Cripps Harries Hall

Contesting the Will of a relative (or even a friend) or bringing a claim in respect of a trust or an estate can be very complicated and distressing. We are specialists in this field, having dealt with just about every conceiveable difficulty that might arise, and can advise you upon how to dispute a Will and what to do where there is a disagreement involving a trust or an estate.

What we do

Our task is to help you resolve your problems. Here are some that we meet:

• Families argue over a disputed Will

• Obtaining a copy of a Will and providing advice upon the procedure for contesting a Will in England and Wales

• Executors cannot agree what action to take

• Beneficiaries are unhappy with the actions (or inaction) of the executors and wish to seek their removal

• A vulnerable person has been coerced into leaving assets to someone who would not normally have benefited and others may wish to contest the Will

• A mistake has been made in drawing up a Will and it needs to be put right

• A document has been poorly written so it is not clear what was meant

Why Cripps Harries Hall?

We have one of the largest and most experienced teams dealing with contesting Wills and other trust and estate claims in the country. The two partners who lead the team have over 40 years' experience between them dealing with Will disputes. Three team members belong to the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists, the only organisation that recognises experts in this field.

Each case is handled by a qualified solicitor who is there to guide you every step of the way. We understand that, for most people, pursuing a dispute will be the last resort. We aim to find solutions quickly and with as little worry as possible. We never lose sight of the fact that you may wish to stay in touch with the people involved long after the dispute is over.

Funding

We are willing to have an initial, no obligation telephone consultation without charge. Thereafter, we will consider with all clients the most appropriate means of funding their claim and, in appropriate case, can offer fixed fees, deferred payment arrangements and CFA's, commonly referred to as "no win, no fee" agreements.

Our team of specialist solicitors have experience of dealing with a wide range of Will, trust and estate disputes. Here are a few examples.

• Acting for a client in a complex Inheritance Act dispute requiring an application to the Probate Registry to cancel a grant of probate improperly obtained and negotiating with multi party defendants in numerous jurisdictions.
• Defending a challenge to a £2m estate involving minors and complex business assets for the children of a prominent local businessman.
• Successfully mediating a complex multi-party dispute concerning an estate valued at £6m. Claims from the parties involved promissory and proprietary estoppel, Inheritance Act claims, removal and appointment of alternative executors, rectification of Wills, claims of undue influence and off-shore asset tracing.
• Acting for a beneficiary under a substantial family trust containing assets valued by that trust of £20 million. The core issue concerned the mismanagement of the trust by the trustees.
• Challenging the validity of a Will with an estate valued in excess of £1 million. The case concerned allegations of forgery and the use of expert handwriting evidence.
• Acting for an adult child claimant in an Inheritance Act claim against the estate of deceased father. Proceedings were issued within two weeks of instructions from the client due to the pressure of limitation. The matter settled swiftly and favourably by correspondence.
• Acting for relatives of a deceased in defending an Inheritance Act claim against the estate. The deceased died intestate and the claim was brought against the estate by a friend of the deceased who claimed to have been living with the deceased as husband and wife in the two years immediately prior to her death.
• Acting for beneficiaries in a complex claim involving estate valued at 7 figures with claims by the estranged husband of deceased under IPFDA 1975. Issues of severance of joint tenancy and application for Occupation Order on behalf of beneficiaries in relation to deceased's home owned jointly by the estranged husband, beneficiaries and deceased.
• Acting on behalf of clients in a long running trust dispute where an executor committed a serious breach of his duties. Proceedings against former executor for an account and recovery of losses as well as an associated professional negligence claim against the solicitors who acted for the former executors. The matter was successfully settled at a one day mediation.