Barny joined as a Partner in Birketts’ Private Wealth Disputes Team in June 2025 working primarily out of our Bristol office.
His work covers will disputes on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, lack of knowledge and approval, fraud and failure to execute a Will correctly; professional negligence claims; disputes concerning the lack of provision made for family and/or dependants in Wills; proprietary estoppel claims (in a nutshell: promises made during a testator’s lifetime, but not made good in their Wills); trust disputes; claims concerning the administration of estates; and advising executors and trustees in complex trusts and/or estates.
Barny has been recognised for many years as an expert in legacy and trust disputes.
Chambers and Partners praise him as “very well-liked by judges and other lawyers. He’s pragmatic, easy to work with, and has an excellent reputation. Even his opponents respect his approach.” Legal 500 describes him as “unflappable, even in the most complex and contentious probate cases.”
Barny is recognised as one of the leading advisors to charities in relation to legacy disputes, a sector in which he has a well-established and prominent reputation.
Recent work highlights
Abdelnoor & Anor v Barker and Ors [2022] EWHC 1468 (Ch)
Successfully defending a Will validity challenge on the grounds of undue influence, want of knowledge and approval, and lack of testamentary capacity with successful costs order.
Pegler and Ors v McDonald & Ors [2022] EWHC 2069 (Ch),
Pegler and Ors v McDonald & Ors[2022] EWHC 2288 (Ch) and
Pegler and Ors v McDonald & Ors [2022] EWHC 2405 (Ch)
An unusual case where we successfully applied for the removal of a problem executor, and in doing so obtained a Civil Restraint Order and defended several interim applications and two appeals and recovered our clients’ costs.
Amnir & Ors v Bala & Ors [2023] EWHC 1054 (Ch)
Representing a protected party in a 1975 Act case involving several parties and a complex estate. We received financial provision award and our client’s costs.
Dryden v Young and Ors [2024] EWHC 1095 (Ch)
Representing charities in a Will construction claim.
Cleave v Cleave [2024] EWHC 2492 (Ch)
A successful proprietary estoppel claim involving a farming family.
Experience & education
Bachelor of Science and Economics (BscEcon) – Aberystwyth University
Certificate of Political Science – Science Po Strasbourg
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) – University of Law
Before going into the law, Barny took a degree in international politics at Aberystwyth University, studied political science in Strasbourg in France, helped set up a business and worked with a humanitarian NGO in London and in Malawi.
Areas of Expertise
Accreditations
Legal 500 [UK 2025]
Next Generation Partner
Chambers [UK 2025]
Ranked
