Legacies Service | Charity law

Our Charity Law team appreciate how important it is for charities to maintain, maximise, and grow this vital income stream and we are dedicated to advising and supporting our charity clients to help them achieve this. In particular, Katherine Ellis, Senior Associate Solicitor within our firm, has five years first hand experience of legacy administration and management. Having began her career in the sector with leading vet charity PDSA, before being promoted to the role of Legacy Manager with the British Heart Foundation in London, Katherine continues to be an active member of the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM).

Consequently, our team fully understands the pressures and demands faced by the sector, which ensures we can provide our charity clients with practical, realistic and bespoke legal advice and options. Our team can provide specialist assistance and support on:

Legacy Administration:-

• Applications to the Probate Registry in accordance with the Non-Contentious Probate Rules
• Abated legacies
• Requests for information
• Professional administration costs
• Sale of assets and the appropriation of property and investments
• Taxation of trusts and estates

Legacy Management:-

• Procedures, processes, and system reviews to maximise legacy income
• Review/draft template letters
• Provide bespoke training
• Service level agreements
• Trustees’ roles and responsibilities
• Ex gratia requests
• Liaising with the Charity Commission

In addition, we have specialist expertise with regard to legacy disputes and contested estate matters (gained both in private practice, as well as within the charity sector specifically) with a proven track record of resolving complex disputes in favour of charity clients whilst also ensuring they avoid any adverse PR.

Our team can advise on a broad range of legacy disputes and contested estate matters to include:-

• Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 for financial provision from an estate
• Challenges to the validity of wills (including claims on the basis of lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence and fraud)
• Applications concerning the interpretation and construction of wills
• Disputes arising as a consequence of missing or lost wills
• Proprietary estoppel claims
• Professional negligence claims (as disappointed beneficiaries, or arising out of advice regarding trusts, wills and estates)
• Executor/trustee disputes
• Cy-près applications
• Statutory wills

To find out how our team can assist your charity, please call Katherine on 0121 647 5419, or email kellis@thursfields.co.uk