Ann Stanyer

Partner

Private Client
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Expertise

Ann is a partner in the Private Client team and an acknowledged expert in the field of financial abuse of older people. The second edition of Ann’s book on the subject has just been published. Her practice also covers a wide range of trust, probate and private wealth management work for both large, complex estates and settlements. She advises trustees on tax and estate management issues and provides advice on UK and foreign succession issues.

She also regularly advises on Property and Affairs and Personal Welfare Lasting Powers of Attorney, the registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney, applications to the Office of Public Guardian and Court of Protection including tax planning and statutory will applications.

Ann holds appointments for clients as attorney, and executor and trustee. She has also been appointed as Deputy by the Court of Protection and as an Independent Executor and Administrator by the Courts.

Recent Experience

  • Acting for a vulnerable adult in a wide ranging financial abuse case involving multi-dimensional advice for property, divorce, insolvency, and corporate issues.
  • Advising clients with international properties and mental capacity issues involving co-ordination and liaison with foreign lawyers.
  • Applications to the Court of Protection to remove deputy and recover assets for client.

Career History

Ann joined Wedlake Bell LLP from Cumberland Ellis when the firms merged in April 2012.

Ann is a member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP), the STEP special interest group on Mental Capacity and Association of Lifetime Lawyers.

Publications

Ann has written and published her own book ‘Powers of Attorney for Finance & Property: A User’s Guide.

Bloomsbury Professional published the second edition of Ann’s book ‘Financial Abuse of Older Clients: Law, Practice and Prevention’ in 2020.

Sweet & Maxwell published Ann’s first work, the authoritative ‘Personal Chattels – Law, Practice and Tax’ which gives an account of the law surrounding the ownership, transfer, and taxation of personal chattels and how the law could be amended.

She has also contributed to the Law Society’s 6th Edition of the Elderly Client Handbook and is a contributor to Lexis Nexis’s publication Finance and Law for the Older Client.

Ann contributes to webinars on mental capacity and financial abuse issues both within the profession and elsewhere.

She regularly contributes to legal journals on the whole range of private client issues including STEP Journal, Wealth Briefing, Private Client Advisor, and the Solicitors Journal as well as the national media.

Wedlake Bell LLP's strong private client practice, headed by experienced duo Eleanor Metcalf and Ann Stanyer, has a diverse client base….

Legal 500, 2015

The ‘experienced’ Ann Stanyer ‘always looks for a practical solution rather than a convoluted way of dealing with the problem’.

Legal 500, 2017

News

ANN STANYER ON YOU AND YOURS BBC RADIO – Million Dollar lover

Partner Ann Stanyer discussed elder financial abuse today on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme. Listen to the programme from 39:10 to hear Ann and learn what steps youRead more

News

Ann Stanyer on You and Yours BBC Radio

Partner Ann Stanyer discussed LPAs on BBC Radio 4. Listen to the programme from 31:33 to hear Ann and learn about some important considerations with LPAs: Click here.

News

Partner writes for Solicitors Journal: Combatting financial abuse of older and vulnerable clients

In this article for Solicitors Journal, Partner, Ann Stanyer examines growing awareness of financial abuse and what practitioners should know. To read the online article please click here.

News

Modernising Lasting Powers of Attorney: why caution is needed

The Ministry of Justice (“MOJ“) recently issued a consultation on modernising Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPAs“). The stated goals are to increase safeguards and improve the process of making andRead more

News

OPG outline vision for reform of LPAs

Ann Stanyer has been quoted in Today’s Wills and Probate following the announcement of a consultation by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) on the use of Lasting PowersRead more

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LPAs no longer require discretionary investment express provision

“For some time, investment managers have had real difficulties in managing the investments of clients where a power of attorney is in place. We are pleased to confirm that theRead more

News

Defending Wealth

To view this article, please click here. This article first appeared in Brewin Dolphin’s client magazine Perspective.

News

Proposals to modernise LPAs and the risks in safeguarding

Partner Ann Stanyer has written an article addressing risks in safeguarding following the proposals to reform Lasting Powers of Attorney. This article was first published in Today’s Wills & Probate.Read more

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Edward Fennell’s Legal Diary

Daniel Craig has recently said during an interview that he would not let his two daughters inherit the estimated £116 million that Craig has earned from playing James Bond. PartnerRead more

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Ann Stanyer raises fraud flag with LPA consultation

Today’s Wills & Probate have published Ann Stanyer’s comments raising concerns about proposals to reform Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), specifically that the digitisation of the LPA process opens toRead more

News

THE BILLIONAIRE, HIS FAMILY, END OF LIFE PLANNING AND COVID-19

The Covid-19 lockdown and quarantine restrictions are causing real practical problems for those who have terminally ill family members. What can you do if you want to visit such aRead more

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Clashing Rights – Covid-19 vaccinations and the rights of care home residents

This article was first published by the Solicitors Journal on 25 February 2021: Solicitors Journal – Clashing Rights The Court of Protection has just heard the first case involving aRead more

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Practitioners should consider additional protective measures for Lasting Powers of Attorney in case problems arise – eprivateclient 04/04/2019

Ann Stanyer, writes an article for eprivateclient. The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) reports each year with an update on their work in registering powers of attorney and inRead more

News

How to spot financial abuse – STEP Journal (Vol27 Iss3) p57

Ann Stanyer highlights ‘red flags’ signalling potential financial abuse that all advisors should watch out for, wherever they are based. Financial abuse is on the rise. The England and WalesRead more

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In whose best interest? – New Law Journal 27/02/2019

The article was originally published by the New Law Journal on 27 February 2019. The duties of a deputy appointed by the Court of Protection are not to be takenRead more

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Instructions for a Will: The conflict of interest issue – eprivateclient 14/02/2019

The article was originally published by eprivateclient on 14/02/2019. It is not uncommon for clients who want to make or update their Will to come in to see their solicitorRead more

News

The importance of making an independent Will

The article was originally published by Spear’s, on 24 January 2019. Being aware of the need for will instructions to be given freely and independently is key, writes Ann StanyerRead more

News

Is your LPA fit for purpose?

You may have a Lasting Power of Attorney (“LPA”) that appoints persons (“attorneys”) to look after your financial affairs and/or health and welfare at a time in the future whenRead more

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Ann Stanyer and Jemma Goddard’s comments are published in Spear’s

The article was originally published by Spear’s on December 19, 2018. Legal action against Attorneys has skyrocketed Legal action against Attorneys has skyrocketed, and mostly people aren’t aware they’re doingRead more

News

“What’s in store for tax and trusts in 2018?” – Partner, Ann Stanyer, comments in Spear’s Magazine

Private Client Partner, Ann Stanyer, has commented in Spear’s Magazine on the forthcoming Government consultation on the taxation of trusts, and why this and other compliance regimes could mean 2018 willRead more

News

HNW Pitfalls to avoid: Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA)

The article was first published by Spear’s on November 10, 2018. As incidents of financial abuse against the are on the elderly increase, its important to look at rigid LPA’s,Read more

Bulletins

Private: In Trust Winter 2017/18

WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR A warm welcome to the Winter 2017/18 edition of In Trust. In this issue, we look in detail at trusts, a central part of any wealthRead more

Bulletins

Wills By Text Or Email, Anyone?

In July 2017, the Law Commission issued its long-awaited reform project on the law of Wills. The law largely derives from legislation passed in 1837 and there have long beenRead more

Bulletins

THE POWERS THAT BE

A comparison of the protection against the threat of financial abuse given by LPA attorneys and Court of Protection deputies. ABSTRACT This article discusses what safeguards are in place toRead more

News

“Is my grandmother being defrauded?” – Ann Stanyer responds to a readers question in the Financial Times

Partner in our Private Client team, Ann Stanyer, has responded to a reader’s question on financial abuse of the elderly in the Financial Times. Ann, who authored a book entitledRead more

News

Inheritance tax to be reviewed

The Chancellor wrote to the Office of Tax Simplification (“OTS”) on 19 January 2018 to ask them to carry out a review of inheritance tax (“IHT”). A scoping document forRead more

Bulletins

Making a Will

Consultation Response: Wedlake Bell LLP On 13 July 2017, the Law Commission launched a major consultation project on the law of Wills. The law in this area has not beenRead more

Bulletins

IN TRUST SUMMER 2017: ANN STANYER Q&A

Ann is a partner in the Private Client team and her practice covers a wide range of trust, probate and private wealth management work for both large, complex estates andRead more

News

“Calls for inquiry over financial abuse of vulnerable care home residents as figures show 13,000 have been affected” – Ann Stanyer writes in Yahoo! News

Following her recent Freedom of Information request to the Care Quality Commission, Ann Stanyer has commented for Yahoo! News on the data, which reveals nearly 13,000 cases of potential financialRead more

News

“13,000 in care homes are victims of scams” – Ann Stanyer provides commentary to The Daily Express

Private Client partner and author of “Financial Abuse of Older Clients“, Ann Stanyer, has commented on her recent Freedom of Information request to the Care Quality Commission in The DailyRead more

News

“Care home elderly ‘targeted for their cash'” – Ann Stanyer comments for The Sunday Telegraph

Partner in our Private Client team and author of “Financial Abuse of Older Clients”, Ann Stanyer, commented on data from her recent Freedom of Information request to the Care QualityRead more

News

Ann Stanyer delivered a webinar on financial abuse of the elderly for SFE

Partner in our Private Client team, Ann Stanyer, delivered a webinar for Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) (£) on financial abuse on 8 February 2018. Ann, who recently published a bookRead more

News

Ann Stanyer’s comments are published in eprivateclient

The UK Parliament debated a ten-minute rule Bill to legislate to ‘stop putting marriages before Wills’, following concerns that vulnerable elderly people are being exploited by later-life suitors who marryRead more

News

“Wedlake Bell partner calls for government response to rise of elderly financial abuse in the UK” – eprivateclient writes

eprivateclient has published an article on the outcome of Private Client partner, Ann Stanyer’s, request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). On theRead more

News

“Thousands of care home residents suffering financial abuse” – Ann Stanyer comments in Care Home Professional

Care Home Professional have given further coverage to Private Client partner, Ann Stanyer’s, recent Freedom of Information request to the Care Quality Commission. The FOIA found that in the fourRead more

News

The Times Brief publishes Ann Stanyer’s opinion on financial abuse of the elderly

Partner in our Private Client team, Ann Stanyer, has had an opinion piece published by The Times Brief, in which she calls for a government inquiry into the rising casesRead more

News

“Tackling financial abuse of the elderly” – Ann Stanyer writes for The Law Society Gazette

We need tougher rules on lasting powers of attorney but the Ministry of Justice appears indifferent. It is clear from surveys and research carried out in other countries that financialRead more

News

Wedlake Bell’s Private Client team respond to government consultation on Inheritance Tax (IHT)

On 19 January 2018, the government requested that the Office of Tax Simplification (“OTS“) carry out a review of inheritance tax in order to identify simplification opportunities. The scoping documentRead more

Bulletins

International powers of attorney

Clients often ask us as to whether their English Power of Attorney (either a Lasting Power of Attorney – an “LPA” – or its predecessor, an Enduring Power of AttorneyRead more

News

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) Review of Inheritance Tax (IHT) – Private Client analysis: Ann Stanyer

This article was first published on Lexis®PSL Private Client on 10 July 2018. Click for a free trial of Lexis®PSL. Private Client analysis: Ann Stanyer, partner at Wedlake Bell, highlights the key points of the Law Society’s responseRead more

News

PROTECTION, PLANNING AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION FOR THE VULNERABLE

Wedlake Bell is a central London law firm that has been servicing its clients for over 200 years. It has 61 partners and is one of the top 100 firmsRead more

News

Ann Stanyer’s response to a reader’s question is published in Choice Magazine

The following was originally published by Choice, September 2018. The Choice panel of experts answers your queries on tax, pensions, benefits, investment and the law. Can I revise an AdvanceRead more

News

​Ann Stanyer: Are electronic signatures safe for vulnerable clients?

Ann Stanyer’s article on the Law Commission’s consultation on the use of electronic signatures in legal documents has been published in Professional Adviser and its sister publication Retirement Planner. Ann examinesRead more

News

Roadblocks to abuse

STEP Journal is the first publisher of the article: Ann Stanyer, ‘Roadblocks to abuse’, STEP Journal (Vol26 Iss8), p.61. It is the practitioner’s duty to ensure the elderly client isRead more

News

Wedlake Bell responds to Consultation on Electronic Execution of Documents

The Law Commission published its consultation paper “Electronic Execution of Documents” (“the Consultation Paper“) on 21 August 2018. The objective behind the Consultation Paper was to consider whether there areRead more