Private Client Experts

Kerry Carter

Partner

Associate Chartered Legal Executive

Private Client

Residential Property

Office : Cranbrook

01892 502 304
kcarter@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Kerry is an Associate Chartered Legal Executive in the Property and Private Client departments. After obtaining a First Class BA degree in Politics from Southbank University in 1993, Kerry went on to study Law and qualified as a Fellow in 2004 whilst working at a firm in Chancery Lane, London, specialising in property matters. Kerry became a Partner in 2017.

Kerry has many years experience advising in all areas of residential property work including freehold and leasehold property, unregistered land, equity release advice, new-build developments, shared ownership, declarations of trust, powers of attorney, transfers of equity, sales of land, auction properties, leasehold enfranchisement and the Help to Buy scheme. She has extensive experience in dealing with high value transactions and the accompanying complexities of dealing with listed buildings together with associated land.

Kerry also advises on all areas of Private Client work including Wills, Probate and Lasting Powers of Attorney, as well as post death Deeds of Variation in relation to Inheritance and Capital Gains Tax.

Expertise

Residential Property
High value transactions and the accompanying complexities of dealing with listed buildings together with associated land
Sale and Purchase of Freehold and Leasehold properties
Unregistered land
Equity release
Newbuild developments
Shared ownership schemes
Declarations of Trust
Transfers of equity
Sales of land
Auction properties
Leasehold enfranchisement
Help to Buy scheme
Bridging finance
All non-contentious residential property work

Private Client
Wills
Probate
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Post death Deeds of Variation in relation to Inheritance and Capital Gains Tax

Commercial Property
Commercial leases
Lease assignments
Option agreements
Promotion agreements
Commercial mortgages
Bridging finance

Graham Edwards

Partner

Solicitor

Private Client

Residential Property

Office : Dartford

01892 502 306
gedwards@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Graham joined Buss Murton in December 2003 having previously practised in Bromley and Dartford. Graham qualified in 1980 and has since the early 1990s specialised in non-contentious Private Client work in particular estate administration, the drafting of Wills, the administration of the affairs of the elderly and contested and non-contested applications to the Court of Protection on behalf of those incapable of dealing with their own affairs.

Graham is a Partner in the firm and having spent 5 years at the Tunbridge Wells office, he then headed up the Cranbrook office and Private Client team there. Earlier this year he took on the role of managing the Dartford office. Graham now specialises in Private Client work as well as residential property matters.

Graham is Treasurer and occasional player for Meopham Cricket Club, one of the oldest Cricket Clubs in Kent. He is also a member of Dartford Football Club’s Business Club.

Expertise

Private Client
Estate Administration, Taxation and Distribution
Deeds of Variation of Estate
Wills
Administration of the affairs of the Elderly
Court of Protection applications (both contested and non-contested)
Lasting Powers of Attorney (both creation and registration and operation)

Residential Property
Sale and Purchase of Freehold and Leasehold properties
Unregistered land- Registration of and sale of
Shared Ownership Schemes
Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements
Mortgages
Lease extensions
Transfers of Equity
All non-contentious Residential Property work

Edward Walter

Partner

Solicitor

Private Client

Office : Tunbridge Wells

01892 502 320
ewalter@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Edward is a Partner in the Private Client Department. He started practising Private Client Law in 2000, initially as a solicitor in a well-known firm in Tonbridge and thereafter with several well-known East Sussex firms before joining Buss Murton in July 2014. Edward became a Partner in 2015.

He advises and acts on all aspects of Inheritance tax planning and Capital Gains tax planning. He also acts in Probate administration matters and post death Variations for Inheritance tax and Capital Gains tax purposes. He also regularly advises clients regarding the making of their Wills, Powers of Attorney, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Declarations of Trust with respect to client’s properties.

He undertakes the full range of advice and work with respect to Trusts and advises on associated tax implications of those actions. He also advises generally on (tax) domicile and residence issues.

He regularly advises and acts on the registration of Lasting and Enduring Powers of Attorney, the making of Statutory Wills and gift applications at the Court of Protection.

Expertise

Inheritance Tax Planning
Capital Gains Tax Planning
Wills
Probate and estate administration
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Declarations of Trust
Court of Protection
Estate Planning
Taxation advice
Succession strategies
Residence and domicile matters
Trusts

Caroline Coles

Chartered Legal Executive

Private Client

Private Client

Office : East Grinstead

01892 502 311
ccoles@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Caroline Coles joined Buss Murton in April 2018 and is a member of the Private Client Team. She specialises in the law of Probate and Succession – Wills, Trusts and Estate Administration and has over 30 years’ experience working for local High Street practices.

Her aim is to be accessible to all clients including those with specific needs due to their age, frailty, communication or learning difficulties and taking the time to understand their requirements.

Caroline qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives in 1984 (FCILEx) and qualified as a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners in 2009 (STEP).

She lives locally and is married with three adult children.

Expertise

Wills
Probate and estate administration
Trusts
Lasting Powers of Attorney

Lucy Head

Solicitor

Private Client

Office : Tunbridge Wells

01892 502 372
lhead@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Lucy advises on all aspects of private client work including Wills, probate and lasting powers of attorney. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2007 having completed her training at a local Sussex firm. Lucy subsequently worked “in house” for Lloyds Bank as an estates administrator and also within their legal team advising on technical issues relating to Wills, probate and trusts. Lucy joined Buss Murton in 2014.

Lucy also dealt with the contentious side of private client where claims arose from negligent Will drafting, questions of capacity of the testator when executing their Will or inadequate provisions being made for dependents within valid Wills.

Expertise

Wills
Probate and estate administration
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Court of Protection

Amanda Jardine-Viner

Trainee Solicitor

Family and Divorce

Private Client

Office : Tunbridge Wells

01892 502 348
ajardine-viner@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Amanda is a Trainee Solicitor in the Family Department. She studied for the LLM Qualifying Law Degree at Birkbeck College, University of London, achieving a Distinction and taking both the Year 3 prize and the prize for Highest Achieving Graduate. Amanda then completed the Legal Practice Course at University of Law, Moorgate, for which she achieved a Distinction. She also achieved a Distinction for the MSc in Law and Business which she studied alongside the LPC.

Prior to this, Amanda completed a degree in English Literature at University of Reading. After completing her PGCE in secondary education, she taught English, most recently at Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School where she was Curriculum Leader.

Amanda began her training contract with Buss Murton in October 2017.

Laura Chapman

Paralegal

Private Client

Office : Tunbridge Wells

01892 502 356
lchapman@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Laura graduated from the University of Bristol with a law degree in 2011 and went on to complete the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in London. During her academic studies Laura was a student member of the University of Bristol Pro Bono Law Clinic and volunteered at the College of Law with their LawWorks Mediation Scheme.

Following her legal studies, Laura gained experience as a paralegal at a family law firm in East Sussex. She then moved to another Kent law firm and worked as a probate legal secretary before being promoted to a legal assistant within the department. Laura joined Buss Murton in November 2015 and is a member of the Private Client team.

Expertise

Court of Protection
Probate and estate administration
Lasting Powers of Attorney

Claire Shireby

Associate Solicitor

Private Client

Residential Property

Office : Cranbrook

01892 502392
cshireby@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Claire started her legal career with an LLB(Hons) from the London School of Economics after which she trained as a barrister and was called to the Bar in 1989 and joined Buss Murton in 2014. She retrained as a Solicitor in Cambridge subsequently returning to her original home in Kent where she has worked for practices in Kent, Sussex and the City of London.

Claire specialises in residential property work but also undertakes some non-contentious private client work, particularly the administration of estates.

Expertise

Residential Property
Sale and Purchase of Freehold and Leasehold properties
Unregistered land
Shared ownership schemes
Assured shorthold tenancy agreements
Deeds of variation
Mortgages and re-mortgages
Lease extension
All non-contentious residential property work

Private Client
Wills
Probate and estate administration
Lasting Powers of Attorney

Kristy Underwood

Chartered Legal Executive Advocate

Employment

Family and Divorce

Private Client

Private Client

Office : East Grinstead

01892 502 312
kunderwood@bussmurton.co.uk

Profile

Kristy joined Buss Murton as an Associate in November 2015. She has over 20 years’ experience in family, general civil litigation, criminal, Wills & probate and financial planning areas of law.

In 2003 Kristy was admitted as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and in 2008 she became one of the first six Legal Executives in the country to obtain higher rights of audience as a Chartered Legal Executive Advocate in Family Proceedings. She undertakes the majority of her own advocacy.

Since 2001, Kristy has been a full Member of Resolution (formerly the Solicitors’ Family Law Association) and adheres fully to their Code of Practice attempting to achieve a fair and amicable settlement.

Kristy specialises in all areas of family law, wills and probate and employment law.

Expertise

Employment
Settlement Agreements

Family
Divorce and civil partnership
Co-habitation and Separation Agreements
Arrangements for children on divorce and separation
Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TLATA)
Special Guardianship Orders
Financial arrangements on divorce and separation
Declaration of Trusts
Pre and Post Nuptial Agreements
Removal from the jurisdiction
Change of Name
Independent legal advice
Enforcement

Private Client
Wills
Probate and estate administration
Lifetime planning
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Declaration of Trusts