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Top Wills, Trusts & Executry Solicitors In Glasgow.

  • 8 firms compared
  • Independently researched
  • Updated June 2026

Finding the best wills and executry solicitors Glasgow has to offer

Making a will, setting up a power of attorney, or winding up a loved one's estate are among the most personal legal tasks you'll ever face — and in Scotland, the terminology, procedures and rules are distinct from the rest of the UK. This guide compares eight of Glasgow's leading solicitors for wills, trusts and executry, ranging from boutique specialists to full-service firms with decorated private client teams.

In Scotland, the term for dealing with a deceased person's estate is executry — not probate, which is the English equivalent. The process involves obtaining Confirmation from the Sheriff Court (Scotland's equivalent of the English grant of probate), ingathering assets, settling debts, calculating any Inheritance Tax liability, and distributing the estate to beneficiaries according to the will — or, where there is no will, according to the rules of intestacy. Scotland also has its own rules around legal rights: children of the deceased have a statutory claim on part of the moveable estate regardless of what the will says.

Powers of attorney in Scotland are registered with the Office of the Public Guardian rather than a court, and must be drafted to meet specific Scottish legal requirements. Choosing a solicitor who works in Scots law daily matters enormously for getting these documents right — an incorrectly drafted POA or will can be ineffective when you need it most.

How we compared and ranked these Glasgow estate planning solicitors

This list was compiled through independent research: no firm paid to be included or to improve its position. We assessed each firm against six criteria:

Private client specialism

Is wills, trusts and executry a genuine focus with a named team — or a secondary offering within a primarily commercial or personal injury practice?

Breadth of estate planning services

Coverage across will drafting, powers of attorney, trusts, executry, guardianship orders, Adults with Incapacity matters and inheritance tax planning.

Experience & accreditation

Named practitioners, years in practice, Law Society of Scotland accreditation, academic teaching roles and independent directory recognition.

Fee transparency

Fixed fees where offered, published price guides, clear basis of charging for executry (particularly whether fees are charged on estate value or actual time/complexity).

Accessibility

Glasgow office locations, home visits for elderly or immobile clients, remote appointments and availability across the city and surrounding areas.

Client reputation

Independent review scores, client testimonials, peer recommendations and volume of feedback directly related to private client work.

Glasgow wills and executry solicitors compared at a glance

Comparison of the top wills, trusts and executry solicitors in Glasgow (researched June 2026 — always confirm details directly with the firm)
# Firm Specialism Key services Fee model Home visits Known for
1 Simplicity Legal Private client within multi-practice firm Wills, POA, executry, IHT planning Fixed fees published Not stated Fixed-price clarity; Scots law specialists; multiple Glasgow offices
2 Raeside Chisholm Dedicated private client team Wills, POA, executry, trusts, guardianship, IHT, care home planning Enquiry / consultation Yes Alison Chisholm — 30+ yrs; tutors wills & executry at university; Three Best Rated #1
3 Scullion LAW Full private client department in 40-year-old firm Wills, POA, trusts, executry, guardianship, estate planning Clear fees, electronic appointments Yes — for elderly/immobile Three Best Rated #2; voted #1 ReviewSolicitors Glasgow; Chambers Band 4 private client; Dementia Friends trained
4 Wilson & Fish Executry & probate only Executry, Confirmation, international estates, beneficiary advice Fixed fees available; not charged on estate value Remote/postal — Scotland-wide Executry-only boutique; international estate specialists; 25+ years' experience
5 Anderson Strathern Large private client team in major firm Wills, trusts, POA, executry, IHT, succession planning, business succession Quote on enquiry Not stated 50+ partners, 300 staff; top-tier Legal 500 & Chambers; accredited specialists; business succession strength
6 Complete Clarity Solicitors Named private client team in multi-practice firm Wills, POA, executry, estate administration, care home planning Fixed fees; transparent process Remote appointments available Three Best Rated #3; named solicitors; remote Scotland-wide service
7 Weaver & Waddell Private client-focused Southside firm Wills, POA, executry, guardianship, family & matrimonial Enquiry basis Yes — for elderly clients 4.9/5 on ReviewSolicitors; Andrea Waddell — Strathclyde DipLP tutor; complex executry & IHT strength
8 Prestige Wills & Trusts Estate planning specialist — not a solicitor firm Wills, trusts, POA, IHT planning, care home planning Fixed fees; free 30-min consultation Yes — home visits STEP-certified advisors; bloodline & property protection trusts; East Kilbride & Glasgow

Important note on Prestige Wills & Trusts: This firm is an estate planning advisory service regulated for this purpose, not a Law Society of Scotland solicitor firm. This is explained fully in its profile below — please read before instructing.

The top 8 wills and executry solicitors in Glasgow: full profiles

Each profile was written independently from research into published firm information, independent directories and review platforms. Fees change — always get a written quote including any outlays, registration dues or Office of the Public Guardian fees before instructing.

  2. Raeside Chisholm Solicitors

    Visit website
    Offices
    Glasgow city centre & Newton Mearns (Southside)
    Recognition
    Three Best Rated #1 Glasgow estate planning
    Key practitioner
    Alison Chisholm — 30+ years; Strathclyde DipLP tutor
    Contact
    0141 248 3456

    Raeside Chisholm is one of Glasgow's most credentialled practices for wills, trusts and executry, led by director Alison Chisholm who brings more than thirty years of experience specifically in private client work. Alison's focus is precisely where depth of expertise matters most: drafting wills and powers of attorney, administering complex estates involving inheritance tax and capital gains tax considerations, advising older clients on future planning and incapacity issues, and assisting with Adults with Incapacity matters. Notably, she is also a Private Client and Advanced Private Client Tutor on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice course at the University of Strathclyde — a teaching role that reflects expertise recognised by the academic profession.

    Three Best Rated places Raeside Chisholm first among Glasgow estate planning solicitors following its 50-point inspection. The firm's private client coverage is exceptionally broad: wills, inheritance tax planning, powers of attorney, executries, guardianship advice and administration, trust creation and administration, care home planning, and financial guardianship appointments made at the request of local authorities. Alison also holds Financial Guardian appointments herself — a formal appointment that involves ongoing responsibility for managing a vulnerable adult's financial affairs.

    The firm covers clients across Glasgow city centre and from offices on the Southside, and extends its reach to clients in Hamilton, Paisley, Stirling, Ayrshire and beyond. For someone dealing with a complex estate, a vulnerable elderly relative, or an Adults with Incapacity situation, Raeside Chisholm's combination of personal experience and institutional depth is among the strongest available in Glasgow.

    Three Best Rated #1 30+ years experience Strathclyde DipLP tutor Financial Guardian Complex IHT estates

  3. Scullion LAW

    Visit website
    Offices
    Glasgow, Hamilton, Edinburgh
    Recognition
    Chambers Band 4 private client; Three Best Rated #2 estate planning; voted #1 ReviewSolicitors Glasgow
    Established
    1979 — 40+ years
    Home visits
    Yes — for elderly and immobile clients

    Scullion LAW is one of Scotland's most celebrated full-service law firms, founded in 1979 by Nicholas James Scullion and now led by his son Nicholas Scullion. The private client team has been serving Glasgow families for over four decades, and the firm's philosophy — "Your Law Firm For Life" — reflects a practice built for continuity: clients who first instruct the firm for a will return for conveyancing, family law and eventually executry, sometimes across multiple generations of the same family.

    The private client credentials are exceptional. Scullion LAW is ranked Band 4 in Chambers and Partners for private client work in Scotland, is Three Best Rated's second choice for Glasgow estate planning, and has been voted number one solicitors in Glasgow and Lanarkshire by ReviewSolicitors.co.uk. The service covers wills and will updates, continuing and welfare powers of attorney, trust creation and administration, executry and estate administration, guardianship orders and Adults with Incapacity matters, care home and succession planning, and inheritance tax advice. The firm is also a Dementia Friends organisation — its staff have been trained by Alzheimer Scotland to support and advise clients living with dementia and their families — which reflects a genuine commitment to serving vulnerable clients well.

    Home visits are available for elderly or immobile clients, and most appointments can be conducted electronically, allowing the firm to assist clients anywhere in Scotland. In 2017 the firm drafted over two hundred wills as part of the Marie Curie Free Wills project for over-55s across Lanarkshire and Glasgow — a tangible example of community engagement that goes well beyond marketing.

    Chambers Band 4 Three Best Rated #2 40+ years established Dementia Friends trained Home visits

  4. Wilson & Fish Solicitors

    Visit website
    Office
    Queens House, 29 St Vincent Place, G1
    Services
    Executry & estate administration only
    Fee model
    Fixed fees available; not charged on estate value
    International
    Yes — Scotland-wide and overseas estates

    Wilson and Fish occupies the most distinctive position on this list: it is an executry-only specialist — a boutique Glasgow firm that does nothing but wind up estates. Founded in 2011 by Mark Wilson, who qualified at Glasgow University in 1989 and spent twelve years as a partner at an established Glasgow practice before setting up his own niche firm, it was built specifically to offer a level of client care and value for money not typically associated with executry work at larger, general-practice firms.

    The approach is deliberately narrow and consequently very deep. The team — led by Mark Wilson and including David Watson (University of Aberdeen, 1991) and solicitor Donna, who has specialised in executry matters since 2015 — handles the full executry process: applying for Confirmation, ingathering assets, settling debts and tax liabilities, distributing the estate, and preparing executry accounts. Fees are not charged on a percentage of the estate value — a common practice elsewhere that can produce unexpectedly large bills for large estates — and fixed fees are available in many cases. That pricing transparency is noted explicitly in client reviews alongside the firm's responsiveness.

    Wilson and Fish handles estates across Scotland and specifically offers an international estates service for overseas solicitors whose clients have assets in Scotland, and for Scottish executors handling cross-border situations involving Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States and Europe. If your need is specifically executry rather than will-drafting or trust creation, this is the most focused and specialist choice on this list.

    Executry-only specialist Not charged on estate value International estates Fixed fees available Glasgow city centre

  5. Anderson Strathern

    Visit website
    Offices
    Glasgow, Edinburgh, East Lothian, Orkney, Shetland
    Scale
    50+ partners, 300+ staff
    Recognition
    Top-tier Legal 500 & Chambers; Law Society accredited specialists
    Asset management
    Anderson Strathern Asset Management Ltd (in-house)

    Anderson Strathern is one of Scotland's major law firms, with a heritage the practice traces back over 270 years and a current team of more than fifty partners and three hundred staff. Its private client capability is genuine and substantial: the wills and succession planning team holds Law Society of Scotland accreditations in trusts, tax planning and charity law — a specific, peer-assessed marker of specialist expertise — and is consistently ranked in the top tier of Legal 500 and Chambers for private client work in Scotland.

    The service scope reflects a firm that deals with complex wealth: bespoke will drafting for all circumstances, powers of attorney, trust creation and administration, executry and estate administration, inheritance tax planning, capital gains tax advice on estate assets, and business succession planning for those whose estates include business interests or shares. Anderson Strathern also operates Anderson Strathern Asset Management Limited as an in-house financial services arm, enabling integrated legal and investment advice — a combination rarely available at the private client firms on this list.

    For high-value and complex estates — those involving significant property portfolios, business interests, cross-border assets, agricultural land or charitable bequests — Anderson Strathern has the depth of expertise that a boutique or general-practice firm may not. The Glasgow office, strengthened by the 2021 merger with specialist Glasgow practice Hardy Macphail, offers direct local access to this institutional weight alongside Edinburgh, East Lothian, Orkney and Shetland offices for clients with estate assets across Scotland.

    Legal 500 top tier Chambers ranked Accredited trust specialists Business succession In-house asset management

  6. Complete Clarity Solicitors

    Visit website
    Offices
    Glasgow, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Dumfries
    Recognition
    Three Best Rated #3 Glasgow estate planning
    Team
    Named private client solicitors; 170+ years combined experience
    Remote service
    Yes — teleconferencing Scotland-wide

    Complete Clarity Solicitors is part of the same Clarity Simplicity group as Simplicity Legal, and shares that group's commitment to transparency, named personnel and a published process — but operates as a separate firm serving Glasgow, East Kilbride, Edinburgh and Dumfries. Its private client team is listed on the Three Best Rated directory as the third-best estate planning practice in Glasgow, reflecting independent validation of the service quality.

    The private client offering covers will drafting under Scots law, powers of attorney registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, executry and estate administration, and care home and succession planning. A defining characteristic of the firm's approach is transparency about its people: rather than directing enquiries to an anonymous "team," Complete Clarity publishes the names of the solicitors and paralegals who handle private client work, so clients know who they will be dealing with before they instruct. That accountability is particularly reassuring in executry work, where bereaved families are navigating a sensitive and often unfamiliar legal process.

    A teleconferencing setup means clients anywhere in Scotland can receive advice without attending an office — useful for clients in rural areas or for elderly relatives who cannot easily travel. Because the group also covers family law, conveyancing and commercial litigation, clients who discover related legal needs during the estate planning or executry process can handle them with the same organisation.

    Three Best Rated #3 Named private client team Remote Scotland-wide Wills, POA & executry

  7. Weaver & Waddell Solicitors

    Visit website
    Office
    Spiersbridge House, Thornliebank, G46 (Glasgow Southside)
    Reviews
    4.9/5 — 101 reviews (ReviewSolicitors)
    Key practitioner
    Andrea Waddell — Strathclyde DipLP tutor; Financial Guardian
    Home visits
    Yes

    Weaver and Waddell is a small Southside Glasgow firm operating from Spiersbridge Business Park in Thornliebank — ideally placed for clients in Giffnock, Newton Mearns, Clarkston, Netherlee and surrounding areas. It is a private-client-focused practice: conveyancing, executry, wills, powers of attorney, guardianship and family matrimonial law are its published services, with no personal injury or criminal work that might dilute attention from the people who need it most.

    The firm is led by Andrea Waddell, whose credentials in executry work are among the strongest of any practitioner on this list: she specialises in winding up executry estates, with a particular focus on complex estates involving inheritance tax, capital gains tax and income tax matters. She is also a Private Client and Advanced Private Client Tutor on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Strathclyde — the same teaching role held by Alison Chisholm at Raeside Chisholm — reflecting peer recognition of her expertise at the highest level. Andrea also holds Financial Guardian appointments at the request of local authorities, managing the financial affairs of vulnerable adults who have lost capacity.

    Client reviews are consistently glowing: the firm holds 4.9 out of 5 across 101 reviews on ReviewSolicitors, with clients across all service areas praising Andrea and colleague Nicola Byers individually. For elderly clients or those who cannot easily travel to a city-centre office, the Southside location and confirmed home visit service are practically significant advantages, and the firm's scale — three solicitors — means partners personally handle every file.

    4.9/5 — 101 reviews Strathclyde DipLP tutor Complex IHT executry Financial Guardian Southside location

  8. Prestige Wills & Trusts

    Visit website
    Base
    East Kilbride (serving Glasgow & Central Scotland)
    Type
    Estate planning advisory — not a solicitor firm
    Advisors
    STEP-certified estate planning advisors
    Consultation
    Free 30-minute initial appointment; home visits

    Prestige Wills and Trusts is included on this list with an important qualification that should be read before instructing: it is an estate planning advisory service rather than a Law Society of Scotland regulated solicitor firm. Its advisors hold STEP certification — the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, an internationally recognised specialist qualification — and are authorised to prepare wills, trusts and powers of attorney documents, but they are not solicitors and are not regulated by the Law Society of Scotland.

    What Prestige does well is accessible, specialist estate planning for the types of trust structures that are genuinely useful for families but rarely discussed in a standard solicitor consultation: property protection trusts (designed to ringfence a home from being fully used to fund care fees), bloodline protection trusts (keeping assets within the family bloodline across generations), life interest trusts (protecting a surviving spouse while preserving assets for children), and discretionary trusts offering flexibility over who benefits and when. The firm also covers inheritance tax planning and ongoing trust advisory work. Based in East Kilbride with coverage across Glasgow and Central Scotland, it offers home visits and a free 30-minute initial consultation.

    For straightforward will and POA work and for specialist trust planning, Prestige is a legitimate and accessible option, particularly for clients who find the trust structures on offer more tailored than a standard solicitor appointment. However, for contested estates, executry work, Adults with Incapacity matters or any situation that may require court proceedings, a regulated solicitor firm is necessary — and for any document that could later be legally challenged, the additional certainty of Law Society regulated drafting is worth considering.

    STEP-certified advisors Property protection trusts Bloodline planning Free consultation Home visits

Wills and executry solicitors Glasgow: frequently asked questions

Common questions about wills, powers of attorney and executry in Scotland, and what makes Scottish estate law different.

Do I need a solicitor to make a will in Scotland?

You are not legally required to use a solicitor, but a handwritten or DIY will that does not meet the requirements of Scots law can be challenged, ignored or cause significant difficulty for your executors. A solicitor ensures your will is validly executed, clearly worded, legally effective and takes account of Scots law rules — including the legal rights of children, which apply regardless of what your will says. For most people, the cost of professional will-drafting is modest compared to the potential problems of a flawed document.

What are legal rights (legitim) and can I disinherit my children in Scotland?

Scots law gives children a statutory right to a share of their deceased parent's moveable estate (assets other than land and buildings), regardless of what the will says. This is called legitim or the legal share. The share is one-third of the net moveable estate if a surviving spouse or civil partner also has a legal rights claim, or one-half if there is no surviving spouse. Children can elect to take their legal share rather than accept what the will leaves them. A solicitor can advise on how to structure an estate to plan around legal rights effectively.

What is executry in Scotland and how is it different from probate?

Executry is the Scottish legal term for administering a deceased person's estate — the equivalent of probate in England and Wales. The process involves obtaining Confirmation from the Sheriff Court (rather than a grant of probate from the Probate Registry), ingathering the deceased's assets, paying debts and any tax due, and distributing what remains to the beneficiaries. The rules, forms and court involved are all different from the English process — which is why a Scottish solicitor is necessary even if the deceased had assets in both countries.

What is Confirmation and does every estate in Scotland need it?

Confirmation is the document issued by the Sheriff Court that authorises the executor to uplift and deal with the deceased's assets. Most financial institutions, pension providers and property registers will not release assets to an executor without it. However, very small estates — generally under £36,000 in value — may qualify for a simplified small estate procedure, and some jointly held assets pass automatically without Confirmation. A solicitor can advise whether Confirmation is needed and which procedure applies to your situation.

How much does executry cost in Scotland?

Executry costs vary significantly with the complexity and value of the estate. Some solicitors charge a percentage of the estate value; others — like Wilson and Fish — charge on actual time and complexity rather than estate value, which can be considerably cheaper for large estates. Court fees for Confirmation, HMRC fees for any inheritance tax, and other outlays sit on top of legal fees. Always ask for a written estimate and the basis of charging before instructing any executry solicitor.

What is a power of attorney in Scotland and why do I need one?

A Scottish power of attorney is a legal document in which you appoint another person (your attorney) to manage your financial affairs (a continuing power of attorney) or make welfare decisions on your behalf (a welfare power of attorney) if you lose mental capacity. Unlike England, Scottish POAs must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before they can be used. Without a registered POA, if you lose capacity, your family may need to apply to court for a guardianship order — an expensive and time-consuming process. Making a POA while you have full capacity is one of the most practical things you can do for your family.

What happens if someone dies without a will in Scotland?

Dying without a valid will is called dying intestate. In Scotland, the rules of intestacy dictate how the estate is divided — broadly, a surviving spouse or civil partner has prior and legal rights, then children have legal rights claims on the moveable estate, and what remains is divided according to a statutory order. Unmarried partners have no automatic right to inherit under intestacy, regardless of how long the relationship lasted. A solicitor will need to be appointed as executor-dative by the court before the estate can be administered.

What is a guardianship order and when is it needed?

A guardianship order is granted by the Sheriff Court under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 and appoints someone to manage the financial or welfare affairs of an adult who has lost mental capacity and does not have a registered power of attorney. Guardianship is more onerous and expensive than a POA — it involves a court application, supporting medical evidence, a report from the Mental Welfare Commission and annual reporting to the Public Guardian. It is the principal reason why making a POA while you still have capacity is so strongly recommended.

What is inheritance tax and does it apply to Scottish estates?

Inheritance tax is a UK-wide tax on the value of an estate above the nil-rate band (£325,000 per person as of 2026, though thresholds are subject to change). An additional residence nil-rate band may apply if a family home is left to direct descendants. IHT is charged at 40% on the portion of the estate above the available threshold. Married couples and civil partners can pass their nil-rate band to their surviving spouse, effectively doubling it. A solicitor can advise on legal ways to reduce an estate's IHT exposure through planning, gifting strategies and trust structures.

What is a STEP-qualified estate planning advisor and how do they differ from a solicitor?

STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) is a professional body whose members — which can include solicitors, accountants and specialist advisors — meet rigorous education and experience standards in trust and estate planning. A STEP qualification is a mark of specialist knowledge. However, a STEP-certified advisor who is not also a Law Society regulated solicitor is not subject to the same regulatory framework, insurance requirements and complaint procedures as a solicitor. For straightforward will and trust drafting, a STEP-certified estate planning advisor can provide a professional service. For contested matters, court proceedings or any situation with legal risk, you should instruct a regulated solicitor.

Can a Scottish will cover assets held outside Scotland?

A Scottish will can nominate executors and express wishes about all assets, but its effectiveness for assets in other countries depends on those countries' laws. Immoveable property (land and buildings) in another country is generally governed by the law of that country, which may require separate legal steps. Moveable assets (money, investments, personal property) held abroad may be dealt with under the law of the country where the deceased was domiciled — which for a Scottish resident would normally be Scots law. Complex international estates should be handled by a solicitor with experience of cross-border estates.

How do I choose the best wills or executry solicitor in Glasgow?

Match the firm to your specific need. For executry following a bereavement, Wilson and Fish's boutique-only focus and transparent non-percentage pricing is worth a call. For complex estates with significant IHT, property or business interests, Anderson Strathern's accredited trust specialists have the deepest resource on this list. For older clients or those dealing with Adults with Incapacity matters, Raeside Chisholm's Alison Chisholm and Weaver and Waddell's Andrea Waddell both bring specialist depth and home visit availability. For simple, fixed-price wills and POAs with no jargon, Simplicity Legal publishes its fees upfront. Use free initial consultations wherever available to speak to two firms before instructing.

Conclusion: choosing your Glasgow wills and executry solicitor

The right firm depends entirely on what you need. For a clear, fixed-price will or power of attorney drafted under Scots law, Simplicity Legal's published pricing takes the uncertainty away from the start. For the most credentialled private client practitioners in Glasgow, Raeside Chisholm and Weaver and Waddell both have university-tutoring solicitors with thirty-plus years of specialist experience — and both offer home visits. For a full-service firm with the deepest breadth — trusts, IHT, business succession, integrated financial advice — Anderson Strathern is the institutional option. For executry specifically, the boutique precision of Wilson and Fish, which handles nothing else and charges on complexity rather than estate value, is genuinely distinctive. Scullion LAW's four decades of community history and Dementia Friends training give it a warmth alongside its Chambers ranking that suits families looking for a "firm for life." For an accessible approach to trust planning, Prestige Wills and Trusts is worth exploring, with the caveat that it is an advisory service rather than a regulated solicitor firm.

Whatever you're dealing with, do it sooner rather than later: a will takes less than an hour to discuss and provides years of certainty. A power of attorney must be made while you have capacity — once that window closes, only a court can step in.

Make your plans while you still can

A will takes one conversation to arrange. A power of attorney can only be made while you have mental capacity. The best time to act is now, not later.

Dealing with a different kind of legal issue? Explore the rest of our independent Glasgow directory.

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