Paul Horton

About Paul

Paul Horton is a partner in the Wills, estates, tax and trusts team based in our Lincoln office.

Paul is a succession planning specialist, with over 20 years of experience in a range of services including Wills, lifetime trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and probate.

In his role, he helps families to order their affairs to deal with death, divorce or lack of capacity, ensuring their wealth can be passed on appropriately in light of their circumstances.

He is an experienced professional trustee and acts in this capacity for a number of private family trusts, where he manages all types of wealth - from shares in the family business to portfolios of investments.

In the event of a client passing away, he is also an experienced executor. This requires not only sound legal advice but also organisation and the ability to understand and support families during a very difficult time.

Key specialisms

Wills
Paul’s extensive experience allows him to guide clients through the issues they need to consider when creating a Will, supporting them in choosing the correct type of Will for their circumstances.
He is able to support with anything from straightforward Wills, to those requiring multiple substantive trust arrangements, as well as advising on taxation issues including inheritance and capital gains tax.
Lifetime Trusts
Setting up a lifetime trust can be a daunting prospect for clients approaching it for the first time, but they can have material benefits. Paul is able to discuss these benefits with clients, setting out the tax and compliance issues that need to be addressed.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Paul is a Lasting Power of Attorney expert and his role involves guiding clients through the issues they need to consider, preparing the papers and ensuring they are executed correctly.
He is also able to include instructions and guidance in cases where there are special circumstances to consider, such as a pension trustee role.
Probate
Administering an estate after death can be extremely complicated, particularly when there are substantive assets, tax and family dynamics to navigate.
Paul’s experience as an executor, and his training in this field, helps him to guide clients through this process in a way that avoids pitfalls and delays.
Sectors

Agriculture
Paul acts for a number of farming clients to help them pass on unique and often long-held assets, including the farm business and its land, to the next generation.
Often, agriculture clients have competing aims with family members when passing on the business. The conflict of these aims, combined with complex ownership structures, requires a methodical legal approach. Paul works closely with these clients to obtain information and instructions, providing clear advice and assistance to ensure they achieve their objectives.
Business interests
Throughout his career, Paul has acted for many clients who own their own business and wish to sell or pass it on to the next generation.
He has a wealth of experience in providing assistance with the correct Will structure to support the ownership of a business, as well as pre-planning ahead of a sale to ensure the financial results of the sale are structured appropriately.
Education

Paul studied at Keele University and completed his Legal Practice Course (LPC) at Chester College of Law, before qualifying in 2002.
Voluntary work and memberships

Paul holds full membership with STEP and is an active supporter of the organisation. This qualification is a testament to his proven expertise and commitment to excellence, and his ongoing professional development equips him with the proficiency to provide clients with exceptional advice.