Jessica Godfrey‑Withey is a partner in Birketts’ private client advisory team, with more than a decade of experience advising on all aspects of succession planning, including wills, powers of attorney, inheritance tax strategies and lifetime gifting. She has particular expertise supporting farming families and family owned businesses, and she is highly experienced in administering complex estates and advising on trusts, their restructuring and associated tax considerations. Clients describe her as “a true up‑and‑coming star in the private client arena”.
What was your career path to your current role?
My career with Birketts began early. I first joined the firm for work experience at 16 and then returned at 18. Those experiences confirmed that being a solicitor – and more specifically a solicitor at Birketts – was exactly what I wanted to be and ultimately inspired me to pursue law as a career. After completing my studies, I joined Birketts as a trainee solicitor in 2013 and have built my career here ever since. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with an exceptional team, developing my expertise in succession planning, estate administration and trusts. My progression has always been clear and well supported, and I was delighted to recently be promoted to partner, having effectively grown from a work experience student to a member of the partnership at the same firm.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer but if I had taken a different path, I think it would have been something in the art world – perhaps art history or working as a buyer. I’ve always been drawn to the stories, judgement and eye for detail that sit behind great collections – although perhaps this isn’t too different to private client advisory work!
What keeps you motivated in your work?
In private client, the work is built on long-term relationships and trust, so for me it is really important to ensure that clients feel confident, supported, and well advised at every stage. Clients are at the core of all that we do.
I also work with a great team, and this is a huge source of motivation for me. Working with individuals who collaborate and are committed to achieving high standards makes a real difference day to day.
What has been the best development in wills and probate in the last 20 years?
The move to online probate applications has been a real game‑changer, especially for excepted estates where no full inheritance tax return is needed. It has made the process far simpler and quicker for families at an already difficult time.
And the worst?
The growing complexity of the tax and regulatory landscape. It creates uncertainty for clients, and makes long-term planning more difficult, particularly as my job is about providing reassurance and certainty to individuals and families.
If you could bring in one new piece of legislation for the sector, what would it be and why?
I’d introduce a rule that everyone must make a will by the age of, say, 30 with some sort of celebratory ‘gift’ allowed once it’s done. It would save endless headaches later and make will‑writing feel far more like a milestone and less like a chore!
What piece of legislation would you take off the statute books and why?
As someone who advises family owned businesses and farming families, it has got to be the changes to APR and BPR. The changes will place significant pressure on family owned businesses, particularly where the assets are illiquid; the real impact will be felt over the coming years as families are forced to consider sales or restructuring to meet potential tax liabilities.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
“It’s not always about you!” Clients, colleagues and people in general can be dealing with all manner of sensitive or complex personal situations, so if things don’t go as you expect don’t take it personally – stay objective and be empathetic.
What advice would you like to give to someone just starting out?
Build a good network of peers. The people you meet at those early networking events or within your firm or office will be the people you go through your career with. You’ll be able to relate to each other’s challenges, celebrate the milestones, and ultimately be a great referral network moving forward.
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I have danced on stage at The London Palladium.
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