Anna Sutcliffe
Anna specialises in inheritance disputes including claims under the Inheritance Act 1975, disputes between executors and claims in respect of the validity of wills. Anna also has a particular interest in trust disputes.
About Anna
Anna has extensive experience of will validity claims where the deceased lacked mental capacity, knowledge and approval of the contents of their will or were subject to undue influence.
Anna additionally regularly advises clients seeking to remove an executor, to bring a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family Dependents) Act 1975 and in respect of professional negligence claims arising from disputed estates.
Anna has a particular interest in contentious trusts advising both trustees subjected to potential claims and beneficiaries wishing to challenge the administration of a trust.
"... and Anna Sutcliffe, have extensive experience handling contentious probate matters, including high-profile inheritance disputes and matters concerning high-value estates and professional negligence."
Experience
- Acted for trustees in defending a trustee removal claim by the deceased’s widow (being a life tenant). The dispute was successfully resolved at mediation with the trust fund being partitioned between the life tenant and the remaindermen.
- Successfully defended a claim that her client had unduly influenced her husband to change his will at a time when it was alleged that he was mentally incapable. Having been diagnosed with a serious illness the husband made arrangements which benefited his second wife to a value of over £1m. The allegations were defeated and the will was found to be valid.
- Acted on a number of successful claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, which have resulted in provision being made for children, dependants and spouses who had not been adequately provided for under the terms of a will.
- Advised a farm worker who had been promised (by the farm owner) an inheritance in return for providing many years of unpaid farm work, only to find that when the farm owner died he had not left a will and the client did not receive any inheritance under the rules of intestacy. Anna was able to achieve a negotiated settlement for the farm worker and avoided a costly and lengthy trial.
Career
Anna graduated from Durham University with an LLB (Hons) and completed the Legal Practice Course at Nottingham Law School. Anna went on to train with Needham & James Solicitors in Stratford-upon-Avon and was admitted as a Solicitor in 2005, specialising in dispute resolution.
Interests
Outside work Anna enjoys spending time with her young family especially in the great outdoors, walking and cycling.
Thank you very much for your hard work on this case, your advice was excellent throughout the process.
