For individuals
Probate and contentious probate
We aim to ensure an estate is wound up in a proactive, efficient, effective and timely manner.
James McMullan
Charlotte Barbaroussis
Our team can support and guide you through the often unfamiliar territory after a death, helping you to obtain the Grant of Probate, administer the estate and explain the roles and responsibilities of executors and administrators to get the estate wound up as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
“The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men…” R. Burns
Our experience tells us that will, estate and trust disputes are many and varied and can be highly damaging to family relationships and costly.
With in-depth knowledge advising on the strengths and weaknesses of disputes, our team will help you to identify the key contested areas and determine the right strategy to resolve your dispute to achieve the best outcome for you and your family.
We are committed to resolving disputes and utilising platforms such as mediation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). However, should litigation become unavoidable, you can be assured our team will advise and support you throughout that period and keep you abreast of costs at all times.
Our head of department and private client partner, James McMullan, is an associate member of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers. James is also a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP), whilst trainee solicitor Charlotte Barbaroussis is an affiliate member of STEP. James is also an Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) member.
We understand that you may require a more discreet setting or a home visit to provide your instructions. Therefore, we can arrange to meet you in the comfort of your own home or at your care home or hospital in or around Central London. Click here for more information.
Articles
Estate planning: How not to make mincemeat of it! – March 2025
Six tips to make things simple for your executors – February 2025
What are trustee responsibilities? A guide to key duties and best practices – December 2024
RIAA Barker Gillette (UK) urges families to plan ahead to minimise Inheritance Tax – August 2024
Inheritance disputes on the rise – April 2024
Charities, gifts and inheritance tax – December 2023
Six Common Inheritance Tax Myths – December 2023
Estate planning for blended families – August 2023
The Intestacy Rules Update – July 2023
Step-families and succession planning – June 2023
When is a gift of the family home, not a gift? – April 2023
HMRC impose new obligations on trustees – August 2022
Inheritance Tax account IHT100 forms changes – June 2022
What are your children’s inheritance rights? – April 2022
The effects of Covid-19 on inheritance tax – February 2022
How to pass £1m to your children IHT free – April 2020
What is a personal representative? – August 2019
Death and taxes are said to be the two certainties of life… – March 2019
The Highly Contentious ‘Non-Contentious Probate (Fees) Order 2018’ – March 2019
Soaring fees set deadline for executors and estate planning – December 2018
Where there’s a will there’s a way – September 2017
Taking stock pays off when planning for inheritance tax – March 2017
Sudden death , What to do – October 2016
At a glance
- Advising in relation to contested probate in a substantial estate with the dispute being resolved at mediation.
- Administration of two estates (husband and wife who died in close proximity to each other) with substantial assets, requiring considerable investigations before completion of IHT Account. Executors and beneficiaries based in Scotland.
- Administration of an estate (which passed to a minor beneficiary), appointing a second trustee, overseeing investment of funds to provide an income for the minor and dealing with ongoing trust administration.
- Complex claim against three defendants for breach of statutory trusts of intestacy, professional negligence, and undue influence in relation to lifetime gifts.
- Resolving a bitter family will trust dispute, involving agricultural land, trustees’ powers and duties, secret profits and breach of fiduciary duty.
- An Inheritance Act claim where a partner of 30+ years (unmarried) did not receive any provision, upon her partners’ death, due to the rules of intestacy. We managed to recover almost all of the estate for her benefit.
Costs information and transparency
Please view the following webpage for a full description of our costs and charges under the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Transparency Rules 2018.
Practice areas
- Challenges to the validity of wills
- Claims against administrators
- Claims against executors
- Claims against trustees
- Inheritance (Provision for Family & Dependants) Act claims
- Negligence in will drafting
- Probate and the administration of estates