THE JUDGES

Amy is a Partner in the Private Client team at gunnercooke.  She trained and qualified at a regional firm in Kent, before spending over six years at another regional firm.  Amy deals with all aspects of Private Client work.  She’s a full STEP member and a contracted examiner for the STEP exams.  She’s a full member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers and a Dementia Friend.  Amy sat on both the Kent Law Society and the Tunbridge Wells & Tonbridge District Law Society (TWTDLS) as Councillor and was the Secretary for TWTDLS.  She ran her own networking group in Sevenoaks for three years, designed to promote networking skills amongst the next generation.  She has recently been published in the STEP journal talking about redefining social norms and definitions of families with a particular focus on assisted conception, a cause which she is passionate about.

Chris has been with Ramsdens since 1997 and has worked in Private Wealth and Succession for over 40 years in total.

Chris has spent most of his time with the firm helping to build and strengthen the Private Wealth and Succession team. He deals with a wide variety of cases, but has particular expertise and skills in managing the firm’s high value probate matters, high net worth individuals, and regularly deals with estates in excess of £1,000,000.00.

Chris helps clients and their families put in place the most effective strategies to manage the long term stability of their estates.

Chris and the team have won numerous industry awards over the years, most notably winning ‘Best Probate Law Firm, North’ at the UK Probate Research Awards four years in a row from 2019-2022. The team were subsequently highly commended at the Probies 2025 for ‘Probate Law Firm of the Year – National’.

David Masterton is a highly respected figure in the UK legal services sector, with over 15 years’ experience driving innovation, growth, and excellence across legal landscape. As Chief Revenue Officer at Premier Solicitors, David leads on national partnerships, acquisitions, and strategic development. He is known for his commercial acumen, collaborative leadership, and commitment to raising industry standards. David is a trusted voice in the industry, often sought for his collaborative approach to innovation, operational scale, and client engagement. Passionate about making quality legal services more accessible, he continues to champion sustainable growth and ethical business practices across the legal landscape. As a seasoned judge, David brings insight, integrity, and a passion for recognising outstanding achievement in this vital area of legal practice.

David is the Managing Editor of Today’s Media, a publishing business dedicated to the legal services sector. With a track record of growing communities of practitioners through Today’s Conveyancer (2012) and Today’s Wills and Probate (2014), and Today’s Family Lawyer (2019), David leads the editorial output for these go-to resources for daily news, industry insight and best practice for legal practitioners. As the host of the corresponding podcasts, David discusses key topics of the day with individuals and organisations who contribute to the success of these vibrant sectors.

Gary Shaw, Managing Director of Property Solutions Group, leads a market-leading UK property firm specialising in probate property management, estate funding, and value-preserving solutions. Having been instrumental in saving estates C.£4M in selling fee’s, He has a deep background in the probate lending sector, and has built and nurtured strong relationships with solicitors and will-writing professionals across the UK. His expertise enables innovative solutions, such as deferred-payment funding, which help estates cover costs without delaying vital property work, while ensuring rigorous due diligence, regulatory compliance, and client confidence.
Gary is known for his strategic and approachable leadership style, and a practical understanding of the complexities surrounding probate property. He has played a key role in improving how firms manage vacant properties, maintain security and compliance, and progress essential works efficiently to protect estate value. Since rising through key positions at PSG, from Key Account Director to Group Managing Director, he has helped the company scale its services and reputation. He also brings his integrity and sector insight to the Probate Industry Awards, where he serves as a judge, celebrating innovation, excellence, and best practice in the industry.

Heledd Wyn is a Partner specialising in private client services and long-term care,
based in Bristol but with national reach. With extensive experience in future planning,
private wealth, and Court of Protection matters, Heledd provides expert guidance on
Wills, Powers of Attorney, long-term care, and asset protection for both individuals
and business owners. She is also a trusted advisor on inheritance tax planning and
trusts.
Heledd is particularly well-regarded for her expertise in long-term and elderly care
issues. Her in-depth knowledge of care system funding, especially in navigating local
authority assessments and challenging their decisions, makes her invaluable to
clients planning for their own or loved ones’ care. She has significant experience with
NHS Continuing Healthcare funding and contested applications to the Court of
Protection.

Ian Bond, is a member of the Law Society’s Wills & Equity Committee as well as a member of STEP and the Association of Lifetime Lawyers, He is a specialist in the non-contentious realm of estate administration, probate, and intestacy work for England and Wales. His expertise extends to estates with foreign assets and foreign estates with UK assets, particularly in dealing with complex taxable estates. Ian collaborates closely with the wills, trusts, and estates disputes team for contentious matters and has previously been appointed by the Courts as an independent administrator of contested estates.

In the broader spectrum of Private Client work, Ian handles trust formation and administration, wealth succession, and estate planning, including the drafting of wills and powers of attorney. He is a significant contributor to the legal field, having authored five chapters for the Law Society publication ‘The Probate Practitioners Handbook,’ covering client care, complaint handling, costs, and the management of digital assets on death. Ian’s insightful articles have been featured in both legal and non-legal publications, showcasing his broad legal knowledge.

Jade is a founder and CEO of Circe Law. Having spent most of her career managing Private Client teams across the home counties, she brings a wealth of experience to the team. Jade shows a real passion for supporting older and vulnerable clients within the community and is heavily involved with various local charities and initiatives. She is a fully accredited member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (“STEP), a fully accredited member and Director for the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (“ALL”) and a member of the Law Society’s Wills & Equity Committee. Jade is also passionate about creating a supportive and inclusive environment for the team to flourish here at Circe Law.

A graduate from King’s College, University of London, Lakshmi is a marketing specialist with over 30 years’ experience in all aspects of business strategy and marketing in the commercial, public and not for profit sectors. She worked her way up to director level, taking time out to do a full time MBA in 1990 – 91.
A specialist in marketing strategy creation, strategic branding, proposition development, new product and service development and service delivery as well as marketing communications and PR, she has also had many years’ experience working with creative agencies to help them develop powerful creative work and compelling copy. Clear communication is at the heart of all aspects of her business and marketing approach.
She spent several years working as a consultant in the legal profession and in 2004, she joined The Association of Lifetime Lawyers as its development officer and in 2010, became its chief operating officer. In January 2014, she was appointed as chief executive officer.

Nimesh is the Head of Risk and Compliance at Legal Eye, who provide risk and compliance services across the legal sector. Nimesh’s specialisms include, complaint handling, supporting law firms to achieve and maintain IS9001 and Lexcel, as well as auditing against those standards.

Prior to working at Legal Eye, Nimesh built up his compliance knowledge whilst working as an investigator at the Legal Ombudsman. Nimesh has also worked in house in a National Law firm’s compliance team. Nimesh also brings a wealth of experience from working in conveyancing, as a Team Leader within the Lender Services department also at a National Law firm.

A keen traveller, Nimesh’s passion aside from Compliance is to journey far and wide, having recently completed a solo expedition across China.

Paige Gouldthorpe is the Head of the Court of Protection and Vulnerable Persons Team at Fosters Solicitors, focusing on providing legal support to some of the most vulnerable people in society. Her work has earned her three national awards, recognising her dedication to her clients and her professional excellence in this challenging field. Paige was also named one of the Top 100 Inspiring Women of Norfolk, highlighting her positive influence within the local community. Beyond her role at Fosters Solicitors, Paige contributes her expertise as a Director for both the Big C Cancer Charity and the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. Her professional work is centred on ensuring that vulnerable individuals receive appropriate support and representation, balancing empathy with strong advocacy.

With over 35 years experience in the legal services profession after creating the business as a 22 year old, Trevor specialises in Inheritance and Succession Planning, bringing the expertise needed to protect clients, their families, and their business interests.

He holds his Masters (MBA) from the University of Exeter and continues to guest lecture on innovation and entrepreneurship at several universities and he sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Essex Business School and Marjon University.

Trevor has also sat on the Advisory Panel of the Legal Services Board in London and was elected as the President and first Fellow of The B.E.S.T. Foundation in 2022. He also provides consultancy services to several law and financial services firms.

Trevor is qualified to the worldwide gold standard for Trust and Estate Practitioners with full STEP qualifications and is seen as a legal innovator. He actively supports local causes and charities in our community, in addition to investing in and mentoring young entrepreneurs and disruptors.

Trevor also built and developed a soccer coaching academy for young players from 1995 to 2008, partnering with sportswear brand Umbro whilst also working as a talent scout for professional football clubs including Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Watford.

In January 2019 Trevor introduced the 4 Day Week to Portcullis and by increasing salaries at the same time, became the first company in the world to do so. One newspaper labelled him “The Best Boss in the World!.”

Married to Michele and living in Plymouth with their two young children keeps him very busy when not at work!

Trusha Velji is the Director of Touch Solicitors Limited a niche Award winning law firm.  Passionate about helping vulnerable clients, Trusha devotes a significant amount of her time on charitable and pro-bono work. Despite being a sole practitioner, Trusha is highly respected and appears regularly on television, radio and various publications.