Sophie Ashford

Sophie Ashford is an associate in our leading Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts team and advises clients from our Reading and Wokingham offices, as well as our Henley-on-Thames office and remotely.

Sophie deals with the preparation of Wills, estate and inheritance tax planning, probate and estate administration and drafting lasting powers of attorney (LPAs). She is a trained Dementia Friend, an Alzheimer's Society initiative.

Sophie joined Blandy & Blandy in 2024, having previously worked at firms in Wales. She became an associate solicitor in 2025.

Examples of recent work

• Advising clients on Wills to incorporate suitable trusts to provide sufficient provision and protection for disabled/vulnerable beneficiaries.
• Acting in the administration of multiple agricultural estates and successfully claiming Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief.
• Preparing an application for a Grant on Credit where there were insufficient cash assets in an estate to settle the Inheritance Tax liability.
• Liaising and negotiating with the Valuation Office Agency to agree a probate valuation of a high value property.
• Acting in the administration of an estate where lifetime ‘Loan Trusts’ and ‘Discounted Gift Trusts’ had been created by the deceased.
• Advising a family on the preparation of a Deed of Variation of a Will to minimise exposure to Inheritance Tax.