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A Day in the Life of a Private Client Solicitor: Wills, Probate and Estate Planning in Action
20 April 2026
Meet Clare Eastwood - Private Client Solicitor.
Clare Eastwood is a dedicated Private Client solicitor, specialising in Wills, Probate, Estate Administration and Inheritance Tax planning. With extensive experience supporting individuals and families, Clare is known for her compassionate, practical approach, guiding clients through everything from preparing a Will to navigating the complexities of probate after a bereavement.
Working within our Wills, Probate and Estates department, Clare provides clear, tailored advice to help clients protect their assets, plan for the future and ensure their wishes are carried out. Her role often involves supporting clients at sensitive times, combining legal expertise with understanding and care.
In this blog, Clare shares a snapshot of a typical day in her life as a Private Client solicitor, offering insight into the varied and rewarding work involved in helping clients across Dorset with their estate planning needs.
- 8:15am – I arrive at work, have coffee and check my emails and calendar. I decide if anything is urgent and re-evaluate my task list in light of emails received overnight. I respond to straight-forward emails.
- 9:30am – I respond to clients’ emails that require an in-depth response.
- 10:00am – I see an elderly client to sign his Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney. I met him recently after his wife died and I helped him to apply for a Grant of Probate to his wife’s estate. He realised on reviewing his wife’s Will that his own was quite out of date as both of his Executors had died. He also decided it would be a good idea to make and register LPAs too so that he has members of his family appointed as his Attorneys to help him with his finances if he starts to struggle on his own. He is very chatty and I enjoy working with him.
- 11:30am – The post arrives. I check to see whether I have received any Grants of Probate from HMCTS to forward them on to clients ASAP. I pay in cheques from banks. I dictate letters forwarding signed inheritance tax returns to HMRC.
- 12:00pm – I return the call of a lady who has called in because her mother has just died. She can’t find a Will. We talk briefly about Intestacy Law, and I invite her to call me to make an appointment if she would like help in applying for a Grant of Letters of Administration.
- 12:30pm – I see a client to sign a Deed of Variation. She has received an inheritance under a friend’s Will, but it doesn’t make financial sense for her to have this money, because her own estate will be liable for inheritance tax. Instead, she signs a deed to re-direct part of the gift to her niece and nephew. This is sound tax-planning. She is excited to pass the gift on to her family.
- 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Lunchtime. I check my personal emails, messages and the news whilst eating. If the news is too depressing, I listen to podcasts.
- 2:00pm – I draft and balance a set of Estate Accounts. I have been instructed by the Executor to help him to administer his uncle’s estate. We have paid the inheritance tax, collected in all the funds held in bank accounts and investments, sold the property, applied to HMRC to claim a refund of tax following the property sale because it sold for less than the probate value, paid the cash gifts and now I am drafting the Estate Accounts for him to approve. I calculate the income tax owed by the Estate and the final payments due to the beneficiaries. Unlike many Private Client solicitors, I really enjoy drafting Estate Accounts. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment to have the final version balanced and perfect.
- 3:30pm – Outgoing post time. I check and sign my outgoing post and emails typed by my wonderful and extremely hard-working assistant Marie. As usual, I’m impressed by her attention to detail and how busy she has been. There is a huge number of letters to go out to clients with various enclosures.
- 4:00pm – I watch a webinar about the impending legislation that will bring pensions into inheritance tax calculations as of April 2027. This will impact many of my clients. The new system makes Executors responsible for the payment of tax due on pensions and I have concerns about the amount of work that will be required of Executors when the new legislation comes in, as well as wondering whether the pension providers will be able to supply the necessary information to Executors quickly before the tax payment deadline. We shall have to wait and see!
- 5:00pm – 5:30pm – I leave work and drive home to walk my dog.
Working as a Private Client solicitor is about more than legal processes. It’s about supporting individuals and families through significant life events, whether that’s planning for the future with a Will, managing a loved one’s estate through probate, or putting safeguards in place with Lasting Powers of Attorney.
If you need advice on Wills, Probate, Estate Administration or Inheritance Tax planning, our experienced team is here to help.
Contact us today to arrange a confidential consultation and ensure your affairs are in order for the future. Call 01202 294411, or send us a message online: Contact Us AB Solicitors For Your Legal Needs
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