"Mark is generally the calmest voice in any room. He keeps a cool head while advising his clients on options. He will draw lines where needed and gives ground where necessary."

“Mark is extremely personable and very good at distilling the issues for clients.”

“Utterly brilliant. An outstanding and tenacious advocate.”

Chambers UK 2023

“He has an incisive eye and inspires confidence in clients. His advocacy is crisp, and he can rise above the fray to hold the ear of the judge.”

Legal 500 2022

“He’s very knowledgeable, and he deploys this knowledge effectively and sensibly.”

“He’s very approachable, easy to speak to and good with clients, as well as being good on his feet.”

“Makes sure the judge understands what he is trying to convey, and knows how to get to the killer point. ”

“Strong both on paper and on his feet, he is good at presenting complex cases and always sticks to his guns.”

Chambers UK 2019

‘Handles difficult clients really well.’

 Legal 500 2019

“Enthusiastic, thoughtful and has good empathy with clients faced with often distressing situations. He comes up with very imaginative solutions.”

Chambers UK 2018

“He is extremely technical and his advice is steeped in complex legal knowledge.”

Chambers UK 2018

“He provides sensible, pragmatic and useful advice.”

Chambers UK 2018

“He’s technically superb, is very good with clients, and is a very persuasive advocate who provides a tremendous service.”

Chambers UK 2017

“He is always very diplomatic and polite, but he is direct”. Clients in difficult situations benefit from a bit of rational talking and he’s very reassuring in that way.”

Chambers UK 2017 

“He is very, very good on his feet. He is just a fantastic advocate.”

Chambers UK 2016

“He also has a fantastic eye for detail, and is able to see the bigger picture.”

“He’s extremely thorough and very personable.”

Chambers UK 2015

The core of Mark’s practice consists of disputes as to the administration and distribution of deceased’s estates, including advising on and litigating contentious probate claims (on all grounds), Inheritance Act claims, proprietary estoppel and other equitable claims to estate assets, construction and rectification, and substitution and removal of Personal Representatives. Mark also regularly advises in respect of the administration of trusts and disputes arising therefrom, especially as to breach of duty and/or the proper exercise of discretions. Acting in such cases often involves aspects of real property law, and requires Mark to advise on aspects of professional negligence and the taxation of trusts and estates.

Many of Mark’s cases settle, often at mediation, and remain confidential but his notable reported cases in these areas include:

• Klein v Adler [2021] EWHC 2503 (Ch): successfully applied for removal of beneficiary-executor notwithstanding she was chosen by the deceased for her particular knowledge of the property businesses which formed much of the value of the estate
• Re R deceased [2021] EWHC 936 (Ch): defended 1975 Act claims on behalf of two minor children seeking over £800,000 between them, in which final awards totalled less than £190,000
• Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind v Beasant [2021] EWHC 351 (Ch); [2022] EWHC 1319 (Ch): succeeded at first instance and on appeal in arguing on behalf of the charitable residuary beneficiaries that a will, in particular a clause purporting to make a gift of the IHT nil-rate band, should be construed so that nothing passed thereunder; also successful in securing a third party costs order against the firm that had drafted the will, including on the indemnity basis in part.
• Roberts v Fresco [2017] EWHC 283 (Ch): succeeded on trial of a preliminary issue of law as to whether a claim by a surviving spouse under the 1975 Act survives their death so that it may be pursued on behalf of their estate, confirming it does not and so resisting attempt to bring such a claim by the beneficiaries of that the estate
• Randall v Randall [2014] EWHC 3134 (Ch), [2016] EWCA Civ 494: Instructed at first instance in High Court and on appeal to Court of Appeal in leading case, and only modern decision not limited to 1975 Act, on standing to challenge or propound a Will under Part 57 of the CPR
• Colling v Ripley [2016]: successfully applied for removal of sibling beneficiary as executor, notwithstanding intimated dispute over validity of two codicils to Will which amended appointment of executors, with effect of avoiding need for contentious probate claim; claim issued in 2015 but secured order for defendant to pay claimants’ costs since 2006
• Harris v Earwicker [2015] EWHC 1915 (Ch): successfully defended residuary beneficiary’s claim for removal of executors, and obtained indemnity costs against all residuary beneficiaries notwithstanding application made by only one of them
• Swetenham v Walkley [2014] WTLR 845: successfully brought claim under Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 on behalf of co-habitant where co-habitation disputed on basis deceased retained own house and often slept there
• Ritchie v Joslin [2009] EWHC 709 (Ch): with Mark Blackett-Ord successfully established invalidity of Will on ground of lack of testamentary capacity by reason of the testatrix’s delusions as to the character and conduct of her children

Mark is a highly experienced Court of Protection practitioner and regularly appears before Court of Protection judges in London and the regional courts. His caseload is primarily concerned with Property and Affairs work and he has been involved in numerous proceedings for statutory wills (for existing beneficiaries, potential beneficiaries, charities, deputies, attorneys, and the Official Solicitor), gifts, authorisation of investments, disputed EPAs and LPAs, and the appointment and removal of deputies.

Mark acted for Gopichand Hinduja – a leading member of the well-known international billionaire family – for two years in wide-ranging property and affairs and health and welfare proceedings concerning his brother, Srichand Hinduja, heard by Mr Justice Hayden, the Vice-President of the Court of Protection.

Mark has also acted for the wife of another high-profile high net worth individual in Court of Protection proceedings over the course of approximately 4 years. The proceedings involved several different family members and concerned both his property and affairs and health and welfare and were heard by high court judges of both the Chancery and Family Divisions.

Mark’s other recent Court of Protection work includes:

• Successfully securing the Official Solicitor’s consent to an application for P to make gifts to her adult children and grandchildren to a value in seven figures
• Application for authority to invest part of P’s significant wealth in co-ownership of home for parent following sale of co-owned family home on divorce of parents
• Disputed property and affairs deputyship application in respect of multi-millionaire P in circumstances where one of P’s major assets and sources of income was her shareholding in a family company; acting for the proposed deputy, who was a director of and shareholder in the company
• Disputed Statutory Will application which went to final hearing with five represented parties. Acted for litigation friend for P’s minor children and successfully argued (against the professional deputy and two other parties) that the Will should provide for lower capital provision for P’s spouse, with an additional life interest trust in their favour, so as to achieve an inheritance tax saving to the benefit of the children by using the spouse exemption
• Advice in respect of the administration of a personal injury trust for the benefit of a minor who will lack capacity on attaining the age of 18 years, and in particular the Court of Protection’s jurisdiction and power to direct the trustees to use the Trust Fund to purchase a home for P and family outside of the jurisdiction, and the structure the Court of Protection would require for the ownership and administration of such property and any other money from the trust transferred out of the jurisdiction
• Representing one of several charities in complex Statutory Will case in which P was intestate and without close relatives, but had made a lost Will many years previously and given instructions for a Will after losing capacity

Mark regularly advises and drafts in connection with the taxation of trusts and estates, as well as the taxation consequences of variations thereto (and mitigation of those consequences), including by way of exercise of powers, agreement, and litigation. Recently, Mark has advised on the inheritance tax consequences of the settlement of certain rights arising on the death of the partners of a large international professional services firm.

Mark regular advises on professional negligence in the other areas of his practice, including the drafting of Wills and other instruments, the administration and distribution of trusts and estates (especially the tax treatment thereof), and the conduct of litigation. Mark is one of the co-authors of a textbook on negligence in trusts and estates (and the principal author of the section on negligence in the taxation of trusts and estates).

Mark read law at the University of Bristol, graduating with First Class Honours and winning both the Herbert Smith Mooting Competition and the Maitland Essay Prize. Mark is a Hardwicke, Lord Denning, and Sunley Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn.

Mark is a member of the Chancery Bar Association, the Property Bar Association, and the Court of Protection Bar Association and is secretary of the Denning Society.

Mark is co-author (with Martyn Frost and Penelope Reed QC) of Risk and Negligence in Wills, Estates and Trusts, published by OUP (1st ed 2009, 2nd ed 2014).

Mark speaks regularly to solicitors, STEP branches and special interest groups, and professional conferences, and records webinars for a variety of providers, on all areas of his practice.

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