25 Apr 11 Disputing A Will: How To Choose A Solicitor
Choosing to contest a will is a big decision. Not only can it be an emotionally exhaustive process, but it also falls into a complicated area of law. For this reason, it can often be a good idea to hire a solicitor to act on your behalf during proceedings, especially if your case goes all the way to court. They'll be able to advise you on what to do and help take care of everything for you. If you're looking to choose a solicitor to help you disputing a will, there are a few points you should consider.
Firstly, you need to know why you want to hire a solicitor. For example, do you want to contest the provision of the will or just the way the administration of the estate has been handled? Depending on your precise requirements, this may affect your choice of solicitor. You should also think carefully about your situation before going ahead with disputing a will: do you really believe you might be successful? It is sometimes beneficial to do some research about Wills before you begin any action to see if you are able to dispute it. If you think you are, this is the time to start thinking about hiring a lawyer.
Next, you should make sure you choose a solicitor who specialises in this area of law. Unless you already know a solicitor specialising in helping people contest a will, doing some research online is probably the right place to start looking for that expert. In fact it's such a specialist area, that you might find no local solicitors are specialist enough - so you might decide to instruct a forward thinking specialist solicitor at a distance, dealing with your case by e-mail and telephone. Choosing the right legal advice at the beginning is very important - this should mean that they are aware of the legal requirements surrounding Wills and have relevant expertise. When choosing your solicitor, you also need to make sure that you are comfortable working with them. Seeing a solicitor for an initial consultation might give you some insight into how your case will progress.
You need to also be discerning when choosing your solicitor to contest a will: if you find that one solicitor tells you what you want to hear be aware that this is not necessarily faultless advice. This is especially true if every other lawyer you speak to tells you something different. Think about the opinions you receive and use these to make an informed choice.
You should also remember that having a solicitor on board to assist you in disputing a will doesn't necessarily guarantee your success. This makes it doubly important that you hire the right solicitor as they'll be able to advise you on next steps if your challenge doesn't turn out the way you'd like, while still working to give you the best possible chance of success.
About the Author:
Bonallack & Bishop are solicitors who specialise in helping you contest a will. If you need expert legal advice on disputing a will , a difficult area of law, then contact one of their lawyers today. Senior Partner Tim Bishop is responsible for all major strategic decisions at the firm, which he has grown by 1000% in 13 years. Tim sees himself as a businessman who owns a law firm.
