Contentious Trust & Probate Solicitor

If progression is important to you, there is considerable scope to develop your career within our highly regarded Contentious Trust & Probate team, including the opportunity of partnership for candidates with the right skills and experiences.

We advise on the full range of issues that arise in relation to an estate or trust from one-off questions to fully contested litigation involving multi-million pound estates. 

Our work includes challenges to the validity of wills, Inheritance Act claims, proprietary estoppel claims, claims for the repayment of lifetime gifts and international issues.  We also advise on construction and rectification of wills, claims against executors and trustees and statutory wills.

• Engaging in a broad spectrum of contentious trust and probate work including bringing and defending
• I(PFD)A 1975 claims
• Claims against the validity of wills
• Construction and rectification claims
• Court of Protection disputes
• Executor disputes
• Trustee disputes
• Proprietary estoppel claims
• Ensuring high levels of client satisfaction and building appropriate relationships with clients.
• Undertaking and delivering work in a commercially effective manner.
• Delegating and cross-referring work effectively.
• Continually developing technical and non-technical skills to meet client and firm requirements and demonstrating continuous improvement in all areas of work.

Strengths such as being passionate about working in contentious trust and probate, having a proactive, methodical and analytical detail to your work; as well as being a strong team player will serve you well in this role.

Our Contentious Trust & Probate team advises charities, individuals and professionals.  We are one of the most highly ranked teams in the UK, with rankings in Chambers, Chambers HNW and Legal500.  We have a particularly highly regarded charity legacy practice and act for most of the household name charities in the UK.

The team is led by Charlotte Watts who trained and qualified as a solicitor with Wilsons in 2005 and became a partner in 2013.

Ranked among the top private client and charity law firms in the country, Wilsons is proud to be included in The Times Best Law Firms 2026, making it our fourth consecutive year.

With nearly 300 years of history and lawyers who are recognised leaders in their fields, Wilsons offers a unique blend of skills and experience to our clients. Our lawyers are dedicated to gaining a deep understanding of their clients' interests, fostering seamless collaboration across the firm's diverse practice areas.

Wilsons has grown organically over the years and is proud to be a people-focused firm with 29 partners and circa 170 employees.

If you'd like to find out more about this opportunity before applying, please contact Carrie Clive (Recruitment Advisor) for a confidential conversation today.