James is an associate in our Private Client department primarily advising on Estate Administration. James obtained a First Class law degree (LLB) and a Masters in Law (LLM) before qualifying as a Solicitor in September 2020 and joining Stephens Scown in 2021.
James has a broad range of experience which includes:
- Administration of Estates
- Advising on various IHT reliefs including APR and BPR
- Will drafting
- Preparing Deeds of Variation
- Advising on the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney
Examples of his recent work include:
- Administering an estate with assets held in non-UK jurisdictions.
- Administering an estate and registering a death where there were no immediate family or known beneficiaries and instructing a genealogy tracing company to locate potential beneficiaries.
- Claiming Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief on a high value estate to mitigate Inheritance Tax.
- Obtaining a capacity report prior to the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney for an elderly client.
- Advising on IHT lifetime tax planning for a high-net-worth individual.
Outside of work James enjoys surfing and kayaking at his favourite Devon and Cornwall beaches, walking with his German Shepherd puppy, and socialising with his friends.
