Making a Will.

Understandably you don’t want to spend too much time thinking about what will happen to your money and possessions after you die, but using one of our experienced solicitors makes the process less daunting. You’ll get sound advice to ensure you have planned everything properly, from who gets your home, to who ends up with your beer mat collection and who has responsibility for the dog.

You can, of course, use an online will-writing service, or get your will drafted by someone who isn’t a lawyer. You can even write your own will using a pack you bought in the high street. This might be fine if you are on your own in a rented flat, but it could be disastrous if you own your home and have dependants of any sort.

You will be able to find cheaper will writing elsewhere, but you won’t find a better, more comprehensive service. Unlike many providers of wills, including other law firms, we only use qualified and experienced solicitors, which has an impact on the cost. But we believe you can’t put a price on peace of mind, although of course we will always agree it with you beforehand.

Contesting a Will.

Generally, a person can leave his money and other assets to whoever he wishes by making a will. The wishes in a person’s will are usually upheld. If no will is left, then the estate will be divided according to the intestacy rules.

However, there are circumstances where it is possible to challenge a will or an intestacy.

You can challenge a will where it has not been made properly (for example it has not been signed) or which is a fraud.

You can challenge a will where it has been made as a result of undue influence – where someone has put pressure on the deceased to include certain terms or benefit certain people. You can also challenge a will where it has been made by someone who does not have capacity because they are not of sound mind (for example because of dementia).

Under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 it is also possible to bring a claim against an estate (whether there is a will or not) for an award where the will or intestacy rules do not make reasonable financial provision. For example, if you are a co-habitee who has been left nothing under the intestacy rules, or if you have previously been maintained by someone who has died then you may be able to claim.

All of these types of cases require specialist solicitors. We know the law, and have a lot of experience of applying it to all sorts of different cases. We are approachable and friendly – we understand that litigation in these circumstances is extremely stressful, and we work with you to achieve the best result.