Leslie is one of the country’s foremost chancery barristers with experience of appearing in front of the highest courts in wills and trusts cases. He has over 30 years’ experience of conducting contentious probate litigation, comprising:
- Disputes as to the validity of wills
- Proper administration of estates and will trusts
- Forfeiture of rights on death, and relief from forfeiture
- Inheritance Act claims
- Claims in respect of estates arising from informal agreements and proprietary estoppel
For the second year running, Leslie has been identified as the only KC ranked as a leading professional adviser to the Private Wealth market (outside London), where he is featured in the High Net Worth Guide 2022.
Leslie continues to receive fine praise from market commentators for his expertise in trusts disputes, Inheritance Act 1975 claims and proprietary estoppel matters, with one source saying that ‘he seems to achieve the unachievable.’ Another interviewee observes: ‘Leslie is absolutely second to none, and his exceptional technical ability, knowledge of legislation and case law, and many years of experience, make him a formidable advocate.’ ”
CHAMBERS UK, 2022 HIGH NET WORTH FEEDBACK
He has appeared in a number of high profile proprietary estoppel cases including Davies v Davies (2014 and 2016) (the ‘Cowshed Cinderella’ case, both at trial and on appeal twice); McDonald v Rose (2017) a £5 million claim against substantial family business; Habberfield v Habberfield (2018) (representing the claimant at trial who was awarded £1.15 million from her parents, and recently (2019) successfully defending the award on appeal in the Court of Appeal) and Gee v Gee (2018) (where he represented the successful claimant at trial).
Amongst the higher profile cases Leslie has been involved in is Re Challen (2020), where relief from forfeiture was obtained for a wife convicted of her husband’s manslaughter after being subject to years of his coercive control; and the Barry Pring litigation, which concerned a claim for forfeiture of the interest of the wife of a man who died in unusual circumstances in Ukraine.
He has also lectured on these topics to both regional firms and at local Law Societies.
