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Portrait of Ruth Giddings

Profile

Ruth is a senior associate in the contentious private client team. She acts for private individuals, trustees and charities in a wide range of domestic and international trust and estate litigation.

Her role involves advising on claims arising out of disputed wills, breaches of trust, the administration of estates, proprietary estoppel, professional negligence and under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Ruth is a member of the Contentious Trusts Association, a network for contentious trust associates. 

Recent work highlights

  • Successfully bringing an application for proprietary and freezing injunctions on behalf of an estate where assets had been misappropriated.
  • Representing a high-net-worth individual in professional negligence proceedings, which included making a successful application to court to rescind a trust based on the doctrine of mistake.
  • Negotiating the removal of an executor to an international estate after a breakdown in relations with the residuary beneficiaries.
  • Challenging a will’s validity, on behalf of a charity, on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity, lack of knowledge and/or approval and undue influence.
  • Acting for a professional trustee in an application to court to bless a ‘momentous decision’ as per Public Trustee v Cooper [2001] WTLR 901.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP