Alex Drake
Partner – Head of Wills, IHT, Trusts & Probate
St Albans
- About me
- Experience
- Qualifications
- Memberships
I am a Partner and Head of our Private Client Department, based in St Albans. I offer specialist advice on a wide range of issues relating to Wills and Estate planning (including Inheritance Tax mitigation) as well as applying for Grants of Probate and handling administration of Estates and regularly act as an Executor.
I assist and advise elderly clients as necessary in relation to their affairs generally and in particular on the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney and their registration. I also act as an attorney for clients and on several occasions have been appointed as a professional Deputy by the Court of Protection.
In addition, I have advised and dealt with the creation and ongoing running of Trusts, the tax implications and I also regularly act as a Trustee.
Having been in practice specialising in Private Client work for over 30 years, I have built up a large following of clients many of whom followed me when I moved firms. I am now acting in some cases for third generations of families in dealing with their personal affairs. I pride myself on providing straight forward, clear and concise advice in plain English in a friendly and approachable manner without the use of more legal jargon than is strictly necessary.
I joined Taylor Walton as a partner in 2009 and became Head of Department in 2019. Having trained and qualified at a major London law firm, I worked in their private client team for over 10 years before moving to a firm closer to home.
- Acted on behalf of a family (parents and two adult sons and their wives) in respect of estate planning to include drafting of complex Wills and letters of wishes, preparing and registering LPAs, advising on inheritance tax mitigation through the generations and subsequently setting up a discretionary trust for the benefit of grandchildren.
- Instructed by clients previously involved in a dispute over the misuse of powers of attorney and then probate issues for a parent. Instructed to carry out estate planning to include the preparation of Lasting Powers of attorney and complex Wills to cover various business assets and properties whilst being sensitive to understandable fears about family conflicts and issues taking into account this was a second marriage and only one of the couple has children.
- Instructed with regard to re-organisation of several family trusts created previously by grandparents in favour of their children and grandchildren.
- On more than one occasion I have prepared Wills and set up Trusts for elderly clients whose estates run into millions including both personal and business assets. I have subsequently helped the families in administering those estates and where possible reorganising assets to mitigate inheritance tax even further.
- BA in Law from Durham University
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