ESTATE PLANNING FIRMS HONEY LEGAL AND PORTCULLIS AGREE LONG-TERM PROBATE PARTNERSHIP
HONEY LEGAL AND PORTCULLIS FORM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO STRENGTHEN CLIENT SUCCESSION PLANNING
Honey Legal and Portcullis have formalised a long-term strategic partnership aimed at improving continuity for clients, strengthening probate support and creating a structured succession framework for the future.
The agreement follows a year-long trial designed to examine how probate handovers could be managed without disrupting the trusted relationships that families often build with long-standing advisers.
For both organisations, the partnership addresses one of the most significant challenges facing the private client sector: ensuring continuity of service while safeguarding the confidence clients place in their advisers over many years.
Building A Seamless Probate Experience
During the trial period, Portcullis remained the primary point of contact for families, introducing Honey Legal’s specialist probate team at the appropriate stage of the process.
The objective was not simply to transfer files efficiently, but to determine whether families experienced a seamless transition throughout what is often one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
Both firms mapped the entire client journey, from the first notification of a death through to the final administration and distribution of an estate.
According to the businesses, the trial demonstrated that structured collaboration could improve communication, reduce delays and provide greater reassurance for executors and beneficiaries.
Strengthening Long-Term Protection For Clients
Under the formal arrangement, Honey Legal will provide long-term probate and estate administration services for Portcullis clients, while Portcullis Founder and Managing Director Trevor Worth will continue leading the business’s wills, trusts and estate planning services.
The structure allows Portcullis to preserve the relationships built with clients over nearly four decades while providing a clear future pathway for families requiring probate support.
The partnership also reflects broader succession planning considerations within the estate planning profession, where many independent advisers face challenges around long-term continuity and future business transition.
Responding To Growing Demand
The agreement comes as Honey Legal prepares for significant growth within its probate division.
The company expects to more than double the size of its probate team over the next 12 months, supported by additional investment in specialist personnel, systems and client support services.
For Honey Legal Chief Executive Officer Al Gardiner, the collaboration is designed to provide certainty for clients while preserving the values that have helped Portcullis build its reputation.
Al Gardiner, CEO of Honey Legal, said: “This partnership is about protecting clients for the long term and making sure families always feel supported and well looked after. Trevor has spent almost 40 years building an exceptional reputation based on trust, relationships, and genuinely caring for people.
“What we have created together is a proper long-term structure that gives clients certainty for the future. The trial period proved that our teams work incredibly well together and that families receive an excellent experience during probate, which is when support matters most.
“Trevor is not retiring any time soon, and we are delighted he will continue doing what he does best for many years ahead. But when the time eventually comes to hand over the mantle, Honey Legal will already be there to continue supporting those families with the same care and professionalism.”
A Different Approach To Succession
Trevor Worth believes the model offers a more transparent and structured approach than many arrangements commonly seen across the sector.
Trevor Worth, Managing Director and Founder of Portcullis, said: “This partnership is entirely about doing the right thing for our clients and ensuring they remain protected long into the future.
“I still enjoy what I do enormously and have no immediate plans to retire, but after nearly 40 years in the profession it was important for me to create a proper long-term plan for the families who have trusted us over the years.
“The trial period gave me enormous confidence because I could see first-hand the quality of care and support clients were receiving through Honey Legal’s probate team. Families were being looked after properly, communication was excellent, and the whole process felt smooth.
“Most relationships within our sector are informal arrangements without real long-term certainty behind them. We wanted to break that mould by creating something formal, transparent, and genuinely built around client continuity and future protection.”
Setting A New Standard For Client Continuity
Both firms believe the partnership demonstrates how specialist estate planning advisers and larger probate providers can work together to create a more sustainable model for the future.
As the legal and estate planning sectors continue to evolve, succession planning is becoming an increasingly important consideration for businesses seeking to protect both their clients and their legacy.
For Honey Legal and Portcullis, the goal is straightforward: ensuring that families receive consistent, professional support throughout every stage of estate planning and administration, regardless of how long those relationships span.
