Today's Wills & Probate Podcast

With the estate planning industry undergoing significant merger and acquisition activity the Today's Wills and Probate podcast welcomes on one of the most active proponents to discuss what businesses can do to make themselves appealing to the acquisitive organisations. Tishya Ray, who leads corporate development and strategic partnerships at Octopus Legacy joins host David Opie to share insight into how acquiring firms assess value, manage hidden liabilities, and deploy data-driven modelling to scale within a traditionally fragmented industry.Ray outlines details of the Octopus model for profiling organisations and understanding their reasoning for sale; which varies hugely and can be for any number of factors. While understandably coy on some of the intellectual property that has gone into Octopus'' acquisition strategy, Ray does provide plenty of insight for professionals on what steps they might take now, to realise the full potential of their business' future value. Will banks is an obvious starting point; a single stored will acts as a powerful multi-generational client flywheel. In the short term, holding a valid document enables lifetime estate planning revenue through will updates, rewrites, and necessary upserves including Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) or property trusts. Long-term, when a death notification is received, it unlocks the opportunity to provide distinct bereavement guidance alongside high-margin probate conversion. This process ultimately introduces the firm to an average of four beneficiaries, who frequently convert into estate planning customers themselves, creating a compounding growth network.This is where firms need to be acting now; there is a clear "value ladder" for firms considering an exit strategy where value increases based on the contractability and actionability of a record. A bare client name with an out-of-date address sits at the lowest rung, while the premium tier consists of a legally valid, physically stored "qualifying will" attached to an up-to-date client who has consented to marketing and pays recurring storage or amendment fees. This predictable annuity line allows acquirers to value a firm on a revenue multiple rather than a transactional, one-off basis. Hidden liabilities like poorly documented pre-sold executor packages are also a re flag for acquirers. Ray concludes that while the motivation to sell varies, the position a founder sells from is dictated by the systems and compliance they implement in the years prior. By standardising files, maintaining clear data consent, and ensuring robust client communication paths, firms can successfully build to last and build to sell. The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

Recently rebranded untangled joins the latest Today's Wills and Probate Podcast to discuss the continued impact of the Great Wealth Transfer, the increasing reliance on inheritance amongst younger generations and the role interim funding has to play in scenarios where estate administration grinds to halt because of issues around liquidity. Senior growth specialist William Dorey sits down with podcast host David Opie to discuss how specialised financial products function during the probate process, how firms handle regulatory oversight, and the real-world impact of the ongoing generational wealth transfer.Previously known as Ampla Finance, the company were one of the first to enter the probate lending space. Bound by the FCA's Consumer Duty mandates, Dorey emphasises the business model requires strict compliance to prevent predatory lending or funding frivolous spending. Sometimes, he notes, a quick or substantive "no" is the best outcome for a vulnerable consumer. To maintain these standards, the platform strictly takes its client introductions from fully regulated professionals, including SRA-registered solicitors and authorised brokers.Reliance on inheritance, a personal experience for Dorey having purchased his own home with the help of parents, is a very real issue at a time when modern consumers face inflation and financial pressures at home. Asset rich but cash poor estates place additional pressures on personal representatives.In many respects, the podcast concludes that the core challenge facing the industry is public and professional education. Private client and conveyancing solicitors have an opportunity to understand these alternative marketplace options so they can effectively connect the dots for cash-poor clients during times of bereavement.Disclaimer: Ampla Consumer Finance Limited (trading as Untangled) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Untangled offer regulated Credit agreements. All lending is subject to eligibility and creditworthiness assessments. Loans are subject to interest and fees.The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

In an exclusive interview with the Today's Wills and Probate Podcast Circe Law CEO Jade Gani explains why a newly-launched alliance is taking the Solicitors Regulation Authority to task on changes to the compliance regime, explaining how the proposals will disproportionately impact small and medium sized law firms. As one of the founders of the SME & Boutique Law Firm Alliance Gani explains the group is not opposed to protections which would reduce the risk of notable recent failures including Axiom Ince and PM Law, but raises concerns the route proposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority would not only not be effective, but would disproportionately impact boutique and high street law firms with a knock-on impact on access to justice, consumers choice, and diversity in the law.As it stands, from January 2027 law firms with a turnover over £600,000 or over £2m in their client account will be required to separate the roles of Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) and Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) from those with "unilateral decision making" responsibilities in the firm.The group say they have asked for the rules changes to be paused while evidence of what risks are posed at the thresholds proposed is gathered. Gani adds the proposals are unworkable in smaller firms, around 15% of the overall number of regulated law firms, where there are no suitable alternative postholders.  So contentious is the debate, the Alliance has said it would call for a vote of no confidence in the leadership at the regulator should the proposals go ahead. In an open letter and subsequent meeting with the SRA the group has proposed a number of alternatives which they say would have a more proportionate and effective impact. In response the SRA has said it agreed with the need to better protect the public by strengthening the safeguards around client money and was "committed to continuing the conversation on this important issue" before responding further.  The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

The naivety of consumers around the costs associated with estate administration is placing huge financial pressures on people at a time of great distress as they navigate the process of dealing with bereavement and managing estate administration. It's part of the story behind the growth of FCA-regulated lenders who offer options to families hit by unexpected liabilities, including inheritance tax (IHT), property maintenance, and care home fees; an acute issue for many considering recent economic pressures. Partnerships director at The Estate Registry, James Emery joins the latest Today's Wills and Probate podcast to discuss how lenders are offering solutions to both the families of those who have died, and practitioners, for cases involving asset-rich but cash-poor estates, where urgent funding is required before a grant of probate can be issued?Emery highlights the "legal paradox" in England and Wales where assets cannot be liquidated or sold until the grant of probate is received, yet the grant cannot be unlocked without paying HMRC first. He says specialist financing, like inheritance loans, solves this by allowing early access to up to 50% of the anticipated net inheritance, taking the risk away from the estate to cover these urgent liabilities.Operating in this sensitive market requires strict FCA compliance he explains, meaning practitioners must handle signposting ethically, focusing on transparent, compliant referrals rather than direct recommendations.The lending service operates alongside a notification service offered by The Estate Registry, which allows executors to alert multiple service providers simultaneously, removing the administrative process of sending repetitive emails, or having to have countless painful conversations.It's all part, adds Emery, of a more joined up approach to private client law; where once solicitors once operated in silos, there is now a robust connectivity between legal experts, funding providers, genealogists, and probate property specialists, all of which ensures a better client service concludes Emery.  The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

Despite advances in technology, and an increasingly interconnected world, genealogy remains a highly skilled investigative process. A cursory skim through Facebook simply doesn't cut it explains head of private client at Estate Research Dom Hendry in the latest Today's Wills and Probate Podcast. Modern genealogists spend a huge amount of time ruling out incorrect leads, verifying information, and cross-referencing sources before reaching reliable conclusions. It would be wholly inaccurate to portray genealogy as an exercise in browsing social media or conducting internet searches! Instead its painstakingly trawling through official records, including birth, marriage and death certificates, immigration records, wills, and government archives. Social media can occasionally provide leads, but it is rarely relied upon as a primary source because of concerns about accuracy and verification.Historically, a solicitor might have relied on information provided by known family members, but modern family arrangements, remarriages, blended families, and previously unknown relatives create greater potential for disputes. There is also varying accessibility to records around the world; the UK benefits from comprehensive and relatively open public records, whereas other jurisdictions may have excellent records that are more difficult to access due to legal restrictions. This growing risk of an unknown child or beneficiary emerging after an estate has been distributed has contributed to increased demand for professional genealogy services says Hendry. The podcast moves on to discuss the removal and re-publication of the Bona Vacantia following it's use to perpetrate fraud; and succession law reform following the government's recent cohabitation consultation which Hendry warns could result in unintended consequencesWith continued growth in both probate genealogy and the wider probate sector predicted, and increasing demand for end-to-end support, the profession must steer clear of commoditisation concludes Hendry, and continue to excel in allying technical expertise with the advice, reassurance and empathy needed by families during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

With Remember a Charity Week just days away, director of the charity campaign Lucinda Frostick joins the Today's Wills and Probate Podcast to share details of this year's activities and efforts to spread the legacy giving message beyond will writing.Recognising the growing role of wealth advisers and independent financial advisers in the wider estate planning conversation, Remember a Charity have launched a guide designed specifically for wealth advisers aiming to give advisers more confidence discussing philanthropy and legacy giving with high-net-worth clients. It offers practical conversation starters, explores values-based discussions, and identifies key moments when legacy planning may be particularly relevant, such as retirement, business sales, significant financial events, or health concerns.It's another example of the growing importance of collaboration between wealth advisers, solicitors, tax specialists, charities, and other professionals. As estates become more complex and wealth transfer accelerates, clients increasingly benefit from an integrated approach that places them at the centre of a coordinated network of advisers. Frostick adds the evidence shows such collaboration not only improves outcomes for clients but also creates opportunities for professionals to build stronger, longer-lasting relationships.Despite concerns about declining levels of lifetime charitable giving, legacy giving continues to perform strongly says Frostick. Research shows the proportion of people aged 40 and over who have included a charitable gift in their will has increased from 14% in 2010 to 22% today. She suggests this trend reflects a growing understanding that people can support charitable causes alongside providing for family and loved ones, rather than viewing the two objectives as mutually exclusive.Although there are tax benefits to legacy gifting, there are "rarely" the primary motivation says Frostick. Instead, most donors are motivated by the desire to create a positive impact and leave a meaningful legacy that reflects their values and life experiences, a key message of Remember of Charity. The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

Given the changing dynamics of estate planning and private client law there is an opportunity for lawyers and law firms to reassert the principle of the 'family lawyer'; someone to whom a family can turn to time and again for legal needs. Not a purely transactional relationship, but one based on trust and mutual respect. It is one of the topics discussed in a wide-ranging discussion on the latest Today's Wills and Probate Podcast as host David Opie is joined by Lakshmi Turner, Chief Executive of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers, formerly Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE).There is certainly an opportunity for a more holistic approach to create significant benefits for both clients and firms, helping individuals plan not only for death through wills and estate planning, but also for life, health, finances and future care needs. With the Great Wealth Transfer in full swing, and an increasingly aging population it's a busy time to be a private client lawyer. Turner discusses the origins of the membership body, first conceived by Gordon Ashton, then Deputy Master of the Court of Protection, and a group of specialist practitioners who sought to create an organisation dedicated to training, best practice and supporting lawyers advising older people.One of the organisation’s most enduring strengths is it collaborative community says Turner. From its earliest days, members have shared knowledge and expertise through forums and discussion groups, creating a culture where solicitors support one another with complex client matters. She argues that this collective expertise ultimately benefits clients, who indirectly gain access to the insight and experience of thousands of specialist lawyers. The organisation has focused not just on legal skill, but also soft skills for lawyers advising older and vulnerable clients who must also understand safeguarding, capacity assessment, communication, advocacy, and the identification of abuse. These are skills rarely taught during formal legal education but are increasingly critical in practice. The organisation’s Lifetime Care in Practice Award was developed to address this gap, providing externally accredited training designed to improve the quality of client care. The Association of Lifetime Lawyers celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026 with the newly launched Twilight Awards the highlight of a year of celebration. The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

After a baptism of fire when just 16 days into her new role as CEO of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) Jennifer Coupland was thrust into one of the biggest crises legal services has faced since the Legal Services Act with the Mazur ruling and subsequent appeal.In a wide ranging discussion on the Today's Wills and Probate Podcast, Coupland discusses how she handled the immediate aftermath of the decision, the appeal, and how she plans to shape the organisation going forward after plans to bring CILEX under SRA regulation were shelved.She leads CILEX after a successful period running the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, transforming the perception of apprenticeships into a respected and sought-after career route. She sees strong parallels with CILEX’s model of “earning while learning,” which she believes is vital for improving diversity and accessibility in the legal profession.Although CILEX was ultimately successful in its Mazur appeal, the ordeal was a "really, really tough 10 months for some of our members" says Coupland who adds the case exposed outdated aspects of the Legal Services Act 2007 and advocates for a sector-wide review to modernise legislation.Through the course of the podcast she also highlights the need to improve consumer understanding of legal services, particularly awareness of specialist providers and the importance of quality, regulation, and affordability. Internally, Coupland has navigated challenges around potential regulatory alignment with bodies like the SRA, ultimately pausing plans but maintaining a commitment to reducing duplication and complexity.Looking ahead, CILEX’s five-year strategy focuses on growth, education, influencing legal reform, and raising the organisation’s profile, with member engagement seen as crucial to its future direction.  The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

When we think about scattering a loved ones' ashes we might picture a favourite spot or peaceful place that holds an important part in our lives. Not many of us would think about releasing them from a drone; but that's exactly what Matt Young thought about with Aerial Ashes; a service which scatter ashes using a unique slow‑release mechanism that created a gentle, symbolic plume in the skyThe Today's Wills and Probate podcast welcomes Matt to discuss the origins of the business, the symbolism of the process, and the practicalities of wind speed, moisture, altitude and aerodynamics which all play a factor in the controlled, elegant release of ashes which creates a 100m wide plume and a sense of awe and wonder. The drone is just half the story says Young. What resonates most is the emotional impact. Families families who had kept ashes for years, unsure what to do; others who feared the mess and distress of scattering by hand. One widow, unable to leave the UK because she “couldn’t leave her husband behind”, finally found closure when his ashes were released over their favourite spot in Brighton.With a documented rise in secular celebrations of life over traditional church funerals what emerges from the conversation is not a novelty service, but a thoughtful, highly specialised way of helping families honour their loved ones - with dignity, symbolism and a sense of place.The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.

The latest Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast turns its attention to one of the profession’s most persistent, and least openly discussed, challenges: the impact of maternity leave on women’s careers in law. While the legal sector is not alone in perpetuating the motherhood penalty, the measurable career disadvantage experienced by women after having children, the podcast explores the unique pressure the legal sector presents around billable hours, PQE structures and the absence of traditional line management which compound the issue. Returning mothers must “claw back” work, visibility and confidence say Sara Lyons and Hannah Bradshaw, former employment lawyers and co‑founders of Blue Sky; both of whom have personally experienced the issue and who now coach hundreds of female lawyers going through similar experiences. Lyons and Bradshaw are clear; this is not a theoretical concept, nor a “woke invention”, but an economic and structural reality that continues to shape women’s progression in the legal sector. 78% of women on their programme report experiencing the motherhood penalty, while 77.8% worry about the impact of maternity leave on their long‑term career prospects. These figures, they argue, should be a wake‑up call for firms that still consider themselves “equal opportunities employers” while operating within systems that are anything but gender‑neutral.There is a cultural discomfort that surrounds maternity‑related discussions in law firms they say. Silence is damaging; women want clarity, support and honest dialogue about career progression, not well‑meaning but vague reassurances.“You can have it all... just not all at the same time" is the mantra firms and employees need to adopt.  The Today's Wills and Probate podcast is available on your preferred podcast provider, and at www.todayswillsandprobate.co.uk. Subscribe today to hear all the latest news and views across the wills and probate sector.Thank you to our podcast sponsors LEAP Estates, Property Ladder Group and Finders International.