Making a claim will differ slightly depending on the circumstances of your dispute, but it’s usually made up of the same steps:

1. Investigation

We’ll examine the Will and any related documents (this might be property deeds, trust accounts, previous Wills made by the deceased).

If relevant, we may also gather medical evidence about the deceased, to understand their condition when they made the Will. This would be particularly important in disputes over whether or not someone had mental capacity to make a Will.

We might also get witness statements from those who knew the deceased, to better understand the full circumstances in which the Will was drawn up.

These investigations will help us confirm whether you can make a claim, and what type of claim it will be.

2. Mediation

Most disputes can be settled by an alternative dispute resolution method, such as mediation. This means that you don’t have to go to court, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Mediation typically takes place on one day, with a professionally trained mediator present as a neutral third party. The mediator’s role is to try to help you reach an agreement with the other parties.

3. Court

Some disputes cannot be resolved by reaching an agreed settlement. If this is the case, the matter will have to be decided by a court. This is rare, however – and if it does happen, we have the expertise to secure the best outcome for you.

Whatever the circumstances of your dispute, we’ll support you every step of the way – and we’ll give you a clear idea at the start of how long we think it will take, and the outcome we think you can expect.

Claims under the Inheritance Act must be brought within six months of a grant of representation being issued (i.e. when the executor gets the grant of probate to administer the Will). It’s therefore very important to seek advice as soon as possible.

If more than six months has passed, you’ll have to apply to the court for permission to bring your claim. If permission is refused, in most cases you wouldn’t then be able to pursue your claim.

In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to extend the time limit. Our team can advise you if this is the case.

The key is to get in touch as soon as possible, to avoid you being unable to make a valid and potentially valuable claim.

Most claims take less than a year and don’t have to go to court. However, every case is different and time spans depend on the type of dispute and your individual situation.

Some disputes can be resolved quickly in a matter of months, but others might take years to conclude and involve going to court several times.

We’ll advise you at the start how long we think it will take. Whatever the situation, we always aim to resolve your dispute as quickly and efficiently as possible. We understand that this is a difficult time, and we’re here to help you through.

Most disputes can be resolved by negotiation and discussion, without having to go to court. However, sometimes this isn’t possible and court is the only way.

We understand that most people would prefer to keep their dispute out of court, and we will always do everything we can to try and reach an agreement by mediation or negotiation.

However, if your dispute does have to go to court, we will support you at every stage. We have the experience to handle court disputes efficiently and effectively, to achieve the best outcome for you.

We understand that the death of a loved one can be a distressing and difficult time, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure your claim is as stress-free as possible.

We’re happy to meet with you at one of our offices – or if you prefer, we can deal with everything by phone or email. We can also come and meet you at a place that’s convenient for you.

We have clients across the country and will always strive to make everything as convenient for you as possible.

Our Wills, Trusts and Estate Disputes team is the largest in the UK and we have offices across the country. We are experienced in managing high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth claims as well as less complex ones.

We’ve resolved some of the country’s most high-profile disputes and are particularly experienced with the unique challenges of multi-jurisdictional wealth management structures, rural property and inheritance tax.

We are recommended by the leading legal guides and pride ourselves on the strong relationship we build with our clients in what is often a very trying time.

Meet the team