Address Probate Friction While Retaining the Administration and Client Relationship
When contentious issues interrupt routine probate administration, Human Law provides defined, fixed-fee support focused on the immediate blockage. We establish the relevant factual and procedural position, identify proportionate non-court options, and help the referring team maintain a clear, defensible file record. Once our defined instruction concludes, the underlying administration remains with—or is returned to—the referring practice.
🛡️ Our Non-Competing Commitment
Human Law accepts a defined instruction concerning the immediate contentious or procedural blockage. We do not undertake routine probate administration, will drafting or conveyancing, and we do not conduct litigation or act on the court record.
The referring practice retains—or resumes—the underlying estate administration and continuing client relationship.
No referral fees or commissions
Human Law does not pay or receive referral fees, introductory commissions or a share of another practice’s professional fees. Where a professional practice instructs Human Law directly for a defined B2B service, the amount charged is the professional fee for that work. It is not a referral commission.
Read Our Referral and Handover Process →* Free 3-minute suitability scan. No document upload is required. The scan indicates whether the matter appears to fall within Human Law’s operating scope; it is not legal advice or a case assessment.
⭐ Every Accepted Instruction Ordinarily Starts With Stage 01
Stage 01 — Factual Audit and Action Plan (£400 + VAT)
Before committing further senior time or determining whether litigation advice is required, the referring practice or personal representative can obtain a defined fixed-fee diagnostic assessment.
What Stage 01 Includes:
- 30-minute solicitor consultation
- Review of up to 20 core pages
- Confirmation of the relevant Grant, caveat or administration status
- Structured chronology and initial issue map
- Identification of documented facts, party assertions and information gaps
- Assessment of the principal procedural blockage
- Consideration of material fiduciary and carrying-cost risks
- Two-page written Action Plan
- Fixed-fee recommendation for any subsequent stage
The written Action Plan is normally delivered within three working days after all required documents have been received. The £400 Stage 01 fee is credited once against the first subsequent execution milestone instructed within 14 days.
Stage 01 identifies whether the matter falls within:
- Zone 1: Caveat Resolution — for estates blocked before the Grant.
- Zone 2: Administration Deadlock — for co-executor standstills, accounting concerns, and financial provision claims.
For more complex professional files, the Structural Clarity Report™ is available as a separate B2B strategic product.
You only fund the next procedural milestone if instructed, ensuring fee certainty and controlled progression.
When a Defined Referral May Help
A referral may be appropriate where an otherwise administrative probate file has been interrupted by:
- a caveat blocking the Grant;
- an inactive or unresponsive co-executor;
- repeated beneficiary accounting concerns;
- a threatened financial provision claim;
- a disputed lifetime transaction; or
- correspondence that is no longer clarifying the controlling issue.
Matters involving issued proceedings, urgent court deadlines, injunctive relief or representation on the court record may require a direct litigation referral.
⭐ Zone 1 — Caveat Resolution (Fixed Fees)
For estates blocked before the Grant. A staged, fixed-fee pathway using Registry procedures and applicable response periods to seek removal or resolution of the caveat.
Caveat Entered for a Disputed Purpose
Problem: A caveat prevents the Grant from issuing, but its stated basis or evidential support may require clarification.
Our Approach: We review the relevant evidence and the parties’ respective interests, assess whether warning or initial correspondence is proportionate, and provide the defined procedural support instructed. A warning may result in default removal, an Appearance, a summons, or further procedural action.
⭐ Zone 2 — Deadlock Resolution (Fixed Fees)
Modular tracks for co-executor standstills, accounting concerns, and financial provision claims.
Co-Executor Inaction
A named co-executor refuses to sign forms, renounce, or communicate.
Our Approach: Formal pre-citation correspondence → assessment of the applicable citation procedure → Registry application or alternative route where appropriate.
Beneficiary Accounting Concerns
Beneficiaries seeking accounting clarity, interim updates, or raising estate concerns.
Our Approach: Structured estate information → proportionate responses → clarification of disputed items and, where appropriate and agreed by the relevant parties, settlement documentation.
Financial Provision Claims
A relative or dependant intimates a claim under the Inheritance Act 1975.
Our Approach: Claim and evidence assessment → proportionate disclosure → standstill proposals → structured settlement discussions.
⭐ Structural Clarity Report™ (B2B Strategy Blueprint)
A comprehensive behind-the-scenes strategy blueprint designed for private client teams, corporate trustees, deputies, and IFAs. Pricing depends on document volume, number of issues, and required deliverables, with fixed fees confirmed in advance.
The Structural Clarity Report Deliverable Includes:
- Structured chronology and issue map
- Evidence and information-gap analysis
- Procedural options and escalation points
- Indicative carrying-cost assessment
- Recommended correspondence or negotiation sequence
- Defined implementation and handover plan
How Professional Instructions Work
Human Law may:
- accept a defined instruction directly from the executor or administrator; or
- where appropriate, work alongside the referring professional under a separately agreed B2B scope.
Before substantive information is accepted, we complete the relevant conflict and suitability checks. The engagement documentation then confirms:
- who the client is;
- who may give instructions;
- who is responsible for the fees;
- what work is included and excluded;
- how information may be shared; and
- when the matter will be returned or handed over.
Sensitive documents should not be sent until the appropriate checks and information-sharing arrangements have been completed.
⭐ Why Professional Practices Use Our Support Service
Protect the Relationship
Human Law accepts a defined instruction without taking over routine administration or the ongoing client relationship.
Control Internal Time
Fixed-fee procedural stages can reduce repeated senior review, correspondence loops, and unproductive work in progress.
Strengthen the File Record
Structured analysis and documented recommendations support proportionate decision-making and an efficient handover where required.
⭐ Fee Commitments and Service Boundaries
Fee Certainty
Every milestone has a published, fixed fee confirmed before work begins.
100% Fee Rollover
The £400 Stage 01 fee credits once against the first execution milestone instructed within 14 days.
No Recurring Waiting Charge
No maintenance fee is charged merely because the matter is awaiting a Registry decision, third-party information or a counterparty response. Any new substantive work is separately scoped and authorised.
Estate Alignment
Services are structured around administrative functions. Cost recoverability depends on authority, necessity, and proportionality.
Clear Boundaries — What We Don’t Do
To maintain fixed-fee speed and certainty, Human Law does not provide:
- Court litigation or trial representation
- Acting as solicitor on the court record
- Accepting formal court service
- Routine grant administration or conveyancing
- Detailed forensic bank reconciliation
- Referral commissions or fee-sharing arrangements
* If litigation becomes necessary, we can organise the relevant documents, chronology and preliminary analysis for an efficient handover to an appropriate litigation practitioner. The client and referring practice retain control of the appointment.
For full details of client identity, conflict checks, confidentiality, document transfer, fee responsibility and handover, read the Professional Referral Guide.
Make a Professional Referral
If an estate administration has encountered a caveat, executor standstill, accounting concern or threatened family claim, begin with the free suitability scan.
No documents are required at the scan stage. It indicates whether the matter appears to fall within Human Law’s operating scope; it is not legal advice or a substantive case assessment.
Led by Justin Patten, Solicitor (SRA No. 657838), with More Than 20 Years’ Experience
Published author with Law Brief Publishing and Human Law Publishing.
Other titles include: A Practical Guide to Elderly Law (2nd Edition) & A Practical Guide to Elderly Fraud.