Plymouth-based estate planning business Portcullis Legal has agreed a formal partnership with probate provider Honey Legal to manage the transfer of clients, as part of a wider succession plan for the business.
The agreement gives Portcullis clients a structured future and continuity of care and a clear succession plan for the business, which has been built over almost four decades.
Portcullis managing director Trevor Worth (pictured left) said the partnership had undergone a year-long trial to ensure probate handovers were managed in a way that “preserved trusted client relationships while strengthening continuity, communication and succession planning”.
He added: “This partnership is entirely about doing the right thing for our clients and ensuring they remain protected long into the future.”
Explaining he has no plans to retire, Worth continued: “After nearly 40 years in the profession it was important for me to create a proper long-term plan for the families who have trusted us over the years.
“The trial period gave me enormous confidence because I could see first-hand the quality of care and support clients were receiving through Honey Legal’s probate team. Families were being looked after properly, communication was excellent, and the whole process felt smooth.
“Most relationships within our sector are informal arrangements without real long-term certainty behind them. We wanted to break that mould by creating something formal, transparent, and genuinely built around client continuity and future protection.”
Under the new arrangement, Honey Legal will provide long-term probate support and estate administration for Portcullis clients, while Worth continues as managing director of Portcullis and will remain active in wills, trusts and estate planning.
The model is intended to protect client continuity, maintain the personal relationships Portcullis has built and puts a clearer succession framework in place for the future, the firms said in a joint statement.
Al Gardiner, CEO of Honey Legal (pictured right), said: “This partnership is about protecting clients for the long term and making sure families always feel supported and well looked after. Trevor has spent almost 40 years building an exceptional reputation based on trust, relationships, and genuinely caring for people.
“What we have created together is a proper long-term structure that gives clients certainty for the future. The trial period proved that our teams work incredibly well together and that families receive an excellent experience during probate, which is when support matters most.
“Trevor is not retiring any time soon, and we are delighted he will continue doing what he does best for many years ahead. But when the time eventually comes to hand over the mantle, Honey Legal will already be there to continue supporting those families with the same care and professionalism.”
The model could offer a more structured approach to succession planning in the estate planning profession, combining local client relationships with national probate capability, Gardiner added.
Honey Legal expects to more than double its probate team over the next 12 months, with further investment planned in specialist roles, systems and client support.
