Probate is the process of administering the estate of a person who has died. Those with responsibility for probate are called “executors” if they are appointed in a person’s Will, or “administrators” if the deceased died intestate and they have been appointed by the courts. “Personal representatives” is the broader term that includes both of these categories.

 

When someone passes away, it is the personal representatives’ duty to obtain the legal right to deal with their estate and the property, money, and possessions that this includes. In England and Wales, the legal jurisdiction to do this is acquired by applying for a Grant of Representation in which, are included Grants of Probate, Letters of Administration, or Letters of Administration with a Will.[1] Personal representatives can choose to apply for this Grant of Representation themselves. However, many individuals choose to employ the services of a professional, such as a solicitor, financial adviser, or a specialist probate company such as APS Legal & Associates.

 

My role as a Probate Associate it to be the “middle person” between the Personal Representatives and APS Legal & Associates Probate Team.  I collate the relevant information from the Personal Representatives in order that APS Legal & Associates can carry out the necessary professional requirements needed to successfully execute the administration of a death estate.

 

[1] In Scotland, this process is called Confirmation. In Northern Ireland, the document is referred to as a Grant of Probate.