With cross-border capabilities and experience in handling cases with off-shore element, DWF has an ‘excellent contentious trusts and probate team'. The group regularly represents trustee companies, banks, charitable trusts, and private individuals, and has significant expertise advising on disputes involving fraudulent activities by trustees. Daniel Williams in Manchester is ‘highly commercial and very astute in dealing with the tactical side of cases‘ and has extensive experience with complex and cross-border contentious trusts and probate matters. In Liverpool, Chris King specialises in trust and probate disputes and Paul Maddock is a ‘standout litigator' who assists clients with a broad range of probate matters. Head of the firm’s private capital team Ian Sydenham joined the Manchester-based group from Knights plc in 2024.

Praised for its ‘excellence across the board', the Manchester-based JMW Solicitors LLP group handles the full range of contested wills, trusts, and estate work, and is particularly experienced in contentious Court of Protection matters. Practice head Alison Parry is praised by one client as ‘an extremely competent lawyer and formidable negotiator' and she advises on a broad range of wills and trusts disputes, as well as Inheritance Act 1975 claims. The group also includes ‘tough litigator' Ben Wilson, who also has particular experience with Inheritance Act 1975 claims and matters with cross-border elements, Ian Johnston, who is a ‘superb technical operator', and Claire Brierley.

Benefiting from the firm’s significant private client offering, Mills & Reeve LLP has a group of ‘very polished and experienced lawyers' advising clients on all aspects of contentious probate matters. The group handles a broad range of disputes with cross-border elements, and also represents clients in substantial trusts and estate disputes. Head of the contentious team Simon Pedley is ‘knowledgeable, highly regarded and always delivers for his clients', and he advises on the full range of trusts and estates issues. The group also includes the 'excellent' contentious trusts and estates lawyer Ben Reeves, and Christopher Noel, who joined the group from DWF in August 2023.

Led by the highly knowledgeable Helen Thompson, Myerson Solicitors in Alrincham is praised by clients as ‘undoubtedly the leading contentious probate team in the north west of England'. The group consists of dedicated specialists with extensive experience in contested wills and probate matters. Adam Maher leads the firm’s dispute resolution and commercial litigation team, and the ‘straightforward, robust and determined' Jennifer McGuinness has extensive experience advising executors, trustees, and high-net-worth individuals on a broad range of matters in contentious trusts and probate work. The group also includes seasoned probate litigator Eleanor Clarke, who ‘delivers exceptional results for clients in difficult circumstances', and Stephanie Ewan, who is ‘undoubtedly a star in the contentious probate arena' and advises clients on matters including Inheritance Act claims, validity challenges to wills, and claims involving the removal of executors.

Pannone Corporate LLP in Manchester has a ‘quality niche team with strong regional profile'. The group assists clients with the full range of contentious trusts and probate matters, and its expertise includes complex multi-party claims under the Inheritance Act and cases concerning assets abroad. The team also places particular emphasis on alternative dispute resolution. Practice head Nicola Marchant is a contentious trusts and probate expert, and the department also includes Jonny Scholes, who has ‘exceptional advice-giving skills' and represents clients in a wide range of estate disputes and general commercial matters, and Elizabeth Walsh, who has broad experience with disputes relating to contentious trusts and probate.

Praised as a ‘first-class team with genuine specialism in this field’, Aaron & Partners LLP in Chester has a seasoned private client team that advises on the full range of contentious trusts and probate work. James Wallace leads the wills, trusts, and estates team, and he has extensive experience with both contentious and non-contentious private client work, with particular expertise in high-value claims and cross-border matters. He is also increasingly instructed in contentious probate settlements that failed to take into account tax implications. Another key lawyer is the ‘exceptional' Vlad Macdonald-Munteanu, who has particular expertise with complex Inheritance Act claims, executorship disputes, and proprietary estoppel issues, and is also frequently sought after by agricultural clients.

With a specialist team fully dedicated to contentious trusts and probate work, Forbes Solicitors takes instructions from high-net-worth clients on a broad range of claims and is ‘especially skilled in probate litigation'. The practice is co-headed by John Lambe in Manchester, who is a ‘master of the market‘ and acts for high-net-worth individuals across a broad range of contentious probate work, and Tom Howcroft in Preston, who is a dedicated contentious trusts and probate specialist with extensive experience negotiating a broad range of claims, including ones under the Inheritance Act, validity challenges, and administration disputes.

Stockport-based Gorvins Solicitors has a broad practice defending both claimants and defendants in claims of fraudulent wills and Inheritance Act claims, and the group has extensive experience in cases involving issues of mental capacity. The group also acts on behalf of beneficiaries in the removal of executors and trustees, as well as acting for executors and administrators who want to protect their own position against other co-executors. Practice head Michael Smoult advises clients on contentious estates, disputed wills, and Inheritance Act 1975 claims, and he is also experienced in dispute resolution. The group also includes seasoned litigator Danielle Clements, who is ‘a specialist in contentious probate litigation', and Julie Burgess, who advises on a broad range of contentious estates.

Led by seasoned commercial litigator Nichola Evans, the group at Kuit Steinart Levy LLP in Manchester consists of specialist probate and litigation lawyers with ‘excellent technical knowledge' who advise on the full range of contentious trusts and probate matters. The group provides a full-service offering to clients through a multi-discipline approach in collaboration with their personal tax, trusts, and probate team. Graham Wood specialises in tax and trusts and has extensive experience in high-value estate planning, as well as ‘in-depth knowledge of the law and all matters concerning probates’, and Paul Bricknell is a tax and estates specialist with particular emphasis on the succession of family businesses. Dispute resolution expert Peter Kaye is also a key contact for contentious probate work.

A ‘young firm with vast experience‘ and formerly part of Shoosmiths LLP, the contentious trusts and probate group at Rothley Law Limited in Manchester assists a wide variety of clients across the full spectrum of private wealth disputes. Practice head Adam Draper is a ‘top practitioner‘ who specialises in representing high-net-worth individuals, trustees, and charities in trust and succession disputes, and the ‘tactically astute‘ Andrew Bishop has extensive experience with a variety of matters relating to wills, trusts, and estates.

Overseen by contested probate lawyer Matthew Morton in Leeds, Weightmans LLP has a team of ‘solid lawyers' with expertise in private wealth disputes who advise a broad range of clients on Inheritance Act claims, challenges to the validity of wills and all aspects of administrative claims relating to estates. The group also has particular expertise in advising on complex breach of trust actions. Robert Jones has extensive experience in contentious probate matters and commercial dispute resolution, and David McGuire is an ‘intelligent and diligent solicitor' with specialist expertise in disputes wills, trusts, and estates.

The specialist contentious trusts and probate team at Brabners LLP in Preston advises domestic and international clients on a broad range of matters relating to the resolution of disputes and the administration of estates, including challenges to the validity of wills, Court of Protection proceedings, and Charity Act matters involving trustees. The ‘engaging and solution-focused' practice head Nicola Turner joined the group from Napthens LLP in September 2023 and is a contentious trusts and probate expert with strong commercial capabilities. Beth Middleton, who is also a contentious trusts and probate specialist is another key practitioner.

Butcher & Barlow LLP has an expert group in the contested probate arena that provides an ‘excellent service' on a broad range of private wealth disputes. The group ensures cross-department collaboration with the commercial dispute resolution and agricultural and rural affairs teams to address all of its clients’ needs. The ‘very efficient and professional' Samuel Dale in Sandbach leads the contested probate group and has a wealth of experience in both contentious and non-contentious probate work. Another key lawyer is Greg Porter in Northwich, who is a highly experienced litigator in both high-value and multi-party probate disputes, as well as being a specialist in Inheritance Act claims, including ones relating to discretionary trusts.

The ‘hugely supportive and greatly knowledgeable' specialist contentious trusts and probate team at DTM Legal LLP represents a broad range of clients, and the group has expertise in matters including Inheritance Act claims, contested wills, and breach of trust claims. The team is also well versed in alternative dispute resolution and mediation. Leading the group with strong commercial capabilities is seasoned litigator Richard Thomas in Chester; he boasts extensive experience in contentious probate matters. Heather Lally acts for high-net-worth individuals and trustees, business owners, and agricultural property owners in a wide variety of disputes relating to trusts and estates.

With cross-border capabilities, the ‘very impressive team‘ at Fieldfisher in Manchester advises on the full range of contentious trusts and probate matters disputes, including will validity challenges, Inheritance Act 1975 claims and executor disputes. Practice head Chris Gee is a ‘true all-rounder‘ and has extensive experience representing executors, trustees, and beneficiaries in the full range of contentious probate and trusts matters, as well as being a seasoned commercial litigator. Grace Brown specialises in general commercial litigation as well as contentious probate, and Rebecca Smith is another key contact for dispute resolution.

Irwin Mitchell in Manchester has a specialist contentious trust and probate team with a ‘heavyweight reputation‘. The team represents a variety of clients in the full range of contested matters, and often with a multi-jurisdictional element. The group also has significant experience handling family and farming business disputes. The ‘exceptionally knowledgeable’ practice head Stephanie Kerr joined the group from Brabners LLP in September 2023, and she frequently acts for high-net-worth individuals, professional executors, and charities in the full range of contested wills and inheritance disputes, including contested Court of Protection applications. Kirsty McNulty is another key lawyer for contentious wills, trusts, and estate disputes.

Led by commercial and residential property litigator Daniel Stern, Slater Heelis in Manchester handles a broad range of contentious probate claims, and the group has particular experience with contentious Court of Protection proceedings and safeguarding issues. John Gorner is a civil litigator with broad experience in contentious trusts and probate, and he has particular expertise representing protected parties and children. Daniel Wise, who has extensive experience in litigation and dispute resolution and commercial litigator, and Veronica Howle, whose ‘legal expertise is superb' with a particular interest in contentious probate, are also key contacts.