A new network of solicitors has been launched with the aim of providing free legal advice to people dealing with probate and estate administration.
The Probate Network is made up of solicitors that provide free 20-minute telephone consultations to answer probate-related questions and give advice related to any issue surrounding probate, intestacy, estate administration, or contentious probate.
The aim of this, said founder Julie Draper, is to avoid families needing to book a paid-for appointment only to be told they don’t need probate and that everything is in order.
All the solicitors are members of the Law Society of England and Wales and are overseen by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
The network said clients are under no obligation to instruct the solicitor they speak with, adding that solicitors don’t pitch their legal services during the consultation unless they are asked to. “Many people that use the service go on to complete probate without further professional support,” they said.
If the client feels they need legal representation after the 20-minute consultation, it’s up to them whether they move forward with the consulting solicitor. If not, they have other options through The Probate Network.
In addition to a free probate consultation, through its website, The Probate Network is helping educate people on the difficult and often overwhelming process of dealing with estate administration. They offer guides, FAQs, and more to help people make informed decisions.
