Crafting wills is a fundamental aspect of private client practice. This topic offers expert guidance on drafting, executing, and contesting wills, ensuring your clients' wishes are clearly articulated and legally sound, while addressing potential challenges and disputes.
The following Private Client news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on Private Client weekly highlights—5 February 2026
Question of the week: Can executors pay inheritance to a beneficiary who is subject to a debt relief order? Are there are any additional precautions the executors should take?
The following Tax news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on FTT finds HMRC validly assessed taxpayer to CGT and penalties as a UK resident (Kearney v HMRC)
The following Tax news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on FTT decides joint and several liability notice is a criminal charge and it has jurisdiction to consider public law arguments (Hall v HMRC)
Nature and classification of trusts—the three certaintiesCertaintyIn order for a settlor to create a private express trust the three certainties must...
ProtectorsWhat is a protector?A protector is a person who holds powers under a trust but who is not a trustee. A protector is a person who is...
Preparing the application form PA1P/PA1A for probate or letters of administrationFORTHCOMING CHANGE: The postal application forms PA1P and PA1A for...
Administration actions—personal representatives and the deceased's liabilitiesAn individual may assume obligations, for example in respect of...
Contents of Wills—rules of apportionmentThe rules of apportionment should be considered at the moment of drafting the Will. Whenever a Will creates a trust, some rules of apportionment may be applied or excluded unless they have been dealt with expressly in the wording of the Will.Essentially, the
Under section 14B of the Limitation Act 1980, there is a longstop date to make a negligence claim of 15 years. In the case of a claim against a negligent solicitor in the drafting of a Will, does the longstop time limit begin from the date of the Will being drafted/executed, or from the date of
Failure of gifts—lapseThere are a number of reasons why a gift may fail, including where a gift has lapsed. For further guidance on the various reasons for the failure of a testamentary gift, see Practice Note: Failure of gifts—effects. This Practice Note considers the doctrine of lapse in more
Conditional and dependent relative revocation of WillsIf a testator revokes the Will and that revocation is shown to be subject to a condition, the revocation is ineffective if the condition is not satisfied. Revocation will not be held to be conditional unless there is clear evidence what the
0330 161 1234