Barbara Rich

a "swift, intelligent advocate"’
Chambers UK 2007 : Chancery - Traditional

‘a prominent [pensions] junior…especially for disputes’
The Legal 500 (2006)

 Practice

Barbara Rich practises in:

•  contentious trusts and estates
• applications to the Court of Protection
• pensions litigation, and
• related professional negligence.

She is regularly instructed to act for the Official Solicitor to the Supreme Court in representing patients and children in trusts and estates litigation and frequently appears in the Court of Protection.

Professional reputation

Barbara is recommended as a leading junior in the private client: trusts and probate and pensions sections of both The Legal 500 (2006) and Legal Experts 2006 and in the traditional Chancery and pensions sections of Chambers UK 2007, which notes that she ‘catches the eye for her "non-barristerial manner and ability to put clients at ease."’

Notable cases
Barbara’s notable cases include:

Trusts
Iliffe v Trafford & FitzGerald
[2002] WTLR 507 (defence to trustees' liability to account on footing of wilful default)

Estates
Ottey v Grundy Court of Appeal
[2003] WTLR 1253 (proprietary estoppel - causation and detriment in claim against estate of former co-habitee)

Gandhi v Patel
[2002] 1 FLR 603 - Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 - whether claimant a survivor of a void marriage entered into in good faith

Fuller v Strum
[2001] WTLR 677 (probate - alleged forgery of will)

Singer v Isaac
[2001] WTLR 1045 (Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 - surviving spouse - relevance of deceased's memoranda)

Jennings v Rice
High Court [2001] WTLR 871 and CA [2002] WTLR 367 (proprietary estoppel - extent of equity required to do justice)

Court of Protection
Re F
[2004] WTLR 657 (statutory will – court’s approach to specific devise in previous will)

Pensions
Lewis v Pensions Ombudsman
[2005] PLR 195 (interpretation for pension enhancement)

Stevens v Bell
[2001] PLR 99 (British Airways pension scheme litigation)

Bestrustees v Stuart
[2001] PLR 283 (interpretation of documents effecting equalisation in pension scheme)

Other
Braymist v Wise Finance Co Ltd
(High Court and CA) [2002] 2 All ER 333 (enforceability of pre-incorporation contract for sale of land)

Publications and lecturing
Barbara is a contributor to the 13th edition of Heywood & Massey: Court of Protection Practice. She has also published articles in various professional journals and regularly lectures in topics within her area of expertise.

Professional memberships
Barbara is a member of the Chancery Bar Association and the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate.

Education
1971-1978 St Paul’s Girls’ School, London
1979-1982 Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, BA English Literature
1988-1989 Polytechnic of Central London, Diploma in Law
1989-1990 Inns of Court School of Law