Fiona is a Senior Associate Solicitor with 11 years' experience in all aspects of private client work. In addition to her private client work she has used her knowledge together with her understanding of mental capacity to support both lay and professional deputies, helping them make applications to the Court of Protection authorising the creation of Statutory Wills for clients that lack the capacity required to make their own Will.

Private Client Work

Fiona is a fully qualified TEP practitioner and a current member of the Society for Estate and Trustee Practitioners, which is an international professional body for advisers who specialise, is inheritance and succession planning. She has a detailed understanding of Trust and Estate work. Her main areas of work are;

-          Estate administration; which can just be applying for the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration or assisting with the full administration and or attending to large taxable estates. 

-          Future planning, which include the drafting of Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Advanced Decisions.

-          Trust work; whether it be providing advice about entitlements under pre-existing trusts, setting up trusts (such as personal injury trusts, disabled person trust or discretionary trusts) or supporting with the administration of trusts. 

-          Statutory Wills, Codicils and gift applications on behalf of Deputies.

As a member of the Hugh Jones team, she also acts for Deputyship clients. While they may not have capacity to manage their property and finances this does not necessarily mean that they can make decisions effecting the distribution of their estate when they pass away and Fiona is very happy to support these clients and help them demonstrate that they do have the capacity required to decide what they want to happen to their funds on their death (known as ‘testamentary capacity’). 

Fiona said

“I particularly enjoy empowering our deputyship clients, while they may have suffered brain injuries and as a result need additional support in some areas of their life this does not mean that every decision has to be made for them and often they do have the capacity to take control of what should happen to their funds when they pass away.

It’s incredibly rewarding to help them consider this decision and it often gives these clients a tremendous sense of control and satisfaction to be able to make a Will setting out who should benefit from their money following their death.  It’s also lovely to see a number of these client’s reflect on who has been able to help and support them during their lifetime and see them reflect this in their Wills, whether it be to family members, charities or support groups.”

Over the years Fiona has been able to support many of our deputyship clients; she builds rapport easily and is very experienced at making sure she is liaising with people at a level that they understand, to help them appreciate some of the complexities of putting a Will in place. 

Supporting Lay and Professional Deputies

Fiona has been instructed by many lay and professional deputies to support them in making sometime complex Statutory Will applications to the Court of Protection. She has worked closely with the Official Solicitor to reach amicable conclusions and on occasion has also been recommend by them.

Supporting the Community

Fiona is involved in various groups that support various facets of the community; she works with groups supporting carers that look after people with complex needs she also works with groups that support the elderly and children and adults with learning difficulties. She regularly attends and gives talks in the community to both health providers and care homes.

She enjoys working the community and is often invited to give talks to groups on specialised Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyships.

Manchester Law Society

She is a member of the Private Client section of the Manchester Law Society and has been asked by them to deliver talks on Statutory Wills and Gift Applications. She enjoys attending regular meetings with them to share good practice and discuss changes in the law.