A close friend had a heart attack and died while in the process of drawing up his will. The solicitor was actually present when he died, and my friend hadn’t been able to sign the will. Now his money will go to a brother he didn’t get on with. Is there any form of redress if his brother decides to ignore his wishes?
Probably not. Other relatives may have a claim on the estate under the family provision legislation, but you, as a friend, won’t be legally entitled to anything. It sounds as though the money will belong to the brother to dispose of as he sees fit. Having said that, potential beneficiaries may have a claim against the solicitor if they can show negligence on his or her part, for example if the solicitor missed an appointment to draw up the will, knowing it was urgent.