future.”
Richard Port MBE, George Green LLP
“Thanks very much for the advice. Please pass on my thanks to counsel – prompt, straight to the point, clear and professionally done.”
Oxfordshire Solicitor
"I do not have Ashley’s contact details, but could you express my thanks to her? I did so after the court hearing, but she did so well and was so friendly beforehand when we discussed the relevant details that I would like again to express my appreciation of her work."
Client
“A quick message to say thank you again for your thorough preparation and representation today. Count on getting instructions again. I find you listen to explanations, take on board background information, and good to get along with.”
Bruce Turner, Chapman & Chubb
“I really enjoyed working with you last week - you are clearly skilled in achieving that necessary balance between legal argument and pragmatism. I hope we’ll have another opportunity before too long.”
Senior Mediator
Related Articles
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3PB's contentious probate, commercial and property disputes barrister Ashley Blood-Halvorsen (pictured here) is now a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) having qualified as a trust and estate practitioner. Ashley had been earlier awarded merit grade in their "Taxation of Trusts and Estates" exam which covers income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax. She obtained a merit overall in her STEP Diploma. This follows the news that Ashley's fellow...
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3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) specialist commercial barrister Ashley Blood-Halvorsen (pictured here) has written for Lexis Nexis on the recent case of Quantum Advisory Ltd v Quantum Actuarial LLP [2023] EWHC 1338 (Ch) in which a result was reached through judicial guidance rather than a declaration by the court. The case in question involved the court interpreting an existing agreement between the parties, with the claimant seeking to establish an “implied obligation of good faith”. The...
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3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) Ashley Blood-Halvorsen discusses the case of Reed v Boswell (2022), a recent case involving a dispute between landlords over a common tenant, in which she represented the Defendant. The case in question saw the Claimant Mrs Reed bring a claim against Ashley’s client Mr Boswell alleging that he had given a ‘favourable’ reference for his tenant Mr Fernandes, who was to take up a tenancy from Mrs Reed. Mr Fernandes...
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3PB Probate specialist Ashley Blood-Halvorsen (pictured here) analyses the case of Beasant v Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind & Ors [2022] EWHC 1319 (Ch), deemed to be referred to regularly in future – alongside the decision in RSPCA – when determining what gift of the nil rate band means. Click here to read Ashley’s analysis. Ashley Blood-Halvorsen specialises in business and property disputes with particular emphasis in property and estates, contentious probate and commercial...
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