Alastair Goggins

Partner & Team Leader

+44 (0)1635 508127

Alastair is a Partner and Head of both the Dispute Resolution and Charity Team.

He has over 25 years of experience dealing with contentious trusts and probate issues on behalf of executors, trustees, beneficiaries and charities and is regularly instructed in complex and high value disputes. A recognised leader in his area, Alastair has a proven track record of resolving trust and probate issues to the benefit of his clients both at trial and through alternative dispute resolution. His work often includes issues of foreign law and jurisdiction.

Alastair has been recognised as a Leading Individual in the Legal 500 for many years.

Inheritance Disputes Experience

Alastair advises on all areas arising from disputes over trusts and probate including the validity of wills, fraud and misappropriation of assets, issues of interpretation and rectification of wills and deeds, constructive trust and proprietary claims. Alastair also acts for all claimant categories under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and in Court of Protection matters.

Charity Law Experience

Alastair’s recognised expertise in his highly specialist areas means that he is often instructed by national and international charities and other not for profit organisations involved in disputes relating to probate and Court of Protection issues, Will challenges, trust and succession issues.

Work Highlights

  • Successfully acting for a beneficiary of an earlier will in an action to challenge the validity of a later will Tucker v Felton-Page [2025] EWHC 530 (Ch)
  • Securing a settlement for an international Charity concerning will challenge brought by the deceaseds estranged daughter.
  • Concluding a dispute for a well-known Charity concerning a statutory will application in the Court of Protection.
  • Acting for multiple beneficiaries in proceedings to remove a lay executor. Alastair was able to prove fraudulent activities by the lay executor and recovered costs and estate monies from the lay executor.
  • Bringing multiple claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 for all categories of claimants and defendants in multi million pound estates and obtaining settlement without the need to issue proceedings.
  • Acting for three beneficiaries in defending a Proprietary Estoppel claim brought by a family member concerning the family farm.
  • Acting for a number of charities in defending a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
  • Successfully obtaining judgment against an executrix for fraudulent activity against two residual beneficiaries.
  • Bringing an action challenging a will on the grounds of fraud
  • Multiple actions seeking the removal of Executors (both professional and lay) from their role as executors of estates
  • Acting for Partners in a Partnership dispute concerning to a multi-million family business
  • Acting for individuals in a complex land dispute concerning High Court injunctive proceedings and a rectification claim.
  • Acting for parties in proceedings for the removal of Attorneys appointed under Lasting Powers of Attorney
  • Defending actions against Local Authorities concerning historic trust arrangements
  • Acting in proceedings for parties proving will in solemn form
  • Acting for a party an action in the High Court for Undue Influence and Fraudulent Calumny
  • Acting on behalf of an executor to remove a co-executor from administering an estate in a particularly acrimonious action Hudman v Morris [2021] EWHC 1400 (Ch) (01 June 2021) case
  • Acting in relation to rectification of a will Harte, Re [2015] EWHC 2351 (Ch) (15 July 2015) (bailii.org
  • Acting in a relation to a defective Deeds of Appointments affecting multiple settlements English & Ors v Keats & Ors [2018] EWHC 673 (Ch) (28 March 2018) (bailii.org)
  • Acted for a successful defendant who brought a counterclaim against a claimant propounding an invalid will – link here.
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Recent insights by Alastair

Recent insights by Alastair

What our clients say about Alastair

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I just wanted to thank you all for all your hard work, time and effort that you put into my case. I am so grateful for your support and guidance through an extremely difficult, complex, and emotional situation for me.
I am more than happy to confirm that I was provided with an exceptional service during my experience as a client with Gardner Leader. The professionalism of Alastair Goggins and the litigation team were exemplary.
Alastair Goggins is experienced, helpful and friendly. He communicates clearly and is excellent at explaining options and likely chances of success.
I am more than happy to confirm that I was provided with an exceptional service during my experience as a client with Gardner Leader. The professionalism of Alastair Goggins and the litigation team were exemplary. I was provided with very clear advice at all times and was dealt with the utmost care.
I just wanted to thank you all for all your hard work, time and effort that you put into my case. Your professionalism and knowledge was amazing, and all of your advice was invaluable. You all showed an enormous amount of empathy, sympathy and understanding in a complex and emotional case.
I’m very grateful to you for your sympathetic handling of my case and for the time you took to explain to me what my options were and the risks and benefits of the various options. I needed someone ‘on my side’ to advise me and to represent me and you did a great job of that.
Alastair came highly recommended to us and we could understand why from the outset. We were guided brilliantly throughout the whole nine months our case lasted, always felt respected and heard, and were given clear and articulate advice. We cannot recommend working with Gardner Leader enough.
Alastair Goggins and his broader team provided excellent support and a successful conclusion to a very intractable case. I would have no hesitation recommending Alastair and his team to others.
My legal team were fantastic with me from beginning to end. Always making sure I was well informed and making the right decision. I thank the team for all they did to insure I received everything I deserved and was owed. It was a long 4 years to the day, but we did it.
Thanks for this update, and huge huge thanks to you for being so focused and determined to help us find answers.
Thank you so much for this update and for the incredible work you've done to get us here. It does feel like you've managed to pull some levers and get them all moving again. Thanks for continuing to be so thorough and diligent on this matter.
Thank you so much for continuing to push on this for us. It's hard to see things as good in the context of our situation but this is actually very good news indeed, and very hard won by you too, so huge thanks to you.
We are very grateful for the work you and Alastair have done on our behalf and particularly appreciate how kind and understanding you both are in dealing with such a sensitive subject. We now feel much more confident that we have done all that is needed to achieve the best possible outcome.
Your knowledge and experience in these matters has been of huge benefit to us. We were at a complete loss on how to tackle this issue in the beginning and if we had not instructed you to act on our behalf we would likely have had a very different outcome. The whole team have been very helpful.