For general enquiries +44 (0)808 169 4320
  • Get in touch
  • About

    Birketts is a full service legal firm with offices throughout the East of England and in London.

    Whatever the challenge, we're here for you. As a proactive partner, we're always thinking about the changes and opportunities that you or your business will face, taking you to the next level.

    • Discover Birketts
    • Leadership Team
    • Offices
    • Environmental Social Governance
    • Compliance

    Our Culture

    Awards

  • Sectors
    • Agriculture
    • Banking & Finance
    • Care Homes
    • Charities & Not for Profit
    • Ecclesiastical
    • Education
    • Energy & Utilities
    • Family Business
    • Food
    • Healthcare
    • Housebuilders
    • Insurance & ReInsurance
    • International Services
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Government
    • Motor Industry
    • Public Sector
    • Real Estate Investment
    • Retail
    • Shipping & International Trade
    • SIPPs / SSASs
    • Social Housing
    • Transport & Logistics
  • Services
    Services for business Services for individuals
    for business
    for individuals
    for business
    • Agriculture
    • Banking & Finance
    • Commercial Property
    • Commercial & Technology
    • Competition
    • Construction & Engineering
    • Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Data Protection Services
    • Employee Incentives
    • Employment
    • Franchising
    • Health & Safety
    • Immigration Services
    • Intellectual Property
    • International Services
    • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
    • Planning & Environment
    • Property Disputes
    • Public Inquiries
    • Regulatory & Corporate Defence
    • Restructuring & Insolvency
    • Shipping & International Trade
    • Tax
    for individuals
    • Agriculture
    • Construction
    • Contentious Trust & Probate
    • Court of Protection
    • Data Protection Services
    • Dispute Resolution
    • Employment
    • Estate Planning & Wills
    • Family
    • Financial Crime
    • Immigration Services
    • International Services
    • Leasehold Enfranchisement
    • Motoring Offences
    • Personal Taxation
    • Private Criminal Defence
    • Probate
    • Property Disputes
    • Public Inquiries
    • Residential Property
  • Our People
  • Insight

    Legal Updates

    News

    Newsletters

    Events

    Webinars

    Podcasts

    Shaping excellence

  • Join us
    • Current Vacancies
    • Our Story
    • Life at Birketts
    • Learning & Development
    • Benefits at Birketts
    • Environmental Social Governance
    • Recruitment Contacts

    Graduates

    Business Services

    Legal Secretaries

    Lawyers

  • Home
  • Legal Updates
  • Private Lives – “I didn’t know you did that… ” – contentious probate
Share on
Private Lives – “I didn’t know you did that… ” – contentious probate
June 2, 2020

When a dispute arises in relation to a Will or the administration of an estate, disagreements can quickly escalate especially when family relationships are involved. Fortunately Birketts specialist contentious trust and probate lawyers can help.

For many reasons loved ones and dependants can find themselves excluded either partly or completely from the deceased’s Will leaving them facing financial hardship and wondering if there is anything they can do. The team regularly advise spouses, partners, dependants, children and executors in relation to the pursuit or defence of a claim under The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The Act allows family and dependants to make a claim for reasonable financial provision from the deceased’s estate.

That’s not all the contentious probate and trust team can help you with. They also advise on:

  • will disputes arising from allegations of undue influence, lack of testamentary
  • capacity, invalid procedure or fraud
  • executors’ responsibilities
  • negligently drafted wills
  • personal liability of trustees
  • applications for the substitution and removal of personal representatives
  • contested powers of attorney
  • applications to the Court for directions, accounts and inquiries.

Led by Partner, Bernadette Baker, the team is ranked tier 1 by Legal 500 and is highly regarded for their expertise. Bernadette is recognised as a “leading light” and recommended and named in the elite ‘Leading Lawyers’ list of lawyers nationwide by Legal 500 [UK 2020]. Bernadette is also recommended by Chambers High Net Worth [UK 2019] which notes that she is “really easy to work with and a good litigator” and a respected barrister says “she offers an absolutely first-class service”.

This article is from the spring 2020 issue of Private Lives, our newsletter covering the key legal and tax issues that individuals face. To download the latest issue, please visit the newsletter section of our website. 

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, legal updates and seminar information, please register and select the areas that are of interest to you.

The content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact the author in the first instance. Law covered as at June 2020.

Join us

  • Business services
  • Experienced lawyers
  • Graduates

Information

  • Anti Slavery
  • Cookies
  • Fees
  • Statement

Find us

  • Contact us
  • Our People
  • Offices

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
© Copyright Birketts LLP 2022 All rights reserved
Follow us: