Growing up around family lawyers teaches you one thing fast: nobody loves talking about wills. Still, putting it off usually makes life harder for the people left sorting things out.

Clear legal documentation protects your assets, spells out your wishes, and keeps family disputes from spiralling.

If your estate’s more complicated, proper advice can help with tax planning, trusts, and business interests too. And if probate disputes crop up, an experienced solicitor makes it easier to navigate.

To help you find reputable solicitors across the region, we thoroughly evaluated local practices. Here are our top recommendations for the best wills lawyer in Manchester, with clear legal guidance.

1. Irwin Mitchell Solicitors

Website
Address: One St Peter’s Square
Contact: 0161 464 8424
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM

Irwin Mitchell has a private-client setup that feels reassuring when your estate isn’t exactly simple. Their Manchester team covers wills, trusts, probate, and inheritance disputes, with access to tax and property specialists when things get more complicated.

We like that online enquiries come with a next-working-day response promise, which keeps the process from feeling like legal limbo. 

Their central One St Peter’s Square office is handy too, especially if you want face-to-face advice without trekking across Greater Manchester.

The breadth of the firm is probably its biggest strength (though it could be a bit much for straightforward wills). You’re not relying on one solicitor to know absolutely everything when specialist input is needed.

The main drawback is that the Manchester office lists weekday hours only, so there’s no published weekend opening. 

Fixed-fee pricing doesn’t apply across every wills and estate matter either, so more complex work may be quoted differently once the scope is clear. 

2. Versus Law Solicitors

Website
Address: 10 Lapwing Lane
Contact: 0161 249 5087 | Fax: 0161 445 4494 | [email protected]
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM

Versus Law feels like a practical pick if you want a Manchester firm that can handle wills alongside broader private client and property matters. 

Their West Didsbury office keeps things local, which is handy if you’d rather deal with someone nearby than a faceless national outfit.

The firm publishes guidance on wills, trusts, probate, and inheritance issues, so there’s decent crossover if your estate planning isn’t completely straightforward. We like that broader legal mix, especially when property or probate questions start creeping into the conversation.

That said, some of their eye-catching perks seem to apply more clearly to other services than to wills. Fixed fees, price matching, and free consultations shouldn’t be assumed unless they confirm those terms for your particular matter.

If your estate is very straightforward, it’s worth comparing a few firms before deciding. A broader legal setup can be more than you actually need. 

3. HLF Berry Solicitors LLP

Website
Address: 446 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton
Contact: 0161 860 7123 | [email protected]
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM

HLF Berry has deep Manchester roots, with more than a century of combined legal history behind the practices that formed the firm. That gives it a reassuringly established feel without making the service sound stuck in another era.

Their wills and probate team covers everything from straightforward wills to trusts, inheritance disputes, powers of attorney, and more involved estate matters. 

We really like that they put plenty of emphasis on keeping clients informed, because legal paperwork is confusing enough without radio silence.

The broader firm covers areas like family law, conveyancing, and commercial work too. That can be useful when an estate overlaps with property or family issues.

The main drawback is that it isn’t a wills-only boutique. If you want a highly specialised probate practice with a narrower focus, you may prefer to compare a few alternatives first.

Customer Reviews

Supportive and Reliable Solicitor

I chose Jamie Cahill because he had worked with my parents on their wills and PoAs recently. I was incredibly happy with his support and service throughout. Jamie replied promptly to emails and was always available for a quick phone call when I had questions. He explained things clearly and concisely and was honest about possible pitfalls of the process and the property I was purchasing.

The staff at reception were always very friendly and helpful whenever I popped by or phoned the office.

It’s really nice to have a local family solicitor who I can rely on and trust

• Lily Oz | Google Reviews

Excellent and Trustworthy Family Solicitors

We’ve used HLF BERRY many times now – conveyancing, wills, POA’s – and we now proudly refer to them as our family solicitors! Paul went out of his way to make home visits when necessary, and Imogen was easy to communicate with and was always prompt with her responses – Even on her days off! We would not hesitate to recommend them!

• Danusia Auton | Google Reviews

4. Muldoon Britton

Website
Address: Queens Chambers, 5 John Dalton St
Contact: +44 161 884 5115
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM

Muldoon Britton is a stronger fit if your problem’s already gone beyond simple will drafting. Their Manchester team focuses heavily on disputes involving contested wills, probate, executors, trustees, and inheritance claims.

We like that they’re prepared to negotiate sensibly but can still push matters through litigation when needed. 

They even handle denied life-assurance claims, which makes them useful when estate problems spill into insurance territory.

Funding can be flexible too, with third-party options considered where appropriate. Just don’t assume those arrangements are automatic, because the firm assesses the strength of each case first.

The main drawback is that they’re litigation-led rather than a wills-only practice. If you only need a straightforward will written, this could be more legal firepower than you actually need.

5. Craig Gee Solicitors Ltd

Website
Address: 616 Hyde Rd
Contact: 0161 666 9999 | [email protected]
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM

Craig Gee Solicitors feels like a solid local option if you want estate planning without too much fuss. Basic single wills start at £100 plus VAT, which is refreshingly easy to understand.

There’s plenty of experience behind the service too, with Craig Gee having qualified as a solicitor back in 1989. If getting to the office is difficult, home, hospital, or care-home visits may be arranged where appropriate.

Their probate setup has a practical perk as well. The firm says it can cover certain probate disbursements upfront and recover them later from the estate rather than asking you to pay immediately.

The main drawback is that probate work can move onto time-based billing, so correspondence and updates may cost more in a complicated case. 

The free probate consultation is useful, but it’s limited to 20 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Professional and Friendly Will Service

We have just completed the signing of our wills here and the whole process was professional, smooth and friendly. Our solicitor Tany (Tanzeela Zaman) was absolutely brilliant to be honest with answers to all my questions there and then. None of the ‘i will get back to you’. Everyone there was friendly and professional and made the whole procedure a joy. I can’t rate them highly enough.

Derek Hutton.

• Big Dex | Google Reviews

Highly Recommended and Efficient Solicitor

I would like to highly recommend Tanzeela Zaman at Craig Gee & Co Solicitors. I have had the opportunity to work alongside Tany in completing assessment work for her clients, and have always been highly impressed with her efficiency, particularly when completing lasting power of attorney/Deputyship applications or making Wills. Tany is always willing to go the ‘extra mile’ to ensure a positive experience and is always able to offer her clients sound, robust advice on the legal matter at hand. Tany is clearly well regarded by her clients and other professionals working with her.

• Daniel White | Google Reviews