Wills, trusts and probate solicitors
Every family is different. Therefore our wills, trusts and probate legal services are shaped around your specific, individual needs.
Our wills and trusts solicitors are experienced in helping families in a variety of circumstances. We get to know you, understand your precise wishes, ensure your family is protected and your wealth is passed on in the most secure, tax-efficient way.
How we can help
Our wills, trusts and probate legal services are based on wide-ranging experience and a comprehensive knowledge of tax laws. We have a first class reputation in this area, and are known across the country for the work we do. Our team comprises experts in estate planning, creating and managing trusts, probate, estate administration, accounting and taxation.
Many of our clients have complex personal and business needs, so we provide project management support, co-ordinating all aspects of their succession and tax planning with multiple professional advisers across several jurisdictions, leaving the client with one clear point of contact throughout. We also have a team that specialises in cross-border tax and succession planning for international clients.
Whatever your position we will ensure your exposure to tax is minimised and your wealth maximised.
Our specialist team can advise on:
- Making a Will
- Estate planning
- Creating a trust
- Trust management
- Court of Protection
- Probate & estate administration
- Powers of Attorney
- Cross-border tax and succession planning for international clients
Specialist dispute resolution
Legal disagreements relating to wills, estates, inheritance and probate can arise and are often complex. With the largest team of specialist dispute lawyers, we can ensure your interests are protected and advise on a range of disputes, including:
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Related services
Meet the team
Our wills, trusts and probate experience
Dealt with a complex estate advising a beneficiary on their entitlement under a will, including the priority for funding a will trust and the repayment of a loan to an existing trust.
Acted as an executor and trustee in the administration of large complex estate where the deceased died before finalising his succession planning or business planning.
Successfully resolved a complex dispute over the validity of a Deceased’s Will and the administration of an estate, which included a high value business and assets with a collective value of c£6 million.
Advising a UK national married to a non-UK national on a mutual wills agreement and its enforceability across two jurisdictions.
Advised and acted as executor and trustee of a number of complex probates and family trusts.
Advising a widow pursuing an inheritance claim in a high value estate seeking to vary her entitlement under the terms of her late husband’s Will, resolved following a mediation.
Successfully representing a client who brought a claim alleging a will was invalid on the grounds of undue influence and the testator lacked capacity when making the will.
Acted for the trustees of a rural landed estate held on a will trust, advising on the termination and eventual distribution of the underlying assets.
Advised a high net worth businesswoman on complex international, and disputed, probate issues over 13 years so as to recover over £1 million for the ultimate beneficiaries of the estate.
Acting in the probate sale of a large rectory and adjoining fields that involved the negotiation of a farm business tenancy and the transfer of a cautionary interest.
Our client successes
Defending a high profile Inheritance Act claim against a £7m estate.
3 min
Anthony Shearer, a successful chief executor of Singer and Friedlander merchant bank, had passed away leaving behind a sizable £7m estate to his surviving spouse. Neither of the deceased’s two daughters from a previous marriage (who were aged 40 and 38 at the date of trial) had been left anything under the deceased’s will. During his lifetime, the deceased had given each of his daughters money for the deposit on properties to live in and, partly on this basis, he felt that he had already provided for them.
Will dispute
Will construction dispute
Inheritance disputes: A high bar for adult children
3 min
In Miles and another v Shearer (2021) EWHC 1000 (Ch) we represented the Defendant, Mrs Shearer, in a high value claim.
How we made a difference
Related thinking
Probate delays – a quintessentially British queue
Wine and tax: the not so perfect pairing
Claims by adult children in a post-Ilot landscape
Hirachand v Hirachand to be reconsidered by Supreme Court
Reduce inheritance tax by leaving a gift to charity
Executor and trustees fees: better safe than sorry
Cripps ranked as ‘top law firm’ by private client specialists
Poisoning a testator’s mind: fraudulent calumny
Williams v Williams 2022: proprietary estoppel claim
Are you the trustee of a trust? You may have to register your trust under the Trust Registration Service
Awards and accreditations
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If you have a question or need advice, please let us know how we can help.
