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Trusts and estates

Every story on LexCircuit filed under trusts and estates: court orders, regulation, ethics opinions, litigation and research, each summarized across its sources.

13 stories

CANADAFunding

Dunton Rainville enters Granby, Quebec, through merger with Ménard Notaires

Quebec law and notarial firm Dunton Rainville has merged with notary David F. Ménard's practice in Granby, entering the Haute-Yamaska market. Ménard, Aurélie Tessier and their team will operate under the Dunton Rainville name; terms and headcount were not disclosed. Granby gives the firm eight Quebec markets, following its acquisition of Hackett Campbell Bouchard in 2024 and its combination with Monty Sylvestre in 2025.

Announcement (Droit-inc) → · Canadian Lawyer
N.Y.Funding

EstateMin raises €1 million pre-seed for AI platform serving US trust and estate firms

Irish-founded legal tech startup EstateMin, now headquartered in Brooklyn, has raised €1 million in pre-seed funding for its AI platform for US trust and estate law firms. NDRC, First Port Syndicate and Enterprise Ireland's High Potential Start-Up program took part alongside angel investors. The platform digitizes client intake, extracts data from documents and supports form preparation.

Announcement (EU-Startups) → · The Irish Times
UK · EWCOPCourt order

Court of Protection makes Irwin Mitchell trust company repay 60% of client's claim to keep deputyship

The Court of Protection ruled on October 20, 2026, that Irwin Mitchell Trust Corporation can keep acting as property and affairs deputy for a protected person, PW, only if it repays into her estate a sum equal to 60% of her potential compensation claim. A 2024 judgment found the trust company breached the self-dealing rule by appointing Irwin Mitchell's own asset management arm to invest her money.

Order (Solicitors Journal) → · Legal Futures
UKFunding

Edinburgh's VMH Solicitors acquires Falkirk commercial property firm Orme Law

Edinburgh-based VMH Solicitors has acquired Falkirk firm Orme Law on undisclosed terms, adding a dedicated commercial property team to its residential property, private client and estate agency business. The deal extends VMH's reach through Orme Law's Meeks Road offices in Falkirk, giving it a presence across Edinburgh, the Lothians and the wider Central Belt.

Announcement (The Scotsman) → · Falkirk Herald
UKFunding

Harding Evans acquires Penarth firm Merrils Ede, founded in 1865

Newport-headquartered Harding Evans has acquired Merrils Ede, a Penarth solicitors' practice founded in 1865 with a longstanding private client practice, giving the Welsh firm its first office in the Vale of Glamorgan. Merrils Ede's six-person team transfers to Harding Evans, which now has three offices: Newport, Whitchurch in Cardiff and Herbert Terrace in Penarth.

Announcement (Insider Media) → · Wales247
UKFunding

Banner Jones acquires Mansfield firm Harrop White, Vallance & Dawson

Banner Jones Solicitors acquired Mansfield practice Harrop White, Vallance & Dawson effective October 1, 2026, Chad and East Midlands Business Link reported. The nearly 150-year-old firm will move into Banner Jones's new Mansfield offices in November, expanding property, wills, family, and commercial capacity while keeping client relationships with the existing team.

Announcement (Chad) → · East Midlands Business Link
UKPeople moves

Lightfoots acquires Rachel Stafford Legal as Thame wills founder retires

The Bucks Herald reported on October 1, 2026, that Lightfoots Solicitors acquired Thame-based Rachel Stafford Legal Services, completing on September 30. Founder Rachel Stafford, who set up the practice in 2015, is retiring; colleague Carol Barnes joins Lightfoots' wills and probate team, and clients' stored wills have moved to Lightfoots as successor practice. Legal Futures also reported the deal.

Announcement (Bucks Herald) → · Legal Futures
UKFunding

Ison Harrison acquires Dootsons in first expansion outside Yorkshire

Employee-owned Yorkshire firm Ison Harrison acquired North West practice Dootsons, its first major deal outside Yorkshire, the Law Gazette and Legal Futures reported on September 28 and 29, 2026. The acquisition adds offices in Leigh, Culcheth, and Newton-le-Willows, lifting headcount to about 500 and turnover to £42 million. All 27 Dootsons fee-earners and staff are joining, including managing partner Andrew Stockton.

Announcement (Law Gazette) → · Legal Futures
UKPeople moves

Stephenson Harwood hires Jennifer Lavelle from Clyde & Co and Nicola Simmons from Mishcon

Stephenson Harwood hired Jennifer Lavelle as a London commercial litigation partner from Clyde & Co and Nicola Simmons as a London private wealth partner from Mishcon de Reya, the firm said on September 28, 2026. Global Legal Post reported both moves on September 29. Lavelle is a marine insurance specialist; Simmons is a chartered tax adviser focused on personal and corporate tax.

Announcement (Stephenson Harwood) → · Bloomberg Tax, The Global Legal Post

Rulings this week

All court orders

UKRegulation

DWP fiduciary-duty chair says forthcoming guidance should help trustees make best decisions, not least challengeable ones

Sir Robin Knowles, chair of the Department for Work and Pensions technical working group on fiduciary duty, told a Society of Pensions Professionals conference that forthcoming guidance should give trustees confidence to make the best long-term decisions rather than those least open to challenge. A public consultation is expected later in 2026. The Society of Pensions Professionals said the guidance now appears likely to be non-statutory, though Knowles said industry-led guidance would still carry weight with regulators and courts.

Text (Pensions Expert) → · Solicitors Journal