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"Dickinson Dees... has a ten-partner team led by David Dale, which in 2007 launched its 'Wealth Management' initiative involving the integration of tax, trusts and probate teams with the financial planning group to create a one-stop-shop for high net worth individuals."

Legal 500 2008

"With four offices across the North and one in London, this firm has the local region and beyond covered for private client work. Clients value the sizeable team's 'resourceful and practical advice' and its large range of services."

Chambers 2009

The Contentious Trust and Probate Team at Dickinson Dees deals with the whole range of issues which can arise in the areas of trusts and succession. This includes handling disputes over wills and the administration of estates. Our expertise also extends to dealing with claims involving negligent advice given by practitioners in these fields. We regularly act for executors/trustees (including professional and corporate trustees) and for beneficiaries. Our advice to charity beneficiaries forms part of the wider legacy management service which we provide to that sector - Dickinson Dees is proud to be a corporate partner of the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM), the body which promotes and supports the work of charity legacy officers, and our team regularly provides training to ILM members.



The team draws on the expertise both of our Litigation and Wealth Management departments, but remains truly specialist in that all members of the team have particular experience in dealing with these types of cases. Jonathan Grogan, Director in the team, is a member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) and has also completed a diploma in contentious trust and probate.

We like to think that our advice is sensitive to the often distressing situations in which clients find themselves, yet always thoroughly practical and aimed at a speedy resolution. We are very familiar with various forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution and have resolved several disputes in this way.

The types of case we regularly deal with include the following:-

• Challenges regarding validity of wills

• Claim for family provision from estates inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975

• Claims regarding maladministration of estates, including removal of personal representatives

• Claims that trustees have acted in breach of trust

• Challenges over the validity of lifetime gifts and other transactions

• Seeking the court's directions on how to proceed with the administration of an estate or a trust