Contentious Probate Solicitor in Bristol
How Can Julia Help You?
Julia is a specialist adviser in our growing contentious probate and trusts team in Bristol.
She has particular experience acting for claimants and defendants in Inheritance Act claims against large, complex estates.
Julia works alongside our nationally acclaimed Charities team and our Estates, Tax and Trusts team, to advise national charities, higher education institutions and Universities in respect of protecting legacies due to them. We also continue to defend a number of contested legacies for national charities and other non-profit organisations.
Examples include:
- Represented a national charity as one of 8 competing charities in a statutory Will application in respect of a £19.5 million estate.
Meeting Your Needs
Julia has a wide variety of experience in addition to advising in Inheritance Act claims, including validity of Will disputes, trust disputes, removal and replacement of personal representatives from Estates and constructive trust disputes relating to shared home ownership.
Before becoming a solicitor, Julia's career was in publishing and the media, including four years spent working for Bristol-based Aardman Animations. Julia's experience of working with different types of clients and colleagues means that she finds it natural to take a flexible and pragmatic approach to resolving disputes, which her clients appreciate.
What Others Say
A highly skilled litigator, Julia is often noted by clients for her personal touch; supporting them in difficult circumstances.
"I cannot recommend Julia Hardy highly enough. She is firm and tenacious with opponents and is thorough, calm and practical. Her clients have no doubt that she is fighting their corner in the best way possible and she gives wise and measured advice which they really respect." - Legal 500 2025
'At senior associate level, Julia Hardy is very worthy of praise: she is brilliant with clients, very wise and reassuring, and works incredibly hard to get the best result possible.' - Legal 500 2025
‘I had engaged Julia Hardy to act for me in a developing dispute between myself and the other trustee of an extant Will Trust. I have been delighted with the professionalism, clarity, and attention to detail that has been provided while still maintaining an ethos which makes one feel quite at ease.' - Legal 500 2025
"Julia Hardy is an exceptional senior associate producing partner level work. Julia's tactical judgement and negotiating abilities are a real asset in litigation." - Legal 500 2024
"Julia Hardy is calm, firm and knowledgeable litigator with excellent judgement. You'd feel reassured if your mum was in litigation and had Julia on her side." - Legal 500 2024
What You Might Like to Know
Julia is a member of ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists) and has many years of experience advising clients on a wide variety of disputes.
Julia's recent contributions to external specialist publications, include an article on the pitfalls of entering into a joint bank account and the issues this can raise in an estate, published in the Law Society's Private Client magazine in January 2016 and a chapter on inheritance disputes, which is due to be published shortly in a forthcoming book for family business advisers.
Julia has previously contributed articles to the ACTAPS newsletter and the Law Society's Trust Quarterly Review and she edits our external newsletter for private clients, Viewpoint.
VWV's Private Client team was announced as winners of the 'Trusted Private Client Law Firm' Global Award for 2016. This award showcases the achievements of the most successful and ground-breaking individuals and those who have had outstanding performances within the last year.