• March 29, 2024
 UK Probate Research Awards 2020: Winners Announced

20200206 Copyright image 2020© General views of the UK Probate Research Awards in London, 6th February 2020 For photographic enquiries please call Anthony Upton 07973 830 517 or email info@anthonyupton.com This image is copyright Anthony Upton 2020©. This image has been supplied by Anthony Upton and must be credited Anthony Upton. The author is asserting his full Moral rights in relation to the publication of this image. All rights reserved. Rights for onward transmission of any image or file is not granted or implied. Changing or deleting Copyright information is illegal as specified in the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988. If you are in any way unsure of your right to publish this image please contact +447973 830 517 or email: info@anthonyupton.com

UK Probate Research Awards 2020: Winners Announced

The world of probate research was formally recognised and celebrated when examples of excellence and best practice were praised at the 2020 UK Probate Research Awards on 6 February at

London’s DeVere Grand Connaught Rooms. Winners spanned the breadth of the UK, and internationally.

Presented by the BBC’s Nikki Bedi, the Awards, supported by the National Association of Licenced Paralegals (NALP), Red-Inc, Just Clear and Finders International, gives recognition to probate research as a profession, which leads to a constant stream of fascinating news and personal finance stories, while providing an invaluable public service.

Results for the 2020 Awards, now in its second year, and unofficially known as ‘The Probies’, include law firms, probate researchers, paralegals and support services firms across the UK who have been evaluated for their outstanding quality of work.

Highlights

The human interest story which captured the nation’s interest

Margaret Abbotts, 81, of Putney London was a member of the public invited to The Probies, to receive the award for Best Story Of Human Interest. Having lead an extraordinary life to date, including surviving The Blitz during the war, polio and having been told she should never give birth, Margaret went on to have four children, and succeeded against all odds.

What she did not know was that she had a half-sister who died intestate (without a will), and that the efforts of probate researchers allowed Margaret to inherit what her sister had left behind. This lucky and unexpected windfall supports Margaret in her well-deserved retirement today. The story was featured on ITV’s This Morning with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, in addition to features in the Daily Mail and Guardian.

Company of the year

Heir hunting personality and regular on the BBC’s Heir Hunters, Danny Curran, founder of Finders International won in the category of Best UK Probate Research Company of the year, for a second year.

Alzheimer’s Society, the charity leading the battle against dementia, benefited from the silent auction which raised more than £2500,00 on the night – nearly three times as much as last year.

Details for the 2021 UK Probate Research Awards are soon to be announced.

Visit: www.probateresearchawards.org

Martin Parrin