Deadline for submissions and introducing your judging panel #BWAPAwards2026

Today's Wills and Probate

With the deadline for entries now passed and final submissions for the British Wills and Probate Awards due tonight (10th July 2026), attention turns to judging each of the entries across the 22 categories.

As ever, the judging panel is drawn from across the private client and will writing community, wth the independent panel scrutinising each entry before arriving at the shortlist and winners. It’s a necessarily stringent process, explained David Opie, managing director of Today’s Media, the awards’ organiser and publisher of Today’s Wills and Probate.

“Since the inception of the awards the focus for us as organisers has been on creating a set of criteria that enables firms to truly demonstrate technical expertise and client excellence.

“Our judging panel are the heartbeat of the awards. Their insight and integrity are critical to the whole process. Each year the judging panel say how difficult their job is, differentiating between the incredible submissions from around the sector. We expect nothing different this year.”

Winners are announced live at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2026, hosted at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel on Thursday 8th October.

Dubbed the ‘Oscars of the probate world’, now in their ninth year the awards are a firm favourite in the legal calendar and bring together over 450 regulated solicitors and unregulated will writers in an evening of recognition and celebration.

The British Wills and Probate awards are recognised as a barometer of excellence by the profession, featuring regularly on websites, social media and email footers as a mark of credibility for professionals and consumers.

The British Wills and Probate Awards judging panel

Sam Grice, Octopus Legacy
Darren Leggett, The PL Group
Anthony Belcher, The Society of Will Writers
Anthony Philips, Arken Legal
Emily Deane, STEP
Ian Bond, Farewill/Dignity
Lakshmi Turner, The Association of Lifetime Lawyers
Nick Ash, W&P Legal
Jane Cassell, JC Wills & Probate
Simon Brimage, Wills and Trusts UK
Rich Dibbins, Staxton Digital
Karen Babington, Collaborative Conveyancing
David Masterton, Premier Solicitors
Charlotte Toogood, Kings Court Trust
Nicola Combe, Morecambe Bay
Louise Goodenough, LG & Co Consultancy Limited
Lucy Cresswell, Vault Private Client
Gary Shaw, Property Solutions Group
Caroline Sandiford, Caroline Sandiford Estate Planning
Liz Fyfe, Thornton Jones Solicitors
Helen Davies, Heritage Estate Planning
Sid Mohanty, Amadeus Legal
Dominic Hendry, Estate Research
Rob Faulkner, Insuristic
Charlie Chami, Private Client Network
James Emery, Estate Registry

The awards are once again supported by organisations committed to working alongside private client professionals for the betterment of their business, with Arken.legal proudly returning as headline sponsor.

Commenting on the company’s longstanding support for the awards, Arken CEO Anthony Philips said: “Arken is delighted to be supporting the British Wills and Probate Awards again this year.

“Having been a part of the programme every year since it launched, it is with a huge amount of pride that we have the privilege of being the headline sponsor again at what is now widely regarded as the pre-eminent awards event for firms, individuals and businesses in the wills, probate, tax, trusts and estate planning communities.

“The ethos of the event chimes with our own business values of excellence, purpose and inclusion. We look forward to being part of the celebrations recognising the important and critical work of the sector.”

The organisers of the British Wills and Probate Awards are grateful for the support of Superlawyer, Currencies Direct, CLS, The Estate Registry, Golding Young, The Society of Will Writers, Zedra, WillSuite, CILEX, Ochresoft, LEAP Estates, Finders International, Property Ladder Group, Provira, Fraser and Fraser, Ampla Finance, Move With Us, Minerva, CTT Group, HAIG Legal Group and Property Solutions Group.

A handful of sponsorship options remain available. For more information please contact Donna Opie on 0330 1000 839 or email donna.opie@todaysmedia.co.uk.

Key dates