Trust, Wills and Probate

Even the most careful drafting cannot always succeed in dispelling ambiguity or in making provision for all future eventualities. As a High Court case concerning a family trust showed, however,...

When the male partner of a cohabiting couple died, apparently without leaving a will, after they had lived together for more than 40 years, his estate was administered according to...

When a person is excluded from the will of someone on whom they were ‘dependent’, the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 provides that the dependent person can...

Even the most apparently trustworthy people can sometimes turn out to be anything but and that is one good reason why it is sensible to appoint a solicitor as executor...

Wills made or varied just before death are a frequent source of dispute and court appearances, and it was just such an occurrence that led to a High Court hearing...

We have written on numerous occasions of the danger of either failing to leave a will or of not taking professional advice when making your will. Among the difficulties...

A solicitor’s primary duty when drafting a will is to follow faithfully their client’s instructions after giving accurate and level-headed advice. In a professional negligence case triggered by the early...

When you appoint a solicitor to be the executor of your will, you can be assured that they will understand their duties and can be relied upon to comply with...

Charities are generally thought of as being mild and benevolent organisations and in many ways they are, but some can also be very aggressive when they are expecting to receive...

There really is little point in instructing lawyers to represent you if you do not then listen to their advice. In one case which illustrates this, two women dispensed with...