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Wards Solicitors’ Contentious Trusts and Probate lawyers have won fulsome praise for their empathy, efficiency, expertise and experience in the latest edition of the highly regarded Legal 500 guide for 2020.

The guide, an independent publication which uses feedback from satisfied clients as one of the key means of determining its rankings, singles out team head, Partner Elizabeth Fry, and Partner Ian Williamson, as key lawyers.

Glowing testimonials describe Elizabeth Fry as ‘compassionate, understanding and non-judgemental’ and Ian Williamson as ‘calm personified’ and ‘unflappable’. Both are commended as experienced and knowledgeable and ‘outstanding in their area of expertise’.

‘A strong, well-motivated team’

Other recommendations given by clients and cited in the guide endorse the calibre of the entire Contentious Trusts and Probate team. This also includes Solicitor Associate, Emma Kerry, and Solicitor, Claire James:

• “The team at Wards Solicitors immediately gave me a high level of confidence and demonstrated that they were the right people to deal with my contentious probate case.”
• “From the date of our initial meeting until our case was settled, the team always showed real empathy with our situation and were able to cut through the emotions we often showed to get to the real facts behind the case…..They were able to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion for us at a reasonable cost and we are very grateful for this.”
• “The experience is personal, professional and responses to my requests have been swiftly dealt with. There is clearly a strong, well-motivated team here.”
• “Both Elizabeth Fry and Ian Williamson are outstanding in their area of expertise, a privilege and pleasure to work with and give me absolute confidence that they are the right people to advise and help me deal with my difficult case.”
• “Quick to respond and always available in times of need. In addition, I am constantly impressed by the standard of service provided by the secretarial team.”

Track record

The team is singled out for its excellent track record in dealing with high-value disputes over Wills, trusts and probate and its handling of cross-jurisdictional issues including assessing the validity of Wills and the sale of property relating to deceased family members.

Elizabeth Fry, says the guide, regularly represents private and business clients on disputes relating to the Inheritance Act.

Highlights

Cases handled by the team and described as ‘work highlights’ by Legal 500 include:

• Advising on a claim relating to the validity of the last Will of a client’s late mother on an estate worth more than £2 million;
• Defending a client’s claims brought against the estate by stepchildren under the Inheritance Act;
• Advising on a dispute regarding an estate with multiple land holdings held on very difficult trusts with overlapping ownerships and assets worth about £800,000.