Probate & Estate
Administration
Dealing with a loved one's estate is one of the most significant responsibilities you may face. We provide clear, compassionate guidance at every stage.
Whether you need help applying for probate, full estate administration, executor support or advice on a disputed estate — we are here to help.
No obligation · Confidential · We work at your pace
Step by Step
Your Probate Journey
Initial Discussion
Confidential call to understand the estate and explain your options. No obligation.
Apply for Probate
We prepare and submit the grant of probate or letters of administration on your behalf.
Administer the Estate
Collect assets, pay debts, deal with HMRC and prepare estate accounts.
Distribute to Beneficiaries
Final distribution to beneficiaries in accordance with the will or intestacy rules.
Have You Been Named as an Executor?
Executors have personal liability for errors in estate administration. We protect you throughout the process — from applying for probate to distributing the estate to beneficiaries. We can handle as much or as little as you need.
Our Probate Services
How We Can Help
Select the service most relevant to your situation, or call us to discuss which is right for you.
Applying for Probate
Grants of probate and letters of administration — prepared correctly to reduce delays and avoid common mistakes.
Full Estate Administration
We manage the entire process from asset valuation to final distribution, keeping you informed throughout.
Executor Advice & Support
Practical guidance to help you fulfil your duties correctly, avoid personal liability and navigate family disagreements.
Disputed Estates
Contentious probate and estate disputes — challenging or defending wills, claims under the Inheritance Act and executor removal.
Intestacy (No Will)
When someone dies without a will, the intestacy rules determine who inherits. We guide families through this process clearly.
Probate Fees & Transparency
Clear, transparent pricing for probate and estate administration. Costs confirmed in writing before any work begins.
Probate Solicitors Chester
Clear, compassionate probate advice for executors and families in Chester and Cheshire.
Probate Solicitors North Wales
Probate and estate administration for families across Wrexham, Deeside, Flintshire and North Wales.
Why PDA Law
Probate Solicitors You Can Trust
Compassionate Approach
We understand that probate follows bereavement. We work at your pace, with sensitivity and care.
Protecting Executors
We advise on steps to protect executors from personal liability throughout the administration.
Transparent Fees
Costs are explained clearly before any work begins. No hidden charges or unexpected bills.
Chester, Cheshire & North Wales
Based in Chester, we support families across Cheshire, North Wales and throughout England and Wales.
Our Probate Team
Meet the Team
Our probate team brings together legal expertise and genuine compassion. Every matter is handled with care, discretion and clear communication.
Nikolina Vukovic
Legal Executive — Wills, Trusts & Estates
Nikolina specialises in probate, wills, trusts and estate administration. She supports clients through what is often one of the most difficult periods of their lives — from straightforward administrations to complex estates involving property, inheritance tax and sensitive family circumstances.
Darren Steele
Senior Private Client Executive · STEP Member
Darren has worked in the legal sector since 1998 and has been a STEP member since 2011. He specialises in wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney and probate — with particular expertise in inheritance tax planning and complex estate structuring.
Laura Kirton
Wills & Probate Solicitor · 10 Years Qualified
Laura is a qualified solicitor with ten years' post-qualification experience, specialising in wills, probate, and lasting powers of attorney. Known for her calm, methodical approach, she brings both legal expertise and genuine insight to every matter — particularly in emotionally complex family situations.
David Stahler
Wills, Trusts & Estates Executive
David is our first point of contact for clients enquiring about probate and estate planning. He brings a warm, personable approach to what can be a sensitive subject — and clients consistently remark on how at ease he makes them feel. Discreet, approachable, and thorough.
Local Reach
Serving Chester, Cheshire & North Wales
Based in Chester, we regularly act for families and executors across Cheshire and North Wales. We work by telephone, video and post where that is more convenient for you — distance is not a barrier.
Chester
Our base
Cheshire
Full county coverage
North Wales
Cross-border expertise
Nationwide
England & Wales
North Wales Areas We Serve
Complete Estate Planning
How Probate Connects to Wills & LPA
Probate is the final stage of estate planning — but it is made significantly simpler when the earlier stages have been planned carefully. Understanding how the three services connect helps families plan ahead.
Wills & Estate Planning
A professionally drafted will appoints executors, sets out your wishes clearly, and can significantly reduce inheritance tax. A well-drafted will makes probate faster, cheaper, and less likely to result in family disputes.
Explore Wills & Estates →Lasting Power of Attorney
An LPA manages your affairs if you lose capacity during your lifetime. It ends at death — at which point probate takes over. Dealing with a loved one's estate often prompts families to put their own affairs in order.
Explore LPA →Probate & Estate Administration
After death, the executor applies for probate — the legal authority to administer the estate. We handle everything from the grant application to the final distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
Applying for Probate →Related Services
Wills, Trusts & Estates
Will writing, trusts, estate disputes and inheritance tax planning.
Lasting Power of Attorney
Appointing someone to manage your affairs if you lose capacity.
Court of Protection
Applications and deputyship orders for those who have lost mental capacity.
Lasting Power of Attorney — Key Pages
Dealing with a loved one's estate often prompts people to put their own affairs in order. A Lasting Power of Attorney ensures someone you trust can manage your affairs if you ever lose capacity — avoiding the need for a costly Court of Protection application.
Lasting Power of Attorney
Appoint someone you trust to manage your affairs if you lose capacity.
Types of LPA
Property & Financial Affairs vs Health & Welfare — which do you need?
Making an LPA
Step-by-step guide to making a lasting power of attorney.
LPA Costs
Solicitor fees, OPG registration fees and what affects the total cost.
Registering an LPA
How to register an LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian.
LPA When Donor Dies
What happens to an LPA when the donor dies — and how the executor's role takes over.
Wills, Trusts & Estates — Key Pages
Probate is closely connected to will writing and estate planning. Our wills, trusts and estates team can help you plan ahead — so that when the time comes, the administration of your estate is as straightforward as possible.
Wills
A professionally drafted will ensures your wishes are carried out and your estate passes to the right people.
Trusts
Trusts can protect assets, provide for vulnerable beneficiaries, and form part of a wider estate planning strategy.
Inheritance Tax Planning
Inheritance tax planning, lifetime gifting strategies and structuring your estate to minimise tax exposure.
Deed of Variation
Redirect an inheritance after death to reduce tax or benefit other family members.
Executor & Estate Administration
A complete guide to executor duties — from obtaining probate to distributing the estate.
Contesting a Will
Challenging a will on grounds of capacity, undue influence or fraud — and Inheritance Act claims.
Related Guides
Plain English guides to help you understand your situation before speaking to a solicitor.
A Complete Guide to Probate
What probate is, when you need it, how long it takes, executor responsibilities, and what happens when there is no will.
Guide to Making a Will
Why you need a will, what happens without one, how to choose executors and guardians, and how to keep your will up to date.
Common Questions
Probate Questions — Answered
Detailed answers to the questions executors and families ask most often — written by our probate solicitors.
Do I need probate?
When probate is required, when it is not, and what factors determine whether you need a grant.
Probate without a will
How to administer an estate when the deceased died intestate — letters of administration explained.
How long does probate take?
Realistic timescales for grant applications and full estate administration — and what causes delays.
How much does probate cost?
Solicitor fees, court fees, and what affects the overall cost of probate and estate administration.
Estate administration timeline
A step-by-step timeline from death to final distribution — what happens and when.
Overseas assets & probate
Dealing with foreign property, bank accounts and investments as part of a UK probate.
Explore Further
Related Probate Services
Related: Lasting Power of Attorney
Dealing with a loved one's estate often prompts people to put their own affairs in order. A Lasting Power of Attorney ensures someone you trust can manage your affairs if you ever lose capacity — avoiding the need for a costly Court of Protection application.
Related: Wills, Trusts & Estates
Probate is closely connected to will writing, trust planning and inheritance tax. Our wills, trusts and estates team can help you plan ahead — so that when the time comes, the administration of your estate is as straightforward as possible.
Common Questions
Get Started
Speak to a Probate Solicitor
No obligation · Compassionate, expert advice · Serving Chester, Cheshire & North Wales
Start Your Probate Enquiry
Tell us about the estate and we'll be in touch within 2 hours.
Prefer to speak with us? Call 01244 757352
We're Here to Help
Speak to a probate solicitor in confidence. No obligation — just clear, compassionate advice about your options and next steps.
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