Buckles represented a cohabitee in a claim over an estate worth approximately £7 million, following the death of her partner who was also the father of her young son. She was potentially due to inherit only £50,000 under the Will following her partner’s death at a relatively early age. This was mainly because the majority of the estate was tied up in a family company and other parties maintained that the company shares had little or no value. However, after mediation failed to resolve the issue, the case went to Court and we were able to obtain a settlement of over £400,000 in addition to outright ownership of a property likely worth in excess of £350,000.
Very unusually, this case also resulted in a personal costs order against the executors, as a consequence of the stance they took during the litigation. This costs order was subject to an unsuccessful appeal, meaning that there was more of the estate available to the beneficiaries.
