Jessica Godfrey-Withey

Jessica Godfrey-Withey is a Partner in our private client advisory team.

With over a decade of experience, she advises clients on all aspects of succession planning, including Wills, Powers of Attorney, inheritance tax strategies and lifetime gifting. She has a particular interest in supporting farming families and family‑owned businesses, where personal, commercial and succession considerations often overlap.

Alongside her lifetime planning work, Jessica is highly experienced in the Administration of Estates. She regularly handles complex estates involving diverse asset portfolios and trust‑related issues.

Jessica has a strong focus on trust matters, advising on the creation and restructuring of trusts, trustees’ duties, and the associated tax implications and reporting requirements.

Jessica works closely with business owners, landowners and families, helping them navigate a wide range of often sensitive and complex issues – both legal and personal. Clients describe her as “a true up‑and‑coming star in the private client arena.”

Recent work highlights

Assisting a multi-generational farming family with the administration of an estate valued in excess of £15 million, including a variation to the Will to make best use of Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief and bringing the younger generations into the Partnership and family business.

Advising clients on the creation and transfer of assets into a family trust, within a two week deadline, as part of a wider tax planning exercise, before providing the client with on-going trust administration advice.

Preparation of Wills for multi-generations of the same family to protect the company position, whilst providing flexibility for family members to provide for their family.

Experience & education

Jessica qualified as a Solicitor in 2015. She holds a Diploma in Trust and Estate Planning from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Jessica attended the University of Kent between 2009 and 2012, before starting her Legal Practice Course at BPP Cambridge in 2012.