Ward Hadaway appoints Matthew Morton partner

Ward Hadaway has strengthened its commercial litigation team by appointing Matthew Morton as a partner. This move aims to bolster the firm’s private client disputes capability throughout England. Matthew will spearhead the growth of disputed wills, trusts, and estates work specifically in Yorkshire and the North West alongside specialist colleagues from other offices. This appointment is part of the firm’s broader strategy to enhance its private client practice on a national scale.

With over 20 years of experience, Matthew has concentrated on contentious trusts and probate for the past 15 years. Previously, he was Head of Disputed Wills, Trusts and Estates at Weightmans. His focus at Ward Hadaway will be on private individuals and high-value estates, including those with agricultural assets and intricate family structures.

Commenting on his appointment, Matthew said “I’ve joined Ward Hadaway to grow our dedicated disputed wills, trusts and estates offering. There is a clear opportunity to build on the firm’s existing strengths and further develop its capability across England. Our work spans a broad range of contentious issues, from challenges involving family estates through to high-value matters involving agricultural land and significant property portfolios. The aim is to grow a sustainable practice, develop a strong pipeline of work and continue to build a team over time to support that growth.”

Matthew is recognised in Chambers and Partners for private wealth disputes in Yorkshire and the North East and is a dedicated member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists.

Emma Digby, Executive Partner in Ward Hadaway’s Leeds office and head of the firm’s Commercial Litigation team, stated “Matthew’s appointment strengthens our capability and adds further depth to our private client expertise. His experience in building and leading a specialist contentious trusts and probate practice will support our plans to grow this area of work in Yorkshire, the North West and the West Midlands. We are seeing increasing demand for advice in this space, driven in part by rising property values and more complex family arrangements. Greater awareness of the ability to challenge wills and estates is also contributing to higher levels of dispute. Building on the successful work of the Newcastle-based contentious probate team and strengthening our presence in Leeds is an important step in supporting clients nationally - it’s great to have him on board.”

The firm’s Managing Partner, Steven Petrie, added “Attracting talented partners to extend our service and reach is a central tenet of our growth strategy. I am delighted to welcome Matthew to the firm, building on an already growing service line, and strengthening our national private client offering.”

Ward Hadaway has a workforce of nearly 600 and operates from several offices located in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, and Teesside.