Thomson Reuters names eight Keystone Law partners in its Stand-out Lawyers Guide 2026
Andrea James, Andrew Darwin & Anna McKibbin
Camilla is an experienced lawyer who specialises in all aspects of estate planning, with a particular focus on Inheritance Tax. As an expert in will drafting and the use of trusts and family investment companies, she provides practical tax-efficient solutions and deals with everything from everyday family needs to the very complex. She will work with other advisers (accountants, financial planners, etc.) to ensure a joined-up approach.
Camilla is experienced in estate administration and probate, advising on reliefs and exemptions (including Business Relief and Agricultural Relief) and post-death planning using deeds of variation. Her team generate comprehensive trust/estate accounts and deal with pre-death and trust/estate returns to HMRC.
Camilla’s expertise also extends to assisting elderly and vulnerable clients with lasting powers of attorney, deputyship applications, and other Court of Protection matters.
Camilla is a full member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP). She regularly acts as a professional executor and trustee for her clients. Her team offer comprehensive trust compliance services.
Expertise
Camilla advises on probate and estate planning, including wills, trusts, and inheritance tax, and supports clients with Court of Protection matters such as deputyship applications and statutory wills.
Experience
- Acted for a husband and wife exiting a business by creating multiple family trusts and a family investment company to receive a significant share of the £6m proceeds of their business sale.
- Acted for an ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurial couple in relation to ‘asset protection’ wills and the creation of a family trust.
- Advised and implemented a ‘gift with leaseback’ arrangement on a £3m family home to mitigate IHT.
- By a deed of variation, introduced a Business Trust to capture Business Relief on £7m of business assets sold shortly after first death. The variation potentially saved 40% IHT.
- Acted for an attorney in a successful application to the Court of Protection to make IHT mitigating gifts.
- Maximised the claim for Business Relief and Agricultural Relief in relation to a £4m farming probate and also making a claim for Quick Succession Relief.
- In relation to the death estate of a high-profile politician, successfully demonstrated to HMRC that a lifetime gift of 50% of her property made to her son qualified as a ‘shared occupancy gift’ and was not caught by the ‘reservation of benefit’ rules.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by Chambers High Net Worth for Private Wealth Law 2019–2026
Recognised in The Legal 500 as a Leading Individual for Personal tax, trusts and probate 2022-2026
“Camilla guides lay trustees effectively through complex matters so they understand the decisions they are making, and why.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2025
“Camilla Bishop’s ability to convert complex trust and family investment company legislation into easily understandable advice is excellent.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2025
“Camilla is excellent; she is very diverse in terms of the law she can advise on. She has excellently established herself and grown her practice.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2024
“I’m super-happy to have met Camilla; she’s provided exactly what I needed.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2024
“Camilla has established a strong reputation for her technical knowledge, and she does not disappoint.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2024
“The ability of Camilla Bishop, her technical knowledge and the way it is presented to clients makes Camilla outstanding. Additionally, Camilla has the support of a network of solicitors with Keystone and that adds a layer comfort for me.”
The Legal 500 2024
“Camilla Bishop is technically strong but manages to simplify matters and convey these to clients in a friendly and helpful style and without talking down to them.”
The Legal 500 2024
“Camilla Bishop is my first choice destination for estate planning legal matters.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2023
“Camilla is absolutely brilliant and has such a good bedside manner. She is client-focused, detailed, driven and just marvelous.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2023
“Very professional, friendly and approachable.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2022
“Excellent service. She provides fast responses and clear advice, allowing them to make decisions.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2022
“Camilla Bishop is a great communicator, excellent at explaining what needs to be done and helping the clients understand everything.”
The Legal 500 2022
“She is an excellent estate planning solicitor. She is very knowledgeable regarding Inheritance Tax planning advice.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2021
“Her knowledge is exceptional.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2021
“A respected private client lawyer, both by her peers, fellow professionals, clients and colleagues.”
The Legal 500 2021
“She has the rare qualities of being personable and knowledgeable about complex scenarios, yet able to articulate them in plain English terms.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2020
“She is fantastic – she is very personable, competent and solid on her technical knowledge.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2020
“Camilla Bishop ‘is a very capable private client lawyer’.”
Chambers High Net Worth 2020
Camilla qualified as a solicitor in 2010. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2021, she worked at the following firms:
- DMH Stallard
- Irwin Mitchell
- Thomas Eggar