Two law firms authorised in England and Wales have announced a collaboration to deliver probate and family law services under a coordinated offering. Bright Legal Solicitors, based in Leicester and led by solicitor Parvien Akhtar, and W&P Legal, which operates in Lincolnshire, will work together on matters that require both estate administration and family law support. The firms say the arrangement will allow clients to access related services in one place while each firm remains responsible for its own legal work and regulatory duties. The firms will continue to practise as separate entities and will provide services within the jurisdiction of England and Wales. Both will need to meet standard client care, confidentiality and transparency requirements set by their regulators when they handle linked matters.
Collaboration focuses on joined-up probate and family services
The firms state that the collaboration aims to bring probate and family law under a more integrated service. Probate covers the legal process of administering a person’s estate after death, including collecting assets, paying debts and distributing the estate. Family law can include divorce, financial arrangements, and issues involving children. Clients often encounter both areas at the same time, for example when a death occurs during divorce or when inheritance issues stem from family disputes.
The firms plan to coordinate work on matters where these practice areas overlap. They will decide which firm acts on each part and confirm the scope of work with clients in standard engagement letters. Each firm will continue to apply its own terms of business, professional indemnity cover, and complaints procedure. The arrangement does not amount to a merger, and the firms will maintain separate management and regulatory status.
Regulatory framework: professional duties and reserved activities
Solicitors and law firms in England and Wales must follow the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Standards and Regulations. These rules include duties on client care, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and transparency about prices and services. If the firms use any referral or introducer arrangements as part of their collaboration, they must inform clients in line with SRA rules. They must also make clear which firm acts for the client at each stage, who supervises the work, and how the client can complain if needed.
Probate (the reserved legal activity of non-contentious probate) is a “reserved legal activity” under the Legal Services Act 2007. Only authorised persons or those they supervise can carry out reserved activities. Drafting wills is not reserved, but probate and certain types of litigation are. A collaboration does not change these rules. Each firm must ensure that suitably authorised lawyers handle reserved work and that they comply with statutory and regulatory duties at all times.
How probate and family law often intersect
Estate administration can involve linked family law issues. For example, where a person dies during a divorce, the outcome of financial proceedings can affect the treatment of assets in the estate. Disputes about inheritance may lead to claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, which allows certain people to ask the court for reasonable financial provision from an estate. Such claims can require both probate knowledge and family law expertise.
Contentious probate (disputes about wills, estates, or the actions of executors) can also cross into family litigation. In these cases, a coordinated approach can help manage timelines, preserve assets, and reduce duplication in evidence gathering. The firms say their collaboration seeks to align these processes while keeping to legal procedure and court rules for both probate and family matters.
Service coverage across England and Wales
The firms intend to provide services across the jurisdiction of England and Wales. The legal systems in England and Wales operate under the same courts for probate and family matters, including the Family Court and the Probate Registry. Lawyers can act for clients remotely, and courts allow electronic filing for many applications. Parties can also attend hearings in person or by video link, subject to court listing practice.
Where cases require hearings or attendance in different regions, firms can instruct counsel (barristers) or solicitors with higher rights of audience, as appropriate. The collaboration does not change court procedure. The normal Civil Procedure Rules, Family Procedure Rules, and probate application processes will continue to apply to each case, depending on its type.
Firm profiles and leadership
Bright Legal Solicitors operates from Leicester and advises on family law and litigation. The firm is led by solicitor Parvien Akhtar. Family law commonly includes divorce, cohabitation matters, financial remedies, and arrangements for children. Litigation can include civil disputes tied to estates or family assets. The firm says it will bring this experience to matters that connect with probate work.
W&P Legal is based in Lincolnshire. The firm’s practice includes wills and probate, which involve preparing wills, obtaining grants of representation, and administering estates. The firm will continue to carry out these services within the existing legal framework for probate, including compliance with the probate rules, inheritance tax procedures, and court filing requirements where relevant. The collaboration aims to streamline instructions when a client’s needs span both firms’ core areas.
Client communications and pricing transparency
Under the SRA Transparency Rules, firms must publish price and service information for certain types of consumer legal work. For SRA-regulated firms, non-contentious probate services fall within the scope of mandatory price and service transparency. This means a firm must set out typical costs, the basis of charges, and what the service includes and excludes, as well as key stages and likely timeframes. The rules also require information about who carries out the work and how to complain.
Where a collaboration involves referrals or financial arrangements between firms, the SRA requires clear and timely disclosure to clients. Both firms must tell clients if they pay or receive fees for referrals, or if they have any ownership links, and they must confirm that clients can choose another provider. Clients must also receive information about conflicts of interest and confidentiality. If a conflict arises that cannot be managed, a firm must stop acting unless a permitted exception applies.
What this means
The announcement signals that clients who need linked probate and family support may receive more coordinated service from the two firms. Each firm will continue to act within its existing regulatory permissions and will apply standard duties on client care, transparency, conflict management, and confidentiality. Clients can expect the firms to confirm which entity acts for them, what work each firm will undertake, and what fees apply. The collaboration does not create a merger or change court processes, statutes, or professional duties. Any referral or financial arrangements between the firms must appear in client communications in line with SRA rules. The announcement does not alter legal rights or procedures in probate or family law cases.
When and where
The firms announced the collaboration in England and Wales, with Bright Legal Solicitors based in Leicester and W&P Legal based in Lincolnshire. Today’s Wills and Probate reported the development on 20 January 2026.
