National law firm Weightmans has appointed associate Matthew Morton to head up a new disputed wills, trusts and estates team.

Formerly of Lupton Fawcett, Matthew specialises in disputed wills, trusts and estates and is experienced in disputes involving the administration of estates, will validity claims, trust disputes and Inheritance Act claims. Although based in Leeds, Matthew and the team have a national remit.

A full member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists, Matthew is regularly instructed by charities for his specialist knowledge in disputed wills trust and estates. He is regularly the lead solicitor on high profile cases that are reported in the High Court and the Court of Appeal and is noted for his ability to ‘straddle several areas of law and effectively provide an overview of the whole case’ by leading legal directory Legal 500.

Carole Atkinson, partner and head of the private client team said: 'Here at Weightmans we are seeing more demand than ever before for guidance and support in the event of estate disputes. There are now more demands on family wealth than ever before. Reasons for this include more complex family structures, people living longer and increasing property prices. The competing demands on family wealth can often give rise to disputes and the team has the specialist knowledge necessary to resolve the dispute or avoid a dispute occurring in the first place. With his knowledge and experience in this specialist field of law Matthew is a fantastic addition to our wider private client offering and we are delighted to welcome him to the team.'

Matthew added: 'Weightmans take a considerate and sensitive approach to the legal issues arising from wills, trusts and estates disputes – the team is able to focus on the best route forward without losing sight of the emotional impact the involvement of lawyers can have at such a difficult time. I am proud to join a firm with such a similar ethos to my own and I look forward to developing the practice and building the team further.'

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