Lawyers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are to benefit from a new scholarship designed to support greater diversity in contentious trusts and probate law.
The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) has awarded two Access Scholarships for the 2026 intake of its specialist qualification course at the University of Law – the first in the association’s 30-year history.
Rebecca Cockerham, a wills, trusts and estate disputes lawyer at London-based Buckles Law, and Azmi Quraishe, a solicitor advocate, ADR Group-accredited civil and commercial mediator and partner and head of litigation and dispute resolution at Scott Bailey LLP, are the first recipients of the funding, which aims to encourage legal professionals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to undertake the ACTAPS qualification.
The scholarships are open to solicitors, barristers and legal executives from BAME backgrounds who are currently practising in the UK, and cover the full £7,380 cost of the qualification.
Recipients will also receive the support of a dedicated ACTAPS mentor throughout the course, who will attend ACTAPS events and help recipients build networks within the specialism. The scholarship includes access to ACTAPS events during the course, with a pathway to associate and ultimately full membership of ACTAPS on successful completion of the qualification.
Cockerham (pictured left) said: “This means so much to me, it’s the difference of having the opportunity to get this qualification at a time when it matters most in my career.
“I was drawn to this area of law as it allows me to help people through very difficult times in their lives. From what I could see, there was a real lack of representation of diversity, both of ethnicity and disability. I want to be someone that inspires others to follow this path.”
Quraishe (pictured right) said: “This was such a shock and amazing news. As the sole litigator in my firm, this will allow me to build on my existing experience and develop the specialist knowledge needed to support clients.”
“I had been keen to take the course but it had been out of budget so this has given me the opportunity sooner than I thought I would have been able to. I hope the knowledge and experience I gain will benefit not only my clients, but also help me contribute more broadly to this specialist area of practice.”
Established in 1997, ACTAPS is a membership and standards body for lawyers specialising in contentious trust and probate work, promoting the development of specialist skills and expertise through education, training, events and representation to governmental and judicial bodies.
Two Access Scholarships will be offered annually, with applications for the 2027 intake to open in early 2027.
Lucinda Brown, co-chair of ACTAPS, said: “It is fantastic and a real step forward for ACTAPS to be able to offer these scholarships. We are committed to improving diversity and access to our specialist course which provides practitioners with such a strong grounding in this area of practice.”
Co-chair Josh Lewison added: “Entering the new era of ACTAPS, the whole committee was keen that we should support better access to our part of the profession. We are very pleased to have found two excellent candidates, and we look forward to supporting them through the course”.
The ACTAPS qualification is delivered by the University of Law in partnership with ACTAPS. It is offered as a distance learning course with study sessions at the University’s London Moorgate campus, and can be completed over two or three years. The syllabus covers the full range of contentious trust and probate disputes, from challenges to testamentary capacity and undue influence claims to breach of trust and asset tracing.
