Trusts
Our dedicated Wills, Trusts, & Probate Team can help guide you through how to protect and manage your assets and the benefits of placing your estate into a trust. We provide advice tailored to your personal circumstances, in a plain-spoken manner, to help you achieve your asset management goals.
From inheritance tax, to the protection of family members, to residential care home fees, trusts can be used to protect assets both during lifetime and after death through different types of trusts such as lifetime trusts (also known as ‘inter vivos’ trusts), Will trusts, life interest trusts, and discretionary trusts. We can help you to decide which trust is right for you and make the process as simple as possible whilst ensuring your interests are protected.
Trusts have a particular relevance today with more people having second families and the need to balance the competing interests of current spouses and children from a previous relationship.
If you have a disabled child or beneficiary who has lost capacity, then a trust can be used to preserve any benefits they are receiving and to protect their inheritance.
The team can also advise on:
Personal Injury & Disabled Persons Trusts
Advice on winding up trusts
Deeds of Appointment and Retirement of Trustees
Deeds appointing trusts assets to beneficiaries
Advice on the duties of Trustees
Make an Enquiry
What our clients say
Dealing with the death of a loved one and organising distribution of their estate is not an easy process. It can be time consuming and there are many avenues to explore and deal with. There may be pitfalls on the way and hurdles to negotiate but I can recommend Leathes Prior, particularly Pat and Billy and not forgetting Beth and Hannah who dealt with all aspects of my mother’s estate with the utmost care and consideration in a very professional and exemplary manner. Five stars and a ten out of ten rating are completely justified.
Once again, superb advice and wise counsel from Leathes Prior - this time a shout out for Patrick Gibney who has efficiently dealt with drafting our Wills in a most professional manner.
We used LP to undertake our first Wills and Jordan Walker couldn't have been more helpful and professional in providing advice and drafting our wills for us. Would thoroughly recommend.
Dedicated private client team in the Norwich area known for acting for a number of wealthy individuals and families. Acts on the full range of legal services including trust and estate planning, wills, probate and powers of attorney. Also has strength in dealing with probate disputes, deputyship issues and Court of Protection matters.
Our solicitor was Patrick Gibney but all staff were friendly. Very satisfied and they were very helpful and friendly. Would highly recommend.
Pat Gibney could not have been kinder, and more helpful and professional… A very nice man and a great solicitor… Thanks so much. Jan and David Austin.
We have dealt with Leathes Prior Solicitors for many years and have always been very satisfied. Recently we have updated our Wills and as we are fast approaching 80 years of age, we were especially pleased with their expert knowledge and kind and friendly approach. Everything was explained in a very understanding way. We highly recommend Leathes Prior Solicitors.
Excellent, professional and emotionally intelligent service provided around drawing up a will.
5 stars for 5 star service! THANK YOU, Patrick Gibney for your help and support.
Leathes Prior were recommended to me, and the level of service I have received has been excellent throughout. Pat Gibney’s communication has been outstanding. I never once had to chase for updates, which made dealing with my late brother’s estate so much easier during a very difficult time. Everything was handled with professionalism, care, and efficiency. Because of the excellent service we received, my husband and I later asked Pat to prepare our Wills. Once again, the process was completed very quickly, and everything was explained to us clearly and thoroughly, giving us complete peace of mind. I am so pleased that Leathes Prior were recommended to me. My sincere thanks to Pat and his colleagues for their consistently excellent service.
Thank you so much for everything! We think you have done a great job! We can't quite believe its all done, but we know it is, thanks to your clear explanations, and good communication. Best wishes to you.
I would like to pass my appreciation for the help and guidance with this case, and how much I really valued from you, your clear explanations, and calm approach even when telling me something I really didn't want to hear!
I would just like to reiterate my words from the other day, we are very happy with the situation and frankly, pretty chuffed to draw the whole thing to a close. My thanks again to yourself and the rest of the team for a job well done. Very best wishes for the future.
Thank you to Billy for your professionalism in preparing our Wills. We requested these were drafted before our upcoming holiday and this was met in a timely manner. He put our minds at complete ease - thank you for your hard work!
May I take this opportunity to express my sincerest thanks to yourself and the team. Throughout the process we have benefitted from clear, concise communication for which we are grateful. I will also be telling people of our positive experience and expert guidance we have received.
Thanks again for all the contributions that you have both made. I have always felt very assured by the meticulous approaches and professionalism that you both display. I have greatly appreciated your advice, support and guidance, which has been invaluable. Your work has always been incredibly fair, reasonable, and comprehensive.
Charity of the Month: Sue Lambert Trust
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting the Sue Lambert Trust as our Charity of the Month for February 2026. Sue Lambert Trust is a leading charity in Norfolk offering free therapeutic counselling and support services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
Supreme Court ruling set to impact NHS - Children injured by NHS can claim damages for lifetime lost earnings
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a ruling which is set to significantly increase the amount of damages the NHS may have to pay for claims brought in respect of children injured at birth, as a result of medical negligence.
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The Value of Planning Ahead: LPAs & Court of Protection
Putting LPAs in place allows you to choose trusted people to make decisions for you if you lose capacity in the future. This avoids the need for loved ones to make a costly and time-consuming deputyship application to the Court of Protection. With more people likely to experience conditions affecting capacity, more families may need to turn to the Court for support where no LPAs are in place.
The case of the fake cases: another judgment on AI-hallucinations in litigation
The use of AI Large Language Models in litigation continues to generate headlines (and consternation from the judiciary). In 2025, it seemed that rarely a month went by without a new case on fake AI-generated case law. December was no exception, and the High Court has now issued a further warning regarding the use of AI by litigants.
Autumn Budget 2025: Agricultural Property Relief & Business Property Relief Changes
It was announced in the 2025 Budget that from 6 April 2026, changes will be made to agricultural property relief and business property relief. These changes bring APR and BPR in line with the nil-rate band rules, meaning unused allowances can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner. This is a significant step towards making estate planning easier for families who own farms or businesses.
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The Employment Rights Act 2025 is expected to come into force tomorrow (18 December 2025)
After an extended period of back-and-forth amendments between Parliament and the House of Lords, on 16 December 2025, the ERB finally received approval from the House of Lords, with the formality of Royal Assent due to take place tomorrow (18 December 2025). Head of LP Employment, Dan Chapman, explains...
Charity of the Month: The Matthew Project
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting The Matthew Project as our Charity of the Month for December 2025. The Matthew Project supports young people and adults across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex to overcome issues around drugs, alcohol, and mental health, empowering them to rebuild confidence and lead fulfilling lives.
Leathes Prior’s Milan Pandit appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society
Leathes Prior Solicitors is proud to announce that Milan Pandit, Solicitor in our Corporate & Commercial Team, has been appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society (NNLS) for 2025/26.
Commercial Lease Renewals: A guide for Landlords & Tenants
Commercial lease renewals are a topic that every commercial landlord and business that rents commercial premises should have at the forefront of their minds. It is essential for good succession planning, though it is often neglected until the expiry of an existing lease term is looming or once the existing term has come to an end and the tenant is holding over. In this article, our newly qualified solicitor, Maggie Berry explores the process that landlords and tenants can expect when navigating this complex area of law.
Our Guidance, Your Legacy: What is a Will, and why should I make one?
Not only is a Will one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure your wishes are respected, but it also limits the likelihood of a claim/dispute following your death. To ensure your loved ones and the causes you care about benefit from your estate, a Will is essential to ensuring this happens. Find out more in this article.
Lease extensions: The essentials to getting started
Extending your lease can seem complex, but taking the right steps early can make the process much smoother. Jake Mowatt, Associate and Harry Smith, Trainee Solicitor in our Residential Property Team outlines the key essentials every leaseholder should understand prior to extending their lease.
Upcoming changes to bringing employment law claims: What these mean for you
The highly anticipated Employment Rights Bill (ERB) is set to increase the time limits in which employees can bring an employment tribunal claim. Gareth Stevens & Rose Woolterton explain what this means for employers & employees.
