Disputed wills, estates & trusts
Where do you turn if you have been bereaved and find that the Will comes as a shock to your expectations? Has there been a mistake? Do you feel that the deceased was pressurised into changing the Will? Or did she not really understand what she was signing?
What do you do if you are a beneficiary of a trust, or have been promised a legacy under an estate, but nothing is happening? What if you are being kept in the dark, or feel that trust money is being mismanaged?
Kate Chandler and Suzanne Alston have spent over fifteen years advising clients faced with difficulties of this type. The law in this area is complex, and great skill is required to diplomatically achieve the right outcome without damaging relationships, often between family members.
We do not recklessly fire off into a battle. Instead we tell you at the outset whether your case has merit. If the law will not support you we tell you that from the beginning, before you start something that you cannot finish. We then seek a constructive resolution with the executors. In many cases a successful outcome can be achieved at that stage.
We litigate only when there is no alternative, but when that is the case we quickly and efficiently handle the proceedings, always mindful of the opportunity to seek a negotiated agreement at any time.
This is an area of the law where you really need an experienced lawyer who will get straight to the real issue at stake with the minimum wastage of time and cost. An estate covered by a Will, or assets held in the Trust are a finite source of funds and unless you can be sure that your case is put swiftly and effectively for you, you could find yourself getting nowhere at great expense.
| Litigation & dispute resolutionProbate & estate management Trust creation & administration Wills & estate planning |
 |