Topical Talks with Title Research

This episode features Sarah Bolt, Director and Solicitor at Talbots Law.  Sarah has over a decade of experience in dealing with high-value, complex, and cross-border Trust, probate, and estate disputes. She has worked at Culver Law, Irwin Mitchell, Freeths, and Hugh James, to name a few.   Title Research joins her for a conversation on how the Autumn Budgets in both 2024 and 2025 have impacted the...

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 outdat...

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....

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....

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 leg...

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...

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 P...

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, pri...

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 yea...

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 Priva...

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 regu...

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 •...

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 r...

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 A...

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...

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 Repres...

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...

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 deal...