The fifth year of The British Will and Probate Awards brought the house down at The Grand Hotel in Birmingham as wills and probate practitioners came together to celebrate the very best the industry has to offer.
Winners on the night included national firms Shakespeare Martineau (Charity Legacy Probate Collaboration of the Year), and Farewill (Willwriting Firm of the Year – National), Giles Wilson Law Limited (Innovation & Transformation of the Year) and AL-HQ Law & More (Will Writing Firm of the Year – South & Community & Charity Champions).
In one of the most hotly contested categories, Best Contentious Wills & Probate Team, first time winners Charles Russell Speechly’s came out on top with Shoosmiths Highly Commended.
Following a year of growth and development, last year’s Willwriting Sole Practitioner of the Year Morecambe Bay Wills were highly commended in the Will Writing Firm of the Year North & Midlands, a category won by Estate Planning Solutions, with Simon Pearce of Confidence Wills usurping Nicola Combe.
Following the recent success of Estatesearch in the “Best Use of Technology” category, this year the award went to Inheritance Data and in the Probate Provider categories Taylor Emmet and Laurelo raised the flag for the North and Midlands, and South respectively with past winners Kings Court Trust Highly Commended.
With a few new categories in 2022 designed to recognise the changing face of the industry and champion excellence, Simpson Solicitors took home Customer Service Champion beating Oliver & Co Solicitors into second place. Weightmans took top spot in the Outstanding Employee Experience category, designed to recognise firms who have most effectively adapted to the “new normal.”
David McGuire of Weightmans follows in the footsteps of Oliver Simpson (Taylor&Emmet LLP) and Jade Gani (Meadows Ryan) as this year’s Young Practitioner of Year, with Kayleigh Brown of Wilson Browne Highly Commended. And in the prestigious Solicitor Firm of the Year – National, Hugh James took the crown for the second year with Talbots Law a worthy Highly Commended.
The final award of the evening was the Today’s Wills and Probate Industry Champion, sponsored by Arken.legal. Launched last year, the award was introduced to recognise the individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the life and times of the sector. Importantly, it is nominated and voted for entirely by the wills and probate community and this year’s shortlist provided us with a mix of incredible people who have positively influenced the sector over the last 12 months; Matthew Pennington, Trusha Velji, Chris Whittington, Trevor Worth and Heledd Wyn.
In a hotly contested public vote Trevor Worth, Managing Director at Portcullis Legals was announced as the winner on the evening; a worthy winner who takes on the mantle from 2021 winner Michael Culver. Speaking via videolink from Florida, Trevor said:
“I’m so honoured that I’ve won this award. It means so much, because it’s 35 years in January since I’ve been in the industry. I’ve been surrounded by great people and made great friendships.
It’s been a wonderful journey. For those who voted, thank you very much, and well done to the other great candidates.”
said Trevor in a live stream from America where he is currently attending the largest legal marketing convention in the world and unable to attend the awards in person.
Commenting on the evening’s success, Group Chief Executive Officer and Headline Sponsor Barry Mattock of Property Solutions Group said
“What a night! Yet again it’s been a proud moment to sponsor such a prestigious event showcasing the excellence across the probate industry. Congratulations to all the winners and the finalists. We hope your evening was as brilliant as ours! See you next year!”
Aleks Tomczyk, Founder & COO at Networking Sponsor Exizent added
“A massive congratulations to all the nominees and winners, it was fantastic to see so many people doing a great job and invested in the work they do”
The evening, the largest British Wills and Probate Awards to date following a record number of entries, hosted 250 people in person along with an online audience of hundreds via the live stream available on The British Wills and Probate Awards website.
You can view the ceremony in full now on the awards website here.
The British Wills and Probate Awards 2022 – Winners in Full
Best Use of Technology – Sponsored by Taylor Rose MW
- Winner: Inheritance Data
- Highly Commended: CTT Group
Best Use of Marketing & Social Media – Sponsored by Today’s Legal Content
- Winner: Finders International
- Highly Commended: Kings Court Trust
Probate Research Firm of the Year – Sponsored by Ochresoft
- Winner: Title Research
- Highly Commended: Finders International
Estate Planning Consultant of the Year – Sponsored by BEST Foundation
- Winner: Sid Mohanty- Amadeus Legal Services Ltd
- Highly Commended: Simon Brimage – Wills and Trusts UK
Charity Legacy Probate Collaboration of the Year – Sponsored by Institute of Legacy Management
- Winner: Shakespeare Martineau
- Highly Commended: Foot Anstey
Court of Protection Team of the Year – Sponsored by Anglia Research
- Winner: JMW Solicitors LLP
- Highly Commended: Shoosmiths
Will Writing Sole Practitioner of the Year – Sponsored by AON
- Winner: Simon Pearce – Confidence Wills
- Highly Commended: Trusha Velji – Touch Solicitors Ltd
Best Contentious Wills & Probate Team – Sponsored by Tower Street Finance
- Winner: Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
- Highly Commended: Shoosmiths
Legal Supplier of the Year – Sponsored by Property Solutions Group
- Winner: Start Technology (Software) Limited
- Highly Commended: Ochresoft
Will Writing Firm of the Year – North & Midlands – Sponsored by Institute of Paralegals
- Winner: Estate Planning Solutions
- Highly Commended: Morecambe Bay Will and Estates Limited
Will Writing Firm of the Year – South – Sponsored by Tower Street Finance
- Winner: AL-HQ Law & More
- Highly Commended: Heritage Wills
Will Writing Firm of the Year – National – Sponsored by Willsuite
- Winner: Farewill
- Highly Commended: Digilegal
Probate Provider of the Year – North & Midlands – Sponsored by Just Clear
- Winner: Taylor Emmet
- Highly Commended: Chadwick Lawrence LLP
Probate Provider of the Year – South – Sponsored by CLS Property Insight
- Winner: Laurelo
- Highly Commended: Kings Court Trust
Community & Charity Champions – Sponsored by Movewise
- Winner: AL-HQ Law & More
- Highly Commended: Rotheras Solicitors
Innovation & Transformation of the Year – Sponsored by Ampla Finance
- Winner: Giles Wilson Law Limited
- Highly Commended: Estatsearch
Outstanding Employee Experience – Sponsored by Advanced
- Winner: Weightmans
- Highly Commended: Lawson West Solicitors Limited
Private Client Team of the Year – Sponsored by Pro-Gen Research
- Winner: Irwin Mitchell LLP
- Highly Commended: Brabners LLP
Young Practitioner of the Year – Sponsored by The Law Superstore
- Winner: David McGuire – Weightmans
- Highly Commended: Kayleigh Browne – Wilson Brown
Customer Service Champion – Sponsored by Exizent
- Winner: Simpson Solicitors
- Highly Commended: Oliver & Co
Solicitor Firm of the Year – North – Sponsored by Dawsons Auctioneers
- Winner: Hugh Jones Solicitors
- Highly Commended: Brabners LLP
Solicitor Firm of the Year – Midlands – Sponsored by Dawsons Auctioneers
- Winner: Timms Solicitors
- Highly Commended: Fishers Solicitors
Solicitor Firm of the Year – South – Sponsored by Finders International
- Winner: EMW Law
- Highly Commended: Simpson Solicitors
Solicitor Firm of the Year – National– Sponsored by Inheritance Data
- Winner: Hugh James
- Highly Commended: Talbots Law
Today’s Wills and Probate Industry Champion – Sponsored by Arken.legal
- Winner: Trevor Worth, Portcullis Legals
