David Bird
I am Head of the Private Client Department, as well as the Firm’s finance partner and COFA.
I qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and joined Crane & Staples in April 2000, becoming a Partner with the firm in April 2003.
My areas of expertise include:
- Probate and Estate Administration - specialising in complex, high-value estates, often with overseas assets and cross-border considerations; advising executors, beneficiaries, and trustees; and acting as a professional Executor when appointed.
- Wills
- Creation and administration of Trusts
- Tax planning, including inheritance tax and capital gains tax considerations
- Powers of Attorney
- Court of Protection matters, including complex capacity matters.
- Providing general advice to older, unwell or vulnerable individuals and their families.
Accreditations
I am a fully accredited member of both Lifetime Lawyers and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
I am a Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer and a Ranked Individual in the Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide.
Professional Memberships
For many years, I have been an active member of the Hertfordshire Law Society Probate and Trust Committee, which I now chair.
I was Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Hertfordshire Law Society from January 2002 until January 2008, when I became Vice-President. I served as the Hertfordshire Law Society President in 2009, and remained on its governing Council until 31 December 2022.
I previously sat on a Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) sub-Committee looking into Alternative Business Structures.
Outside the office
My sporting interests are very much of the outdoor variety – such as skiing, cycling and mountain walking although I still play indoor 5 a side football.
I also have a passion for history and a decent pint of real ale! Many of these activities have been somewhat curtailed since the birth of my two sons!
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David is very patient, professional and thorough. He handled the situation very well and professionally. He is very professional and fair. He handled the specific situation very sensitively. David kept the ship steady throughout. He was very patient and handled it very well.
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We would like to thank you for all the help you have given us with the administration of the estate. We have been very pleased with how you have handled all of the complicated business with the Trust Fund as well as successfully obtaining the Grant of Probate earlier this year.
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Thank you once again for all that you have done for us and for your excellent help.
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It just remains for me to thank you very much for dealing so professionally and efficiently with the whole process.
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I know and trust David Bird… he is excellent. He is rapid, reliable, honest and trustworthy and has great integrity.
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Our family's requirements were handled diligently, with kindness and efficiency throughout. For thirty years Crane and Staples have met all our legal needs and offered value for money.
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It was easy to develop a good working relationship with David. His advice was reliable and trustworthy.
Chambers HNW 2023 -
My wife and I have used Crane and Staples to prepare our Wills. We found David Bird to be both friendly and efficient, explaining the technicalities of the process and documents very well. We feel confident that his advice will benefit both ourselves and our eventual beneficiaries.
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Thank you for your sympathetic handling of all matters relating to our father’s Estate. You made a difficult time easier for us to get through.
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David Bird has consistently demonstrated an ability to gain a rapid appreciation of client requirements and to articulate advice in helpful terms that the layman can understand easily. This has proved invaluable in arriving at effective solutions relating to the financial management of family affairs.
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David is very patient and professional and thorough.
Chambers HNW 2024 -
David Bird is very easy to work with - very knowledgeable but friendly and reassuring.
Chambers HNW 2024 -
He really is the best legal person that I have dealt with.
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I wish to thank you personally and most sincerely for your expertise and attention in helping us to formulate and finalise our wills. As you know very well, the complexities of ‘step’ families can be worrying, and your help has been invaluable in making the process as smooth and understandable as possible for all of us. With much appreciation.