Specialist award for local trust and probate solicitor

Emma Kerry, a disputes solicitor working in the Wards' Solicitors Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead offices is now an Associate Member of the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS), having recently passed a diploma in Contentious Trusts and Estates.

Association with ACTAPS acts as a kite mark of excellence in this specialist area of law.

The ACAPS organisation provides a forum for specialists to exchange experience, keep up to date with changes in the law and to make representations to government and the judiciary in relation to contentious trust and probate issues. In addition it promotes the use of a practice guide for the resolution of probate and trust disputes (the ACTAPS Code).

Emma said: "One of the key aspects of the Code is that it encourages the resolution of disputes without hostile litigation and where litigation becomes necessary, seeks to ensure early sharing of information between the parties.

Associate Membership of ACTAPS is only open to those solicitors, barristers and legal executives who have undertaken and completed an extensive two to three year period of study and assessment led by the College of Law."

Head of Disputes, Elizabeth Fry, based in Wards Solicitors' Bristol City Centre office, said: "This organisation aims to maintain a high standard of service in this specialist area of the law. From a client's perspective, they can be reassured that they will be dealing with someone who has specialist knowledge and that efforts will be made to resolve their dispute without the need for costly and time consuming court proceedings and if a dispute does go to court, that the proceedings are conducted efficiently."