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Julia is a consultant in the private client and tax team, focusing on elder law.
She is rated as 'incredibly capable' in Legal 500 2017. She has a particular interest in international and cross border mental capacity issues. She was past chair of STEP's multi jurisdictional Mental Capacity special interest group and a regular lecturer on elder law topics.
A contributor to a number of books including the Law Society's Elderly Client Handbook, she is a consultant editor of and contributor to Tolley's Finance and Law for the Older Client and a member of the editorial board of Lexis Nexis Elder Law Journal. She is also one of the two UK members of the US National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Inc. and a past Chair of Solicitors for the Elderly.
Other specialisms include probate, succession and post death planning.
Julia was awarded the 'People's Choice' award for Trusted Advisor of the Year at 2015/16 STEP Private Client Awards. Click here to watch the winners clip and the interview with Julia.
Recent recognition
Me in a minute
I became an elder client lawyer on my wedding day in 1984
Realising, as I started my career, that older people needed special types of advice delivered in a special way I threw myself with a passion into developing elder law. I advise many individual clients for whom capacity is beginning to be an issue and support their families and carers in putting the right arrangements in place for the future. I also advise families and carers where, sadly, it is too late and the person with capacity problems can no longer decide for themselves. The Court of Protection is a place where we go to find the best solution for everyone.
I have a particular interest in advising on elder law and capacity cross border. The increasing internationalism of families and wealth generally means that making sure that arrangements are in place in all the countries where people live and have their assets is really important, especially where laws may differ. I have been fortunate enough to be able to work with governments in Asia and the Caribbean in helping them update their laws.In my spare time I have two passions; the island of Barbados and singing in choirs. A member of church choirs in England and Barbados I also sing in a choir performing 17th century psalms accompanied by period instruments.
Track record
£17m gifting application in the Court of Protection
In FL v MJL Julia, Stephen Richards, Deborah Nicholls-Carr, and Richard Walker acted for the Deputy in an application to the Court of Protection to make gifts totalling £17 million to family members and charities from the funds of an incapacitated person. This was a significant and novel case which clarified the law on the authorisation of gifts for tax planning. Click here to read the judgment.
Insight
External publications
- 'Tax and disability in the UK: review of trusts and other savings options,' Institute of Fiscal Studies - January 15, 2026, co-authored
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Sweet & Maxwell's Practical Will Precedents, the Living Wills Section of Volume 42 of Butterworths Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents and the Law Society's Elderly Client Handbook
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Tolleys Finance and Law for the Older Client and on the editorial board of Elder Law Journal (Lexis Nexis), consultant editor of and contributor
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Julia is a contributor to International Protection of Adults published by Oxford University Press - 2015
Admissions
England and Wales, 1987
Education
St Hilda's College Oxford, M.A. Jurisprudence
Languages
- English
Memberships
Past chair of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Mental Capacity Special Interest Group
Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Inc. (USA)
STEP England and Wales Regional Committee
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia
Solicitors for the Elderly - Past Chair
Member of the Medico Legal Society
Key dates
- Year joined: 1985
- Year became partner: 1993