Wills, Estate Administration and Distribution Disputes

Our Philosophy 

The disputes that we deal with inevitably involve issues which are highly emotional and of very great importance to the individuals concerned. The law in this area is complex. We provide a friendly and sympathetic service to our clients in order to ease their journey towards a resolution of the dispute in which they have become involved. Our advice is practical and pragmatic. Wills, trusts and estate disputes (also known as contentious trust and probate) describes a wide range of specialist work in the following areas:

• • Validity of Wills
  • Will and succession disputes
  • Professional negligence concerning the administration of trusts and estates
  • Professional negligence concerning the drafting of Wills
  • Issues arising during the administration of an estate
  • Issues arising from Lasting Powers of Attorney
  • Issues arising from Deputyships
  • Construction & Interpretation of Wills
  • Claims for Reasonable Financial Provision from a Deceased Person’s Estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
  • The Protection of Elderly & Infirm Persons
  • Mediation

The team is led by Stuart Downey. Stuart works closely with a number of selected Barristers who are also experts in the field of Wills, trusts and estates disputes, so that when circumstances require it, there is immediate access to additional expertise and resources.

The firm has a large and highly regarded Private Client team who deal with Wills, trusts, the administration of estates and tax issues, so that we also have a wide range of additional resources within the firm that we can call upon as required.

Our Expertise

Stuart is a solicitor and Notary Public, a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and full member of the Society for Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), as well as Solicitors for the Elderly, and is recommended in the current edition of The Legal 500.

Case Studies

Please follow the links below to view our summaries of some cases in which we have been involved, which are designed to highlight scenarios where we would strongly recommend that you come to speak to us regarding Wills, trusts and estate disputes. The case studies do not provide an exhaustive list, but we recommend getting in touch if you:

• Have concerns as to the validity of a Will:

  

• Consider that a Will did not make fair and reasonable financial provision for you:

       

   

• Any Will that you have an interest under is ambiguous/uncertain as to its terms:

   

• Problems arise in the administration of an estate that you have a financial interest in: