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UK

Ashton Davies

Partner

England & Wales

020 3319 3700

ashton.davies@keystonelaw.co.uk

Ashton has over 25 years of experience and is a contentious trust and probate specialist, dealing with trust and estate disputes.

His practice covers a broad range of matters, including challenges to the validity of wills, maladministration of trusts and estates, 1975 Inheritance Act claims, financial abuse of the elderly and the vulnerable by attorneys and deputies, misappropriation of estate and trust assets, and applications for removal of trustees and executors.

Ashton acts for both professional and lay clients including trustees, executors, attorneys, deputies and beneficiaries in different sectors including private HNW individuals, charities and the financial services industry.

Expertise

Ashton advises on disputes involving wills, trusts, and estates, including mismanagement, financial abuse, professional negligence, and contentious probate, often acting in complex family provision and executor conduct matters.

Experience

  • Acted for the claimant in a successfully resolving claim regarding rectification of a trust deed affecting the client’s interest in his own home.
  • Acted for a disappointed beneficiary in successfully resolving claim to ensure the fulfilment of the deceased’s clear testamentary intentions after the failure of the will drafter to ensure execution of a will before death.
  • Acted for the executors of substantial estate in successfully recovering in full the entire value of the deceased’s assets previously misappropriated by the attorney.
  • Acted in a professional negligence claim for a disappointed beneficiary against solicitors for failure to ensure the execution of the deceased’s last will after a delay of over 7 months.

Ashton specialises in high-value estate disputes, advising HNW clients on will construction, trust mismanagement, financial abuse, and claims under the Inheritance Act, with expertise in complex trustee investigations.

Experience

  • Acted for the claimant, the widower of a property investor with a multi-million-pound portfolio, to secure substantial provision.
  • Acted for the claimant, the elderly cohabitant of a millionaire farmer, to secure further reasonable provision from the estate.
  • Acted for the defendant beneficiary of a multi-million-pound estate against parallel 75 Inheritance Act claims by the widow and sibling.
  • Acted in a Court of Protection application for a £10 million statutory gift and statutory will in a multi-million estate.
  • Acted for an advisor to the mother of a member of an international royal family in a claim brought by the family for reimbursement of professional charges.
  • Acted for a wealthy farmer’s widow in defending an estoppel claim by a family member seeking an entitlement to the entire farming estate.

Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.

Recognition

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Court of Protection 2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Contentious Trusts & Probate 2021-2023 & 2026

Recognised by Chambers High Net Worth for Private Wealth Disputes 2018–2025

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Contentious Trusts & Probate 2021–2023

Member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS)

“Ashton is a real student of the law. He is always looking to stay up to date. He is also very client-focused and very client-friendly. ”

Chambers High Net Worth 2025

Ashton qualified as a solicitor in 2001. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2024, he worked at the following firms:

  • Adams and Remers
  • Thomas Eggar LLP