Lynne Counsell#1033

Lynne Counsell

Barrister, Addington Chambers
Lynne has been in traditional Chancery practice for some thirty years, specialising in probate matters, construction of wills and trusts and also financial services and drafting.

Lynne was for some years counsel for Tower Hamlets, representing them on landlord and tenant cases and counsel for Bedford Building Society representing it on mortgage cases.

Lynne has written or updated over fifty books, including writing the initial volume of Atkin’s Court Forms “Financial Services” and updating Halsbury’s Laws on Injunctions. Lynne was also co-author of two editions of “Insider Trading” and co-editor and one of the writers of “Chancery Practice and Procedure.”

Articles include “Marketing of Investments” for the Law Society Gazette and “The Doctrine of Mutual Wills” for the Trust Quarterly Review. Lynne won one of the few cases on mutual wills in the last fifty years – Charles v Fraser (2010).

Lynne has drafted the standard unit trust for the government of Nigeria, the rules and related documentation for various building societies and clubs, shareholder agreements, company takeovers compliance documentation for certain banks as well as wills and trusts.

Lynne was awarded the 2017 Corporate international Magazine Global Award – “Investment Contracts Barrister of the Year in England”.
Contributed to

160

Does a life interest in a will give a co-owner the right to reside or a right of occupation in the
Does a life interest in a will give a co-owner the right to reside or a right of occupation in the
Q&A

This Q&A considers a co-owners rights where a life interest is given in a will.

Does the 14-day cooling off period under the  Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and
Does the 14-day cooling off period under the  Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether the 14-day cooling off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, SI 3134/2013 applies to computer equipment which has been opened and the manufacturer's seal is broken.

Does the issuing of an ad colligenda bona grant, where there is a caveat in place, affect any disputes as
Does the issuing of an ad colligenda bona grant, where there is a caveat in place, affect any disputes as
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether, in circumstances where there is a caveat in place, the issue of a grant ad colligenda bona affects any disputes as to the validity of a Will.

Does the operator of a marketplace platform service need to ensure that all Schedule 2 information is
Does the operator of a marketplace platform service need to ensure that all Schedule 2 information is
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether the operator of a marketplace platform service needs to ensure that all Schedule 2 information is provided in respect of traders selling using the platform.

How can you protect a beneficiary's interest in property under a Will? I understand a residuary
How can you protect a beneficiary's interest in property under a Will? I understand a residuary
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether a beneficiary can enter a unilateral notice to protect their interest under a Will.

How do I deal with interest and index link payments on national savings certificates paid following
How do I deal with interest and index link payments on national savings certificates paid following
Q&A

This Q&A considers the treatment of interest and index linked payments on national saving certificates following the death of the certificate holder.

How should a clause leaving the benefit of a debenture in a Will be drafted?
How should a clause leaving the benefit of a debenture in a Will be drafted?
Q&A

This Q&A considers how a clause which leaves the benefit of a debenture in a Will be drafted.

How should a deceased’s interest in three commercial properties be recorded on the estate inheritance tax
How should a deceased’s interest in three commercial properties be recorded on the estate inheritance tax
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether an oral declaration of trust over commercial properties of which the deceased is the sole legal owner, combined with many years of splitting rental income in the same beneficial proportions, is sufficient to establish the deceased’s partial (rather than full) ownership share for the purposes of the inheritance tax return on their death.

How should the person dealing with an estate proceed where they have a copy of the Will but cannot find
How should the person dealing with an estate proceed where they have a copy of the Will but cannot find
Q&A

This Q&A deals with the factual situation where a person is dealing with an estate of a deceased person and they have a copy of the Will but cannot find the original. The question that arises is how to proceed and what is to be put in the oath on the application for the grant of probate.

If a claim for money is issued against a defendant who is deceased, is there a protocol on how an
If a claim for money is issued against a defendant who is deceased, is there a protocol on how an
Q&A

This Q&A deals with a situation where a claim for money is issued against a defendant who is deceased. The question is whether there is a protocol on how an executor for the deceased should respond.

If a deceased individual (A) has nominated a literary executor (B), on B's death, would B's own general
If a deceased individual (A) has nominated a literary executor (B), on B's death, would B's own general
Q&A

This Q&A considers the chain of representation where a deceased (A) has nominated a literary executor (B), and B has died before completing the administration of A's literary estate.

If a Grant of Letters of Administration is being applied for solely for the purposes of pursuing a claim
If a Grant of Letters of Administration is being applied for solely for the purposes of pursuing a claim
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether you are required to state the expected amount of damages as an asset in the IHT 205 where a Grant of Letters of Administration is being applied for solely for the purposes of pursuing a claim for personal injury on behalf of the deceased.

If a solicitor is responding to a Larke v Nugus letter on behalf of the firm which prepared the Will, but
If a solicitor is responding to a Larke v Nugus letter on behalf of the firm which prepared the Will, but
Q&A

The Q&A considers whether a law firm can charge for responding to a Larke v Nugus letter on behalf of the firm which prepared the Will but where the solicitor has no personal knowledge of the circumstances in which the Will was made.

If a successful claim for proprietary estoppel has been made against an estate of a deceased person, will
If a successful claim for proprietary estoppel has been made against an estate of a deceased person, will
Q&A

This Q&A considers the issue of inheritance tax payable when a successful claim for proprietary estoppel has been made.

If an intermeddling executor makes an application under section 116(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981,
If an intermeddling executor makes an application under section 116(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981,
Q&A

This Q&A considers the effect of an application under section 116(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 brought by an intermeddling executor.

If in a business to business contract for the provision of goods, the buying party rejects goods alleging
If in a business to business contract for the provision of goods, the buying party rejects goods alleging
Q&A

This Q&A deals with the factual situation where, in a business to business contract for the provision of goods, the buying party rejects the goods alleging non-compliance with one or more of the implied terms in the Sale of Goods Act 1979 as to quality, fitness for purpose etc. The buyer insists that the seller comes and takes the goods away. The question is whether the selling party can 'safely' agree to take back the goods without prejudice to its right to sue for payment of them.

If person A dies intestate leaving two biological children, B and C, is B entitled to apply for Grant of
If person A dies intestate leaving two biological children, B and C, is B entitled to apply for Grant of
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether, if person A dies intestate leaving two biological children, B and C, B is entitled to apply for Grant of Letters of Administration if A wasn't named as a parent on B's Birth Certificate.

If the beneficiary of a bare trust personal injury trust (PI trust) is liable to pay child maintenance,
If the beneficiary of a bare trust personal injury trust (PI trust) is liable to pay child maintenance,
Q&A

This Q&A considers whether the capital and income of the Personal Injury (PI) trust will be protected from inclusion in any assessment of their income and capital for these purposes if the beneficiary of a bare trust PI trust is liable to pay child maintenance.

If there is an asset which the beneficiaries want to be transferred to them but they refuse to supply the
If there is an asset which the beneficiaries want to be transferred to them but they refuse to supply the
Q&A

This Q&A considers what action can or should be taken by executors where beneficiaries of an estate would like an asset of the estate to be transferred to them but the beneficiaries are not providing the executors with the information necessary to transfer the asset.

In a homemade Will, the revocation clause states that the testator declares the Will to be their last
In a homemade Will, the revocation clause states that the testator declares the Will to be their last
Q&A

This Q&A considers what effect a revocation clause has where it is stated to the testator’s last Will for the purposes of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and the Trustee Act 2000.

Practice Areas

Panels

  • Case Analysis Panel
  • Contributing Author
  • Q&A Panel

Qualified Year

  • 2006

Membership

  • Chancery Bar Association

Education

  • History BA (Hons) 2:1 Bedford College. University of London
  • Diploma in Law City University, London

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