Wills, Trusts and Probate Solicitors

Making a legally valid Will ensures your assets, property, and personal possessions are distributed strictly according to your wishes. Without a Will, your estate is dealt with under the statutory Rules of Intestacy, which impose a rigid legal formula rather than following your intentions. This can result in unmarried partners receiving nothing, unintended tax liabilities, or family disputes over inheritance. Our specialist private client solicitors help you structure your Will to protect your beneficiaries, appoint trusted executors, nominate guardians for dependent children, and make explicit provisions for business or agricultural interests.

A trust is a legal arrangement that allows you to set aside assets – such as property, cash, or investments – to be managed by chosen trustees for the benefit of specific individuals. Trusts are commonly used to safeguard inheritance for young or vulnerable beneficiaries, protect family assets from potential marriage breakdowns or care fee assessments, and manage complex family dynamics like second marriages. Placing assets into a trust during your lifetime or via your Will can also provide significant Inheritance Tax benefits. Our team advises on the ideal trust structure – whether discretionary, interest in possession, or life interest – to meet your long-term estate planning objectives.

Probate is the official legal process of administering a deceased person’s estate, which involves valuing their assets, settling outstanding debts, submitting tax returns to HMRC, and distributing the balance to beneficiaries. If there is a Will, the named executors apply for a Grant of Probate; if there is no Will, an administrator applies for Letters of Administration. Because executors and administrators bear personal legal liability for any miscalculations or tax errors, instructing our probate solicitors offers essential reassurance. We can handle the entire estate administration on your behalf or simply assist with the complex tax and court application formalities.