Wills, Probate & Estate Planning Solicitors

Here for you and the people who matter most

Planning for the future or dealing with the loss of someone close to you can bring questions you never expected to face. Whether you’re making a will, thinking about how to protect your family, arranging for someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf, or dealing with an estate after a death, knowing where to begin isn’t always easy.

At The Jonathan Lea Network, we’re here to listen, explain your options clearly and help you make informed decisions that are right for you and your family. No unnecessary jargon. No assumptions about your circumstances. Just practical legal guidance, explained in a way that makes sense, and someone you can turn to when you need support.

Our Wills, Probate and Estate Planning team is based in Haywards Heath, Sussex, and advises clients across England and Wales, email wewillhelp@jonathanlea.net or fill out our form on this page and we’ll get in touch.

How can we help you?

Everyone comes to us with different circumstances, concerns and priorities. You might know exactly what you need, or you might simply have a question and want to understand your options. We’ve brought our services together to help you find the right support.

Planning for the future 

Make arrangements today that reflect what matters to you.

You may want to put a will in place, provide for your children, protect a partner or make sure someone you trust can manage your affairs if you’re unable to do so.

Perhaps your circumstances have changed. You’ve married, separated, welcomed children into your family or want to reconsider arrangements made many years ago.

Whatever has prompted you to think about the future, we can help you understand your options and put appropriate arrangements in place.

Our services include:

• Wills & Will Writing: Make or update your will so your wishes are clearly recorded and your loved ones are provided for as you intend.
• Lasting Powers of Attorney: Choose people you trust to make financial or health and welfare decisions on your behalf in the circumstances you specify.
• Trusts: Explore ways of managing assets and providing for family members or other beneficiaries, now or in the future.
• Inheritance Tax & Estate Planning: Understand the potential tax implications of your estate and consider the planning options available.
• Will Storage: Arrange secure storage of your original will so it can be located when needed.

Someone has died

Practical support when you may already have a lot to deal with.

Losing someone close to you can be difficult enough without having to manage unfamiliar paperwork, financial arrangements and legal responsibilities. You might have been appointed as an executor, be trying to establish whether probate is necessary or need help dealing with the estate of a family member.

We’ll explain what needs to happen, help you understand your responsibilities and discuss how much assistance you would like. Our Probate & Estate Administration service can help with obtaining a grant of probate or letters of administration and with the wider work involved in dealing with an estate.

If you’re unsure where to begin, our Probate Guide takes you through the main steps in plain English.

Challenges and disputes

Helping you understand your position when something doesn’t feel right.

Disagreements about wills, inheritance and estates can be particularly difficult, especially when family relationships and emotions are involved. You may be concerned about the validity of a will, believe you haven’t been properly provided for, or have questions about how an executor or trustee is handling their responsibilities.

Our contentious probate team can advise on your legal position, explain the options available and help you determine the most appropriate way forward. We assist with will validity challenges, inheritance claims, executor and trustee disputes, disputes involving lifetime transactions, and disagreements about the meaning of wills and trusts.

Find out more about our Will & Inheritance Disputes services.

Your circumstances matter

No two families are exactly alike, and legal arrangements that work for one person may not be suitable for another. You might be part of a blended family, have children from a previous relationship, own a business, care for a vulnerable relative or want to provide for someone who isn’t a family member. You might also have straightforward wishes and simply want the reassurance of knowing that everything has been properly arranged.

We don’t begin by assuming what you need. We take the time to understand your circumstances, what matters to you and what you’re hoping to achieve. From there, we can explain the available options and help you decide what is appropriate.

Clear advice, without unnecessary complications

We know that legal terminology and unfamiliar processes can make important decisions feel more difficult than they need to be. Our approach is straightforward.

• We listen first. We want to understand your wishes, priorities and concerns before recommending a course of action.
• We explain your options. We’ll talk you through the relevant legal considerations in plain English, including the practical implications of different choices.
• We make the next steps clear. We’ll explain what information we need, what happens next and the likely costs and timescales where these can reasonably be estimated.
• We’re here as circumstances change. A will or estate plan shouldn’t necessarily be something you think about once and never revisit. We can help you review arrangements as your family, finances and priorities evolve.

Why choose The Jonathan Lea Network?

Our private client team combines specialist wills, probate and estate planning advice with access to the firm’s wider legal expertise where your circumstances require it. That can be particularly valuable if you have business interests, property arrangements or other legal matters to consider alongside your personal plans. But whatever your circumstances, our focus remains the same: understanding what matters to you and providing practical advice you can feel confident acting on.

We aim to build lasting relationships, so you know where to turn when life changes or new questions arise.

Taking the first step

You don’t need to know which legal service you require before getting in touch. Tell us a little about your situation, what you’d like to achieve or what you’re concerned about. We’ll consider your enquiry, explain the appropriate next step and, where we can assist, discuss the likely scope of work and fees before you decide whether to proceed.

Talk to our Wills, Probate and Estate Planning team: email wewillhelp@jonathanlea.net or fill out our form on this page and we’ll get in touch.

We’re here to listen and help you find a clear way forward.