People

Naomi O'Higgins

Partner, Head of Trusts and Estates Disputes

Primary Expertise

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Naomi O’Higgins is a superb lawyer in the area. She has great client skills and creates an easy rapport. There is steel and a keen intellect beneath the charm.

Legal 500 UK 2024
About

Naomi O'Higgins is an expert in trusts and estates disputes, as well as, Court of Protection work. Much of her caseload has an international element.

Naomi is Head of our Trusts and Estates Disputes practice. She supports clients across a range of trusts disputes including breach of trust claims and trustee/beneficiary disputes. She has particular experience of litigation with cross-border elements working with lawyers in offshore jurisdictions. She additionally advises on non-contentious trusts related applications.

She acts for clients on inheritance disputes including challenges to the validity of wills, removal of executors and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Naomi works with clients on Court of Protection matters such as statutory wills, disputes regarding the appointments or actions of attorneys, as well as, other cases concerning people lacking capacity to manage their own affairs.

She is a private client solicitor who specialises in litigation. This means that she takes a practical and empathetic approach to advising clients facing difficult, often emotional, challenges.

Naomi works alongside colleagues in the firm's Private Client and Family teams on complex multi-jurisdictional issues. She has litigated in a number of foreign/offshore jurisdictions including, the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Switzerland and has excellent relationships with firms in those and the other major offshore jurisdictions.

Naomi is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and  the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS).

She is dual qualified having been admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland in 2017.

Recent work

  • Acted for trustees in connection with an application for the blessing of the settlement of a long running trust dispute.
  • Acted for a party to complex, high value Court of Protection proceedings.
  • Advised executors of a recently deceased wealthy individual in connection with potential claims pursuant to the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 ('the 1975 Act').
  • Advised high-net-worth individuals in connection with their interests in a valuable and complex offshore trust structure.
  • Advising a number of residuary beneficiaries of high-value estates in connection with challenges to the validity of the wills on various alleged grounds including lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence and want of knowledge and approval.
  • Advised charitable trustees, the residuary beneficiaries of  the estate of a high-profile musician, in connection with the compromise of a claim pursuant to the 1975 Act.
  • Advised trustees of an offshore trust structure regarding potential attacks to the structure.
  • Advised the father to a party to a divorce in connection with his role in his child’s divorce as settlor of various family trusts.

Accolades

  • Part of the team shortlisted in the Contentious Trusts & Estates Team of the Year category for the Chambers High Net Worth Awards 2024
  • Ranked Band 2, Private Wealth Disputes, Chambers High Net Worth 2024
  • "She balances legal rigour with extremely helpful organisational skills and an impressive empathy for her clients. I am always impressed by the level of cases she handles and her leadership." Chambers High Net Worth 2024
  • "Naomi O'Higgins is very good at looking at the particular case in front of her. She understands the nuances that a particular client or dispute has. She is technically excellent." Chambers High Net Worth 2024
  • "Naomi is a fantastic asset on a team, and clients are always relieved to have her on their side." Chambers High Net Worth 2024
  • Ranked as Leading Individual, Private client: Contentious Trusts and Probate, Legal 500 UK 2024
  • "Emily Mailer and Naomi O’Higgins are no nonsense and an absolute pleasure to deal with." Legal 500 UK 2024
  • "Naomi O’Higgins is great to work with; she is experienced, brilliant at fighting the client’s corner, is sensitive to their needs, and makes wise decisions." Legal 500 UK 2024
  • "Peerless in quality and perfection including excellent judgment as to when to fight and when to negotiate. Naomi O’Higgins is the personification of what I say about the team as above." Legal 500 UK 2024
  • Ranked, Private Wealth Disputes, Chambers HNW 2023
  • "Naomi inspires great confidence in clients with a sensitive and very effective approach." Chambers HNW 2023
  • "She is technically really knowledgeable. She always has a detailed knowledge of what is going on and is always on top of the detail and strategy." Chambers HNW 2023
  • Ranked as Leading Individual, Private client: Contentious Trusts and Probate, Legal 500 2023
  • "Naomi O’Higgins is a hugely experienced litigator. She is a strong team leader and sets by example in the effort she gives each and every case. She is incredibly pleasant to work with and very tough to be against." Legal 500 2023
  • "Naomi O’Higgins has a long established and well earned reputation as a formidable estates and trusts litigator." Legal 500 2023
  • "Partner Naomi O’Higgins is extremely tenacious and determined on behalf of her clients." Legal 500 2023
  • Ranked, Private Wealth Disputes, Chambers HNW 2022
  • "She's just got an incredibly good reputation in the market and is a safe pair of hands. I trust her judgement." Chambers HNW 2022
  • "Naomi is tenacious. She knows what she is doing and is very capable." Chambers HNW 2022
  • Ranked as Leading Individual, Private client: Contentious Trusts and Probate, Legal 500 2022
  • "Naomi O’Higgins is a tiger, and simply a force to behold at the negotiating table." Legal 500 2022
  • "Naomi O’Higgins is remarkably thorough and persistent, perhaps the most important quality in contentious private client work." Legal 500 2022

Did you know

Naomi is a distant descendant of the liberator of Chile, Bernardo O'Higgins, and follows the fortunes of the Chilean football team, O'Higgins FC, from afar! Closer to home, she supports Arsenal FC.

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