Bury and Bolton law firm Clough & Willis has seen, and predicts it will continue to see, a growing demand for its Contentious Probate services. The firm has reported a rise of about 25% in new enquiries over the past three months compared to the same period last year.

A contentious probate or disputed Will is a dispute involving inheritance or the validity of a Will. They usually stem from someone feeling a Will didn’t leave them what they felt they deserved or were promised, or they may have concerns regarding the way in which a Will was made.

Reasons given to the firm have mainly centred around Wills being rushed, badly drafted by inexperienced solicitors or non-legally binding documents which the deceased believed constituted as an official Will. Other grounds for litigation have included undue influence, lack of knowledge and approval, and a belief that Wills were fraudulent or forged.

Grahame Henry – senior associate and dispute resolution solicitor – said: “This trend is concerning as it shows many people are accessing bad advice or don’t understand the process of making a Will. The result for those left behind can be devastating – both financially and emotionally. It’s essential we all understand how important making a Will is and that it should be carefully thought out and then drafted in conjunction with a highly reputable solicitor.

Grahame added: The past few years have seen a rise in non-specialist lawyers moving into the Will drafting sector, so going for the cheapest option can have serious ramifications. We’d implore that clients do their due diligence to ensure a Will is legally valid and outlines their true wishes.”

A fast-growing construction project management specialist has created three senior roles and moved to new headquarters as it positions for its next phase of expansion.

Recom Solutions has recruited former British Army officer James Holmes as head of operations and Mike Kelly as head of its passive fire division, and has promoted Jordan Stent to head of construction.

The consultancy, founded in 2015 by directors Jason McKnight and Joseph Dillon, has relocated from Vanguard House at Salford Quays to bigger premises in Trafford Park to accommodate its growing team.
It has taken space at The Schoolhouse on Second Avenue on a three-year lease with Urban Splash.

Recom undertakes construction project management and main contracting work across a range of sectors, including healthcare, education, retail and leisure, commercial and residential.

It also provides consultancy services to assist in the delivery of projects. These services include design, risk, quality, health and safety and sustainability alongside passive fire.

Recom is the main contractor for a new £5m Hindu Temple in Oldham, where work recently got under way. Other Recom clients include Barry’s Bootcamp, Timpson, Pot Kettle Black, Urban Village Bars, KAMPUS, Multiply, the University of Manchester and the NHS.

The company’s team has increased to 20 with its latest appointments.
James was a construction manager at Lend Lease before spending nine years as an officer in the Royal Engineers.

Mike has joined Recom from the University of Manchester and has extensive experience in facilities management.
He will work with the NHS and other public and private sector clients to drive further expansion for Recom in passive fire protection.

Jordan, who joined Recom three years ago, will in his new role manage the construction team and take responsibility for delivery, quality, and health and safety.

Jason said: “Creating an experienced senior leadership team enables us to move on to the next stage of our expansion strategy.

“James, Mike and Jordan are highly-experienced professionals who will work with the directors to support and develop our talented team and ensure continued growth across the business.

“They each have extensive experience in the development of people and construction, and of creating environments in which people want to work.

“With a strong pipeline of contracts and places on several national frameworks for construction and consultancy, we are well-positioned for further strong growth as we compete with national and global businesses in a variety of sectors.

“We are continuing to recruit for a number of positions, including project managers and surveyors, as we build our team in line with the increasing demand for our services that we are seeing.”