Law firm Lodders has added to its growing team in Cheltenham, with the appointment of contentious trust and probate solicitor, Caroline Walford-Cowley.

Caroline joins Lodders' Dispute Resolution team after nearly eight years at Salisbury-based firm Wilsons Solicitors, where she specialised in contentious trust and probate work, after qualifying at the firm.

A member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists, she has previously worked in London for an investment bank and at global law firm Linklaters in their Risk and Anti-Money Laundering teams, whilst studying the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law.

Caroline (pictured) specialises in probate disputes, including challenges to the validity of wills, claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and other claims relating to the administration of estates.

She said: "I join Lodders at a particularly busy and exciting time for the firm, with plenty of potential to develop this niche area."

Jane Senior, head of Lodders dispute resolution team, said: "In recent years, there have been several high-profile contested probate cases and clients are increasingly aware of their legal rights in cohabitation, divorce and remarriage. This has contributed to an increase in disputes over estates and wills, and Caroline is a significant addition to our dispute resolution team, with extensive experience of this type of litigation and expertise that compliments the skills across the rest of the team."