Ursula grew up and studied law in Zurich, Switzerland. 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.
She has also joined the STEP Sussex Committee.
It is important to Ursula that her clients are at ease when dealing with her and feel that they are receiving excellent service for their money.
She is currently a Trustee of the British Society for Research on Ageing, having spent several years as a Trustee of Age UK Brighton & Hove prior to that.
Outside work Ursula loves food, keeping fit, the outdoors and reading, but her passion is rowing. She rows competitively for Ardingly Rowing Club at local, national and international level.
What attracted, and keeps you in this area of law?
I began my legal career at a conveyancing company, which unfortunately just wasn’t for me. I came across an advert for a position in the probate department at MWB and, despite having no direct experience with the department, I got the job! I soon realised that helping people when they are most in need brings me a sense of fulfilment that helping people move to a new house just didn’t do. I have been extraordinarily lucky to work in such a fantastic department and I cannot see myself doing anything else.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Every workday begins with a cup of tea and, usually, a catch up with my colleagues. I will then spend some time in client meetings, as face to face contact is important in building a connection with my clients. Afterwards, I will review my files and reply to emails, whilst usually speaking to a few clients over the telephone to keep them up to date with progress. As the administration of an estate can take anywhere between 9 – 18 months, I do get to know my clients and it is always a pleasure to hear from them.
What are your strengths and skills?
I have been told that I am able to take a complex concept and break it down into easy-to-understand chunks. The law of Wills and Probate is somewhat complex and often rooted in terminology from the 19th century. I enjoy being able to translate this into plain English.
I am also MWB’s representative sitting on the Lewes and District Dementia Action Alliance committee. I am working to build up the profile of dementia friendly business in Lewes and looking to develop my links with the local community to provide a safe and supportive environment for clients living with dementia and their carers.
Tell me about a memorable time when you have helped a client.
I received a call from a client recently. After asking a quick question about her matter, we talked for 20 minutes. At the end of the call the client told me that she was feeling very lonely following the loss of her husband and that talking to me had really brightened her day. I was touched that she had thought of me and that I had made a difference. This is an example of what makes my job worthwhile.
Outside of work
I enjoy running with Lewes Athletics Club and bouldering indoors in Brighton. I also have two Yorkshire Terriers that keep me busy when I am at home!
What attracted you and keeps you in this area of law?
I have worked for MWB since 2008 having qualified as a solicitor in 1994 and I spent the years in between working in the personal tax department of various accountancy firms.
I moved into private client work to have more regular client contact and to be able to engage with a wider area of practice which includes drafting Wills and creating Lasting Powers of Attorney, to the administration of estates including the final tax and estate accounts.
As well as being a solicitor I am a Fellow of the Association of Taxation Technicians and I am a Full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I like helping others whether clients or colleagues and I take satisfaction from a job well done whether small or large. I also enjoy talking to people about why they might need a Will or LPA and I have done some local talks on these important matters.
What are your particular strengths and skills?
I am naturally organised, and I also enjoy puzzle solving and untying problems. I am good at maths and organising figures and one of my roles is to assist colleagues with the trickier estate accounts. My background in personal tax compliance also gives me a good basis to assist my clients and colleagues with aspects of income tax up to the date of death and during the administration of an estate.
Tell me about a memorable time when you have helped a client?
It is a privilege to talk in depth with our clients about their affairs or those of someone they have lost. When at the end of a client meeting a client says that it was OK and nowhere near as stressful or difficult as they though it would be, I feel a good sense of having helped someone.
What would your colleagues say about you?
That I am kind and gentle and a nice person to have around the office. That I am a good listener both to them and to my clients. And that I am good at accounts and tax and enjoy helping them out with these.
Outside work….
I love being with family and friends, my garden and running by the sea. I am also a self-supporting Church of England priest licenced to the Lewes and Seaford Deanery which means I could pop up in a church near you on a Sunday morning.
I am the Chichester Diocese Bishops Advisor on Self Supporting Ministry and I am also a member of the PCC of St Leonards and St Lukes Seaford, the Deanery Synod of Lewes and Seaford and Chichester Diocesan Synod.
What attracted, and keeps you in this area of law?
I always wanted to be a solicitor so after studying in London and Paris, I qualified in a small high street firm in Shoreham by Sea in 1999. There I had a taste of a number of different areas of law and financial advice. After qualifying, I worked in financial services in London for a while but found I missed the personal connection with my clients, so returned to law at Mayo Wynne Baxter in 2003. Writing a Will involves fully understanding what a client needs and preparing the right Will to suit them. Helping a grieving relative navigate the probate process, and share their burden is an immense privilege.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
It’s a cliché, but other than my colleagues, the best thing about my job is my clients. Every day is different. Dealing with the loss of a loved one or contemplating one’s own mortality is hard. To have a client say “that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be” is a lovely feeling. I am currently head of the department and am enjoying being able to help shape the future of the team and watching the more junior members progress. I work with a network of excellent financial and tax advisers and accountants to ensure that my clients get great all-round advice.
What are your particular strengths and skills?
Possibly strangely for a solicitor, I am good at maths and really enjoy preparing accounts, showing what funds have been received and paid out during the administration of an estate. I take time to talk with my clients to work out what they actually want, to create the right Will, Power of Attorney or even to decide to do nothing. I like solving problems and getting things done. And I especially enjoy saving my clients from paying unnecessary tax. When I decided to specialise in this area, I became a member of STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners which is a worldwide organisation of experts in this area. I now sit on the Sussex STEP committee. I am very positive, and passionate about the importance to everyone to have a Will. I have done presentations in retirement and care homes, to charity supporters, to bank customers, and even to the WI to spread the word.
Tell me about a memorable time when you’ve helped a client
I hope I help all my clients, but some unusual situations do spring to mind.
- I remember one client who was in danger of losing her house when her partner died unexpectedly without a Will. We helped keep the family in their home.
- On a number of occasions, I have visited clients in hospital to prepare Wills, giving them peace to know their loved ones will be supported.
- One of my clients had over 100 individual shareholdings and certificates that we had to sort and sell.
- One of the most complex I have been involved with as a gentleman whose uncle died without a Will. His estate went to his sister, who sadly died shortly afterwards. The uncle had 2 businesses, several shareholdings, and 3 properties. At the same time, we are dealing with a claim that a fraudulent Will exists.
- Recently we helped a local client claim heritage asset relief against Inheritance Tax, saving an important painting for a local museum.
What would your colleagues say about you?
That I am straight talking. But I talk a lot. And I will always try and help the rest of the team.
Outside of work
I like to spend time with my family and I even try to cram in a good book when I have the time!