Chris Gambs

Senior Associate Solicitor

M 07464 489 480

E chrisgambs@coffinmew.co.uk

Specialisms

Disputed wills and estates
Executor disputes / removal
Disputes trusts
Disputes in relation to decisions affecting vulnerable persons

Specialisms

Disputed wills and estates
Executor disputes / removal
Disputes trusts
Disputes in relation to decisions affecting vulnerable persons

What’s your role?

The death or mental incapacity of a family member is one of the most stressful situations to be faced in life. Where a claim or dispute arises in relation to these issues and legal assistance is sought I recognise from both professional and personal experience that sympathetic and clear advice is required.

Our team advises both clients and provides in-house collaborative guidance to the firm’s Wills, Trusts & Probate and Court of Protection teams on wide range of issues, including:

Inheritance Act claims
The validity of wills relating to capacity, execution, undue influence and knowledge and approval
Executor and administration disputes including removal of executors
Last Power of Attorney issues relating to capacity, abuse of position
Rectification of Wills, including advising in relation to Statutory Wills
Beneficial Interest and proprietary estoppel claims

Your experience?

I have over 20 years experience in litigation and dispute resolution. This has been a mix of private client disputes, serious injury and insurance litigation. This has given me a wealth of experience in getting quickly to the heart of a dispute and understanding not only my own client’s position, but also the other parties to drive the claim to a collaborative resolution. Where litigation cannot be avoided my approach is to make sure my clients’ have a clear understanding of the issues and key points are disputed at all times keeping open the option of an agreed resolution.

Delegate:

Contentious Probate and Claims under the 1975 Act, Masterclass – December 2017

ACTAPS seminar – Suspicious Minds: Want of knowledge and approval – March 2018

ACTAPS seminar – Rectifying Wills – May 2018

ACTAPS seminar – Has my grandmother been defrauded? A case study in undue influence, will fraud and disputed property transfer – June 2018

ACTAPS seminar – Sharia forced heirship – succession, human rights

ACTAPS Spring seminar: Aspects of 1975 Inheritance Act Claims – housing / settlement tactics / charities / defining persons treated as “child of the family” / Court of Protection. April 2019

ConTra seminar – Resolving Trust Disputes – September 2018

ConTra seminar – Inheritance Act Claims by Minor Children 2018

Memberships:

ConTra – The Contentious Trust Association

Back

Testimonials

Thank you for a very helpful and informative online meeting

I cannot thank you enough for all the work you have done and support you have provided during the most unsettling and distressing months of my life.

You have helped me immeasurably, and in addition, I so appreciate your empathy and understanding through the whole proceedings.

I would strongly recommend your representation and wish you certain, continued achievement in the future.

Private client

Thanks for all the hard work you’ve done over the last two years. […] You’ve been very professional all the way through and at the same time felt like a friend on my side.

Private client

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you so much for all your help throughout this process. Your kindness, professionalism, and calm, clear instructions have been an absolute life-saver. I cannot thank you enough.

Private client

[We] are extremely happy with the outcome and would like to thank you for all the hard work and effort that you have put into our case, you have done a done a fantastic job.

Private client

I am incredibly happy with your support, thanks to you it now looks like I’m going to have much more time with my children and much more freedom than I had going into this process – thank you so much.

Private Client

Can I please, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you have done for me over the past 18 months. You have been amazing and also so generous. I really truly appreciate it.

It’s onwards and upwards now for me, and it’s all thanks to you.

Private Client

Can I please just thank you for what you’ve done. You really have no idea how much that’s helped me out and I am so very grateful.

Private Client

Thank you very much for all of the advice and information you provided today. It has lifted a huge weight of worry off of my shoulders. I feel much more secure and positive about my situation.

Private Client

Many thanks for your excellent advice and guidance, very much appreciated.

Private Client

Thank you for all of your wisdom and expertise over the last few months, it has been invaluable in reaching the point we are now.

Private Client

The family department at Coffin Mew get a big shout out for providing the Cafcass reference numbers on their letters and emails. So many solicitors don’t even put court references so it made my day!

Private client, 2019

The team is a strong performer in complex financial remedy cases, and is also adept in contested children matters, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, and issues between same-sex or unmarried couples.

Legal 500, 2020

Well-regarded firm handling complex financial work, with a specialism in cases involving military pensions. Additionally deals with complex Children Act matters and nuptial agreements. Experienced in handling disputes between unmarried couples and matters concerning civil partnerships.

Chambers 2020

They are modern, forward-thinking and results-driven.

Client quote, Chambers 2020

Mark James has good technical knowledge and has been able to pick up on technical areas in our business to support his advice, which is always prompt and effective.

Client quote, Chambers 2020

The team have a lot of good knowledge and a good billing structure, and have always been able to advise on the expected price before work commences.

Client quote, Chambers 2020

With the firm being able to work across offices, the ‘highly motivated and committed‘ Southampton team regularly handles construction and property disputes.

Legal 500 2020

A key team member is contentious IP expert Ian Dawes. Recent highlights include leading a negotiation on behalf of E-Crunch over brand rights and an amicable settlement, and defending voice and video communications specialist DV02 against invalidity proceedings brought by O2 Worldwide.

Legal 500, 2019

Straight talking, robust and methodical.

Private client

Gives a client a complete feeling of confidence.

Private client

Always one step ahead of the opposition.

Private client

The firm has a friendly, professional and thorough approach to handling matters. The quality of work is very good. They have done things at the appropriate times and have been very practical.

Chambers & Partners, 2018

Coffin Mew LLP is ‘a well-established firm and one of the best operators in its area’ and fields a team that has ‘a practical and commonsense approach’. It handles a range of corporate and commercial disputes, including partnership cases and those in the technology, IP and construction areas. It attracts mandates from both national and international clients and is acting for E-Crunch in a variety of IP and property-related disputes. Ian Dawes heads of department; Mark James, who is based in Brighton, is recommended for property and construction-related disputes and ‘excellent’ associate Emma Stevens is ‘very hardworking and committed to her case’.

Legal 500, 2019

I am delighted with the manner in which you have handled my matter, very professional, prompt and efficient, thank you both for your efforts and advice.

Private Client

Quite simply, the collaborative approach to divorce settlement is the swiftest, most sensible, least hurtful and frankly the most cost effective way of paving the way for the future.

Private Client

I did not wish for my marriage to end and nor did my children, but, notwithstanding this, the collaborative approach led to a satisfactory conclusion for all that enabled the desire for aspects of family life to remain after Decree Absolute. Life changes, it doesn’t have to shatter.

Private Client

Very professional, prompt and efficient but helpful and friendly.

Private Client

Thank you so much for all your hard work. Thank you especially for being a friendly and helpful voice on the end of the phone. With great appreciation.

Private Client

Personal, friendly service whilst staying completely professional throughout. Again excellent and exceeded expectations. Thank you very much for the way the case has been dealt with. Very happy with overall service.

Private Client

I just wanted to say a massive thank you. I am incredibly grateful for your guidance, wisdom and professionalism throughout this process and for ensuring that we always took the right path. I will, of course, absolutely recommend the Coffin Mew team to friends, family, colleagues etc that find themselves in need of legal advice!

Private Client

I was very impressed with the service from both solicitors and would highly recommend them to others. Thank you very much for your help, advice, speed of response and keeping me informed regularly.

Private Client

An absolutely outstanding, efficient, friendly service that made my situation stress free. Great communication from the team. Will definitely recommend the services of Coffin Mew to all my family and friends. Thank you.

Private Client

I could not have made it through without your expertise, wisdom and supportive guidance. It has been such a comfort to know that you were there on the end of the phone.

Private Client

I just wanted to thank you so much for helping me, I’ve been so time poor since moving home but I cannot thank you enough for enabling this to happen for me you went above and beyond for me and I will be forever grateful.

Family client, 2019

I very much appreciate your patience and calm through a difficult process – I was very impressed with our meeting.

You were a huge support to me, although you were simply doing your job, it was your warmth, sensitivity and understanding that gave me the confidence to see it through.

Family client, 2018

Before meeting with Chris Gambs, I had lost hope of any resolution to the dispute I had with the executors. Chris was a very calm, but firm presence, which was just what I needed – an iron fist in a velvet glove. Chris very carefully explained the options at all stages, and I completely trusted his discretion on what to concede in order to achieve a positive outcome. I could not have been in better hands, and am very grateful for all Chris’s hard work.

Mrs N

Rachel gave me the best advice for my case, she is a good listener and above all very professional. I would recommend Rachel to anyone, as one of the best lawyers in probate in the UK!

Private Client, 2018

Coffin Mew LLP is ‘a well-established firm and one of the best operators in its area’ and fields a team that has ‘a practical and commonsense approach’. It handles a range of corporate and commercial disputes, including partnership cases and those in the technology, IP and construction areas.

Legal 500, 2019

Other team members

Ben Phillips

Trainee Solicitor

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