Melanie Grose

As Head of Department, Mel oversees and provides direction on files handled by the team, as well as running her own caseload.

Mel is an expert in her specialised field and most of her clients have been recommended by previous clients or third parties that have worked with, and even against, her.

She particularly excels in complex disputes around Wills and inheritance claims.

Notable Disputes cases

• Disputed Wills
  

  Mel has recently acted for beneficiaries of an estate in successfully bringing an action where the Will had not been properly executed and was found to be invalid leading to proving of an earlier Will.

• Inheritance Claims
  

  Assisting a client in bringing an Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claim against his late Mother’s estate for whom he was a carer for many years. His mother’s Will left little provision for him having been drafted decades before a later family dispute and change of circumstance. The claim was successfully negotiated at mediation with the client receiving a substantive settlement far exceeding the sum due to him under the Will.

• Inheritance Claims
  

  Acting for a client who received little provision for him in his wife’s estate meaning he was to become homeless if settlement could not be reached for him to receive a much more substantial provision. Despite being left only £20,000 of his late wife’s circa £500,000 estate, following negotiation and discussions, settlement was achieved of the client receiving over £300,000 from his late wife’s estate.

• Proprietary Estoppel / Life Interest Claim
  

  Acting for Trustees to an estate which left a life interest to a life tenant. Upon the death of the life tenant, another occupier refused to vacate the property stating that they too had a life interest and/or proprietary estoppel and/or constructive trust claims. Following issue of proceedings to remove him, negotiations ensued, and an agreement was reached so that the Trustees were able to deliver up possession of the property to the ultimate Beneficiary as per the Will.

• Adult Child Inheritance Act Claim
  

  Acting for a client in an unusual and notoriously rarely successful type of claim against the estate of his deceased mother, who had instead left her estate to her friend. Due to our client’s straitened financial position, we were successful in achieving receipt for him of a life changing sum by way of reasonable financial provision from the estate.