Lodders appoints head of Contentious Probate

Lodders has appointed leading inheritance disputes specialist, Martin Oliver as a partner and head of its Contentious Trusts & Probate team, in direct response to a sustained increase in demand for the firm’s specialist private wealth and litigation advice.

Martin joins Lodders following a 20-year tenure at Wright Hassall, where he built the firm’s contentious wills, trusts and probate practice. He was named in the Legal 500 2025 and 2026 ‘Hall of Fame’ which highlights individuals who have received constant praise from their clients for continued excellence.

A recognised leader in his field, Martin specialises in all forms of inheritance disputes, including wills and probate, issues involving mental capacity, undue influence, executor removals, proprietary estoppel and negligence in relation to estates. He has previously acted in several high-profile cases including in the Supreme Court.

At Lodders, he will work across all the firm’s offices, working with Louise Igoe, partner and head of the Private Client team, and Andrew Wylde, partner and head of the fast growing Dispute Resolution team, to drive the strategic growth of the firm’s contentious trusts and probate offering.

Commenting on Martin’s appointment, Louise Igoe said: “We are delighted to welcome Martin to the firm. He has an outstanding national reputation and a proven track record of advising clients on all aspects of inheritance disputes, bringing a breadth of specialist knowledge to the team. Demand for bespoke private client advice continues to grow, particularly as the government moves forward with its proposed inheritance tax reforms. Martin’s expertise and experience will be invaluable as we enhance our service offering and support an increasing number of clients across our regions.”

Martin Oliver said: “I am delighted to be joining Lodders, a firm which is recognised in the legal directories as being one of the best for private wealth advice. For 20 years, I have grown one of the largest contentious trusts and probate teams outside of London, which was also recognised as being one of the best. Combining both our skillsets will only enhance the legal advice that Lodders is able to offer to its clients. It is my intention in the coming years to build a new team and attract the best contentious trusts and probate lawyers in the Midlands.”

Paul Mourton, Lodders’ managing partner added: “Martin’s appointment is a strategic hire that further strengthens our position as the region’s premier private wealth firm and rounds off a strong year which has seen us appoint four new partners across the firm. A great cultural fit, Martin will be instrumental in driving further growth, enabling us to build on our reputation for providing trusted contentious trusts and probate expertise and legal clarity.”