About Us

A firm built for the disputes families hope never to have

Markson & Co. was founded in 2015 as a dedicated contentious trusts and estates practice. We do one thing, and we do it with discretion.

Our History

Founded on a single conviction

When James Markson left a City private client department in 2015, contested estates were still treated as an offshoot of probate administration. He believed they deserved a specialist practice of their own: litigators who understood trust structures as well as courtrooms, and who recognised that these disputes are rarely only about money.

Markson & Co. opened with three lawyers in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Today the firm has six partners across London and Manchester, advising trustees, executors, beneficiaries and family offices on claims ranging from homemade wills to nine-figure offshore trust structures.

Our heritage is short by the standards of the profession. Our record is not: more than 500 matters resolved, the overwhelming majority without the publicity of a trial.

Years of estate law experience: 25+
Cases successfully handled: 500+
Client satisfaction rate: 98%
Partners across two offices: 6

Leadership

James Markson, Managing Partner & Founder

James Markson is the founding Managing Partner of Markson & Co., a premier law firm specializing in estate disputes, trust litigation, and probate claims. With over 25 years of experience in trust and estate law, James has successfully represented clients in some of the most complex and high-value estate disputes in the UK.

Educated at the University of Oxford, James completed his law degree with distinction and was called to the Bar before building a practice dedicated entirely to contentious trusts and estates. He founded Markson & Co. in 2015 with a simple conviction: that families facing inheritance disputes deserve counsel who combine forensic litigation skill with genuine discretion.

Beyond his legal practice, James is a sought-after speaker on estate law topics and regularly contributes articles to leading legal publications. He is deeply committed to ensuring his clients receive discreet, expert guidance during sensitive family matters.

Education: MA Jurisprudence (Distinction), University of Oxford
Experience: 25+ years in trust and estate law
Specializations: Trust Disputes, Contested Wills, Estate Litigation, Probate Claims, Capacity Challenges
Languages: English, French

j.markson@marksonco.uk

Senior Partners

Full partner profiles

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Partner · London · 20+ years' experience

Sarah Mitchell leads the firm's probate and inheritance practice, bringing over 20 years of experience to contested estates and Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act claims.

A published author on estate law, Sarah is known for resolving deeply entrenched family disputes without the cost and publicity of a full trial, while remaining formidable when a matter must be tried.

Expertise: Probate Disputes, Inheritance Act Claims, Estate Administration

Education: LLB (Hons), University of Bristol; LLM Private Client Law

Author of a leading practitioner text on contested probate
Recovered over £80m for beneficiaries in disputed estates

s.mitchell@marksonco.uk Profile page

David Chen

Senior Partner · Manchester · 18+ years' experience

David Chen is a complex litigation specialist with 18 years of experience in high-value trust and estate proceedings, including offshore structures and asset-tracing claims.

A Cambridge graduate, David is regularly instructed in multi-jurisdictional disputes where trustees, protectors and beneficiaries are spread across several legal systems.

Expertise: Complex Litigation, Cross-Border Trusts, Fraud & Asset Tracing

Education: BA Law, University of Cambridge

Led asset-tracing claims across five jurisdictions
Ranked for contentious trusts by leading legal directories

d.chen@marksonco.uk Profile page

Emma Thompson

Senior Partner · London · 16+ years' experience

Emma Thompson advises families on the governance and protection of generational wealth, and is an accredited mediator with a strong record of settling disputes before proceedings are issued.

Her practice bridges planning and litigation: structuring family trusts so that conflict is less likely, and resolving it discreetly where it arises.

Expertise: Family Wealth Planning, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Family Trusts

Education: LLB (Hons), King's College London; Accredited Mediator

Accredited mediator with a 90% settlement rate
Adviser to multiple multi-generational family offices

e.thompson@marksonco.uk Profile page

Our Values

What clients can expect of us

Integrity
Straight advice, including when it is not what a client hopes to hear.
Excellence
Technical rigour in every pleading, letter and piece of advice we produce.
Client-Focused
Strategy built around the family outcome, not just the legal one.
Discretion
Sensitive matters handled quietly, privately and without publicity.

Locations

Our offices

London

18 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3ED

Mon–Fri, 8:30am – 6:00pm

+44 7469 144852 · london@marksonco.uk

Manchester

3 St Peter's Square, Manchester M2 3AE

Mon–Fri, 9:00am – 5:30pm

+44 (0) 161 496 0810 · manchester@marksonco.uk

Diversity & Inclusion

A practice open to all

We are committed to a workplace where lawyers advance on merit and contribution alone. We recruit from a deliberately broad range of universities and backgrounds, publish our pay-gap data annually, and operate anonymised recruitment at application stage. Our clients come from every community we serve, and our firm should reflect that.

Careers

Opportunities at Markson & Co.

We hire a small number of lawyers each year, and we train them properly. Current openings include an Associate in contentious trusts (London) and a Paralegal in probate disputes (Manchester). Speculative applications from specialists in this field are always welcome.

careers@marksonco.uk

Need legal guidance?

Speak to a partner in confidence. Initial consultations are discreet, and we will tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth pursuing.

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