Upcoming Events
NAIA x ACTAPS Seminar
29 April 2026 | 15:30-19:00 | Cardiff
This seminar and networking event is being held in conjunction with both of the National Association of Independent Administrators and the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists, hosted by Hugh James at their Cardiff office.
Chaired by HHJ Paul Matthews, our panel of Alex Troup KC, Danielle Cahill, Fiona Lawrence, Thomas Middlehurst and Toby Bishop will present a lively discussion on:
The role of the professional personal representative in contentious estates: maintaining neutrality while seeking directions from the court, and knowing when neutrality is no longer viable.
Declarations of trust and uncertainty: practical problems where historic documentation creates disputes over beneficial interests.
Dealing with challenging parties: procedural, practical and strategic challenges when beneficiaries are unrepresented or located in another jurisdiction.
AI and modern party behaviour: how technology is influencing the way parties research, frame and pursue claims, and where a litigant in person is quoting AI in their pleadings.
Case management tools of the court: including unless orders, civil restraint orders and other mechanisms used to control prolonged or unmeritorious litigation.
The role of section 50 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985: is it still fit for purpose, and how to best utilise it in a contentious estate.
Agenda:
15:30-16:00: Arrivals and registrations
16:00-17:30: Seminar and panel discussion
17:30-19:00: Networking, drinks and canapés
Invitations are being emailed to the NAIA and ACTAPS membership direct. Please contact us if you would like to be added.
NAIA Summer Party 2026
16 June 2026 | 18:00-23:00 | London
We are pleased to announce the date of our NAIA summer party for 2026, which will be held in Central London.
Further details will be shared with members in the coming weeks.
NAIA Next Gen Evening 2026
25 March 2026 | 18:00-21:00 | London
The NAIA Next Generation Committee was pleased to welcome members from all NAIA firms to join in the launch of NAIA Next Gen: a dedicated space bridging the junior end of contentious and non-contentious practitioners, in the independent administration world.
This event allowed next gen NAIA members to meet the committee and other junior colleagues in an informal evening of drinks, canapes and networking, hosted by member firm Irwin Mitchell.
It was a very well attended event, and the Next Generation Committee has further junior-targeted initiatives in the works.
Spring Seminar 2026: The Highs and Lows of Acting as an Independent Administrator
Birmingham | Cambridge | London | Norwich
For our Spring Seminar 2026 and networking evening, Bolt Burdon’s Kristie Buckingham was joined by Mills & Reeve’s Kieran Leahy, alongside Helen Stewart from Thomson Snell & Passmore and Edward Hicks from Radcliffe Chambers for a frank and honest conversation about the day to day running of Independent Administrator matters. They gave candid insights and practical guidance drawn from the panel’s own experience. Edward then shared his expertise as to how Independent Administrators can best protect their position through the court on Public Trustee v Cooper applications, court approved retentions, and court approved accounts.
The evening was was hosted at Bolt Burdon's office in London and livestreamed to Mills & Reeve's offices in Birmingham, Cambridge and Norwich.
Photos from the evening are in the gallery on the event page.
Autumn Seminar 2025: Death and Debt: Priorities, Pitfalls, and Practitioner Guidance
Bristol | London
A seminar and networking evening hosted by Michelmores at their London and Bristol offices.
Natasha McKeever, Lily Pidge, Alexa Payet and Emma Bryson presented on:
Legal framework for insolvent estates
Duties and responsibilities of personal representatives
Order of priority in debt repayment
Practical challenges in administering insolvent estates
Legal position of a bankrupt beneficiary
Photos from the event are in the gallery on the event page
NAIA’s First Year Anniversary Party
The National Association of Independent Administrators (‘NAIA’) celebrated our First Year Anniversary at the OXO Tower. Members were invited to join us for an evening of drinks and canapés, sponsored by Level and Southey & Co, a subsidiary of Property Solutions Group and XXIV Old Buildings.
Photos from the event are in the gallery linked to the event page.
Webinar: Administrators’/ Executors’ Costs Post-Kenig
Webinar hosted by Freeths LLP.
This webinar was an additional presentation of Spring Seminar 2025 as presented by Edward Hewitt of 5 Stone Buildings and Kevin Latham of Kings Chambers. The webinar deals with the recovery of costs for Independent Administrators post Kenig; and the detailed assessment procedure, including the distinct rules for assessing non-contentious costs
The webinar is available for download in the Members Area, along with the original seminar slides.
Spring Seminar 2025: Administrators’/ Executors’ Costs Post-Kenig
This seminar was presented by Edward Hewitt of 5 Stone Buildings and Kevin Latham of Kings Chambers, a costs specialist and Deputy Costs Judge of the Senior Courts Costs Office, sharing their expertise on:
the recovery of costs for Independent Administrators post Kenig
the detailed assessment procedure, including the distinct rules for assessing non-contentious costs
The talk was be followed by an open discussion and the opportunity to ask questions.
The slides from this seminar are available in the Members Area, along with a webinar download.
Winter Seminar 2024: An evening with HHJ Paul Matthews
HHJ Paul Matthews, resident Chancery Judge of the Business and Property Courts in Bristol, joined us for the evening as our keynote speaker. The seminar was hosted by Oliver Auld of Charles Russell Speechlys and introduced by NAIA’s Chair, Helen Stewart, and was followed by an open discussion, providing participants the opportunity to ask HHJ Paul Matthews their questions.
This event was sponsored by Southey & Co a subsidiary of Property Solutions Group.
Spring Seminar 2024: Corporate mess – expecting the unexpected. Navigating the complexities of corporate and company assets in estate administration
The Spring Seminar 2024 was presented by Monika Byrska, Emily Mailer, Vernon Dennis and Gillian White, all of Howard Kennedy.
The seminar was followed by an open discussion giving all participants an opportunity to discuss or ask questions about tricky corporate issues they have come across when administering estates; and an evening of networking.
Events are for members only. Please check your emails for your invitation.