Contested wills, trusts & estates

Contested wills, trusts and estates

029 2267 5500

Contested will, trust and estate legal advice

We advise across the whole range of estate and inheritance disputes for clients across England and Wales and internationally in the following areas:

Free initial consultation

We offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation as well as flexible pricing options, tailored to your needs. Contact us for further information.

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Roman Kubiak TEP

Head of Contested Wills, Trusts and Estates

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Roman is a partner and head of the contested wills, trusts and estates team. He advises across the whole spectrum of private client litigation, with a particular focus on high value, complex and cross-border disputes including: trust disputes, breach of trust claims and applications to remove trustees; will disputes, particularly those with an international element; claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975; and claims for equitable relief under proprietary estoppel, constructive trusts and resulting trusts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer free consultations?

Yes. We offer a free 20 minute telephone consultation.

Do you offer “no win, no fee” agreements?

In many cases we’re able to offer a range of flexible pricing options including “no win, no fee” agreements, fixed fees and deferred payment arrangements depending on each case.

Some cases may also be suitable for “After the Event” insurance funding which provide cover for the cost of disbursements such as court and expert fees as well as protecting you from any potential adverse costs order.

Why Hugh James?

We're a top 100, full-service law firm with offices in England and Wales. Our team of solicitors has over 50 years’ experience in contesting wills and defending will disputes and is top ranked by both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners, the leading legal directories, with a number our solicitors being ranked as leading individuals.

Our solicitors have also gained specific industry accreditations through STEP (formerly the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), ACTAPS (the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists) and Solicitors for the Elderly.

Accreditations

Top ranked in Legal 500 and Chambers
Members of ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists)
Members of STEP, the gold standard for private client lawyers
Charity Law Association members
Institute of Legacy Management members
Solicitors for the Elderly members

Client case study

Watch one of our clients speak about her challenge to her uncle's will and how Hugh James were able to help. Click the video below to hear her story.

The ‘very commercial and hardworking’ Roman Kubiak … has a strong reputation for cross-jurisdictional trust and estates disputes, where ‘he is more than a match for leading lawyers in London-based firms’.

The Legal 500

Hugh James is ‘head and shoulders above the rest’ for contentious probate.

The Legal 500

Arguably the best Welsh firm for contentious trusts and probate matters',

The Legal 500

'A natural and dynamic leader', the 'very impressive' Roman Kubiak heads the firm's contested wills, trusts and estates team and is noted for his 'deep knowledge of estates and trusts law'.

The Legal 500

Podcasts

Sleep-in shifts - charities facing £400m bill. This podcast discussing the landmark ruling in Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake is essential listening for the third sector.

Legacy giving - 5 things charities should consider in 2020. Roman Kubiak and Vlad Macdonald-Munteanu look at 5 hot topics when it comes to legacy giving for charities.

Tory rule and the next 5 years – will the third sector be expected to plug the gap in social care that can't be met by local authorities and the government, where the funding isn't in place?

Probate fees and delays. Emma Poole and Eleanor Evans discuss what has caused the logjam in the probate system, and the impact it has had for our range of clients.

Related services

Contentious probate, estate disputes and actions to remove executors Contesting a will Court of Protection disputes and applications Cross-border estate and offshore trust disputes Inheritance Act claims Legacy protection services for charities Professional negligence in wills, trusts & estates advice Proprietary estoppel, resulting trust & constructive trust claims Services for professionals and referrers Trust disputes