Caroline Miller

Partner

Private Client




T: +44 (0)20 7674 0535
cmiller@wedlakebell.com

Caroline Miller's LinkedIn profile

Expertise

Caroline leads the Private Client Disputes team and her contentious work includes dealing with disputes arising from either a Will or Trust as well as claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (“1975 Act claims”), Variation of Trust Applications, and the removal of personal representative applications. Caroline advises Executors, Trustees, beneficiaries and professionals on their duties, obligations and rights with regards to Wills and Trusts. In addition to this, Caroline also advises on a wide range of non-contentious private client matters, including wealth protection, estate planning, trust and estate administration, and the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney, as well as applications to the Court of Protection. Caroline acts as both trustee for her trust clients and executor for her deceased clients.


Recent Experience

  • Advising trustees of a large family trust worth over £90m on general trust administration.
  • Applying for the removal of an executor, which was resolved through mediation.
  • Advising a spouse in respect of a 1975 Act claim.
  • Variation of Trust application on a £500m trust to include application for anonymity.
  • Advising a couple on estate planning in respect of a £30m estate to include liaising with their accountant over the creation of a Family Investment Company and involving our corporate team for preparation of the articles for the same.
  • Advising a charitable trust on its ongoing administration to include hosting biannual trustees meetings.
  • Acting in the reported case of PQ and another v RS and others [2019] EWHC 1643 (Ch).
  • Acting in the reported case of Rawstron and Anor v Freud [2014] EWHC 2577 (Ch).

Career History

Caroline trained at Penningtons and moved to the Private Client department of Finers Stephen Innocent in 2007. She joined the Private Client department of Cumberland Ellis in 2010 and has been at Wedlake Bell since the merger with Cumberland Ellis in April 2012. In 2019 Caroline was nominated for Lawyer of the Year/Partner at the CityWealth Future Leaders Awards. She is a member of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS). Caroline is an elected member of the STEP Special Interest Group committee for Contentious Trusts and Estates.

Caroline qualified in 2006 and has a degree in Theology from the University of Durham.


Publications

Caroline has written a variety of  articles for publications to include Spears, eprivate client, Todays Wills and Probate and InTrust (Private Client team magazine).


"his firm handles some very large trusts and this feeds into a strong and successful contentious team. Andrew O’Keefe and Caroline Miller are both great to work with."


— Legal 500, 2023

"Wedlake Bell is a world-class team of contentious trusts lawyers, often leading the way in key areas such as confidentiality, disclosure and cross-border enforcement. They have outstanding talent at all levels and have developed innovative and well-resourced ways of keeping them. Caroline Miller gets the very best out of her team."


— Legal 500, 2023

"Caroline Miller may possibly be the best contentious trusts partner in the world. She creates an instant bond of trust with clients, keeps the commercial realities in mind and is unceasingly creative and courageous in pursuing their goals."


— Legal 500, 2023

"Caroline Miller s practice combines contentious and non-contentious elements of private wealth to assist clients in various matters. Miller's client skills are also noted, a source says: "Caroline is a strong advocate for her clients, she is focused and intelligent in her approach and yet commercial in her dealings with clients." Another commentator says that "clients love her, she invests a lot of time into their cases.""


— Chambers, High Net Worth 2022

" Caroline Miller is a very experienced private client lawyer who has turned her considerable skillset to resolving disputes."


— Legal 500, 2022

"Caroline Miller is a wonderful C&P litigation partner, charming, intelligent and commercial."


— Legal 500, 2022

"Caroline Miller – partner in private client team with litigation experience, knowledgeable and a practical problem solver."


— Legal 500, 2022

"I have worked with Caroline for many years. She is really excellent and manages a great team."


— Legal 500, 2022

"Caroline Miller is a litigator with deep private client knowledge. "


— Legal 500, 2021

"Caroline Miller is steadily building a reputation as a significant player in this field"


— Legal 500 UK, 2020

"Top 35 under 35 by Private Client Practitioner in 2012, 2013, 2014"


""outstanding, and continually keeps the client updated,""


— Legal 500, 2014

"“an excellent communicator""


— Legal 500, 2016

"Named in the 2014 Spears Guide to the Top High Net Worth Private Client Advisors;"


"Shortlisted by Spears for Young Turk Tax and Trust Lawyer 2014"


"Caroline Miller is ‘very knowledgeable’ ."


— Legal 500, 2017

Insights

Piercing the art world’s cloak of secrecy: Hickox v Dickinson – eprivateclient

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PENSION TRANSFERS: INHERITANCE TAX TRAP?

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Inheriting an art collection

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Remote witnessing of Wills – what could possibly go wrong?

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Episode 17: The Importance of Making a Will

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How families can get the wealth transfer right and avoid things getting messy – EPrivateClient

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Remote witnessing: no longer a remote possibility for Wills- Today’s Wills and Probate

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Estate Planning for the Complex Client seminar on 14 May 2019

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Profile – Caroline Miller

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Caroline Miller and Clare Armitage: Advising complex clients – Professional Adviser 29/04/2019

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“I am unhappy with the personal representatives administering an estate. What can I do?” – Caroline Miller writes for Advising Families

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“Could my will be challenged by friends or relatives after my death?” – Caroline Miller explores for Advising Families

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IN TRUST SUMMER 2017: THY WILL BE DONE?

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“Can you alter a joint Will?” – Caroline Miller and Andrew McIntyre respond for Choice Magazine

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The importance of a current Will