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Wills

We’ll work with you to understand what’s important to you, advising how you can best protect your family and assets.

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Clarity in a complex world.

Making a Will might feel like something to put off, perhaps it doesn’t feel urgent, or you’re unsure about the cost. But having a Will in place gives you peace of mind, knowing your wishes will be followed and the people or causes you care about will be looked after.

 

Whether you’re planning ahead or responding to a life change, we’ll guide you through the process with clear, practical advice tailored to your circumstances.

What to consider when making your Will:

We’ll take the time to understand your personal and financial situation, so we can help you make informed decisions. Key things to think about include:

  • Choosing your Executors – the people who’ll carry out your wishes and manage your estate.
  • Appointing Guardians – for any children under 18.
  • Specific gifts – such as personal items or sums of money.
  • Main Beneficiaries – and what should happen if they pass away before you.
  • Protecting vulnerable people – including how to provide for minors or those with additional needs.
  • Trusts – to safeguard assets from divorce, remarriage, or care fees, while still supporting loved ones.
  • Funeral wishes – if you’d like to include them.

If needed, we’ll bring in our estate planning specialists for tax or trust advice, or our contentious probate team if there’s a risk of future disputes.


Did you know?

Here are a few things that often surprise our clients:

  • Getting married cancels any existing Will – but divorce doesn’t.
  • A spouse doesn’t always inherit everything automatically.
  • Unmarried partners don’t have an automatic right to each other’s assets.
  • Trusts in Wills can protect your estate from future risks.
  • Not all assets are covered by your Will.


Keeping your Will up to date

Life changes – and your Will should reflect that. You might need to update it after:

  • Having children or grandchildren
  • Selling a business
  • Changes in the law
  • A significant change in your personal circumstances

Even if nothing major has changed, we recommend reviewing your Will every 3–5 years to make sure it still reflects your wishes.

Why Choose Porter Dodson?

  • Recognised excellence – Ranked in both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for our expertise in private client services, including Wills, Trusts, and Probate.
  • Clear, compassionate advice – We speak your language, not legal jargon, and tailor our guidance to your personal circumstances.
  • Joined-up legal support – Our team works seamlessly across estate planning, tax, property, and disputes to protect your interests.
  • Trusted by generations – With deep roots in the community, we’ve supported families and business owners across the South West for decades.
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For legal advice on any probate, tax and trust matters

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Reena and Beckie communicated promptly and effectively with both the progress and problems during the house sale, enabling the process to keep moving. The sale proceeded in a timely and organised manner. A highly professional team. Thank you both.

Mercer

Porter Dodson Solicitors have been a great help to us for the past 12 years. We have recently been very lucky to have Reena Raval from the Sherborne branch helping us with a property. Reena kept us updated at every step, explained everything very clearly with great communication and made the whole process feel completely manageable for us to understand. Reena dealt with our paperwork very swiftly and kept us updated with clear costings. Highly recommended!

Residential Client

Solicitor Reena Raval handled a house sale for us with exemplary efficiency and care, keeping us informed at every stage, and answering our questions clearly and with good humour. Our thanks to her, to her paralegal Beckie Old and to all the team. We strongly recommend Porter Dodson for conveyancing and other legal services.

David

After losing my mum, Emily was amazing walking me through the whole probate process, regular emails to tell what was happening really helped. Would highly recommend the firm to anyone.

Stephen

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