Areas of expertise
Probate & Inheritance
Estate, will, executor, beneficiary and inheritance disputes, resolved privately and with care for the family involved.
Introduction
Inheritance disputes are among the most emotionally charged claims in the civil courts. Long-standing family history, grief and a sense of unfairness sit alongside the legal issues, and the estate itself pays for the argument.
Common flashpoints include the conduct of executors, delays in administration, promises made about a house or a farm, and provision for a family member who feels overlooked.
What we cover
- Estate administration disputes
- Will validity and capacity
- Executor and trustee disputes
- Beneficiary disagreements
- Inheritance Act and estoppel claims
Why mediation?
Costs in contested probate claims can consume a substantial part of the estate, so that even the successful party ends up worse off. Litigation also puts private family matters into a public forum.
Mediation is confidential, and it allows the human issues — being heard, an acknowledgement, the fate of a particular property or possession — to form part of the settlement.
How ProMediate can help
Our mediators are experienced in working with vulnerable parties, difficult family dynamics and complex estate and trust structures, and will set a pace and format that people can cope with.
We help the family look at the estate as a whole and find a distribution everyone can live with, including deeds of variation, timing of sales, retention of particular assets and the release of executors.
Why choose ProMediate?
An experienced panel
Barristers, solicitors and senior professionals who have mediated across the full range of commercial, civil and workplace disputes.
CMC Registered Provider
ProMediate is a Civil Mediation Council Registered Mediation Provider, working to recognised professional and complaints standards.
Nationwide coverage
We arrange mediations throughout England and Wales, at a venue convenient to the parties or at our own arranged rooms.
Online and face to face
Full online mediation on Teams or Zoom, hybrid sessions and traditional in-person days — whichever suits the dispute.
Flexible appointments
Evening, weekend and short-notice appointments are available, and most mediations can be arranged within two to three weeks.
Confidential throughout
The process is private and without prejudice. Nothing said in the mediation can be used later if the matter does not settle.
Commercial and pragmatic
We focus on outcomes that work in practice — payment terms, future arrangements and clean settlements — not on winning arguments.
Frequently asked questions
- Do we all have to be in the same room?
- No. Many inheritance mediations are conducted in separate rooms throughout, or online, and still settle.
- Can a mediated agreement be tax-effective?
- Advisers frequently structure the settlement as a deed of variation. We leave the tax advice to the parties' own advisers but build the flexibility into the day.
- What if a beneficiary is unwell or vulnerable?
- Tell us in advance. We will adjust timings, breaks and format, and can accommodate a litigation friend or supporter.
Request a mediation
Request a mediation, ask for a quotation or speak to our team about this dispute. Tell us briefly what has happened and we will suggest suitable mediators, available dates and a fixed fee — usually within one working day.