CONFLICT RESOLUTION: MEDIATION, MENTORING & COACHING
For when families face loss and legacy
Mediation of Inheritance Disputes
When a loved one dies and there are claims made upon a Will, or claims due to the lack of a Will, there is usually a whole heap of pain for all involved.
I help create a safe space for all involved to be given time to explore the hurt felt by all parties. Together we explore where there is common ground to move forward.
Settlements can come in many forms at mediation because I help you accept the tension in the room, explore why its there, and together we find the patience and understanding to work through it to move forwards.
Mediation is not a legal process, even though many lawyers are mediators. It helps that I am ACTAPS trained and my work as a consultant solicitor is 100% inheritance dispute litigation. Yet, it's rarely legal familiarity that unlocks an inheritance dispute when the participants control the outcome.
Why Inheritance disputes are so difficult
Inheritance disputes are rarely just about the money. They are often about recognition, fairness and unresolved family dynamics.
When someone dies, old wounds can resurface - especially if people feel excluded, overlooked or misunderstood.
These disputes can be deeply painful. The often involve grief, guilt and long standing tensions. Family dynamics matter.
Often we need to explore what values drive the participants. Often it is the conflict of two or more core values which is stopping the parties moving forward. A court cannot explore values and needs, but we can. And you'll probably learn something about yourself that will help you navigate life better when you know more about what drives you.
How Mediation helps
Mediation offers a calm, confidential space to work through these issues.
The mediation of an inheritance dispute is about the participants controlling the outcome, no longer clashing swords between a right and a wrong.
Instead, we're exploring. I hold the space to allow participants do to that.
We're aiming to find a solution that offers a better alternative than a legal battle where, win or lose, all involved will likely end up wounded. Both emotionally and financially.
Family Dynamics
A common theme I see in inheritance disputes is the idea of the deserving vs the undeserving. These labels often reflect deep family stories.
Perceived favourites. Perceived bullies. Perceived manipulators. Perceived lay-abouts.
The Responsible One. The Spoilt One. The Uncaring One. The One who always got everything their own way. The one who disappeared when things got hard.
In my mediations we give everyone the chance to be heard, and to be understood. That can be transformative to unknotting disputes over wills.
The rigidity of a Court process
Courts are bound by strict legal frameworks, not personal values.
In a 2025 inheritance case, a judge* made this clear: “The court has no role in rewarding meritorious conduct.” It is something I say as a mediator all the time: the law does not usually have any scope to recognise where someone acted with compassion or carried a heavier emotional burden.
Mediation, by contrast, allows space for those human elements—acknowledging the emotional weight behind the dispute and exploring solutions that feel fair, not just legally correct.
*Judge Alan Johns, Central London County Court
But a judgment proves I was right
We all want a judgment when we feel wronged. But will it end up a very costly piece of paper?
And what if the Judge doesn't agree you are right? Did the Judge miss the point? Will there be an appeal?
Lawyers talk in terms of litigation risk. There is no such thing as the perfect case in an inhertiance dispute. If your case is strong, it doesn't always mean the other individual(s) case is weak.
The nuances of family inheritance disputes are complex. Courts resolve legal issues, not emotional ones, and inheritance disputes are usually both.
A judgment does not help the individuals when they meet at the next family wedding or funeral. But mediation might.
The Inheritance Disputes I mainly deal with
I mediate the following types of inheritance disputes:
- Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 ("1975 Act claims")
- Disputes over the validity of a Will
- Situations where there is no Will (Intestacy)
- Disagreements between executors and beneficiaries
I bring a mix of legal expertise, mediation experience and soft skills training.
Ready to talk?
If you are new to me and Camel Mediation, let's set up a call to answer any questions you may have.
I offer free introductory calls.
You can email me to set up a mutually convenient time to discuss how I can help with family inheritance disputes.
Your goal could be mediation, or conflict coaching. I offer both for inheritance conflict resolution.
What my clients said recently
1975 Act Claim
Will Validity Dispute
Property Dispute
“Thank you gave for your help and support during a very difficult time for me.”
KH, February 2024
"Just a massive thank you again, you have been amazing. Expensive but worth it!”
AW, December 2024
"I will never forget your kindness and support."
PW, February 2024
Contact Camel
Mediation
Telephone: 0161 531 8861
E-mail: gayle@camelmediation.com
Based from Stockport, Cheshire