Jo Meek Legal Services specialise in Will Writing & Lasting Powers of Attorney and was founded with the aim of providing a professional, high quality and reliable legal service with a flexible approach.
We understand that our clients lead busy lives and this is often the primary reason stated for not having made a Will sooner. Our tailored service allows our clients to arrange appointments around their own schedules and with meetings carried out at a location of the client's choice. This can be in the comfort of their own home, a work place or a virtual online meeting using Teams, Zoom, Skype or similar platform.
At Jo Meek Legal Services, we are dedicated to understanding client's individual circumstances and requirements. This enables us to tailor our service for the specific needs of each client. We will help you to clearly understand all options available to you and explain how to best achieve your desired outcome.
As a Freelance Solicitor, Jo Meek is able to provide legal services to clients without the need to pass on the large overhead costs associated with traditional law firms and with NO VAT charged on our services.
Jo is a Freelance Solicitor and a graduate of the University of Law, Bristol. Jo has lived in the Forest of Dean most of her life and this gives her a wealth of experience in attending the needs of local clients.
Jo has worked for law firms throughout Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and Bristol, starting out as a paralegal b
Jo is a Freelance Solicitor and a graduate of the University of Law, Bristol. Jo has lived in the Forest of Dean most of her life and this gives her a wealth of experience in attending the needs of local clients.
Jo has worked for law firms throughout Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and Bristol, starting out as a paralegal before completing her studies to qualify as a solicitor.
Jo chose a 'non-traditional' route to qualifying as a solicitor by studying part time whilst working full time, all alongside the most difficult but most rewarding job of all, raising her young family. Jo believes this challenging journey to qualification has given her an empathetic understanding of the issues and complexities that can occur at different stages of modern family lives.
Jo loves to take the time to listen and fully understand the individual needs of her clients and to ensure that they receive clear advice to enable them to make informed decisions.
Latest research shows that the number of UK adults that don’t have a Will has hit an all-time high. It is estimated that around 60% of adults in the UK do not have a Will. This amounts to more than 31 million people.
Further to this, approximately 33% of respondents who stated that they already had a Will, also admitted that they had experienced a life event, such as getting married or having a child since they made their Will. Each of these life events has a potentially major impact on your Will and could even make it invalid. You should review your Will every 5 years or after every life event.
If an individual dies without a Will they are said to have died 'intestate'. When this happens, strict inheritance laws come into play to establish who is entitled to inherit. These laws are called the Rules of Intestacy. This means the individual will have little or no control over what happens to their estate (assets, property and personal possessions) after death, meaning that distant or estranged relatives may benefit from their lack of foresight.
Where there are no known relatives, the estate will pass to the Crown as an ‘unclaimed estate’.
There are currently 6,283 unclaimed estates, as published by the Government on 31st August 2023. A total of 1005 (16%) of these estates have been added since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The estates of these 6,283 deceased individuals are currently being held in limbo instead of being distributed to their nominated beneficiaries. With an estimated average value of around £330,000 per estate, this totals £2.7 billion of unclaimed assets.
The average house in the UK is currently valued at £286,000 and rising, with this the total value of unclaimed estates will also increase.
Don’t let your hard earned assets join this list – CONTACT US to make a Will today.
At Jo Meek Legal Services our priority is not on pushy 'sales pitches' but to provide simple, clear, jargon free information and advice to allow clients to make their own informed decision.
Don't wait! Contact us for a free initial telephone consultation. Let us help you take your next step. The sooner you have a plan of action, the better your chances of protecting your assets, your health and welfare and most importantly your loved ones.