Topical Talks with Title Research

This episode features Emily Robertson, Senior Associate at Hanne & Co. and a member of the firm’s LGBTQ+ specialist team. She was recently recognised as ‘One to Watch’ at The British Wills and Probate Awards 2025, having also been highly commended in 2023.Title Research joins her for a conversation exploring progress in LGBTQ+ rights alongside ongoing legal gaps, and the risks posed by outdated estate laws that fail to reflect modern family structures. Emily highlights the importance of inclusive, carefully drafted Wills, the need for empathetic and informed legal advice, and the value of specialist expertise in effectively supporting LGBTQ+ clients, among many other insights.You don't want to miss this episode. Listen now!

This episode features Vanessa Ugatti, the True Worth Expert, keynote speaker, transformational trainer and coach, and author of the Amazon Best Seller How to Get Paid Your True Worth (link). She helps lawyers get paid their true worth ethically, while keeping their clients happy and without selling their soul, by uncovering and eliminating the behaviours that cause financial loss and stress.Her unique True Worth Methodology™ honed over a 13-year period was born out of her own painful journey from utterly clueless at charging to confident, calm, and collected. This means she truly understands how people think and feel, which is crucial and she is therefore perfectly placed to help others overcome this challenge.The benefits of her work are not just financial; they also positively impact wellbeing. Authentic, transparent, and down-to-earth, she speaks directly to your heart, mind, and soul, motivating you to take conscious actions that lead to transformation.Vanessa has the blueprint to wake you up to your true worth, so you never have to feel guilty, fearful, or apologetic for charging appropriately ever [email protected]://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessaugatti/https://www.thetrueworthexpert.com/pandp/

This episode features Scott Walker, Trainer and Speaker, and Consultant Solicitor at Richard Nelson LLP. Title Research’s Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, and Business Development Manager, Ben Osborne, join him to discuss different personality types in law and how he has challenged the belief that you have to be an extrovert to succeed in the legal industry.You don't want to miss this episode. Listen now!

This episode features Holly Miéville-Hawkins from Anthony Gold Solicitors. Title Research’s Legal Services Director, Charlotte Toogood, and Technical Manager, Simon Barber, join her to discuss Statutory Wills and proposed upcoming changes to the process.You don't want to miss this episode. Listen now!

This episode features Tom Stansfield from Legal Growth. Title Research’s Legal Services Director, Charlotte Toogood, and Chief Marketing Executive, Suzannah Taggart, join him to discuss marketing in legal sector, including insights from recent legal growth marketing report, what he sees as the biggest challenges practioners see whilst marketing their business, and what does the future hold for legal professionals and marketing as a whole..You won't want to miss this episode. Listen now!

This episode features Heledd Wyn from Rothley Law Limited. Title Research’s Legal Services Director, Charlotte Toogood, and Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, join her to discuss vulnerable clients, including the STEP report from November 2023, roles and responsibilities of private client practitioners, the biggest challenges legal professionals face, and STEP's Spot the Signs Campaign.You won't want to miss this episode. Listen now!

This episode features Heledd Wyn and John Tunnard from Shakespeare Martineau. Title Research's Technical Manager, Simon Barber, joins them to discuss contentious probate. They discuss whether contentious probate is on the rise, what the drivers for this could be, will there be any lasting impact in the area as a result of the pandemic, and how contentious probate work crosses over into Court of Protection.

This episode features Elizabeth Ware and Andrew Mackie from Foot Anstey, as well as Nigel Merchant from Kings Court Trust. Title Research’s Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, joins them to discuss charities as beneficiaries. They discuss how estate administrators should approach charities as beneficiaries, why charities need the information they request, charities in litigation, and more.

Title Research's Head of Business Anthony Allsopp is joined by Adrian Schuck, Senior Associate at The Wilkes Partnership LLP, and Nigel Merchant, Technical Manager at Kings Court Trust, in this podcast on Trusts. The episode covers Trust registration, the public's understanding of Trusts, and advice for legal professionals.

In this episode, we explore the costs of challenging an Executor or Trustee in recovering legal fees from the estate or Trust. More specifically, we discuss and debate the interesting outcome of the recent Kenig v Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP case in relation to challenging estate administration legal fees. We also cover the steps involved in recovering legal fees from the estate or Trust, pricing methods, and the precautions Solicitors can take to avoid their fees being challenged by a client.

We're pleased to welcome back Michael Culver of Culver Law to the Topical Talks with Title Research podcast. Title Research's Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, and Technical Manager, Simon Barber, join Michael to discuss predictions for the legal industry. More specifically, Michael shares how the industry has recently developed, his predictions for changes in the legal sector over the coming years, and the risks and challenges that the industry may face in the future.

In this podcast, Title Research is joined by Sarah Bolt, Managing Associate in the Private Client Resolution Team at Freeths LLP, and Natasha Dzameh, a St John's Chambers Barrister, to discuss claims for reasonable financial provision. The episode covers what reasonable financial provision is and who can make a claim, mediation and the likelihood of a case reaching court, practical steps for Private Client Practitioners to avoid clients' Wills being challenged, recent case updates, and more.

In this podcast, Title Research is joined by expert guest Michael Culver, Managing Director of Culver Law and Chairman of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE). The episode covers professional memberships and Michael's role at SFE, including the principal aims and objectives of SFE, what the role of Chairman at SFE entails, the pros and cons of professional memberships, and the differing roles of regulatory vs non-regulatory bodies. As mentioned in the podcast, the SFE National Conference 2023 is taking place on 22nd June 2023. If you would like to find out more or book a ticket, please visit https://sfe.legal/NationalConference.

Title Research’s Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, and Legal Services Director, Charlotte Toogood, are joined by special guest Ian Bond, Partner at Irwin Mitchell. In this episode, they speculate on what the future of Will Writing could look like. More specifically, the podcast covers:• Whether Will writing should be regulated• If the Wills Act 1837 provides enough protection for Testators• The Law Commission Wills Project on reforming the law of Wills• Digital assets and technology• Plus more...

Title Research’s Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, and Legal Services Director, Charlotte Toogood, are joined by special guest Jade Gani, CEO and Head of Private Client at Circe Law. In this podcast, we cover the popular topic of digital assets in estate planning and estate administration, including covering some practical advice for Private Client Practitioners.

Title Research’s Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, and Legal Services Director, Charlotte Toogood, are joined by special guest Ian Bond, Partner at Irwin Mitchell, to discuss the infamous topic of Probate Registry delays. More specifically, Ian covers: The current position at the Probate Registry What is being done to reduce the delays and improve efficiencies Inheritance Tax implications as a result of the delays

In this podcast, Heledd Wyn, Partner at Shakespeare Martineau, joins Title Research to discuss long-term care and Statutory Wills. More specifically, the episode covers: The role of Private Client Practitioners in long-term care planning Professional deputies and when they are required The purpose of a Statutory Will and when one should be considered The process of applying for a Statutory Will And much more...

For the last podcast of 2022, Title Research's Technical Manager, Simon Barber, is joined by Nigel Merchant of estate administration specialists, Kings Court Trust. The duo discuss the year's most prominent industry news stories, including: IHT reporting for excepted estates The probate fee increase Trust registration service changes Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill What to expect in 2023

Roy Partington, Underwriting Director at CLS Property Insight, joins Title Research's Technical Manager Simon Barber to discuss: Where insurance can support Solicitors during the estate administration process The sentiment of genealogical research and insurance in the Private Client sector The pitfalls of amateur genealogists and insurance providers Examples of insurance protecting Personal Representatives and Solicitors And more...

Sarah Bolt, Managing Associate in the Private Client Resolution Team at Freeths LLP, and Natasha Dzameh, a St John's Chambers Barrister, join Title Research to discuss: Will dispute trends and why they continue to grow COVID-19's impact on Will and inheritance disputes Practical steps for Private Client Practitioners

Sarah Bolt, Managing Associate in the Private Client Resolution team at Freeths LLP, and Natasha Dzameh, a Barrister from St John's Chambers, join Title Research to discuss ways in which a Will can be contested, practical steps to minimise the risk of challenges arising in the future, and how to avoid common mistakes made in the probate process.

Caroline Miller of Wedlake Bell LLP joins Anthony Allsopp, Head of Business at Title Research, to explore the topic of claims against estates. As well as discussing testamentary freedom and an example intestacy case, they cover: Who can bring a claim against an estate? How the Inheritance Act 1975 could be used to make a claim How a claim against an estate can be avoided/defended The importance of practitioners encouraging openness with their clients

Nigel Merchant, Technical Manager at Kings Court Trust, joins Anthony Allsopp, Head of Business at Title Research, to explore a few of the biggest industry news stories from 2021. They discuss technology and innovation in the legal sector, video Will witnessing, and improvements to MyHMCTS for probate practitioners.

Tom Stansfield joins Anthony Allsopp, Head of Business at Title Research, to discuss the legal sector's adoption of technology, online Will writing and digital assets in Wills. More specifically, the podcast discusses and debates how the legal industry utilises technology, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the evolution of online Will writing, what legal professionals should consider when dealing with digital assets, and more.

Tower Street Finance's Business Development Director, Dicky Davies, joins Anthony Allsopp, Head of Business at Title Research, to discuss how blended families, co-habiting couples and DIY Wills could all be contributing to the rise in inheritance disputes. More specifically, the podcast explores why inheritance disputes continue to rise, Tower Street Finance's research in this area, what can be done to educate the public, plus more.

Title Research's Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, and Technical Manager, Simon Barber, discuss one of our own areas of expertise, probate genealogy. The podcast explores how family tree reconstruction and people tracing has changed, the impact of popular TV programmes, the rise of amateur genealogists, and more.

Jade Gani joins Title Research for an interesting discussion on technology in the Wills and probate sector. More specifically, the podcast explores the role of technology in the industry adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, how technology can be utilised to improve efficiency and reach broader audiences, the soft skills Private Client Practitioners need to adopt to offer a better client experience, and more.

In this podcast, Andrew Wilkinson from Shakespeare Martineau joined Title Research's Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp, and Head of Service Delivery, Charlotte Toogood. The interesting discussion explores the myth of the common-law spouse, the changes in the rules on the execution of a Will and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal sector.

In this podcast, Emma Baddaley from Inheritance Data joined Title Research for a discussion about the importance of financial asset searches in estate administration. More specifically, we discussed why it's important for probate practitioners to conduct asset searches, what happens to unclaimed funds held by banks, and developments in this area.

In episode ten of Topical Talks, Anthony Allsoppp of Title Research was joined by Nigel Merchant, Technical Manager at Kings Court Trust to discuss the biggest industry news stories from 2020. They discuss the pandemic's impact on the industry, as well as some other popular topics from throughout the year. Topics of conversation including adapting to working from home, the remote witnessing of Wills and online submissions for probate applications.

Episode 9 of Topical Talks with Title Research features Ben Furlong and Jonathan Upton from legal tech provider, Estatesearch. In this episode, we discuss how Estatesearch gives legal practitioners an additional level of due diligence, the use of technology and how it can help you work quicker and more efficiently, the growing desire in the industry to serve grieving clients better, and more.

This episode of Topical Talks features expert guest, Tim Farmer, Founder and Managing Director of multi-award winning mental capacity assessors, TSF Consultants. Tim is also an award winning author and expert witness specialising in the assessment of mental capacity and financial vulnerability. He has over 25 years’ experience of working with adults and children with reduced mental capacity and has completed more than 3,500 mental capacity assessments. In this episode, we discuss and debate the role private client practitioners must play in assessing mental capacity, whether the view of mental capacity has changed in recent years, new legislation surrounding witnessing documents via video conferencing software, and more.

In this episode of Topical Talks, Andrea Pierce of Title Research is joined by Ian Bond, Head of Wills & Estates at Thursfields Solicitors and former Chair of the Law Society's Wills and Equity Committee. In the podcast, we discuss what Ian’s three-year run as Chair of the Law Society Wills & Equity Committee entailed, how the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted the legal industry, whether the creation of Wills should be regulated, and more.

In this episode of Topical Talks, Title Research are joined by Holly Mieville-Hawkins, Senior Associate at Enable Law. The conversation is focused on Inheritance Tax (IHT) Planning and the Court of Protection. We discuss how the Court of Protection’s approach to estate and IHT planning has changed in recent years, the connection between gifting and IHT planning, the Mental Capacity Act 2005’s stance on making a decision on behalf of someone else, and more.Holly is joined by Title Research’s Legal Services Director, Andrea Pierce and Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp.

In this episode of Topical Talks, Title Research are joined by Heledd Wyn, Associate Director and Head of Long Term & Elderly Care at Gregg Latchams. We discuss long-term care and how private client practitioners can add value to long-term care. Heledd is joined by Title Research's Legal Services Director, Andrea Pierce and Head of Business, Anthony Allsopp.

In episode four of Topical Talks, Title Research were joined by Jeff de-Rhune, Director of Trust, Probate & Estates at Trust & Probate Insurance. Jeff de-Rhune is an expert in insurance when it comes to estate administration and has an abundance of knowledge in this area. In the episode we discuss how insurance has evolved and when insurance is essential in estate administration.

In this episode of Topical Talks, Title Research are joined by Martin Holdsworth, Founder and Director of IDR Law, to discuss contentious probate. IDR Law are an inheritance dispute resolution law firm so Martin is very knowledgeable in this area. This podcast discusses how contentious probate has evolved, common areas of dispute, and why it's important for non-contentious lawyers to understand contentious processes. Listen now...

In this episode of Topical Talks, Title Research are joined by Michael Culver. Michael is Chairman of Solicitors for the Elderly and a Partner at Bolt Burdon Solicitors. We talk about what Michael's role as Chairman of Solicitors for the Elderly entails, challenges facing legal professionals specialising in elderly client law, how the industry has developed, predictions for changes in the legal sector and more.

Listen to episode 1 of Topical Talks with Title Research where we're joined by Roser Coll. Roser is a Partner at TEMIS & CO International Lawayers. She is experienced in both Spanish and English Law so this episode looks at the differences in probate law.