Dispute Assessment & Action Plan
An optional service for when you want advice before deciding on further work. Justin reviews your key documents, discusses your position with you for 30 minutes and gives you a two-page Action Plan setting out the problem, the evidence and the next step. Or simply tell Justin what is holding matters up and ask for a fixed-fee quotation instead.
Scope of your assessment
The review addresses one main issue and includes brief clarification of the Action Plan. Further document review, letters and negotiation can follow at a separately agreed fixed fee. Suitability and conflicts are checked before instruction.
Choosing your documents
Select up to 40 core pages relevant to the issue, excluding duplicates and unfiltered email archives. A page means one side of A4. If you are unsure what to include, send a brief description first.
What your Action Plan covers
Your Action Plan covers:
- What is holding matters up: the main issue preventing progress, based on the selected documents and your instructions.
- Evidence and gaps: the supporting material, missing information and uncertainties that could change the advice.
- Recommended approach: whether to act now, obtain information or pause, with reasons, material risks and urgent steps identified.
- Pathway and costs: the recommended route and alternatives, who should act, the review point and your proposed financial commitment. Identifiable holding costs are considered where records permit.
The written Action Plan is normally delivered within three working days after the consultation and receipt of all required documents, whichever is later.
How we assess your dispute: the six pillars
Independent review of your proposed approach
You may already have researched your position or decided what you think should happen next. The assessment can test that approach against the relevant documents, identify weaknesses or risks, and explain whether a different course would be more appropriate.
The framework in Justin’s book, The Out-of-Court Executor, helps identify the immediate blockage and a proportionate way forward:
- Evidence: what the selected documents support and what is missing.
- Procedural position: the Grant, existing proceedings and relevant deadlines.
- Rights and powers: who can make the decision and whose agreement is required.
- Economics: the costs of delay and intervention, using available figures.
- Behaviour and communication: the concerns expressed, previous proposals and responses that may inform negotiation.
- Resolution options: the appropriate next step, such as an information request, focused proposal, negotiation or ADR preparation.
Your plan focuses on the findings material to your next decision. Observations about negotiation are grounded in the available correspondence and conduct.
Further help after your assessment
After your Action Plan, you can instruct Justin to write the letter, negotiate or take the Registry step it recommends, at a separately agreed fixed fee. The work can also be quoted without an assessment.
Before further work begins, we agree an overall fixed fee where the work can be defined, or a fixed fee for the next stage, with the fixed fees for the stages that could follow and the total for each route. Your proposal identifies included work, follow-up allowances, external costs and the anticipated total including VAT. How further work is priced →
Questions about costs after your assessment
Do I have to instruct further work?
No. The assessment is a standalone paid service. You can use the written Action Plan yourself or with another adviser, without instructing Human Law further. Any further stage or package requires your agreement to its scope and price.
Will I pay twice for work already done in the assessment?
The assessment pays for your document review, consultation and written Action Plan. You can stop there. If you ask us to continue, we quote separately for the next work, taking account of what has already been completed. The assessment fee is additional to that quotation; we do not charge again for the same assessment.
For professionals: procedural options and rule references
Steps depend on the Grant position, entitlement and the evidence. For example, an inactive executor may call for assessment of citation options under NCPR Rule 47, with the general machinery in Rule 46. This is an option for solicitor review, not an automatic next step.
NCPR mapping: Rule 41 — amendment/revocation of grant; Rule 44 — caveats; Rule 46 — general citation machinery; Rule 47 — citations to accept/refuse or take a grant; Rule 48 — citations to propound a will; Rule 50 — examination or subpoena to bring in a will. Official rules.
What clients say about Human Law
“Very efficient and caring people at Human Law.”
Read client reviews on ReviewSolicitors (opens in a new tab)
Enquire about your assessment
Tell Justin briefly what is holding matters up and mention any deadline. We will explain how we can help, the proposed work and fixed fee before you decide. You can also email advice@human-law.co.uk.
Assessment: £480 including VAT.
Want to start with free guidance? Use the Problem Finder.