Our team of solicitors are specialists in drafting Wills. One of the most important things you can do is to make sure you have a Will in place. A Will narrates your wishes regarding the distribution of your assets, including property, cash and possessions, after your death and appoints the appropriate people to ensure your wishes are carried out.
Preparation of a Will is an integral part of our Private Client services and as our team includes solicitors with years of experience in Will writing you can be safe in the knowledge that your wishes can be accommodated and your personal circumstances considered and reflected in your Will.
The first thing to consider is who you would like to appoint as your executors. Your executors will be responsible for carrying out the instructions that you leave in your Will.
When deciding who to appoint as executor it is important to choose someone that will appreciate the importance of the role. Being an executor can be stressful and time consuming. It is important to appoint at least two executors or substitute executors.
If you have young children you should consider who you would like to be their guardian and consider at what age they would inherit assets from your estate.
Some people decide to set up a trust as part of their Will, often to provide for young beneficiaries.
You can choose your trustees and they manage the money or property until it passes to the beneficiaries.
When considering your assets you can narrate in your Will that particular items or sums of money pass to particular individuals by including specific legacies in your Will. For example, if you would like to leave a piece of jewellery to a particular family member this legacy can be detailed in your Will. Similarly if you wish to donate money to charity you can list this in your Will too.
Having a well written Will prepared by one of our solicitors helps ensure that:
- You have clearly named who you wish to act as your executors;
- Your wishes regarding distribution of your assets will be properly recorded;
- Your partner or spouse inherits the assets you wish them to;
- You avoid unnecessary taxes, maximising the estate passing to your beneficiaries;
- Your dependents are looked after as you wish; and
- You have considered how your home might be used to fund future care home fees.
A Will is a legal document. Any small errors in the wording could leave the terms of the deed open to interpretation and potentially cause problems after your death, which can be expensive and time consuming to resolve.
It is best practice to consult a solicitor specialising in Will drafting, particularly if your affairs are complex e.g. step-families, cohabitants, foreign assets, and exposure to inheritance tax.
The absence of a Will means intestacy rules come into effect which may dictate that your assets pass to beneficiaries not of your choice. The absence of a Will also means additional time and expense as an executor has to be appointed which involves a Court petition and Bond of Caution application.
How Drummond Miller can help

Our team of solicitors is available for in-person consultations, as well as telephone and video appointments. Schedule a meeting today.
- Call us on 0131 226 5151