The British Wills and Probate Awards returned for its 8th year at a glitzy ceremony in Manchester last night. Over 450 professionals from across the wills, probate, tax trust and estate planning community came together to recognise and celebrate excellence; with firms, organisations and individuals recognised on the night.
2025 saw the return of Arken.legal as Headline Sponsor having supported the awards as Headline Sponsor in its first couple of years. Indeed this year saw ‘the band get back together’ as Arken.legal and Property Solutions Group (PSG) once again teamed up, as in 2019, with PSG sponsoring this year’s After Party. The opening ‘Champagne Reception’ was sponsored by Finders International.
The affectionately known “BWAP” Awards uniquely recognise and champion both the regulated and unregulated legal communities; and it was unregulated Octopus Legacy who claimed the big prize on the night alongside three category successes. Formerly Guardian Angel, Octopus Legacy was founded by Sam Grice and is part of the same investment group as Octopus Energy. The firm took home “Best Place to Work”, “Customer Service Champions” “Estate Planning Firm of the Year – Large”. Thornton Jones Solicitors, Alex Truesdale Wills and Squiggle Consult were highly commended in each of the categories respectively.
Octopus Legacy were also successful in the coveted “Wills and Probate Excellence” award; recognising the very best entry amongst this year’s submissions as decided by the judges.
The popular Court of Protection Team of the Year award went to Hugh James, with Hugh Jones Solicitors Highly Commended. In the Probate Provider of the Year categories Premier Solicitors scooped the southern region with Pavilion Row recognised in the north and midlands; SE Solicitors and Sills and Betteridge were highly commended in the respective regions. Kings Court Trust took home Innovation and Transformation of the Year, closely followed by CTT Group while Thackray Williams were Tax and Trust Team of the Year, with SE Solicitors again coming a close second as highly commended.
In the supplier categories Estatesearch were the cream of the crop in both the Best Use of Technology and overall Legal Supplier of the Year categories; IDR Law came highly commended in the technology category, and The National Will Register was highly commended in the Legal Supplier of the Year category. Fraser and Fraser pipped Estate Research to the Probate Research Firm of the Year prize.
As the evening drew to a close firms and individuals battled it out in the estate planning and solicitor firm of the year categories, and individual accolades for “one to watch” and overall contentious and non-contentious practitioner of the year. The Boutique category was won by ELM Legal, with Heritage Estate Planning highly commended. Freeths and Lawson West Solicitors secured the Private Client Team of the Year Large and Boutique respectively, with Wollens and Pavilion Row highly commended. In the individual categories Caroline Sandiford of was recognised as Estate Planning Consultant of the Year, with Helen Davies of Heritage Estate Planning highly commended. Emily Robertson of Hanne and Co was the One to Watch Practitioner of the Year with Kamran Chughtai of Thackray Williams Solicitors highly commended.
Andrew Bishop of Rothley Law Limited fought it out to be Contentious Practitioner of the Year ahead of Tony Cockayne of Michelmores while a former winner of the One to Watch category, Jade Gani, founder of Circe Law was Private Client Practitioner of the Year.
A full list of winners can be found below and on the British Wills and Probate Awards website
Thanking attendees, Anthony Philips, CEO of Headline Sponsor Arken.Legal said
“The British Wills and Probate Awards is an inspiring evening filled with celebration and recognition of the outstanding talent across our industry. Huge congratulations to all the winners, you truly deserve it! I’d also like to acknowledge every finalist for your remarkable dedication and contributions. Your hard work reflects the excellence that drives us forward, and it’s an honour to be part of such a passionate community. Thank you once again for being with us and celebrating these achievements! We look forward to next time!”
Further details about The British Wills and Probate Awards 2025, are available at www.britishwillsandprobateawards.co.uk.
British Wills and Probate Awards 2025 – Winners and Highly Commended
Innovation & Transformation of the Year | Sponsored by Level
- Winner: Kings Court Trust
- Highly Commended: CTT Group
Tax & Trusts Team of the Year | Sponsored by Provira
- Winner: Thackray Williams
- Highly Commended: SE-Solicitors
Probate Research Firm of the Year | Sponsored by Probate.Auction
- Winner: Fraser and Fraser
- Highly Commended: Estate Research
Community and Charity Champions | Sponsored by Just Clear
- Winner: Talbots Solicitors
- Highly Commended: HCC Solicitors
Contentious Wills & Probate Team of the Year – Boutique
- Winner: Shakespeare Martineau
- Highly Commended; Michelmores
Contentious Wills & Probate Team of the Year – Large | Sponsored by The Property Ladder Group
- Winner: Myerson
- Highly Commended: Irwin Mitchell LLP
Contentious Practitioner of the Year
- Winner: Andrew Bishop – Rothley Law Limited
- Highly Commended: Tony Cockayne – Michelmores
Best Use of Technology | Sponsored by The Estate Registry
- Winner: Estatesearch
- Highly Commended: IDR Law
Legal Assistant of the Year | Sponsored by Fraser & Fraser
- Winner: Lorraine Marsh – Shakespeare Martineau
- Highly Commended: Abigail Ball – Sewell Mullings Logie
Court of Protection Team of the Year | Sponsored by Anglia Research
- Winner: Hugh James
- Highly Commended: Hugh Jones Solicitors
Probate Provider of the Year – South | Sponsored by CLSQ
- Winner: Premier Solicitors
- Highly Commended: SE-Solicitors
Probate Provider of the Year – North & Midlands
- Winner: Pavilion Row
- Highly Commended: Sills and Betteridge LLP
Best Place to Work| Sponsored by Women in Wills
- Winner: Octopus Legacy
- Highly Commended: Thornton Jones Solicitors
Estate Planning Firm of the Year – Boutique | Sponsored by ZEDRA
- Winner: ELM Legal Services
- Highly Commended: Heritage Estate Planning
Estate Planning Firm of the Year – Large | Sponsored by WillSuite
- Winner: Octopus Legacy
- Highly Commended: Squiggle Consult
Estate Planning Consultant of the Year | Sponsored by Society of Will Writers
- Winner: Caroline Sandiford – Caroline Sandiford
- Highly Commended: Helen Davies – Heritage Estate Planning
Customer Service Champions | Sponsored by Exizent
- Winner: Octopus Legacy
- Highly Commended: Alex Truesdale Wills
One to Watch Practitioner of the Year | Sponsored by The Law Superstore
- Winner: Emily Robertson – Hanne & Co Solicitors
- Highly Commended: Kamran Chughtai – Thackray Williams Solicitors
Legal Supplier of the Year | Sponsored by CILEX
- Winner: Estatesearch
- Highly Commended: The National Will Register
Private Client Firm of the Year – Boutique | Sponsored by Ochresoft
- Winner: Lawson West Solicitors
- Highly Commended: Pavilion Row
Private Client Firm of the Year – Large | Sponsored by LEAP Estates
- Winner: Freeths LLP
- Highly Commended: Wollens
Private Client Practitioner of the Year | Sponsored by Finders International
- Winner: Jade Gani – Circe Law Ltd
- Highly Commended: Liz Fyfe – Thornton Jones Solicitors Ltd
Wills & Probate Excellence | Sponsored by Today’s Wills and Probate
- Winner: Octopus Legacy
Congratulations to everybody on their success at The British Wills and Probate Awards 2025. #BWAPAwards2025
