Emma joined Russell-Cooke in March 2023 upon qualification, having trained at a regional firm known for its contentious trusts and probate work.

Emma has experience of acting for private individuals, trustees and charities on a range of contentious trust and probate matters, including: claims for financial provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, will challenges, disputes arising out of the administration of trusts and estates, professional negligence claims against solicitors in drafting wills/acting in the administration of estates, and applications for the removal of trustees or personal representatives.

Emma also has experience in contentious Court of Protection matters and has acted for deputies, attorneys and other interested parties on matters including contested appointments of deputies, removal of attorneys/deputies and statutory wills. 

• Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims: advising and representing clients in both bringing and defending claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (across the full range of claimant categories), frequently securing settlement without the need to issue proceedings.  By way of example, advised adult children (who were the sole beneficiaries and executors of their father’s estate) in relation to a claim made by their father’s spouse following his death during divorce proceedings, which was successfully settled. 
• Removal of executors/trustees, frequently in cross-border estate: frequently advising on the removal of trustees or personal representatives.  Notably, represented a residuary beneficiary in the removal of a hostile executor in a UK–US–Swiss estate, involving devastavit claims, tax issues and a dispute concerning a Cayman Protector.
• Professional negligence: helping clients navigate claims when mistakes by legal or financial advisors impact wills, trusts, or inheritance.  For example, advised a beneficiary of a will who had witnessed its execution (resulting in the gift failing) in relation to a professional negligence claim.
• Will challenges: advising a national charity in challenging a later will of a vulnerable testator involving concerns of undue influence, lack of knowledge and approval and testamentary capacity.
• Advising in relation to a vesting application concerning the ownership of intellectual property rights, requiring complex analysis of succession through multiple historic estates.

• Emma read Psychology at Cardiff University, graduating with first class honours.

• Emma went on to achieve distinctions in the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course.

• Member of ConTrA (Contentious Trusts Association).
• Emma has successfully completed the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) course at the University of Law and is expected to become an accredited Associate Member in 2026.