Wills, Trust, Estate Planning and Probate Solicitors in Derby
Planning for the future is more than a legal task; it’s a way to protect and honour your life’s work and care for those you love.
Our expert wills and probate solicitors can help you plan your estate in a way that minimises tax and protects your wealth, for those you leave behind.
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How Our Specialist Wills and Probate Solicitors in Derby Can Help
Our solicitor have the expertise and experience to help you will all aspects of estate planning. We can help you with;
- Will writing – Draft a will that ensures your loved ones receive what your want them to.
- Estate planning – Structure your estate in a way that minimises your tax liabilities and maximises how much your loved ones receive.
- Trusts – Protect your money, property and investments so you can pass them on to the next generation.
- Inheritance tax planning – subject to estates over £325,000, we can help you minimise the amount of inheritance tax your family has to pay when you’re gone.
- Lasting powers of attorney – Appoint a trusted person to look after your financial affairs and make decisions on your behalf if you lose your mental capacity.
- Deputyship – by becoming a deputy for your loved one, you are able to make those decisions on their behalf and ensure that their interests remain protected.
- Grant of probate – Property and assets are frozen until the probate registry authorizes an executor via a grant of probate. We can help you prepare your application.
- Contentious probate – We can help if you, a family member, or beneficiary feel that the executor of a will isn’t managing it properly or if someone contests a will.
- International probate – Owning assets in more than one country probate and estate administration very complex and time consuming. We can help
Why Choose Rothera Bray For Wills and Probate?
Rothera Bray has significant experience and expertise in wills and probate. From creating wills and trusts to full estate planning to more complex matters like international probate.
After you get in touch with us, we will assigned a member of our private client team. They will provide a personal service and work with you to find out more about your situation and assets. We can then give you the best legal advice to your needs.
We’ll support and advise you from start to finish. You will be kept updated on progress at all times.
Several of our solicitors specialise in wills and probate. Some are members of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
We offer free will registration through Certainty, the National Will Register.
Where needed, we can draw on the experience of our Contentious Wills and Probate team in relation to wills, estates, trusts and Court of Protection disputes.
A network of independent financial advisors also works closely with us and we can refer you for financial advice
Advice can be given to help you reduce the amount of inheritance tax payable on your estate so your inheritance can go further.
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FAQs
It is important to make a will, regardless of how much money or assets you own. There are several reasons for this;
- If you die without a will, there are rules called the Rules of Intestacy’ that dictate how your money, assets and property is distributed. This might not be the way you want you want things to happen
- If you’re not married or in a registered civil partnership, you cannot inherit from each other unless you have a will. If one of you dies, it could cause serious financial problems for the other.
- If you have children, you need a will to make arrangements for them if one or both of you die. If you don’t, the courts will take responsibility over them until they can find a guardian.
- If you have assets that are subject to inheritance tax, a will could be a good way to reduce the amount of inheritance tax you pay.
- If your life or circumstances change, so might your wishes. For example, if you and your partner split up, you might want to write them out of an existing will.
Making a will is a very straightforward process. It is possible to create a Will yourself. However, there are certain requirements needed to ensure the document is legally binding. A Wills & Probate solicitor can ensure that these requirements are met so that your wishes and intentions are carried out.
If your estate and assets, or how you wish to divide them, are complex, then a solicitor can also help you draft a Will that achieves your wishes legally.
At Rothera Bray, we have a member of the Wills & Probate team available at each of our local Nottingham, Leicester and Derby branches.
Our solicitors can also visit you at your home or in hospital if you are unable to visit one of our offices.
Simply contact our team today to arrange an appointment.
We offer a straight-forward approach and our focus is on ensuring you have the right information and guidance.
A single, straightforward Will with no trusts costs £350 plus VAT or £600 plus VAT for Simple Mirror Wills and unlike many firms, this includes free registration with Certainty, the National Wills Register, saving you an additional £30 (incl. VAT) registration fee per Will.
Probate is the legal process of administering a deceased person’s estate. This involves:
- Identifying and valuing the deceased person’s assets and liabilities
- Paying off any debts and taxes owed by the estate
- Distributing the remaining assets to the beneficiaries named in the will
- If the deceased didn’t write a will, dividing those assets according to the rules of intestacy
- Carrying out the deceased person’s wishes as far as possible
A Trust is a legal way of protecting family assets.
You can transfer part of your estate to a trustee who is responsible for managing the trust before passing it on to the beneficiary when the time comes. This might be when they turn 18 for example.
The main benefit of a trust is their tax efficiency. Parents can transfer assets into a trust to to reduce the inheritance tax liability their children will be subject to.
Melissa Merry
Consultant
Melissa Merry is a Consultant in our Wills and Probate department, with over 30 years of experience in private client work. Melissa is based at our Derby city centre branch.
Amelia Carruthers
Senior Associate Solicitor
Amelia Carruthers is a Senior Associate at Rothera Bray’s Derby office and is experienced in drafting wills, lasting powers of attorney, administering estates and providing tax advice and planning.
Amy Goodwin
Associate Solicitor
Amy Goodwin is an Associate in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate team and is based at our Derby office.
Lisa Warren
Senior Paralegal
Lisa Warren is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate team and is based in Derby.
Beth Ashton
Paralegal
Beth Ashton is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Derby Office.
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Posted 6 March 2026
Rothera Bray Solicitors Loughborough; On a number of occasions I have asked Nelissa Hicks (Partner) to be my legal representative, she delivers with professional conduct, is thorough in all matters and a great communicator. She gets things done in a timely manner and she is a very nice person. I highly recommend Nelissa & Rothera Bray Solicitors, Loughborough for their legal support & services.
Nigel Stewart
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Posted 6 March 2026
I’ve been using Rothera Bray for a number of years now. I really appreciated their professionalism following the death of my wife. Together we sorted out her estate and rearranged my powers of attorney to accommodate my altered circumstances. Now four years on from that I’ve taken the opportunity to update my Will. Once again Rothera Bray were a pleasure to deal with under the guidance of Nelissa Hicks who was able to make suggestions which helped enormously to assist my thought process. From my experience I would have no hesitation in recommending them and Nelissa Hicks for a professional, caring and successful outcome.
R.B Beck
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Posted 5 March 2026
We had a great experience with Russell explaining our current wills in layman’s terms and making suggestions for enhancements.
Kate
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Posted 2 March 2026
Both my parents used Nelissa Hicks to make their Wills. They have both now passed away and Nelissa handled the complicated estates with kindness and remarkable hard work. I would definitely recommend her.
Hilary Winstanley
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Posted 20 February 2026
Sallie Poultney handled all of the work on my mother's and father's estate, and some of the other team there were involved where needs - e.g. on trust matters and handling the sale of their house, and it's all been very efficient and expertly handled. I would recommend the team there unequivocally.
Piers Wilson
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Posted 10 February 2026
Many thanks Toby for your professional and expertise in dealing with our late father's estate. We were kept updated at every stage and guided throughout. We highly recommend Rothera Bray.
Deborah Keen
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Posted 7 February 2026
I've had business with Rothera Bray over the years for conveyancing, probate, wills and LPA; thank you to Sarah Soo and others in the teams. All have been excellent experiences. The most recent business, with Ed Granger of their trust department, was up to their usual 5 star standard. Of note is the care taken to highlight any potential issues and the processes to be followed subsequently, not forgetting the timely responses to queries.
Kate Autaury
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Posted 4 February 2026
Ed Granger gave advice on registering a trust and I cannot recommend him enough. Clearly explained. Will definitely use his services again and would highly recommend. Thank you.
Trudie Wallis-Ryan
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Posted 3 February 2026
Spoke to Ed Granger for some advice, he really helped us understand the issue we had. He was honest and knowledgeable, putting our minds at rest. He explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. Very helpful, would definitely get in touch for any future requirements.
CP
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Posted 2 February 2026
We had a good experience with Rothera Bray. They helped us to update our Wills. They explained all the available options in a clear, understandable and patient manner and included diagrams to give a pictorial explanation. They also gave us scenarios for the options to enable us to see the pros and cons for each option and to help us decide which options would best suit our current needs. We would recommend Rothera Bray for clear, professional, legal advice.
Wills clients
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Posted 31 January 2026
Having used both the Mapperley Office for Will instruction, and the Nottingham Office for Trust and Land registry adjustments to my late fathers estate, I can fully recommend the services provided by both offices, in particular from Toby Byford, Solicitor, at the Nottingham office. We are still progressing through our needs and estate requirements to provide for future finances for my Mother, and without the clear, concise and accurate advice, with an approachable attitude from Rothera Bray, we would have been unable to navigate the minefield that Trust ,Land Registration and changes of title that are required by law without the help if this accomplished legal establishment. Many Thanks Rothera Bray.
Iain Hurst
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Posted 24 January 2026
Earlier this week I had an appointment with Solicitor Ed Granger. Ed gave me sound, solid, easy to understand advice regarding the current situations regarding Trusts. He was very professional approachable and knowledgeable. I left feeling reassured and in the know of how things stand with regards to Trusts. Would highly recommend .
Belinda Frost
Leaving a gift to charity in your Will
Leaving a gift to charity in your Will is a meaningful way to support causes close to your heart long after you’re gone. Whether you want to support medical research, animal welfare, education, or your local community, including a charitable gift in your Will can have a lasting impact.
People Focus: Eleanor Robinson – Wills and Probate
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People Focus: Jasmin Marshall – Wills & Probate
Meet Jasmin Marshall, our Associate Solicitor in the Wills & Probate team at our Mapperley office. She shares her inspiring journey into law and gives us a glimpse into life at one of our friendly and close-knit offices.