About Viv
Biography
Viv Wild qualified as a solicitor in 1988 and spent more than 26 years in private client practice, with the last two decades as one of the region's leading practitioners in estate, inheritance tax and succession planning for high net worth individuals and their families, dealing with all their Will and trust requirements.
She was a latterly a Partner at a Top 100 UK law firm and previously was a partner of and headed the Private Wealth teams at two Top 200 UK law firms.
She has been ranked individually since 2021 in Band 1 in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide (Leeds, Bradford and surrounds) and since 2020 as a Leading Individual in the Legal 500 Guide (Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate, Yorkshire).
Previously Viv also spent 11 years as Senior / Principal Lecturer in Law at the University of Huddersfield, where she was one of a few Senior Lecturers who created the Legal Practice Course, validated by the Law Society in 1992. There she led the Wills, Probate and Administration of Estates core module and the Private Client elective, amongst other modules, and was appointed External Examiner by the Law Society.
In September 2024, Viv qualified as a CEDR accredited mediator, with a focus on mediating estate and trust disputes.
What the directories say
“Vivienne is a brilliant lawyer. Vivienne is a fantastic person to know and deal with. Vivienne understands my situation and desired outcomes.”
“Vivienne Wild is very experienced in wills and trusts. She is very detailed, but has the ability to explain complex situations in simple terms. Vivienne Wild's extensive knowledge of trusts is invaluable, and she explained complicated tax matters in plain and understandable terms.”
Experience
Typical work highlights
Matters Viv has recently advised on include:
- Created a discretionary trust to receive a gift of a significant AIM share portfolio prior to the changes to the inheritance tax rules relating to business property relief
- Advised on lifetime gifting including on the mechanics for gifting the benefit of a part of an existing loan
- Acted for the Trustees of family trusts, drafting complex deeds of appointment and deeds of application to vary the existing terms of the trusts, and project managing the transactions
- Having identified several technical errors with 2 family trusts created by another firm of solicitors, acted for the Trustees of such trusts to rectify the problems
- Prepared new Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney for a HNW couple, including liaising with lawyers in Switzerland in terms of succession planning in respect of their real estate in Switzerland
- Prepared Wills to capture any available business property relief, incorporating various trust structures to protect the family wealth, and liaising with lawyers in Spain in respect of the preparation of separate Wills to deal with their property in Spain, working within parameters set by a pre-nuptial agreement
- Advised HNW clients on utilising the lower rate of inheritance tax by leaving at least 10% of their net estate to charity whilst still satisfying their other wishes for the distribution of their estate in the event of their death
- Advised and prepared Wills for married couples to capture on the "first death" the downsizing allowance in respect of the inheritance tax residence nil rate band
- Advised on many shareholder protection arrangements, working with colleagues in the corporate team, and drafted bespoke business trusts
Lecturing
Training experience
University of Huddersfield — Senior Lecturer / Principal Lecturer in Law (1991–2002)
- Co-created the Legal Practice Course, which received Law Society validation in 1992
- Subject leader, Wills, Probate and Administration of Estates (LPC core module)
- Subject leader, Private Client elective (LPC)
- Taught on Business Law and Practice, Accounts, Drafting, and Interviewing modules (LPC)
- Law Society appointed External Examiner, LPC
- Subject leader, Law of Succession (LLB); joint subject leader, Land Law and Revenue Law (LLB)
- Delivered annual CPD programmes for solicitors across the Huddersfield, Halifax, and Dewsbury areas
Qualifications
Education and qualifications
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CEDR
September 2024
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Accredited Mediator
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College of Law, Guildford
Sept 1985 – July 1986
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Law Society Finals — all parts passed at 1st sitting
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University of Leeds
Sept 1982 – July 1985
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LLB (Hons) 2:1 · Land Law Prize
Career
Career history
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Ward Hadaway
June 2022 – April 2026
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Equity Partner
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Civil Mediation Council
April 2025 – April 2026
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Registered Mediator
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Clarion
July 2015 – May 2022
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Partner (July 2015 - May 2022), Head of Private Wealth Team (July 2015 - March 2022)
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Stephenson Harwood
Dec 2013 – July 2015
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Senior Associate Solicitor
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Schofield Sweeney
Dec 2008 – Dec 2013
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Partner and Head of Private Client Team
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Armitage Sykes
Sept 2002 – Dec 2008
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Partner / Associate / Solicitor
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University of Huddersfield
Sept 1991 – Sept 2002
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Senior / Principal Lecturer in Law
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Hammond Suddards
March 1990 – Sept 1991
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Solicitor
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DLA Piper (formerly Broomhead / Dibb Lupton Broomhead)
Sept 1986 – March 1990
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Solicitor / Articled Clerk
Viv delivers training and mediation services through Viv Wild (Training and Mediation) Limited. See Legal page for company details.