TEESSIDE-based Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors has won an award based on the excellence of their work in probate at the 2020 The UK Probate Research Awards.

Celebrating the achievements and examples of best practice across forensic genealogy (or heir hunting), the UK Probate Research Awards, presented by the BBC’s Nikki Bedi, took place at London’s Connaught Rooms.

The UK Probate Research Awards, supported by the National Association of Licenced Paralegals (NALP), and in its second year, were created in recognition that probate research has emerged as a profession, which provides a number of positive, stories while providing a public and legal service.

Heir hunting, the profession made popular by the BBC TV programme, uncovers complex stories of family trees, while providing research and services to support the legal world, tasked with assisting winding up estates when individuals pass away.

Tilly Bailey & Irvine - a company which specialises in all legal services from its offices in Wynyard, Stockton, Hartlepool, and Barnard Castle - was commended by judges for its contribution and support to the local community with the award for ‘Best Community Contribution’, having worked closely with local clients and businesses on probate matters, alongside supporting causes and charities with events, legal support and sponsorship.

Nicola Dalzell, Partner at Tilly Bailey & Irvine and head of the probate team, commented: “We are very proud of this award and it is testament not just to the hard work that we put in across all of our North-East offices, but also to the way we do it and the positive relationships we have with our community and clients.”

Tilly Bailey & Irvine also help local hospices, individuals, community groups and charities through corporate sponsorship, participating in a number of annual ‘Make a Will’ campaigns and events sponsorship.