"Tony Cockayne is an affable statesman, who gets excellent results with charm and good humour. William Coon is a solid associate. Emily Peacock is definitely going places."

Legal 500 2025

"Alexa Payet is an excellent lawyer and Emily Peacock is her assistant. They are both pragmatic and sensible to work alongside."

Legal 500 2025

"Thank you so much for all your assistance with this legacy. I’ve really appreciated your help and advice which has got us to the position of receiving a lump sum payment…Your assistance was invaluable on this estate"

Client

"I just wanted to say thank you for much for all helpful assistance recovering this legacy for us. Your persistence and soft engagement with the Executors worked so well, which resulted in this positive outcome."

Client

I am a Solicitor specialising in private wealth litigation and inheritance disputes.

I advise clients on a range of disputes, specialising in:

  • Charitable legacy disputes;
  • Will validity disputes;
  • Claims for financial provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975;
  • Disputes involving executors and trustees;
  • Claims for equitable relief under proprietary estoppel;
  • Relief from Forfeiture; and
  • General estate disputes such as insolvent estates, asset title tracing and burial disputes.

I take a holistic approach to dispute resolution, where direction is of equal importance to destination: clients can expect to be transparently enlightened on iterations of strategic proposals by receiving pragmatic, result-focussed advice.

I am sensitive to the needs of my clients who find themselves in emotive circumstances, through grief, aggrievement or worry. My role in their cases is to ensure they are comfortable every step of the way by delivering thorough advice in a clear and sensitive manner.

Outside of work I enjoy watching motorsports and playing golf.

I have been a lawyer in the private client sector since 2020 and qualified as a solicitor in a UK top 100 law firm in March 2023. I joined the Disputed Wills and Trusts Team at Michelmores in March 2023.

Recent experience

Acting on a high value cross border claim, involving issues relating to Will validity, Will revocation, domicile and deathbed marriage

Successfully acting on behalf of a national charity in a claim for construction and rectification of a Will

Advising in relation to a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 against a multi-million pound estate and successfully negotiating the desired settlement for our client

Successfully negotiating early and competitive settlement on a spousal claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975

Acting on a Will validity dispute involving multiple successive Wills, on the basis of lack of testamentary capacity, want of knowledge and approval, undue influence and fraudulent calumny

Assisting Alexa Payet in an application under the Forfeiture Act 1982 for relief from the effect of forfeiture where a loved one has died by assisted suicide

Acting in a claim for equitable relief under the doctrine of proprietary estoppel in relation to a dispute over farmland