Akkelin Harris Partner

Akkelin is a Partner in the Private Client team at Swinburne Maddison, bringing a wealth of experience to the firm. She joined Swinburne Maddison in November 2024, following her role as Partner and Head of Private Client at another North East law firm. Akkelin qualified as a solicitor in 1998 after completing her LLB at King’s College London and later earning a STEP diploma in 2021.

Akkelin specialises in wills and succession planning, trusts, probate and estate administration, powers of attorney, and mental capacity and Court of Protection matters. She is well-regarded for her expertise in advising trustees on trust administration, tax implications, trustee duties, and registration, as well as drafting complex trust documents and deeds of appointment. Akkelin’s clients range from high-net-worth individuals requiring bespoke estate planning solutions to agricultural clients and families with vulnerable beneficiaries.

Known for her meticulous approach, Akkelin places great emphasis on providing tailored solutions to complex private client matters. Her values of integrity and kindness are evident in her client care, ensuring each client receives the same level of dedication regardless of case complexity. Akkelin works with a number of agricultural clients, trustees, and executors handling complex estates, as well as high-net-worth individuals in need of succession planning.

• Wills, Trusts and Probate
• Estate administration
• Powers of Attorney
• Mental Capacity and Court of Protection

With over 25 years of legal experience, Akkelin has built a reputation for delivering high-quality private client services. Focusing on delivering practical solutions tailored to their unique circumstances, Akkelin’s day-to-day work involves drafting wills, setting up trusts, and guiding executors through estate administration. She frequently liaises with accountants and financial advisers to ensure comprehensive wealth management for clients. Akkelin also handles complex tax planning issues, provides strategic advice to trustees, and supports vulnerable clients through lasting powers of attorney and Court of Protection applications. Throughout her work, she remains committed to delivering exceptional service by maintaining clear communication, building long-term client relationships, and ensuring that legal processes are handled efficiently.

Career highlights:

• Successfully administering an agricultural estate valued at over £7 million, ensuring continuity of the farm business during the administration period.
• Leading the administration of a £3 million agricultural estate, which involved complex discretionary trust arrangements.
• Advising on and preparing a deed of appropriation for an estate valued at around £2 million, resulting in a significant reduction in tax liability through strategic use of beneficiary CGT allowances.
• Obtaining a grant of probate in England based on a foreign non-commonwealth equivalent grant.
• Preparing and executing deeds of appointment to wind up a trust with a complex history, avoiding significant 10-year periodic charges within a tight deadline.

Akkelin is a Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).