Thursfields helps client quadruple her inheritance

Thursfields Solicitors have highlighted the importance of challenging small legacies after helping a client to more than quadruple her inheritance.

The leading Midlands law firm has commented on the settlement it achieved for an adult daughter against her late mother 's estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975.

Pam Deol (pictured), a senior associate solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team at Thursfields and a member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS), revealed that the deceased had made a new Will reducing her daughter 's inheritance to approximately £46,000 - but with legal help she succeeded in increasing this to over four times that figure.

Ms Deol said: “In this case, there was a potential claim for challenging the validity of a new Will made when the deceased was both elderly and suffering from dementia.

“The claimant had been the sole executrix and sole beneficiary of the whole of her mother 's estate in the previous Will made several years before death, but the deceased had changed her longstanding Will in the last year of her life. ”

Thursfields ' counsel in the case was Miranda Allardice of 5 Stone Buildings, London.

Ms Deol added: “Contested Will and Probate claims are increasing due to clients being more aware of their rights, the rise in cohabitation, divorce, remarriage and the aging population suffering from dementia and other such illnesses.

“Despite Covid-19 restrictions, the courts are still available to parties to resolve their differences where they are unable to reach agreement. ”

For questions regarding a will or the conduct of an executor or trustee of an estate, contact Ms Deol at [email protected] or on 0121 227 3878