Contentious Trust & Probate

Druces Private Wealth

Contentious Trust & Probate

Disputes sometimes arise over Wills or in the context of family trusts or other inheritance matters.

Our specialist team is expert in the handling of these often-sensitive cases. We regularly advise individual beneficiaries, executors and trustees as well as charities in finding solutions; sometimes defending and, in other cases, instigating legal action.

If you are facing such a dispute it is important to seek advice at the outset, to protect your position and to ensure that you do not miss any relevant deadlines.

Legal 500 commentary

The Legal 500, recognises Druces’ expertise in this area:

“Druces LLP is proactive and attentive and gives straightforward advice and guidance. The lawyers inspire and instil confidence in their ability which is paramount when you are in a crisis.”

“An experienced and insightful team with an excellent eye on client care and management.”

Recent work

We have acted for the spouse in a case where her husband had died leaving the bulk of his estate to his secret mistress of 20 years. We made a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 on the basis of the lack of reasonable financial provision under the Will.
We acted for an executor in dispute with his co-executor, who is stalling the administration of their mother’s estate unreasonably. We are making an application to appoint an Independent Administrator of the estate to move matters forward.
During the COVID-19 pandemic we advised a number of clients who had lost family members and dealt with all the issues that arose, including over the validity and execution of wills.