Victoria Riddleston

My Approach

With my clear, considered, and commercial approach, I provide my clients with focused and practical advice to resolve their dispute.

Area of Expertise

Contentious trusts and probate claims

• Claims for lack of testamentary capacity
• Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
• Claims for lack of knowledge and approval.
• Will validity claims
• Claims against executors
• Claims relating to the interpretation of Wills and trust documents
• Claims for breach of trustee’s duties
• Claims for rectification of a Will
• Proprietary estoppel claims
• Claims relating to death bed gifts
• Undue influence claims
• Claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996.

Court of Protection

• Statutory Will applications
• Claims relating to unauthorised gifts
• Undue influence in relation to lifetime transactions
• Concerns regarding attorneys and deputies.

I have particular experience in acting for individuals and charities in Will, probate and trusts claims, and regularly advise beneficiaries, potential beneficiaries, executors and trustees. As well as my day-to-day contentious trust and probate work, I am also a member of Ellis Jones’ specialist charity advice service and Court of Protection team.

Recent Work

Advising upon:

• Disputes arising in the administration of a number of high value estates.
• Beneficiaries regards a claim to declare a Will invalid on the basis of lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence.
• Beneficiaries on a constructive trusts.
• Numerous claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
• Complex Statutory Will applications

Professional Associations & Qualifications

• Recommended Lawyer and Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 UK 2025 for Contentious Trusts & Probate - "Victoria Riddleston was the person we interacted the most. She was awesome, knowledgeable, committed, passionate and empathetic. This was important to us. She listened carefully and understood."
• Ranked as Next Generation Partner in Legal 500 UK 2024 for Commercial Litigation and Contentious Trust & Probate - described as "a true professional in her area of business"
• Ranked in Chambers & Partners (UK 2023) for Litigation - "In multiparty cases against difficult opponents they have kept impressive control of where the case is going."
• Ranked as a Key Lawyer in Legal 500 UK 2023 for Commercial Litigation and Contentious Trust & Probate - described as "professional and inspires confidence"
• Ranked as 'Up and Coming' in Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide 2022 for Private Wealth Disputes - described as "very knowledgeable, strategic and empathetic," as well as being: " personable, and exacting and forensic in her approach to her work and clients."
• Ranked as an “Associate to Watch” in Chambers and Partners’ High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Disputes (UK, The South 2021), described as “absolutely brilliant, she listens, she understands, she is very knowledgeable and gives good advice.”
• Ranked as an “Associate to Watch” in Chambers and Partners’ High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Disputes (UK, The South 2020), described as having “the knowledge and tenacity to handle the situation robustly and assert our rights appropriately”.
• Ranked as an “Associate to Watch” in Chambers and Partners’ High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Disputes (UK, The South 2019), described as “very knowledgeable, hard-working and sympathetic to client needs”.
• Ranked as an “Associate to Watch” in Chambers and Partners’ High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Disputes (UK, The South 2018), described as a “a very, very good lawyer first and foremost but clients just adore her. She’s got a very good client manner, especially in the cases that require a human touch. She applies her legal analysis and nous, but in a way that is very reassuring and sympathetic and very focused on the clients’ interests. They rave about her and rightly so; I think she’s great.’
• Recommended lawyer in Legal 500 for Contentious Trust and Probate (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022), described “always willing to discuss any points I made and treated me with respect”, as “an excellent, clear thinking litigator whose advice to clients is thorough but readily intelligible”, a “very good lawyer, who really knows her stuff, but also has an excellent client manner” and “meticulous”.
• Recommended lawyer in Legal 500 for Court of Protection work and Commercial Litigation.
• Recommended Department by Legal 500 for Contentious Trusts and Probate (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022)
• Recommended Department by Legal 500 for Commercial Litigation (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022).
• Finalist for “Lawyer of the Year” at the Dorset Legal Awards 2019.
• Qualified as a solicitor in September 2012.
• Full member of ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists)
• LLB Law Degree (2:1) University of Exeter
• Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Distinction)
• Member of the Charity Law Association
• Trustee of a charity

Ranked as 'Associate to Watch':

"I think she's excellent. She's a very, very good lawyer first and foremost but clients just adore her. She's got a very good client manner, especially in the cases that require a human touch. She applies her legal analysis and nous, but in a way that is very reassuring and sympathetic and very focused on the clients' interests. They rave about her and rightly so; I think she's great."

- Chambers and Partners' High Net Worth Guide - Private Wealth Disputes (The South)