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England - North West • Private client
3

Contentious trusts and probate

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Butcher & Barlow LLP

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Butcher & Barlow LLP is praised for offering ‘a real sense of personal attention’ in its handling of highly contentious probate matters, where the team is adept in handling estates with farming and agricultural assets, often including propriety estoppel claims and succession planning. Samuel Dale and Greg Porter jointly lead the practice, with Dale drawing upon extensive experience in undue influence, lack of capacity and inheritance act claims, while Porter is praised for his ’encyclopedic knowledge of the law of probate and inheritance disputes’.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Sam Dale is exactly the kind of solicitor you hope to find. His knowledge of the law is second to none, but what makes him really stand out is how approachable and down-to-earth he is. He took the time to explain everything in a way that was easy to understand.’

  • ‘All of my dealings were with Sam Dale, a Partner at the Sandbach Office. Sam took control of the situation and was able to focus the dispute on the key issues and reach a pragmatic solution. Sam made sure I was aware of what was going on - explaining the legal issues to me so that I could understand them.’

  • ‘I can’t recommend Samuel Dale and his team at the Sandbach office highly enough. They guided me through a very complex and stressful contentious probate matter with real expertise and care. What really sets them apart is their ability to combine deep legal knowledge with a genuinely client-focused approach.’

  • ‘Samuel Dale is outstanding at what he does. His knowledge of contentious probate law is incredibly strong, but what really makes him stand out is how approachable and calm he is. He explained things clearly, without legal jargon, and was always patient when I had questions. His strategic thinking and attention to detail gave me confidence that I was getting the best possible advice.’

  • ‘They take care to ensure the needs of every client are met and identified, regardless of the issue or value of the dispute. Their legal knowledge and resourcing are excellent leading to the invariable provision of excellent service.’

  • ‘Greg Porter (Partner) has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law of probate and inheritance disputes but wears it lightly so as to be able to communicate and reassure all clients. His unflappable approach bears its deserved rewards. Sam Dale (Partner) is an excellent private-client lawyer with a great attention to detail and the ability to disregard the irrelevant.’

Work highlights

Advising client in relation to a claim regarding undue influence, lack of capacity and proprietary estoppel after being disinherited from the family farm despite having worked on the same for his entire life
Advising client in relation to a claim against her long-term partner’s £5million estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 that was commenced by estranged wife.
Advising client in relation to a claim that was issued in the High Court relating to her late husband’s estate. Claim brought by deceased’s children alleging that our client had disposed of the Deceased’s Will.

Practice head

Samuel Dale; Greg Porter