Trust, Inheritance and Succession Disputes

Increasingly individuals have assets in more than one country which can create complex cross-border succession and taxation issues on the death of a relative.

Helen Teffere, head of the Trust, Inheritance and Succession Disputes Team at Giambrone specialises in dealing with cross-border estates.

The team has a wealth of experience involving advising clients on the many legal issues related to contested estates with assets located in more than one country. Giambrone's reach across Europe ensures that our clients have the knowledge that their matter is being dealt with by a local lawyer who is familiar with the law and culture of the country in question. 

Trust and estate disputes are often complicated and highly stressful, especially when your deceased relative's wealth extends across the world. A dispute from competing sides of the extended family adds to the distress. If a dispute arises between the heirs our expert lawyers will be able to reconcile different legal principles in the competing foreign jurisdictions.

Where a person dies leaving assets in two or more countries, it is frequently necessary for probate or the equivalent to be obtained in both or all countries where the assets are situated. Giambrone's lawyers will manage the complexities and legal procedures to enable the inheritance to be distributed to the beneficiaries in accordance with the law in each country.

Our Trust, Inheritance and Succession Disputes Team are extremely experienced in dealing with situations where the beneficiaries have lost faith in a trustee or protector controlling a trust; a vulnerable individual has been persuaded to draft a last-minute will which disinherits the family members that were closest to them or who cared for them. We are also accustomed to dealing with challenges to foreign wills in countries where there are strict rules of inheritance such as fixed heirship which are mandatory in some jurisdictions. We can assist you with:

• Applications for the removal of an executor;
• Bringing and defending claims on behalf of an estate;
• Citations to accept or refuse probate;
• Subpoenas to produce testamentary documents;
• Applications to issue and warn off caveats;
• Applications to the court for directions regarding the administration of an estate.

If you would like advice on an estate administration dispute or any other inheritance or trust dispute, please click here or telephone + 0044 207 183 9482, for a free, no-obligation chat to see how we can help you.