Contested wills, trusts & estates

Overview

Our team of solicitors can advise on a variety of disputes involving wills, trusts and estates. Whether you are:

contesting a will;
facing a will dispute;
concerned over how a trust is being run;
a trustee faced with a possible dispute;
an executor or beneficiary involved in a contentious probate or inheritance dispute; or
wishing to make a claim for financial provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Expert solicitors in trust and inheritance disputes

There are often very strict time limits when looking to contest a will, trust or estate. Our dedicated team appreciate the urgency and are on hand to advise you every step of the way.

Our contested wills, trusts and estates team acts for clients throughout Wales and England. Our no-nonsense approach means we cut through the jargon to give you straightforward, clear legal advice.

To find out more about any of our specialist contested wills, trusts and estates services, click on the drop down menu below.

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Key contact

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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Partner died without a will (dying intestate)

We advised an elderly client whose long term partner appears to have died without leaving a will.

Without a will his considerable estate will be distributed in accordance with the statutory provisions and, as he and our client were never legally married, it will pass to distant family with whom he had little contact.

We advised our client to assert an equitable interest in the property based on her financial contributions over a period of time and also to bring a claim against the estate by virtue of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Homemade DIY will issues

The team has recently concluded a case which involved a homemade will prepared by a testator whose assets were valued in excess of £1M and comprised of land and business assets.

Advice was required on behalf of the deceased’s infant children as to how the terms of the will would be interpreted and what steps should be taken to ensure that they received a fair proportion of the estate.

A court approved settlement was reached where the infant children would receive a sum in excess £500,000 to be placed on trust for them during their minorities.

Disputed dissolution of a trust

We have advised one of the trustees and potential beneficiaries on the disputed dissolution of a long established trust for a prominent landowning family.

The trust’s assets, including land and antiques were valued at over £4M. This involved advising on diverse and complicated issues including: breach of trust, land law including agricultural tenancies, capital gains, inheritance, income and corporation tax and succession law.

Such issues are relatively commonplace and, given the large amounts of complex and often contentious issues surrounding the dissolution of a trust, specialist, expert and dedicated advice is invariably required.