Inheritance and probate: how to find a lawyer and avoid costly delays
First, time
The most important thing in inheritance matters is not to let things drift. Over the years documents get lost, witnesses are hard to find and records are not updated, and claims can be affected by limitation periods. If a lot of time has already passed, not everything is lost, but you may have to go to court, which takes longer and costs more. So don't put it off, and give the date of death in your request straight away.
Through BlaBlaPrice you describe the situation once, and lawyers reply with offers in the chat: what they will do, in what time, for what price. It is free for the customer.
What to include in your request
- The estate — flat, house, plot of land, car, bank deposits, a share in a business.
- Who you are to the deceased — son, daughter, husband, wife, brother, sister.
- The will — whether there is one, or succession is by law.
- Date of death — and whether a long time has passed.
- Other heirs — whether there are disputes, or someone else also claims a share.
- Documents — what you already have and what is missing: title papers for the property, proof of relationship.
- City or state — where the property is and where the notary or court will act.
- Scope of help — a consultation, handling it end to end, or a court case.
- Budget — if you want to name one.
Example of a good request
“Kowloon. My father died in 2022, there is no will, I am his son, and my sister also claims a share. The estate is a flat and a plot of land. A long time has passed, and for the house there are no title papers. I need help end to end, including court if necessary. Budget up to HK$2,400.”
How the offers differ
A simple case (all heirs agree, the papers are in order) is mostly gathering documents and getting the records changed. A complex one (a long delay, a dispute between relatives, no papers for the property) is already court work. So the first thing to check is whether the lawyer understands your situation:
- whether the court part is paid separately or included in the total;
- whether the notary's services and government fees are included or come on top;
- whether he or she has handled similar cases, for example after a long delay;
- what the stages are and the approximate timelines.
The platform shows first the offer that is best by content, with reviews next to it. Lawyers see their place among the others and can improve their terms. Contacts are seen only by the provider you choose.
Common mistakes
Waiting for it to “sort itself out”: with time, witnesses, documents and the property itself go missing. Another mistake is agreeing the split by word of mouth. It is better to put the agreement in writing, and a lawyer can turn it into a proper document. And don't pay an advance without an agreement and a description of the work.
If the estate includes property without papers, property and land registration will help. For court there is court representation, and notarial work is in the category notary services.
