Wills
Wills drafted and executed to meet the formal requirements, and kept safely until they are needed.
Estate planning and estate administration
We help you decide now how your assets will pass, and when the time comes we administer and manage the estate, protecting its property and income until every beneficiary receives their share.
Jurisdictions served Lagos · Ogun · Oyo · Abuja
What we handle
From the will to the final distribution.
For individuals planning ahead, and for executors, administrators and families dealing with an estate.
Trusts & succession planning
Trusts, family holding arrangements and plans for passing on a family business.
Probate & letters of administration
Applications to the Probate Registry for a grant, whether or not there is a will.
Estate asset management
Collecting rents, managing properties and tenants, maintaining accounts and investments, and settling the estate's debts and liabilities.
Distribution & accounts
Distributing the estate to the beneficiaries and keeping proper accounts of every step.
Estate disputes
Challenges to wills, claims by dependants, and disputes between beneficiaries, executors or administrators.
Administering an estate
How we take an estate from grant to distribution.
Every estate is different, but the work follows this course.
Gather the facts
The family, the assets, the debts and any will.
Obtain the grant
Probate where there is a will, or letters of administration where there is not.
Secure the assets
Take control of properties, bank accounts, shares and title documents.
Manage the estate
Collect rents and income, maintain property and pay liabilities.
Distribute
Transfer each share to the beneficiaries and render final accounts.
Making a will
A will only works if it is valid.
In the states where we practise, a will must generally be in writing, signed by the person making it, and witnessed by two people present at the same time, who also sign. A gift to a witness, or to a witness's spouse, may fail, so beneficiaries should not witness the will.
Some property cannot pass freely under a will. Customary and Islamic law can limit what may be left by will, and we advise on how those rules affect your plans.
Without a will
Where someone dies without a will, the estate passes according to the applicable law, and the family must obtain letters of administration before the estate can be dealt with.
Banks and land registries
Banks and land registries will generally not release or transfer a deceased person's assets without a grant of probate or letters of administration.
Choosing executors
Executors carry real work and responsibility. You can appoint family members, a professional, or both.
Questions
Common questions about wills and estates.
General information only. Your circumstances may change the answer, so please speak to us before acting.
Do I need a lawyer to make a will?
The law does not require one, but home-made wills often fail for want of the proper formalities or leave property uncertain. A lawyer makes sure the will is valid and does what you intend.
What happens if someone dies without a will?
The estate is distributed according to the applicable law, which may be statutory, customary or Islamic, depending on the deceased and the type of marriage. Someone must apply to the Probate Registry for letters of administration before the estate's assets can be dealt with.
Can you manage estate properties after the grant?
Yes. Executors and administrators can engage us to manage estate assets: collecting rents, dealing with tenants, maintaining property and accounts, and keeping records until the estate is distributed.
Contact
Plan ahead, or settle an estate.
Tell us whether you are planning your own estate or dealing with the estate of someone who has died, and roughly what it includes. We will advise on the next steps.
Office
3rd Floor, 23 Hughes AvenueYaba, Lagos State, Nigeria
Telephone