We have experience of both contesting a will and defending wills and an impressive track record of winning substantial amounts for our clients. The most common reasons for challenging a will are :

• The will is unfair and does not make adequate provision for someone For example, your husband or partner may have died leaving most of his money to his children from a previous marriage. Or your parents may have left most of their money to your siblings (or to charity) even though they supported you financially when you were alive. Bringing a claim against the estate by challenging the will may be the best way for you to obtain your fair share.

• The deceased did not have mental capacity when the will was made For example, your reason for challenging a will may be that the person who wrote the will did not have mental capacity when the will was drafted (for example he or she may have had dementia and not understood what was signed).

• The deceased was coerced or subject to undue influence You might want to challenge a will because you have evidence to show that the person who died was forced to write the will in a particular way.

• The will has been lost or the will cannot be found Complex issues can arise when a will cannot be found and expert legal advice re lost will probate is often the most cost-effective way to proceed.

• A beneficiary is missing or cannot be found A will might, for example, have left a bequest to the “children of the deceased” but you may not know where the children are located or indeed even how many children the deceased had. Expert advice can prevent later challenges to a will and help Executors carry out their duties appropriately and without the risk of someone later challenging the will.

• The meaning of a clause in the will is not clear Some wills contain clauses that are ambiguous and you may need expert advice on what the will actually says. Sometimes an Application to the Court is necessary when the ambiguity cannot be resolved by agreement.

• A solicitor or will writer has been negligent Sometimes the person who drafted a will has been negligent. For example, the will might not have been signed and witnessed properly and the correct formalities may not have been complied with. Or the will may be so poorly drafted that a bequest does not go to the person it was intended for.