Joanne Seal (TEP)
Group Partner*^ | Guernsey
Private Client and Trusts
-
Clear, concise and informative. I was extremely happy with the way that Jo dealt with this matter for me. Efficiency and friendliness are not usually found together. I was very impressed as a fellow lawyer.
UK based solicitor -
Joanne Seal is hardworking and diligent. She is an excellent listener and the type of solicitor whom you don’t have to tell something to twice.
Legal 500 2022 -
Jo has a calm nature and approachable and friendly style... she is a pleasure to work with.
Guernsey-based investment company -
Joanne Seal has excellent technical knowledge whilst being approachable and diplomatic.
Legal 500 -
Demonstrates excellent technical knowledge and applies it in a pragmatic way while communicating complex issues clearly.
Legal 500
Overview
Joanne is a Group Partner in the Private Client and Trusts team. Having led an international offshore private client practice for more than 10 years, she now heads up our wills and estates services in Guernsey.
Joanne specialises in estate planning and advising on inheritance matters, focusing on complex wills for both local and non-resident individuals. She advises on all aspects of estate administration, from undertaking executorships, advising on Guernsey's probate procedures, dealing with intestacies (where someone has died without a will), to preparing instruments of variation and obtaining Guernsey grants of probate and representation.
Joanne and her team also advise upon local guardianships and powers of attorney, and the recognition of foreign equivalents, property matters with estate connections and a variety of other private client matters.
Joanne also acts as the Primary Deputy Registrar of the Ecclesiastical Court of Guernsey which oversees the issuing of documentation such as grants of representation and local marriage licences.
Experience
- Advising UHNW individual (GBP £700+ million) in relation to his estate planning and potential claims against his estate post death.
- Acting as lead advisor for UHNW client with assets in C.I., South Africa and Scotland co-ordinating multi jurisdiction team of lawyers and tax advisors in relation to lifetime succession planning and involving trusts, foundations and will drafting.
- Acting for HNW individual (GBP £75+ million) in relation to estate planning and the establishment of trust structures over Guernsey, Canadian and French company assets.
- Acting as Attorney for HNW individual with physical incapacity (management of assets with value in excess of £2+ million).
Background
Joanne has worked at Collas Crill for the majority of her career after a brief background in matrimonial and child law elsewhere. In addition to her fee-earning responsibilities, and time acting as Deputy Registrar at the local probate Court, Joanne frequently runs a local seminar programme aimed at assisting local organisations and charitable bodies to understand Guernsey's laws on inheritance and capacity issues. She assists the Citizens Advice Bureau as a peer reviewer (reviewing advice given and ensuring it is correct) and is a co-author of the C.I. chapter of ICGL and ISL succession chapters.
Awards
- Legal 500 Tier 2 Ranked lawyer private client, trusts and tax
- Citywealth Leader Award on three occasions
- IFC Powerwomen Top 200
- STEP Young Practitioner of the Year finalist
- Top 35 Under 35 Private Client Lawyer on two occasions
Memberships
- STEP - TEP Qualified
- GILA
- Law Society
* admitted in England and Wales
^ not a member of Collas Crill LLP in Guernsey
Changing your name in Guernsey is relatively straightforward but usually requires a brief Court attendance. We can guide you smoothly through the process.
Planning for the future is something that people often don't like to think about but it is one of the most important things that you should do during your lifetime. Whether you need simple wills put in place or more complex estate structuring, our experienced and approachable team can help you organise and plan your affairs for the immediate and longer term future. We work hard to guide you through any issues of concern to ensure that you reach a position where you feel reassured that you are clear as to what will happen to your assets, and those you leave behind, in the future.
When executors, family or friends of a deceased need to get access to assets held by their loved one, they may be asked to produce a document commonly referred to as a 'grant of probate'. A grant of probate means that an individual is given the right, by the relevant court, to deal with a deceased's estate. The deceased may have left a will or may have died intestate (without a will). It might be the case that probate has already been obtained in another jurisdiction and that a separate grant of probate needs to be obtained in Guernsey or Jersey. This can be an unfamiliar and stressful process. At Collas Crill we have many years' experience in making these types of applications. We are able to assist in simply obtaining the grant of probate, can arrange release and payment of the Channel Island assets to the relevant person, or deal with the full administration of an estate depending on your requirements.
We provide fast, cost-effective and sensitive advice on all types of will-related disputes during what is often an extremely upsetting and distressing time for those concerned. We regularly act on multi-party actions for both plaintiffs and defendants.
Managing wealth, asset preservation, planning for succession and inheritance, and writing wills can be a complex and difficult experience. It's important to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes and that your family and/or successors are taken care of.
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On 30 March 2022, the States of Deliberation approved the introduction of the Capacity (Lasting Powers of Attorney) (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Ordinance, 2022, meaning that from 1 April 2022, Guernsey residents will be able to put in place Lasting Powers of...
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Contentious probate case summary
Claim In the case of Mundil-Williams v Williams [2021] John Williams was a divorced Welsh farmer with four sons. In 2014, he executed a Will (2014 Will). The 2014 Will left his interest in the farm to his eldest son, Richard. The Claimant, a son of the d...
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