Katherine Pymont

Katherine is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution Team who specialises in Trust and Estate Disputes. 

Katherine’s experience in the field of Trusts and Inheritance Disputes covers challenging the validity of wills (including claims for lack of testamentary capacity, want of knowledge and approval, fraud, forgery and undue influence), claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, removal of executors and trustees, breach of trust claims, fraud cases involving trust structures and professional negligence claims relating to wills and trusts. 

Katherine also works in Court of Protection matters including disputes over an appointment of a deputy or attorney, disputes around a vulnerable person’s mental capacity, challenging gifts made by a deputy or attorney, disagreements arising in relation to statutory wills, challenging personal welfare decisions and disputes arising in relation to whether the deputy or attorney is acting in the best interests of a vulnerable person.

Katherine’s background is in broader high profile and complex litigation. Notably Katherine acted for Genting Casinos in the landmark Supreme Court win against Phil Ivey in which the longstanding criminal legal test for dishonesty was overturned and for the Financial Conduct Authority in successfully defending proceedings challenging the interpretation of Russian sanctions in both the Administrative Court and the European Court of Justice. 

Katherine is a regular contributor of written content to both mainstream and specialist publications in the field of Trust and Estate Disputes including Today’s Wills and Probate (monthly contributor), Spears Magazine, The Trusts and Estates Law and Tax Journal, the ACTAPS Newsletter, Charity Times and Wealthbriefing. She is the author of the Westlaw guidance on removal of trustees. She also writes a popular quarterly update on recent Trust and Estate cases, which is often republished by STEP and other content providers.

Katherine is an affiliate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). She obtained a distinction in the STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes and is recommended in the Legal 500 in the field of Contentious Trusts and Probate. Katherine is listed in the Pro Bono Recognition List 2025.

Areas of Experience

• Trust and Estate Disputes;
• Court of Protection;
• Professional Negligence;
• Harassment; and
• Injunctions.

Recent experience

• Acting for beneficiaries, executors and personal representatives in a wide range of inheritance and probate claims, including cases where wills have been challenged on the grounds of forgery, incapacity or undue influence or because they have not been validly executed and claims for reasonable provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975;
• Acting for trustees, beneficiaries, protectors and others in connection with disputes over trusts including those with multi-jurisdictional issues.
• Advising in relation to contentious matters arising in the Court of Protection;
• Acting in professional negligence claims relating to wills, trusts and inheritance;
• Advising charities in relation to fraud exposure and legacy disputes
• Advising in relation to challenging trustees’ discretion in respect of the distribution of death benefits and associated complaint to The Pensions Ombudsman.

WHAT CLIENTS AND DIRECTORIES have SAid

She is very calm and level-headed. I have really high praise for her. She manages clients very well and is very comfortable on choice of law and conflicts of law in litigation contexts."

Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide, 2025

She is very attentive to details, calm, measured and with a good sense of what might go wrong."

Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide, 2025

Katherine Pymont is technically really excellent. She really knows her stuff, but is not overly academic and applies her technical skills well. She is also good with people, clients or opponents."

Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide, 2025

Katherine Pymont...is fantastically dedicated to her role and to succeeding for her clients."

The Legal 500, 2025

Katherine Pymont...is insightful, tenacious and pragmatic."

The Legal 500, 2025

Ryan Mowat and Katherine Pymont put themselves out to accommodate the five hours time difference between UK and USA. We found that we very quickly trusted the exactness of their advice, and correctness of their intelligent opinions and perfect timing. All mixed with a human touch."

The Legal 500, 2025

Katherine Pymont and Laura Phillips are both hugely bright and efficient; definitely ones to watch."

The Legal 500, 2025

Katherine is absolutely brilliant. Clients love her and her work is excellent."

Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide 2024

Katherine has been an excellent person to work with. Her level of client service has been brilliant. She clearly has extensive experience in this area."

Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide 2024

Katherine has been our key point of contact and is always there when we need her. She is responsive and articulate."

Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide 2024

They include Katherine Pymont, who is an extremely able and dependable partner in the making. 

The Legal 500, 2024

an incredibly calm head. Understands what clients want and how to provide it."

The Legal 500, 2023 

Katherine Pymont, Kate Salter and Anna Metadjer are all so dedicated, competent, quick to react –  it’s an absolute pleasure working with them."

The Legal 500, 2023 

provides excellent advice, and is extremely pleasant to work with, clever and commercial"

The Legal 500 UK, 2021

a terrific lawyer."

Legal 500 UK, 2020

Katherine Pymont and Kate Salter are both terrific, and display excellent judgement."

Legal 500 UK, 2020

exceedingly bright"

The Legal 500, 2016

PUBLICATIONS & PRESS HIGHLIGHTS

Articles

• How important is the golden rule in challenging a will? FT Adviser, November 2024
• Is my aunt stealing money from my grandmother? Financial Times, February 2024
• Lessons from Aretha Franklin’s will story, IFA Magazine, July 2023 
• The Leonard Cohen forged trust lawsuit – The lessons, WealthBriefing, March 2023
• Disputing a will on the basis of undue influence, Today's Wills and Probate, March 2023
• What is required to show dishonesty in the case of a professional trustee? STEP, March 2021
• How to challenge a will, EPrivateClient, August 2020
• How wills can be challenged and how charities can manage legacy disputes , UK Fundraising, September 2019 
• The Inheritance (Provision For Family And Dependants) Act 1975, Today's Wills and Probate, January 2019
• Britain’s secret charity cheats: the questions your charity should be asking, charitytimes, June 2018
• 1975 Act Claims: Dead end, Law Journals

Quoted

• Is my aunt stealing money from my grandmother? Quoted in the Financial Times, February 2024
• How to contest a will (and get the inheritance you deserve), Quoted in The Telegraph, May 2023
• Can I get my house back from my daughter? Quoted in the Financial Times, March 2023

Professional societies and memberships

• Completed the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) qualification
• The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
• ConTrA
• Listed as a Citywealth Leader in Contentious Trusts
• Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide 2025 - Up and Coming

​