Slater Heelis has strengthened its Contentious Probate and Contentious Court of Protection team, bringing together specialist expertise from its existing private client and dispute resolution teams to provide clients with a comprehensive service across all aspects of probate, estate and Court of Protection disputes.
As part of the firm’s continued growth, John Gorner has been appointed Head of Contentious Probate, working closely with Zoe Peeling (Associate Partner), who leads the firm’s Probate offering. Together, they will bring the firm’s expertise in contentious and non-contentious probate matters under one specialist team, providing a joined-up approach for clients and referrers.
The appointment of Scott Salisbury as Solicitor further strengthens the firm’s capacity to advise on disputes and claims relating to wills and estates matters.
The move to create one unified team comes amid a rise in the complexity of probate matters. Modern family structures, from blended families to more complex personal and financial arrangements, are increasingly giving rise to disputes over inheritance claims, and firms are seeing growing demand for advice that spans both probate administration and contentious work.
This matters for clients because disputes often emerge partway through what begins as routine estate administration. Under the new structure, clients do not need to instruct a different firm when this happens, or when a dispute involves the financial affairs of a vulnerable relative under Court of Protection rules. Issues can be identified early, and clients can move between specialists within the same team as their case develops, rather than starting again elsewhere.
John Gorner, Head of Contentious Probate at Slater Heelis, said: “This is an exciting development for our Private Client offering and, importantly, it is about bringing two niche areas of specialist expertise together to give our clients a genuinely joined-up service.
“Probate matters can be complex and, in some cases, what initially appears to be a straightforward estate administration can develop into a dispute. Having Zoe leading our Probate team and the contentious probate team working closely together means we can identify potential issues early and ensure clients have access to the right specialist advice when they need it with the two departments working together seamlessly.”
Zoe Peeling, Head of Probate at Slater Heelis, added: “John and I have complementary areas of expertise and bringing our teams together gives us an opportunity to provide an even more comprehensive service. Clients can access specialist solicitors with expertise in probate, inheritance disputes and Court of Protection matters, all working closely together to ensure they receive the right advice at the right time. Most importantly, it means our clients have access to the specialist support they need under one roof, whatever challenges their estate may present.”
Few firms offer dedicated expertise across probate administration, contentious probate and contentious Court of Protection matters within one integrated team, making this a distinctive offering in the regional market.