Royal Holloway and Bedford New College v QLaw Legal Services Limited

Facts

The claimant, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is the residuary beneficiary of the estate of Ms Margaret Anne Selby, who died on 20 November 2022 leaving a will dated 12 March 2020. By that will Ms Selby appointed as her executors her friend Patricia Malcher and "the directors at the date of my death in the company of Quantick Daley Solicitors", a trading name of the defendant, QLaw Legal Services Limited. Mr Neil Quantick, the defendant's sole director, accepted and undertook the role of joint executor. The will contained no charging clause permitting the professional executors to render charges for their services. Before the will was made, a paralegal at the defendant had written to Ms Selby in December 2019 recording that, as professional executors, the defendant would charge; after the death, costs information setting out hourly rates was sent to Ms Malcher in January 2023, which she acknowledged. Between 24 January 2024 and 26 July 2024 the defendant rendered bills to the estate totalling £53,187.60 for Mr Quantick's services as professional executor. On 5 September 2025 the claimant applied under section 71(3) of the Solicitors Act 1974 for assessment of those bills, and on 18 February 2026 the court ordered an assessment, directing that the defendant's entitlement to remuneration be tried as a preliminary issue.