CEDR mediators successfully resolve 89% of disputes.

Mediation is uniquely placed to address the legal, financial, and emotional issues which are at the heart of Trusts, Wills & Probate disputes. Through the use of mediation, parties to disputes are able to reach fair, commercial settlements which allow families to heal and businesses to continue.

CEDR’s mediators are experienced in working with parties to Trust, Wills & Probate disputes with varying levels of complexity, ranging in value from £10,000 to the hundreds of millions.  Here are some examples:

  • Distribution of an estate valued in excess of £20m to children of the deceased.
  • Challenge to a will governing the distribution of an estate worth £150,000 under the intestacy rules by a child to the deceased.
  • High-net worth Family dispute in connection with very large property portfolio £100m.
  • Distribution of over £400 million in assets held in a family trust.
  • Negligence claims against trustees to offshore and onshore trusts.

Submit a request here and a CEDR Client Advisor will be in touch within 3 business hours.

CEDR's 12 Trust, Wills & Probate mediation specialists who are uniquely positioned to help you (see all below).

“The mediator has a very dynamic and proactive approach to mediation. She does not take a back seat but drives the energy and flow of the mediation very effectively. She is extremely well prepared and helped the parties cut through the legal and commercial difficulties and work past entrenchment issues in order to reach a deal which worked for both sides.” - Senior Associate, Sheffield Based Firm

“The conduct of the CEDR staff prior to the mediation and during mediation was great. The responses were very efficient and whenever help was needed, we received it.” - Senior Associate, City Law Firm

I thought the prospect of a settlement was zero. Your skills in dealing with both sides somehow produced a very fair deal … You are very much on the “list”. - Senior Partner, Silver Circle Law Firm

Enquire here to discover more about how a CEDR mediator will help you in your Trusts, Wills & Probate dispute.

Download your copy of Mediation’s First and Most Comprehensive Guide to Trusts, Wills & Probate Mediation.

This is made for lawyers that mediate Trust, Wills & Probate Disputes.

Tailored guidance for parties and advisors to Trust, Wills and Probate disputes.

Blissfully short, easy to read and to the point, full of gems
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Trust, Wills & Probate Mediation Panel

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  • Photo of Heather Allen

    Heather Allen

    Mediator

    Customer Feedback “…calm and measured, and brilliant at dialling down the emotion between parties…” “A winning combination of pragmatism and insight.” CEDR Accreditation:  1994 Panel Admission:  1996 Languages:  English Overview Heather Allen has been a professional mediator since 1995 and is a founder member of the CEDR Chambers Practice Group. She combines her experience from … Continued

  • Photo of Stephen Bate

    Stephen Bate

    Mediator

    Customer Feedback: “Success was to a large extent due to the skill, expertise and persistence of Stephen. I would not hesitate to recommend Stephen as a mediator.” – Partner City Law Firm Languages: English Overview: Stephen Bate is a full-time CEDR mediator, both CEDR and IMI accredited. Since 2003, he has mediated a very wide range of … Continued

  • Picture of Stephen-Boyd

    Stephen Boyd

    Barrister and Mediator

    Client Feedback: “… a calm, confident and analytical mediator” Overview Stephen Boyd is a practising barrister, mediator and arbitrator specialising in wills, trusts and probate, property and commercial disputes. He is a graduate of the ACTAPS course. He has great people skills and is good at building rapport with parties. He brings long experience, careful … Continued

  • Image of Julia Burns

    Julia Burns

    Mediator

    Client Feedback “Julia has a real talent for resolving difficult, complex and emotional disputes. I am endlessly impressed with her ability to quickly grasp the issues and go above and beyond to guide the parties to a successful resolution. She is highly creative in finding win:win solutions and is refreshingly committed to resolving disputes as … Continued

  • Gillian Caroe

    Mediator & CEDR Faculty

    Client Feedback: “Gillian has a natural ease and confidence in the role of the mediator and superb communication skills.”  Languages English, Italian Overview Gillian Caroe has been a practising mediator since 2004 (CEDR accredited 2005). Throughout her mediation career, she has been involved in hundreds of successful interventions. She has mediated disputes across a wide … Continued

  • Eileen Carroll KC (Hon)

    Principal Mediator and Co-Founder

    Client Feedback “She settled the unsettleable” “She led the most effective opening session I have ever seen.” “She has a very unique, dynamic and proactive approach to mediation” Languages English Overview Eileen started her career in the international chemical industry before becoming a partner in the city law firm Turner Kenneth Brown (now CMS) where … Continued

  • Abigail Day image

    Abigail Day

    Mediator

    Client Feedback: “Incisive and commercial”, “Calm and unflappable” Overview Abigail Day is an experienced full-time mediator, formerly a partner in an international corporate law firm. Professional Background Abigail combines the ability to handle complex legal issues with a good understanding of commercial requirements. With a background in working on high-value commercial deals, she approaches mediation … Continued

  • Stephen Fielding

    Stephen Fielding

    Barrister & Commercial Mediator

    Client Feedback: “After two years of torment we can get on with our lives again, thanks in no small part to your efforts, skill and persistence – you couldn’t have done more” Client Feedback   Overview Stephen is regarded as a leading practitioner nationally in the field of probate and inheritance disputes having mediated over … Continued

  • Neil Goodrum

    Mediator

    Client Feedback: “He got to the nub of the issues very quickly and painlessly”  Languages: English Overview Neil Goodrum is a full time mediator, CMC Fellow and member of CEDR’s Chambers panel of mediators. He has extensive experience in mediating disputes in many different industries with amounts in dispute ranging from relatively modest sums to millions … Continued

  • Mandy Lenton Image

    Mandy Lenton

    Mediator

    Client Feedback “absolutely fantastic from start to finish. [Mandy] is a top-class communicator, a brilliant thinker, and really puts all the clients at ease – very impressive” – Legal 500 2023 Overview Mandy is an experienced mediator with a busy practice. Highly regarded by leading barristers and solicitors, mediation participants frequently remark on her energy, … Continued

  • Nick Pearson

    Mediator

    Client Feedback “His interventions were always to the point and I felt that the parties recognised and valued his obvious experience.” – Mediation Feedback Languages: English  Overview Nick Pearson practiced as a solicitor in the UK and internationally for over 30 years in the dispute resolution field including a significant period based in Hong Kong. Since 2007, … Continued

  • Eve Pienaar Image

    Eve Pienaar

    Mediator

    Client Feedback “Excels on the commercial mediation stage and is commended for her great talent in de-escalating tension and refocusing the parties on the matter at hand”. Languages English, French, Spanish Overview Eve is a highly regarded commercial mediator, working across a range of commercial sectors including property and construction, professional negligence, shareholder disputes and … Continued

  • Richard Schaverien

    Full Time Mediator

    Client Feedback: “His style of ease and confidence let the parties resolve the issues without the usual volatile situations that can arise.”   Overview Richard has been an active mediator now for nearly 25 years and is a fellow of the Civil Mediation Council. In addition to Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury mediations, Richard has … Continued

  • Joe Shammah

    Mediator

    Tenacious and dedicated to the cause of settlement” – Client Feedback Overview Joe Shammah has been a practising mediator for nearly 15 years and has mediated close to 200 disputes. A practising lawyer for many years Joe uses his extensive experience to good effect in his mediation practice that covers a wide spectrum of commercial and … Continued

  • Kevin Smyth

    Kevin Smyth

    Full Time Mediator & Solicitor

    Client Feedback: “…sensible, thoughtful and finally managed to broker an agreement when initially the parties were poles apart… He is uniquely qualified to be a mediator. He is dedicated, organised, experienced and proficient.” Overview Kevin Smyth is a retired solicitor having formerly been a Director, Senior Partner and Head of Litigation of his firm. Since … Continued

Understanding TWP Mediation Podcast

with

Listen to the podcast below from our BetterConflicts series which offers practical insight for lawyers and parties on Trust, Wills & Probate mediation. The Podcast, hosted by CEDR's Ben Thomson, features Dawn Goodman Senior Counsel at Withersworldwide, Lauren McGuirl, Director of Commercial Dispute Services at CEDR and Nick Pearson, a CEDR Chambers mediator.

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