Private client

Wills

Wills

How we can help

We advise individuals on all aspects of will drafting and issues affecting wills including:

  • wills for high-net-worth and high-profile individuals
  • drafting wills in difficult family circumstances
  • estate planning
  • wills for the elderly
  • statutory wills
  • tax efficient wills and use of the nil-rate-band
  • wills and marriage or civil partnership
  • wills leaving specific legacies to pilot trusts
  • dealing with property in France
  • the effect of the Finance Act 2006 and subsequent Finance Acts on will drafting
  • use of the russell cooke trust company as executors
  • wills for entrepreneurs and the owners of family businesses

Our team

Our specialist wills team offers a broad range of expertise to meet individual clients' needs no matter how complex. We are particularly well regarded for our expertise in cross-border issues for wills and in international tax, succession and asset management matters. 

Our approach

We work closely with other specialist lawyers including our french law department to provide clients with seamless advice on matters such as inheritance tax, succession planning, capacity, trusts and international estates. 

We know that clients often instruct us at difficult times to deal with sensitive matters and understand the importance of giving clear, timely and practical advice. 

Many of our lawyers are members of professional organisations such as the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Solicitors for the Elderly. 

Is it time to update your will?

It’s a good idea to review your will every few years (and immediately after a life event such as marriage) to make sure it still says what you want it to say.

Since you wrote your will, what has changed in your life?

  • Married, remarried, separated, widowed, divorced
  • Had children or grandchildren
  • Someone new in your life whom you might want to add to your will
  • Death in the family, or of a beneficiary or executor
  • An executor has become unsuitable to act eg. due to age or ill
  • health or a move abroad
  • Made reference in your will to an asset which you have since sold or has changed in nature
  • Changes to your financial situation
  • You own assets or property in a foreign jurisdiction
  • The value of your assets has increased and you need inheritance tax advice
  • A beneficiary has become disabled or is vulnerable
  • You run your own business                  
  • Considering retirement or recently retired

If you wish at any time to make a new will or revoke or alter an existing will, please contact us so that the necessary legal formalities can be observed as, otherwise, your wishes may not be carried out effectively.

Our experienced team is able to help you with any uncertainty over your current Will or if you have any estate planning or tax queries.

Russell-Cooke wills brochure

Our experienced solicitors with specialist knowledge will work with you to prepare your Will to meet your wishes.

Charging information

We aim to charge our wills service on a fixed fee basis, to include an initial meeting, the will drafting and a detailed letter of explanation to you identifying the key terms and confirming our advice, a further brief meeting at our offices to sign and witness the will and storage of the will in our safe.

Any additional work involved in completing the will (such as multiple meetings and/or amendments) may result in an additional charge on the basis of time spent and the seniority and experience of personnel involved.

In any event we will provide you with an initial estimate of your likely legal costs and will update this if necessary as your requirements or the circumstances of the work change.

We would be pleased to discuss your requirements and produce a costs estimate accordingly based on the type and complexity of the work involved.

Find out how our specialist will solicitors can help

If you would like to speak with a member of the team you can contact our private client solicitors; Holborn office +44 (0)20 3826 7522; Kingston office +44 (0)20 3826 7529 or Putney office +44 (0)20 3826 7515 or complete our form.

Related insights

The latest news and insights from our private client team

News

28.11.2023

Five things not to put in a will—Money Week

Partner Kieran Bowe has appeared in an article in Money Week, providing valuable insights into what should be excluded from a will, such as sensitive information...
Kieran Bowe, Partner in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, private client team.
Kieran Bowe
1 min Read
News

23.11.2023

The Autumn Statement and your money—Financial Times

Partner James Cook has been quoted in article from eprivate client uncovering the potential impacts of the Autumn Statement 2023 on the private wealth sector...
Russell-Cooke private client partner
James Cook
1 min Read
News

31.10.2023

What do Mystic Meg, HMRC and October 2024 have in common?—insights on Inheritance Tax and key statistics

Partner Rebecca Fisher delves into Inheritance Tax (IHT), the impact of individuals and estates, while exploring the key statistics and...
Rebecca Fisher, Partner in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, private client team.
Rebecca Fisher
5 min Read
View all News & Insights