Hewitt & Gilpin Solicitors

Legal Excellence since 1929

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Call: 02890 573573 or Send us a message

Derek Lawther

Derek graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1991 with an honours degree in Law. He qualified as a solicitor in 1993 and joined the practice in 2004 after spending 11 years with another city centre firm gaining experience in a wide range of areas of legal practice.

Derek Lawther

He is based in the Private Client department and specialises in a full range of private client matters including acting in the sale and purchase of residential, business and agricultural property on behalf of private clients, companies, trustees in bankruptcy, administrators, receivers and banks.

He also acts for developers in the sale of the various properties comprised in their developments and in the sale of lands by auction to include representing the client at the auction. 

In addition, Derek provides advice to churches and other charitable trusts and companies in relation to the acquisition or sale of property and mortgages. He is also involved in establishing charitable trusts to include the drafting of trust deeds and in providing advice in relation to both the administration of such trusts and the impact of charities legislation.

Derek provides advice to private clients regarding the meaning and effect of guarantees. He also acts for clients in remortgaging transactions.

Acting in the administration of estates forms part of Derek’s caseload, ranging from substantial estates that involve the payment of inheritance tax to more modestly valued ones. On occasion and, where appropriate, he has drafted deeds of variation thereby securing a significant reduction in the inheritance tax bill applicable to the estate. 

Derek provides advice on all aspects of the drafting and subsequent implementation of wills to include overall inheritance tax planning strategies and regularly reviewing those wills as required by clients. Derek has also acted on behalf of a client who was the beneficiary of a will but was subject to a claim by another family member who challenged the client’s entitlement. The case was ultimately settled with a very favourable result being obtained for the client. 

Providing advice to clients regarding the nature, effect and implications of Enduring Powers of Attorney, making Controllership applications to the Office of Care and Protection and acting for clients in registering Enduring Powers of Attorney in the same office are matters which are also dealt with by Derek.

To contact Derek please email dlawther@hewittandgilpin.co.uk or call on 028 90 573 575