Joanna Nolan is a Solicitor in Swinburne Maddison’s Private Client team, advising individuals and families on a wide range of estate planning and estate administration matters. Having qualified as a solicitor in September 2025, Joanna brings experience gained through a varied training contract and early career in private practice.
Joanna studied at Sunderland University, where she completed both her LLB and LLM with integrated Legal Practice Course (LPC). After graduating, she worked as a Conveyancing Assistant before commencing her training contract. During her training, she completed seats in Commercial, Private Client, Corporate and Litigation, including experience dealing with contentious probate matters.
Joanna advises clients on wills, estate planning, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and estate administration. Her work includes preparing wills and estate planning documents, drafting and registering Lasting Powers of Attorney, establishing trusts, preparing Deeds of Variation and managing estate administrations from initial instruction through to final distribution.
She is known for her compassionate and client-focused approach, recognising that clients often seek private client advice during significant and emotional periods in their lives. Joanna takes pride in providing clear communication, practical advice and a supportive service that helps clients feel understood, informed and reassured throughout the process.
- Preparation of Wills
- Preparation and registration of Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Estate Administration
- Creation and Administration of Trusts
- Drafting Deeds of Variation
Joanna’s experience includes advising clients on:
- Preparation of Wills tailored to individual and family circumstances
- Estate planning and succession planning arrangements
- Preparation and registration of Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Establishing and administering trusts
- Advising clients on the practical implications of trust structures and wider inheritance tax planning
- Drafting Deeds of Variation
- Obtaining Probate and estate administration
- Managing estate administrations from initial instruction through to the distribution of assets
- Advising personal representatives throughout the administration process
One of Joanna’s most rewarding matters involved supporting a client through a contentious probate dispute during a particularly difficult and emotional time. Through careful handling of the matter and a pragmatic approach to negotiations, she helped achieve a successful settlement and a positive outcome for the client.
Joanna recognises that effective estate planning is not a one-size-fits-all exercise. She regularly advises clients on the suitability of trust arrangements, helping them understand the implications of their decisions and whether a particular structure will genuinely achieve their objectives, including from an inheritance tax planning perspective.
Joanna intends to continue developing her expertise across all aspects of private client law, building on her experience in estate planning, trust work, estate administration and contentious probate matters.
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