Lawyer faces huge bill over failed inheritance claim

A former City lawyer is facing a £1 million legal bill after losing her claim to an 18^th-century stately home worth around £15m.

Leigh White had been a long-term friend of 87-year-old David Gladstone, a former high commissioner to Sri Lanka and a descendant of the Victorian Prime Minister William Gladstone.

Ms White had moved into the Grade 1-listed Wotton House, near Aylesbury, in 2017 following the death of Mr Gladstone’s son.

She claimed she had become the “successor and heiress” to Mr Gladstone based on promises he had made to her that the stately home and two other properties would go to her when he died.

She added that she began living at the grand house, at his request, to help with managing the estate and had also given up her legal practice.

The High Court heard that, in 2020, Mr Gladstone had departed for Cumbria with his second wife, Mary, to shield from Covid-19. However, when he decided to return, Ms White refused to move out. This led to him suing her for possession, with Ms White countersuing, pointing to the promises she claimed had been made.

Mr Justice Trower rejected Ms White’s claim that she was heir to Mr Gladstone’s estate and ordered her to vacate the property “forthwith”.

He added that Mr Gladstone had made no promise that she would inherit.

“From David’s point of view, he was simply expressing a statement of present intent that he would like Leigh to have a significant managerial role in the running of Wotton after his death,” the judge said. “He was very fond of her [and] he valued her practical and legal abilities, on which he continued to place considerable reliance.”

Mr Justice Trower also pointed out that Ms White had rejected an offer to settle the case before the trial which had increased her costs bill.