Ben Wilson

Ben joined JMW in December 2020 and is a Partner in the Contentious Trusts and Probate team.

Ben is an Associate Member of the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) and is also a member of the STEP Contentious Trusts and Estates Special Interest Group.

Ben has a wealth of experience of acting for clients on a local, national and international level dealing with a range of high value and complex disputes. He has significant experience in bringing claims under the Inheritance Act 1975, disputes relating to the validity of wills, trusts and lifetime gifts; and acting in these disputes for executors, personal representatives, trustees, beneficiaries and third parties.

Ben has been consistently recommended in the Legal 500 for a number of years for Contentious Trusts and Probate, and is listed in the latest edition as a Next Generation Partner. Testimonials include:

“Ben Wilson is a specialist …... he is experienced and effective in securing quality outcomes for clients in a cost-effective way.’ 

“…the excellent Ben Wilson, who has created a niche team around him specialising in this work. The number of instructions the team receives is a testament to their high reputation in the sector.”

“Ben Wilson leaves no stone unturned”

“The “responsive, effective and pragmatic” Ben Wilson is recommended”

Ben was a finalist for the Young Professional Award at the LBV Sub36 Awards with feedback from the judges being:

“A self-disciplined and emotionally intelligent professional. He has obtained deserved recognition within his profession and will continue to thrive.”

Specific examples of Ben’s work includes:

• Jump and Jones v Lister and Forresters Solicitors Limited [2016] EWHC 2160 (Ch). Successfully acting for the Executors and Residuary Beneficiaries in a dispute relating to the interpretation of two Wills, and successfully acting in related professional negligence proceedings against the solicitors who drafted the Will.
• Acting for a spouse in a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 against her Deceased husband’s Estate. The Estate was valued at £18m and was subject to a fairly complex trust. Achieved a substantial seven figure settlement for the client.
• Successfully acting for a beneficiary based in Australia in a complex claim for maladministration against the Executors of an Estate.
•  Successfully applying to bring a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 out of time, and acting on the subsequent court proceedings, winning a substantial sum for the client at trial along with costs.
• Advising an Executor of an Estate in a high value claim against an Estate by a daughter-in-law and minor grandchildren under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
• Acting for claimants and defendants on a number of challenges to the validity of wills on the basis of lack of capacity, want of knowledge and approval and fraud.”