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    Legacy Management Legal Services

We appreciate the challenge facing charities to maximise their income from legacies and manage their level of expenditure on legal services.

Our legacy management legal expertise

Our core legacy management team has in-depth expertise on both the contentious and non contentious aspects of legacy administration and offers a bespoke, flexible service which aligns with the charity’s in-house teams’ own experience and needs. Our team has also worked as legacy officers and we have hands-on experience of the particular challenges faced in this sector. 

We ensure that reputational issues are considered at every phase and adjust the tone of correspondence accordingly; ensuring a commercial yet, where necessary, facilitating a softer approach, particularly when dealing with lay executors or where there are disputes.  All members of our contentious team are experienced in dealing with alternative dispute resolution.

We are passionate about sharing our knowledge and experience with our clients and have a reputation for delivering informative training sessions and workshops.  We recognise how important sharing experiences can be and enjoy facilitating this by providing regular opportunities for our charity clients and contacts to meet and network.

Our legacy managment services include:

Non contentious legacy administration

We advise on all aspects of non-contentious charity legacy issues including:

  • Assisting charities with the administration of estates and advising on the most tax efficient ways to deal with assets.
  • Advising on the need for and obtaining Section 119 Reports.
  • Advising on Deeds of Variations and rectification of Wills.
  • Considering ex-gratia payments and the interpretation of Will clauses.
  • Advising on the protection of the charity’s interests under Will trusts
  • Advising and drafting the wording of legacy literature

Contentious legacy matters

We advise on the full spectrum of disputes which charities may face when dealing with legacies including:

  • Challenges regarding the validity of Wills, including where incapacity is an issue
  • Claims under the Inheritance (Family and Dependants Act) 1975.
  • Proprietary estoppel and constructive resulting trust type claims. 
  • Dealing with the removal of executors and trustees.
  • Applications for inventories and accounts.
  • Tracing lifetime transactions where recovery may be required.

Meet our legacy management lawyers

Our thinking

  • How the forewarned ‘hike’ on private school fees is going to bite – a family law and Private Office perspective

    Jemimah Fleet

    Quick Reads

  • Charles Russell Speechlys ‘Client Conversations’ welcomes one of the best strikers of all time and greatest players in Premier League history, Alan Shearer CBE

    Simon Ridpath

    News

  • World renowned theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh unveiled as latest guest on ‘Client Conversations’ podcast from Charles Russell Speechlys

    Simon Ridpath

    News

  • My Pro Bono Story

    Sarah Farrelly

    Insights

  • Providing marketing and design advice to charity partners

    Debbie Watson

    News

  • Spotlight on our IT team supporting the Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation charity partners

    Debbie Watson

    News

  • Charities Act 2022: Changes to the rules governing disposal of property

    Usman Khan

    Insights

  • Will Health and Safety reporting and investigation requirements change following Ruth Perry's death?

    Rory Partridge

    Quick Reads

  • Charles Russell Speechlys shortlisted in two categories for The Lawyer Awards 2023

    Ingrid Saffin

    News

  • The Financial Times quotes Sally Ashford on inheritance tax and devising a property strategy for relatives

    Sally Ashford

    In the Press

  • Client Conversations Podcast: Sir Martin Smith

    Simon Ridpath

    Podcasts

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Care Company on the launch of its Sustainable Bonds on the LSE

    Daniel Sullivan

    News

  • Client Conversations Podcast: Dame Stephanie Shirley CH

    Simon Ridpath

    Podcasts

  • Charles Russell Speechlys kickstarts its 'In-House Insights' programme with the first event of the series

    Megan Paul

    News

  • Michael Powner and Ellen Roberts write for People Management on the benefits and drawbacks of novel compensation packages

    Michael Powner

    In the Press

  • The Art Net quotes Petra Warrington on how the Charities Act will impact restitution cases

    In the Press

  • Lesley O'Leary writes for The Law Society Gazette on law firm strategy

    Lesley O’Leary

    In the Press

  • Pro bono client Everyday Plastic launches collaboration with Greenpeace UK

    Sarah Farrelly

    News

  • Sarah Rowley quoted by Charity Finance on the legal issues facing charities in 2022

    Sarah Rowley

    In the Press

  • Philanthropy Insights – A discussion with John Pepin and Rennie Hoare of Philanthropy Impact

    Sarah Rowley

    Podcasts

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