A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) or the older Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) gives an appointed attorney authority to make decisions about a person’s property, finances, health or welfare when they cannot manage these matters themselves. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, attorneys are required to act responsibly and always in the donor’s best interests.

When someone close to you can no longer manage their own finances or make decisions about spending their money, there’s a real risk that money could be misused or essential bills left unpaid. Sometimes, family members try to help without the right legal authority; other times, vulnerable people are at risk of being exploited. Acting early to safeguard assets protects the person and reduces the chance of future disputes, when emotions are high as estates are being distributed and money has been spent.

Contentious probate refers to any dispute about how a person’s estate is handled after their death. These disputes can take many forms, such as concerns about whether a will is valid, disagreements between executors and beneficiaries and conflicts over trusts or claims for provisions from excluded or disappointed beneficiaries.

Succession is a gripping watch because it shows what happens when succession planning is left vague or avoided altogether. The boardroom falls silent, loyalties fracture, and chaos begins. Unlike television, though, real families don’t get a second season to fix probate mistakes. When wills are unclear or absent, disputes erupt, estates stall, and grief turns into litigation.

Married at First Sight may thrive on the drama but it skips one crucial detail: what happens to your will when you get married? In the first in her new blog series, 'Probate meets pop culture', Kelsey Jones explains what you need to consider when you say 'I do'.

If you’ve just binged Season 2 of Wednesday, you’ll know it’s not just the monsters that are scary, it’s the estate planning. In one eerie scene, the headmaster attempts to manipulate Grandma Addams into leaving her fortune to the school and him instead of her family. In this blog, Kelsey Jones discusses the real life issues that can arise from undue influence.

‘Contentious probate’ refers to a range of issues and disputes that may arise after someone dies. These commonly involve disagreements among family members, beneficiaries or other interested parties about who should inherit and how the estate should be distributed. If someone disputes the validity or contents of a person’s will, or challenges the administration of the deceased’s estate, they may require a contentious probate solicitor to help them.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows an individual (known as the donor) to appoint one or more people (known as attorneys) to make decisions on their behalf. It is designed for situations where the donor loses the mental capacity to manage their own financial affairs or healthcare decisions, although it may apply in some cases where the person still has this capacity.