Kent lawyer launches National Association of Independent Administrators

A new association has been formed to bring together contentious and non-contentious lawyers specialising in the area of independent administration (IA).

The National Association of Independent Administrators (NAIA) will provide a community for improving and codifying best practice, advancing the education of its members, promoting appropriate changes to the law and encouraging collaboration between members.

Though just recently launched, the association already has members from more than 25 law firms.

IA is a specialist service where those involved in administering an estate feel that they can go no further with the process and require an independent administrator to be appointed to resolve the issue.

This can be for a wide variety of reasons, such as when the parties concerned cannot agree or are contesting the will, or where the executors have not acted at all or have acted improperly.

In such cases, an application can be made to the court to appoint an independent administrator to help resolve any difficulties and overcome any deadlock.

The NAIA is the brainchild of Helen Stewart, head of probate and independent administrator at Kent law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore.

In collaboration with Nick Horton and the firm’s will, trust and estate disputes team, she’s founded the association in response to the growing demand for IA.

Helen said: “As an independent administrator, I have witnessed first-hand the rapid growth in demand for this hugely complex area of probate.

“I know from speaking to both fellow independent administrators and colleagues in the contentious and non-contentious estate administration space, that there is a real need for a dedicated association to bring those involved in IA together.

“This will broaden and strengthen our understanding of IA work – including development of practice and procedures and to also provide a nationwide network which invariably will offer opportunities for referrals.

“In launching the NAIA, it is wonderful to now have a thriving community where everyone involved in IA can come together to share expertise and experiences.

“This association is for the benefit of the profession and will ultimately benefit those families, executors and beneficiaries involved in estates where an independent administrator is needed.”

The network’s newly appointed management board, which was voted in at its recent inaugural AGM, includes:

• Chair: Helen Stewart, Thomson Snell & Passmore  
• Vice Chair: Thomas Middlehurst, Blake Morgan       
• Treasurer: Austin Gill, Hugh James  
• Marketing Secretary: Oliver Auld, Charles Russell Speechly           
• General Secretary: Lorna Spear, Birketts     
• General Officer: Alison Regan, Russell-Cooke         
• General Officer: Monika Byrska, Howard Kennedy  
• General Officer: Paula James, Irwin Mitchell
• General Officer: Scott Taylor, Moore Barlow