Ursula is a Senior Associate Private Client Executive at Mayo Wynne Baxter with 20 years experience in private client matters. She joined the firm in 2021 and is part of the general private client team dealing predominantly with Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, estate administration, estate planning and tax advice.
Ursula grew up and studied law in Zurich, Switzerland where she qualified with a lic iur degree. She moved to London in 1988 and has since worked in London and Sussex law firms, eventually specialising in all areas of private client law and gaining full STEP membership in 2006.
Ursula has built up a client base throughout Sussex with regular repeat business, positive feedback and personal recommendations, whilst her colleagues value her technical knowledge and insight.
In 2023 Ursula joined the STEP Sussex Committee, having previously acted as a Trustee of the British Society for Research on Ageing and as a Trustee of Age UK Brighton & Hove.
Lauren Puttock‑Brown is a Partner in the Private Client team, specialising in estate administration, probate, wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Lauren has worked at Mayo Wynne Baxter for over a decade and in that time has built a reputation for compassionate advice, supporting clients across Sussex with clarity, empathy and professionalism.
Lauren Puttock‑Brown is a Partner in the Private Client team and has spent more than ten years working at Mayo Wynne Baxter, supporting individuals and families across Lewes and Sussex. Having begun her career as a paralegal at the firm, Lauren has developed extensive experience in estate administration, probate, wills, and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Lauren is a Fellow of CILEX and an Affiliate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Lauren specialises in administering estates of all sizes and complexities, and has a particular interest in cross‑border matters. She has successfully supported families dealing with estates involving assets in France, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, Morocco and Luxembourg. Her ability to unravel unfamiliar or challenging issues makes her a trusted advisor for clients navigating sensitive situations at difficult times.
Lauren is Secretary of the Lewes & District Dementia Action Alliance, championing dementia‑friendly initiatives within the firm and the wider community. She works closely with people living with dementia and their families to ensure their wills and LPAs reflect their wishes, safeguard their autonomy, and provide long‑term protection. She also supports carers and family members in planning ahead to ensure the person they care for remains protected if circumstances change.
Lauren is known for her caring, steady and understanding approach. She ensures that clients with additional needs receive tailored, accessible support from the moment of diagnosis through to later‑life planning. A familiar face in the Lewes community, she values long‑term relationships and prides herself on offering clear guidance during life’s most personal moments.
Contact Lauren to discuss how she can support you with your private client needs.
Head of the Private Client team since 2019, Fiona joined Mayo Wynne Baxter in 2003, specialising in Wills, Probate and Estate planning.
She has a particular interest in advising farming families in multigenerational planning.
A longstanding member of STEP, Fiona has led her team to rankings in the Legal 500 and Chambers High Net Worth guide, and multiple national awards, including Private Client Practitioner of the Year 2024.
Estate planning and probate can be very emotional. Fiona is very solutions focussed and provides clear and empathetic advice to support families at a difficult time.
Whilst Fiona advises on all aspects of Wills, estate planning and probate, over time she has specialised in advising high net worth families in multi-generational planning, working particularly closely with the rural affairs team for our farming clients. In this context Fiona works closely with other professional advisers including accountants and financial advisers to protect family wealth in a complex tax environment. Fiona has seen an increase in working with accountants to restructure the family business to pass on wealth early, but maintain control for the older generation.
Fiona practice also includes acting as independent administrator in situations where family relationships have broken down after a death. This requires tact and the ability to inspire trust and confidence quickly.
With over 25 years’ experience, longstanding membership of STEP, and rankings in Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500, Fiona has helped many families, and takes pride in being asked by the next generation to advise having looked after their parents several years ago. Over the years Fiona has saved clients throughout the south east hundreds of thousands of pounds in Inheritance Tax, prevented bereaved families from losing their homes, kept the family business going and had some interesting tasks along the way such as securing heritage relief for a local important artwork.
Having studied Law and French Law at Kings College London and La Sorbonne Paris, Fiona has some insight into cross-border issues for clients. In her early career she qualified as an investment adviser before concentrating on her legal practice, and this understanding of financial services has proved invaluable in her ability to understand clients’ sometimes complex investment strategies.
Fiona now balances her legal work with managing the growing, and award winning Private Client team fostering a supportive and collegiate environment for colleagues to be their best to advise our clients.
Fiona really believes that making a Will shouldn’t be difficult for you, and should not be postponed. Please contact us to make an appointment to discuss your situation.