Barny Croft

Partner

Biography

Barny is a Partner in Ashfords' Wills & Inheritance Disputes Team.

Barny represents national charities, trustees, executors and professional referrers on trust disputes and all manner of inheritance related disputes and associated reputation management. Barny typically advises in respect of the following claims: professional negligence claims, claims for reasonable financial provision, challenges to the validity of Wills, problems relating to Deputyships, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Lasting Powers of Attorney and problems relating to the administration of complex Estates.

Before going into the law Barny read international politics at Aberystwyth University and Political Science in Strasbourg, he worked for a humanitarian charity in London and in Africa and helped to open a small business. He is "particularly effective at mediation."

Relevant experience

National charity: Advising on a professional negligence claim against a professional will draftsman. The dispute included a claim for rectification of a Will.
Private client: Representing a client in a claim to set aside a Will on the basis that it was a forgery and/or that the Deceased did not know of and/or approve what was in the Will.
Private client: Representing a client in a high value fraud and breach of trust claim. The claim was run in conjunction with a police investigation.
Various clients: Advising various clients in claims by surviving spouses, cohabitees, children and dependants in claims for reasonable financial provision from a deceased's estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
Trustees and executors: Advising trustees and executors on a complex and high value estate administration. The matter involved numerous properties, tax issues, conflicting parties, a claim for rectification, a deed of variation, Will construction disputes and problems relating to abatements.

Specialisms

Will Disputes

Trust Disputes

Charity Legacies

Awards and Accreditations

Testimonial

"Barny Croft is one to watch. He is emerging as a powerful opponent, but one who takes a measured approach, balancing his clients’ best interests with a pragmatic eye on proportionality.”

Legal 500 2024

Testimonial

"Barny Croft is a real star who attracts great work and is unflappable under pressure."

Legal 500 2024

Testimonial

"I have worked with Barny Croft on numerous matters over the years and have always found him to be robust, assertive, communicative, consistent, and unafraid to issue proceedings as and when necessary."

Legal 500 2024