

About Alison
Alison leads the contentious trust and estate team, representing a range of clients including private individuals, trustees, executors and beneficiaries. Alison has significant and wide-ranging experience and advises on a variety of issues to include the validity and construction of wills and trust deeds, the removal of fiduciaries, breach of trust claims and succession disputes. Many of these matters have international elements.
Alison often works closely with colleagues in the private client, family or corporate teams when advising on issues that arise that may affect an individual or a family’s long term personal and business interests. This may involve the impact of a pre-nuptial agreement, stress testing trust structures or advising on family wealth structuring so as to avoid dispute.
She is ranked in Private Client Global Elite and regularly acts in contentious administrations via the Russell- Cooke Trust Company where the trust company is appointed as independent administrator in circumstances involving beneficiary litigation or family disharmony.
With experience in mediation as well as litigation, Alison is known to try and resolve disputes as quickly and cost efficiently wherever possible, but is also a tenacious litigator where she needs to be.
Alison is excellent - very professional, has good client presence and is sensible.
Memberships
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Member of ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists)
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Member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners)
- General Officer and Board member of National Association of Independent Administrators
She has an extremely smart and strategic way of thinking and planning. She is also very available for any issue as it comes up.
Alison is a pleasure to work with. She is very clever, hard-working, a master of client care, a brilliant tactician and so very calm.
Alison's highlights

20.06.2025
Russell-Cooke named as STEP Contentious Trusts Estates Team of the Year (mid-size firms) finalist

06.02.2025
Russell-Cooke charts progress in Responsible Business Report 2024-5

10.01.2025
Family Office case studies