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.
Rebecca is a Partner in our Private Client team, she qualified at a Brighton firm in 2005 and is now based in our Storrington office.
As a Sussex native with a deep-rooted understanding of the South Downs and its local economy, Rebecca brings a unique perspective to her work with rural clients. Her extensive knowledge, combined with her professional experience, makes her an invaluable asset to our clients.
Rebecca’s qualifications and experience in private client work, including Wills, Probate, LPAs, succession planning, and Declarations of Trust, position her well to address the specific needs of rural clients. Her involvement in the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly SFE) demonstrates her commitment to providing exceptional legal services.
Why Rebecca is Ideal for Rural Clients:
- Local Knowledge: Rebecca’s familiarity with the South Downs and its rural communities allows her to understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by land owners, farmers, and related businesses.
- Strong Network: Her local connections with land owners, agents, and farming business accountants can facilitate collaborations and provide valuable insights into the rural landscape.
- Tailored Solutions: Rebecca’s expertise in private client work enables her to offer tailored solutions that address the specific needs and goals of rural clients, such as estate planning, succession, and asset protection.
By combining her local knowledge, professional experience, and strong network, Rebecca is well-equipped to provide exceptional legal services to rural clients in the Western region of MWB.
She is a committee member of the Steyning & District Business Chamber.
Outside of work, Rebecca volunteers regularly with HomeStart.
She is married to a Royal Navy Officer and has two children, three cats and a tortoise!
At weekends Rebecca can be found stomping around National Trust grounds or the South Downs and indulging in her love of good food.
I completed my training from a firm based in London. After qualifying in 2022, I went on to specialise in Private Client and I am an Affiliate member of STEP. I am currently based out of our Lewes office.
I advise clients on all matters relating to estate administration and planning, trusts, taxation, Wills and Powers of Attorney.
I am pro-active and approachable with a keen focus on client’s needs. I enjoy working in Private Client and providing personal and pragmatic advice.
Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling, reading and listening to podcasts.
Matt qualified at a regional firm in the South West in 2010 before relocating to Birmingham to start his legal career. Shortly after relocating, Matt joined what was Shakespeares and later Shakespeare Martineau (another brand within the AMPA legal and professional services group). Matt worked in the firm’s Birmingham and Solihull offices before moving to head up the Private Client team in their Milton Keynes office as a Legal Director where he stayed until 2022 at which point Matt moved to Sussex and joined Mayo Wynne Baxter as a partner.
Matt is a full member of STEP, an accredited member of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formally SFE) and has passed the STEP diploma in advanced Will preparation with Distinction. Matt was also named as Associate to Watch in the Chambers 2022 High Net Worth rankings and ranked as Up and Coming partner in Chamber 2023 High Net Worth ranking!
Matt enjoys helping all types of clients in negotiating the pitfalls of estate planning and estate/trust administration including Will preparation, Lasting Powers of Attorney and IHT planning. Matt has a particular interest in working with clients from within the LGBTQ+ community, offering an open and non-judgemental path to the services they need.
Outside of work Matt enjoys going to the theatre and has seen almost 90 shows in the West End and on tour. He is also enjoys visits to the many local vineyards in and around Sussex, running and DIY.
Having studied Law at the University of Surrey, I joined a firm in Surrey and qualified as a Solicitor in 2012. I initially worked as a Personal Injury Solicitor, dealing with a high volume of both litigious and non-litigious matters.
After a few years, I took the decision to change specialisms and undertake Private Client work, namely matters involving Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney and Estate Administration.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
I enjoy building a rapport with clients and find a great sense of satisfaction in helping them to achieve their objectives. I have always found a sense of fulfilment in helping others, and being able to provide clients with peace of mind, especially in the most trying of times, it is both a privilege and a pleasure.
What are your strength and skills?
I listen intently to my clients in order to provide them with the advice that is best suited to their needs. The prospect of making a Will or administering an Estate can be daunting, but I am able to break things down in order to make them more understandable. I pride myself in being able to provide my clients with clarity and transparency in order to simplify matters and achieve the desired outcome.
Outside of work
I enjoy spending my spare time with family and friends. I am a sports fanatic and enjoy attending live events, particularly live sport and concerts.
What attracted, and keeps you in this area of law?
After completing my law degree at Staffordshire University, I qualified as a solicitor in 1997. During my career I have worked in many areas of the law, criminal, family, litigation, and a short time in conveyancing. I never thought that I would end up in Private Client but now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I really enjoy meeting clients, getting to know them, and helping them.
I specialise in personal legal issues including the preparation of Wills and the administration of estates after someone has passed away. I love figuring out that facts and figures, making it simple for our clients to understand the processes.
I am also a member of the Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners. My Probate work ranges from giving relatives one-off advice to managing the whole matter through to the final distribution of very complex estates.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
What I like most about working in our Private Client department is that no two days are the same. Each client is different and each one’s circumstances are distinct. I love meeting new clients, helping them, and then getting to know them more over the years as they come back to change their Will, prepare Powers of Attorneys. And then meeting their children, who come in to do their own Wills.
It is such a diverse role.
What are your strengths and skills?
I am a good listener, compassionate, patient, and great at talking in plain English, helping clients to understand each step of their matter. I create comprehensive Wills for all sorts of situations including those that cover guardianship arrangements for children and Wills that cover complicated family structures.
Whilst mostly working from our East Grinstead office I regularly make home visits to clients who find it difficult to travel.
What would your colleagues say about you?
I think they would say that I’m approachable, helpful, always calm and gets on with the job. I think we all work well together as a team.
Outside of work
Outside work, I love to make the most of the beautiful Sussex countryside and enjoy long walks, and horse-riding. I also play netball in the East Grinstead netball league.
I am a Partner who has worked in the Private Client department for 10 years starting as a paralegal. I am an Affiliate member of STEP.
I acts in the administration of estates and enjoy working on complex or out of the ordinary matters including estates including cross border matters. I have experience dealing with estates with assets in France, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, Morocco, and Luxembourg.
I am Secretary for the Lewes & District Dementia Action Alliance and help promote Mayo Wynne Baxter as a dementia friendly firm. I work with those living with dementia and their carers to ensure that their Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney reflect their wishes and to ensure they have an advocate who can support then if they cannot do so themselves. I encourage carers and family members to prepare Wills for ensure that the person living with dementia is protected should their carer or family member die.
I pride myself on providing caring and understanding advice and I am a familiar face around Lewes. I ensure that those with additional needs are given bespoke treatment according to their needs and I really value building a relationship with my clients that extends from initial diagnosis to the end of their lives.
Jessica qualified in 2007 and specialises in private client law, more specifically trust creation and structuring, succession planning and capital taxation.
She is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners which is the most comprehensive qualification in the trusts and estates field and enhances her ability to give holistic advice to clients as a trusted advisor.
Before joining the firm Jessica was head of the private client department of a West Sussex law firm, having worked previously in the City and training with a regional firm known for dealing with landed estates and Sunday Times Rich List clients.
She regularly advises a variety of high net worth clients on trusts and complex tax planning solutions, whilst putting clients at ease by making the meetings congenial and friendly.
Outside of work Jessica loves spending time with her family and, when she has the opportunity, having a good gallop over the downs on her horse.
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!