Edward Stanley

Professional Background:

With a long background in Chancery litigation, spent chiefly with a major national law firm’s Manchester office, and at a Leeds city centre law firm, Ed joined up with Harrison Drury in 2014.  Ed has specialised in disputed wills, estates and trusts for over 20 years.  He also deals with non-contentious probate, particularly involving difficult estates. Ed’s practice area is therefore entirely private client-based through which he is able to offer clients the benefit of his insight gained from his vast experience of both contentious and non-contentious matters.  He is head of contentious probate at Harrison Drury.

Ed is known for his rigorous pursuance or defence of claims and is meticulous in his approach.  He frequently deals with what are often highly sensitive issues, always with compassion whilst remaining focussed on the outcome his clients want him to achieve.

Some of the types of claims he handles include:

• The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
• Validity of Wills
• Lack of capacity
• Breach of trust
• Fraud and forgery
• Lack of due execution
• Financial mishandling/fraud by executors or trustees
• Wasting of estate/trust assets (“devastavit”)
• Removal of executors/trustees
• Undue influence
• Lack of knowledge and approval
• Proprietary estoppel
• Resulting and constructive trusts

Ed is a partner of Harrison Drury and registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority as a non-lawyer manager. He is an affiliate member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP).  His Court of Appeal cases include:

• Taylors Industrial Flooring Ltd [1990] BCC 44
• Martin v. Browne and Another [2008] EWCA Civ 712

Ed was named a recommended lawyer in the Legal500 2020 edition where he was described as:

• A tenacious litigator who approaches litigation in an extremely thorough and measured way.
• Exceptionally knowledgeable and approachable.

Personal Interests:

Away from the office, Ed enjoys time with his family.

Cricket, Oldham Athletic, photography and the arts are among his interests.