Trust Disputes
Resolving conflicts between trustees, beneficiaries and protectors of UK and offshore trusts.
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Established 2015
Expert Legal Solutions for Will & Estate Disputes
Trusted by families and businesses across the UK and Europe.
Practice Areas
Specialist counsel in contentious trusts and estates
A focused practice, not a general one. Every partner at Markson & Co. works exclusively on disputes concerning wealth passed between generations.
Will & Estate Disputes
Challenging and defending wills where validity, capacity or influence is in question.
Learn moreProbate Claims
Guiding executors, administrators and beneficiaries through disputed administrations.
Learn moreInheritance Disputes
Claims for reasonable financial provision under the Inheritance Act 1975.
Learn moreLegal News & Updates
Latest legal developments affecting our clients
UK and European updates on estate, trust and probate law, written by the partners who handle these matters daily.
European Law
EU Succession Regulation 2024: Simplified Cross-Border Probate
The European Certificate of Succession is now more accessible, reducing complexity for estates spanning multiple EU countries.
August 2024 · David Chen · 5 min read
Read full articleUK Estate Law
Probate Fees to Rise by 75% from July 2026
The government has announced significant increases to probate fees starting July 2026, moving to a tiered system for higher-value estates.
July 2024 · Markson & Co. Legal Team · 4 min read
Read full articleEuropean Compliance
GDPR & Trust Administration: Data Protection Obligations for Trustees
Trustees must ensure full GDPR compliance when managing beneficiary data. New guidance clarifies consent, transfers and liability.
July 2024 · Emma Thompson · 7 min read
Read full articleEuropean Regulation
EU AI Act Takes Effect: Impact on Legal Practice & Document Review
High-risk AI systems must now meet strict transparency and oversight requirements. Firms should audit AI-assisted document review.
June 2024 · Markson & Co. Legal Team · 6 min read
Read full articleUK Inheritance Law
Will Disputes at 10-Year High: What You Need to Know
Over 10,000 will disputes are now filed annually in England and Wales. We explain the main drivers and how to protect your estate.
June 2024 · James Markson · 6 min read
Read full articleUK Legal Reform
Electronic Wills & Digital Assets: New UK Legislation Coming in 2025
The Law Commission is advancing reforms that will recognise electronic wills and clarify rights to crypto and online accounts in estates.
May 2024 · Sarah Mitchell · 5 min read
Read full articleOur Team
Meet the partners
Six partners across London and Manchester, each with two decades or more in private client disputes.
James Markson
Managing Partner & Founder
Trust Disputes · Contested Wills · Estate Litigation
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Sarah Mitchell
Senior Partner
Probate Disputes · Inheritance Act Claims · Estate Administration
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David Chen
Senior Partner
Complex Litigation · Cross-Border Trusts · Fraud & Asset Tracing
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Emma Thompson
Senior Partner
Family Wealth Planning · Alternative Dispute Resolution · Family Trusts
Read full profileOur Firm
Founded on discretion, built on results
Markson & Co. was established in 2015 by James Markson with a single conviction: families facing inheritance disputes deserve counsel who combine forensic litigation skill with genuine privacy.
A decade later the firm advises trustees, executors, beneficiaries and family offices across the UK and offshore, from Lincoln's Inn Fields and St Peter's Square.
25+
Years of estate law experience
500+
Cases successfully handled
98%
Client satisfaction rate
6
Partners across two offices
Integrity
Straight advice, including when it is not what a client hopes to hear.
Excellence
Technical rigour in every pleading, letter and piece of advice we produce.
Client-Focused
Strategy built around the family outcome, not just the legal one.
Discretion
Sensitive matters handled quietly, privately and without publicity.
Insights
Latest thinking on estate and trust law
Will Disputes
Will Disputes Explained: When Can You Challenge a Will?
The five recognised grounds for challenging a will, the evidence each requires, and the deadlines that quietly close the door on a claim.
18 June 2026 · James Markson · 7 min read
Read articleEstate Planning
Ten Estate Planning Steps That Prevent Litigation
Most inheritance disputes are made possible years earlier. Practical steps that materially reduce the risk of a contested estate.
2 May 2026 · Emma Thompson · 6 min read
Read articleCase Law
Case Law Update: Trustee Disclosure After the 2026 Decisions
How the courts are now approaching beneficiary requests for trust documents, and what trustees should change in practice.
11 April 2026 · David Chen · 8 min read
Read articleTestimonials
What our clients say
“Markson & Co. handled a deeply painful family dispute with a level of discretion I did not think was possible. The outcome was better than we had dared hope.”
A. Whitfield
Private client, contested estate
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Need legal guidance?
Speak to a partner in confidence. Initial consultations are discreet, and we will tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth pursuing.