Dr Dawn De Coteau

Dawn’s Specialities

Contentious Probate & Inheritance Disputes | Wills & Trusts | Commercial & Contractual Disputes | Professional Negligence | Governance & Regulatory Matters | Cross-Border Disputes

Directory summary:

Dawn is a Barrister, accredited mediator, Fellow of CILEX and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She heads the Private Client Disputes and Contentious Probate team at Culver Law.

Key Mediation Expertise

• Contentious probate, inheritance, wills and trusts disputes

• Disputes involving executors, beneficiaries and fiduciary duties

• Allegations of fraud, undue influence, incapacity and financial abuse

• Commercial and contractual disputes

• Corporate governance and regulatory matters

• Professional and medical negligence claims

• Court of Protection and property and financial affairs disputes

• Complex and cross-border disputes

Dr Dawn De Coteau is an experienced lawyer, accredited mediator and arbitrator with a broad, multi-jurisdictional legal practice.

She heads the Private Client Disputes and Contentious Probate team at Culver Law, where she advises on complex disputes involving estates, inheritance, wills, trusts, executors, beneficiaries and Court of Protection matters.

Dawn is called to the Bar in England and Wales, Grenada, St Christopher and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, a CILEX Probate and Civil Litigation Practitioner and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

In 2024, Dawn was recognised as Best International Private Client Lawyer by Acquisition International.

Private Client and Contentious Probate Experience

Dawn has substantial experience advising individuals, families, executors, beneficiaries and high-net-worth clients on sensitive and often complex private client disputes.

Her work includes contentious probate claims involving allegations of fraud, undue influence and lack of testamentary capacity, together with disputes concerning estate administration, fiduciary duties, trusts and inheritance.

She also advises on contested Court of Protection proceedings, including disputes involving property and financial affairs, safeguarding concerns, allegations of financial abuse and the removal or replacement of deputies.

Her cross-border experience enables her to work effectively with disputes involving assets, individuals or legal issues across England and Wales and Caribbean jurisdictions.

Commercial, Governance and Regulatory Experience

Alongside her private client practice, Dawn has experience in civil and commercial litigation, professional and medical negligence, corporate governance and regulatory compliance.

She has advised on commercial agreements, joint ventures, acquisitions and corporate transactions, as well as advising boards, senior management teams, public bodies and governments on governance, regulatory and strategic issues.

Her wider professional work has included anti-corruption research, legal reform, public-sector transformation and the development of governance and regulatory frameworks.

This gives her a strong understanding of disputes involving financial conduct, institutional responsibilities and reputational risk.

Dispute Resolution Experience

Dawn is an ADrG-accredited mediator and has extensive experience of mediation, arbitration and negotiated dispute resolution.

She has served as an arbitrator in more than nine matters, managing proceedings and evaluating detailed evidence and legal submissions.

She has also represented and advised clients in mediations involving civil litigation, wills, estates, estate bonds and contentious probate disputes.

This experience enables her to understand both the formal legal issues and the personal, commercial and practical considerations that influence settlement.

Approach to Mediation

Dawn adopts a calm, strategic and pragmatic approach.

She takes time to understand the issues underlying a dispute, the objectives of each participant and the practical obstacles to settlement.

She helps parties assess their positions realistically, consider the risks and costs of continuing the dispute and explore workable options for resolution.

Her experience of sensitive family disputes, complex financial issues and cross-cultural matters allows her to create an inclusive and constructive environment in which participants can communicate openly and feel heard.

Dawn’s aim is to help parties move beyond entrenched positions and work towards an outcome that is practical, proportionate and capable of providing lasting resolution.

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Politics – University of Liverpool

• LLM International and Maritime Law (Distinction)

• LLB Law (Hons)

• Barrister Training Professional Course

• ADrG-accredited Mediator

• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives

• CILEX Probate and Civil Litigation Practitioner

• Full Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners