Wildcat Law Eastleigh

08/06/2026

The team at Wildcat Law Eastleigh love working in Eastleigh, not least because of all the great places to eat!

One of our team lunch favourites is Oishii Ramen on market street in

Great food, affordable and service with a smile!

08/06/2026

We do not offer legal aid but we are regularly approached by people who need it. However there are a lot of myths and a great deal of confusion regarding what it is and who can access it.

⚖️ WHAT IS LEGAL AID FOR FAMILY LAW IN ENGLAND – AND WHO CAN GET IT?

Many people assume Legal Aid is available for all family law cases. Unfortunately, that's not usually the case.

✅ What is Legal Aid?
Legal Aid is government-funded financial assistance that helps eligible people pay for legal advice and representation.

✅ Who might qualify in family law cases?
Legal Aid is generally available only in specific circumstances, including:

• Domestic abuse cases (where evidence requirements are met)
• Child protection matters involving local authorities
• Forced marriage cases
• Child abduction matters
• Certain cases involving children where there are serious welfare concerns

You must also usually pass a financial means assessment based on your income, savings, property, and other assets.

1. Income Assessment

The Legal Aid Agency considers:

Employment income
Self-employment income
Benefits and tax credits
Pension income
Rental income and other regular income

Certain deductions may be allowed, such as:

Income tax and National Insurance
Housing costs
Childcare costs
Maintenance payments
Allowances for dependants

After these deductions, your disposable income is calculated.

2. Capital Assessment

They also look at:

Money in bank and savings accounts
Investments
Additional properties
Valuable assets
Equity in your home (subject to various rules and disregards)

For many family law matters, the amount of disposable capital you have can affect whether you qualify and whether you may need to contribute towards costs.

3. Contributions

Qualifying for Legal Aid does not always mean it is completely free.

Depending on your financial circumstances, you may be required to:

Make monthly contributions from income.
Make a contribution from capital.
Repay some costs from money or property recovered in the case.
Typical Examples

More likely to qualify

Someone receiving means-tested benefits with little or no savings.
A low-income parent with dependent children and modest assets.

Less likely to qualify

A person with substantial savings.
A person with a high disposable income.
A homeowner with significant accessible equity and few liabilities.
Key Point

Many people are surprised to learn that:

Being employed does not automatically disqualify you.
Owning a home does not automatically disqualify you.
Equally, being on a moderate income does not guarantee eligibility.

The assessment is based on the overall financial picture.

❌ What are the downsides of Legal Aid?

• Many family disputes (such as divorce, finances after separation, or child arrangements) do not qualify.
• The evidence requirements can be strict.
• Choice of solicitor may be limited to firms with a Legal Aid contract.
• Financial eligibility rules can exclude people who feel they cannot realistically afford private legal fees.

💷 What about paying privately?

Private representation gives you:

• Freedom to choose your solicitor
• Access to a wider range of specialists
• Greater flexibility over how your case is managed

However, private legal fees can be significant, particularly in contested financial or child arrangement cases.

Some people fund legal costs through:

• Personal savings
• Family assistance
• Litigation loans or legal finance products
• Borrowing against assets (where appropriate)
• Payment plans offered by some firms

⚠️ Important consideration before borrowing

Borrowing to fund legal proceedings can increase financial pressure and may leave you with repayments regardless of the outcome of your case. Always consider the total cost of borrowing, interest charges, and whether the likely benefit of the legal action justifies the financial commitment.

📞 If you're unsure whether you qualify for Legal Aid use this website to check https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid.

01/06/2026

We often see posts from people asking why solicitors firm's charge so much for Will writing when you can do it yourself for free, or use an unregulated "Will writer" for less than £100. So We thought it might be useful to put together some of the common problems our probate team have seen where Wills have gone wrong either by DIY or through using "Will writers".

1. Incorrect witnessing (the most common fatal error)

A will must be signed by the testator in the presence of two witnesses who are present at the same time, and the witnesses must then sign in the testator's presence.
Common mistakes:
• Witnesses sign on different days.
• One witness is not present when the will is signed.
• The testator signs alone and later asks people to witness it.
• Witnesses do not actually see the signature being made or acknowledged.
• Only one witness signs.
• Signatures are added later without a proper witnessing ceremony.

Potential consequence: the entire will may be invalid.
________________________________________

2. Using beneficiaries as witnesses

Many DIY will makers ask family members to witness the will.
If a beneficiary witnesses the will, or the spouse/civil partner of a beneficiary witnesses it, the will itself usually remains valid but that beneficiary's gift can fail.
Common examples:
• A son witnesses a will that leaves him the house.
• A daughter's husband acts as a witness.
• An executor-beneficiary witnesses the will.

Potential consequence: the intended inheritance may be lost.
________________________________________

3. Making handwritten changes after signing

People frequently:
• Cross out names.
• Write new gifts in margins.
• Change percentages.
• Alter executor details.

Changes made after ex*****on generally require the same formalities as the original will. Unwitnessed alterations may be ineffective.

Potential consequence: the original wording remains effective, or disputes arise over what was intended.
________________________________________

4. Marriage after making the will

A surprisingly common DIY mistake is failing to appreciate that marriage generally revokes an earlier will unless it was drafted in contemplation of that marriage.
Typical scenario:
• Person writes a will leaving everything to children.
• Later marries.
• Never updates the will.

Potential consequence: the old will may be revoked entirely.
________________________________________

5. Ambiguous wording

Untrained drafters often use language that seems clear to them but is legally uncertain.
Examples:
• "I leave my house to my children."
o Which children?
o In equal shares?
o What if one dies first?
• "I leave my savings to my family."
o Who counts as family?
• "My partner gets everything."
o Which partner if relationships change?

Potential consequence: costly probate litigation to determine meaning.
________________________________________

6. Failing to deal with the residue of the estate

A common amateur error is listing specific gifts but forgetting everything else.
Example:
• £10,000 to niece.
• Watch to nephew.
• Car to friend.

But no clause dealing with the remainder of the estate.

Potential consequence: part of the estate passes under intestacy rules rather than under the will.
________________________________________

7. No substitute beneficiaries

DIY wills often say:
"I leave my estate to my wife."
But fail to answer:
What happens if she dies first?
Professional drafts usually include fallback provisions.

Potential consequence: unintended intestacy.
________________________________________

8. Poor identification of beneficiaries

Examples:
• Using nicknames.
• Misspelling names.
• Referring to people vaguely.
• Forgetting to identify charities properly.

This is a common DIY problem.

Potential consequence: uncertainty and estate disputes, delay, or failed gifts.
________________________________________

9. Failure to revoke previous wills

DIY wills sometimes omit a clear revocation clause.
Result:
• Multiple wills found after death.
• Confusion about which document governs.

Potential consequence: probate disputes and construction proceedings.
________________________________________

10. Inadequate provision for executors

Common mistakes:
• No executor appointed.
• Executor has died.
• Executor lacks capacity.
• No substitute executor named.
• No clause allowing for substitute executors to be appointed.

Potential consequence: additional court applications and delay.
________________________________________

11. Capacity and undue influence issues

Unregulated will writers often lack training in assessing testamentary capacity and spotting coercion.
Warning signs:
• Elderly testator with cognitive decline.
• Relative answering all questions.
• Beneficiary present throughout instructions.
• No attendance notes kept.

A will requires the testator to be of sound mind and acting voluntarily.

Potential consequence: a later challenge alleging lack of capacity or undue influence.
________________________________________

12. Failure to keep evidence of ex*****on

Solicitors typically keep:
• Attendance notes.
• File records.
• Witness details.
DIY wills often have none of this.
Years later:
• Witnesses cannot be found.
• Witnesses cannot remember the signing.
• Signatures are challenged.

Potential consequence: expensive evidential disputes during probate.
________________________________________

13. Not accounting for blended families

DIY wills are particularly risky where there are:
• Stepchildren.
• Second marriages.
• Cohabiting partners.
• Children from different relationships.

Potential consequence: outcomes that differ dramatically from the testator's intentions and/or expensive legal challenges.
________________________________________

14. Digital-only or improperly executed online wills

People sometimes assume:
• A PDF saved on a computer is enough.
• An electronic signature is sufficient.
• An online form automatically creates a valid will.

Current law in England generally requires a properly executed written will with the statutory signing formalities.

Potential consequence: no valid will at all.
________________________________________

15. Using a template that does not fit the circumstances

The classic DIY problem is using a generic template for a non-generic estate.
Examples:
• Business ownership.
• Foreign assets.
• Trusts.
• Agricultural property.
• Inheritance tax planning.
• Vulnerable beneficiaries.

Potential consequence: technically valid will, but ineffective or damaging estate planning.

The financial cost of getting a Will wrong often far outweighs the cost of instructing a professional at the outset.
The emotional cost of getting a Will wrong is beyond calculation - losing a loved one and having to spend months and years unravelling a difficult estate is not something anyone should have to go through.

12/05/2026

Dealing with property and land titles is not always straight forward. 👩‍⚖️

Even the experts can make mistakes so we are delighted to receive confirmation from the Land Registry that we had no avoidable issues with our work. 👍

So if you need to change the title on your property or you need to register your property, give our team a call or pop into our Eastleigh office. 🏢

01/05/2026

Thinking of setting up or buying a business?
Or maybe you are looking to expand your existing one?

Then you need to speak to our expert team to make sure your business is built on the right legal foundations.

From leases and drafting contracts through to shareholder and director agreements we can take care of the legal work so you can concentrate on making your business a success.

Wildcat Law your local high street solicitors.
39 Market Street Eastleigh.

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20/04/2026

Are you buying or selling a house?
You need a legal team you can actually talk to.
High Street based conveyancing.

16/04/2026

We’re Hiring: Civil Litigation Solicitor (Employed Role) Eastleigh Hampshire

Join a growing high street branch where your impact will be seen every day.

Wildcat Law is looking for an experienced Civil Litigation Solicitor to join our office-based team in Eastleigh.

This is a fully employed, client-facing role based in our busy high street office—perfect for someone who thrives on building relationships and being at the heart of the local community.

About the role:

• Office-based at our Eastleigh branch (no remote working)

• Take the lead on all civil litigation matters

• Work closely with the firm’s Head of Legal

• Play a key role in the Branch Senior Leadership Team

• Drive growth of both the team and workflow

About us:

At Wildcat Law, we don’t do ordinary and neither will you. We’re a sharp, ambitious team that backs talent, rewards initiative, and gives you real responsibility from day one. Here, your ideas aren’t filtered through layers of hierarchy they shape outcomes, provide results, and make a difference for clients who rely on us to deliver. If you’re driven, commercially minded, and ready to grow fast in an environment that values bold thinking and high standards, Wildcat Law is where you turn potential into impact.

Our Eastleigh office has been open for just over 18 months and is already home to a small but rapidly expanding team of solicitors and support staff. We’re building something ambitious, combining high street accessibility with modern, forward-thinking legal practice.

What we’re looking for:

• Strong civil litigation experience - preferably contentious probate, contract disputes and business/company disputes.

• Confident in a client-facing, high street environment

• Leadership mindset with a passion for growth

• Ability to manage and develop a team

If you’re ready to take ownership, shape a growing department, and be part of an energetic and supportive team—we’d love to hear from you.

Please contact us via facebook, our website or contact the Eastleigh office directly.

Hampshire office of national law firm - Wildcat Law.
Solicitor or Barrister? - We have both!
Providing expert legal services to individuals, families and businesses.

09/04/2026

Fixed fee Power of Attorney applications. £360 each
plus government fees and postage.

02/04/2026

Wishing everyone a lovely Easter weekend.