Mark Keeley
Partner & Joint Head of Private Client Services | Nottingham
"I have worked mainly with Mark Keeley who seems now to bestride the contentious probate marketplace like a colossus. Very smart, gets straight to the point but takes a practical view and is sympathetic to the emotional nature of the dispute."
The Legal 500, 2025
Call: 0345 274 6875 Mobile: 0797 953 7085
About Mark
Mark is joint national head of the Freeths Private Client Services Team. He has over 25 years of post-qualification experience of dealing with contentious trust and probate disputes and professional negligence claims. He also qualified as a commercial mediator in 2010 and has conducted over 500 mediations.
Mark is a member of the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS)
and the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association (PNLA). He is also an affiliate member of
the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
He is a member of the ACTAPS organising committee and has also completed the ACTAPS
Contentious Trusts and Probate Associate Membership Course that is operated in conjunction
with the College of Law. He is also a member of the Civil Mediation Council.
Mark is a Panel Member of the Association of Midlands Mediators and now sits on their organising committee as secretary. He sits on the Board of the Nottingham Law Centre. He acts
as Trustee for a number of family trusts and estates. He has regularly been appointed as a
replacement Administrator/Trustee by the High Court.
Mark is listed as a Leading Individual in Chambers & Partners (2025 edition),
He is also listed as a Recommended Lawyer and recognised in the Hall of Fame in The Legal 500 (2025 edition) for Contentious Trusts and Probate. The Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence.
He is also one of only a handful of mediators included in the Chambers HNW Guide Trust Mediators UK-wide list.
Mark and his team at Freeths have for the last 8 + years been ranked as the number 1 team for Contentious Trusts and Probate work in the East Midlands. The Legal 500 states that he “commands universal respect in this area” and Chambers and Partners describe him as “one of the best litigators outside of London.”
Mark won the 2024 British Wills & Probate Contentious Probate Practitioner of the Year Award.
Education
- BA (Hons) International History and Politics, First Class, Leeds University
- CPE/LPC (Distinction), College of Law, York
Memberships
- Mark is a member of the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) and the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association (PNLA). He is also an affiliate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
- He is a member of the ACTAPS organising committee and has also completed the ACTAPS Contentious Trusts and Probate Associate Membership Course that is operated in conjunction with the College of Law.
- Mark is a Panel Member of the Association of Midlands Mediators and now sits on their organising committee as secretary.
- He acts as Trustee for a number of family trusts.
- Mark is a member of the Civil Mediation Council.
Contact Mark
Call: 0345 274 6875
Mobile: 0797 953 7085
Notable work & expertise
Mark is ranked in the Legal 500 as a Leading Practitioner in Contentious Trust and Probate work and his team at Freeths have for the last 3 years been ranked as the number 1 team for Contentious Trusts and Probate work in the East Midlands.
His aim is to achieve the best result for the client at minimal cost and he has considerable experience of alternative dispute resolution, as an alternative to trial. Mark provides clear and concise advice to clients and he has been successful in recovering substantial damages for numerous clients.
Recent Work
- Mark successfully represented the claimants in the reported cases of Walker v Walker [2007] EWHC 597 and Wilkinson and others v Hicken (Re Last Will of Norman Walter Gill) [2023] EWHC 1983 (Ch).
- Mark has represented well over 200 clients in claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 in estates, ranging from a modest value up to estates exceeding £25 million.
- Mark has been appointed by the High Court as replacement administrator in several high value disputed estates, following the removal of the previous personal representatives.
Mark adopts a no-nonsense, down to business approach to mediation. He has genuine hands-on experience of over 500 mediations spanning his 27 + years in practice as a solicitor.
He brings this practical experience to bear by controlling the mediation process and encouraging parties to adopt a common-sense and practical attitude towards dispute resolution.
Mark has extensive experience in dealing with contentious trust and probate disputes and is a recognised leader in this area.
He is familiar with conducting mediations remotely using virtual platforms such as Zoom and supports the Green Litigation Pledge.
Recent Work
- Mark successfully represented the claimants in the reported cases of Walker v Walker [2007] EWHC 597 and Wilkinson and others v Hicken (Re Last Will of Norman Walter Gill) [2023] EWHC 1983 (Ch). He has substantial experience of dealing with disputes from £10,000 up to £100,000,000. He has mediated cases involving foreign estates and where off-shore trusts are involved.
Mark has successfully mediated cases in the following practice areas:
- Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
- Probate claims (challenges to Wills)
- Undue influence and financial abuse
- Trust disputes
- Trust of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996
- Proprietary estoppel
- Family wealth disputes
- Disputes over farming estates
- Professional Negligence claims
- Contract disputes/breach of warranty claims
- Boundary disputes
- Licensing/regulatory matters
- Fraud and restitutionary claims
- Contested Court of Protection both Finance and Welfare
- Statutory Will disputes
- Disputes concerning foreign estates and off-shore trusts
Mark has received instructions to mediate cases from amongst others the following firms:
- Anthony Gold
- Meridian
- Wilsons
- The Smith Partnership
- Howard Kennedy
- Russell-Cooke
- mfg
- Irwin Mitchell
- Wedlake Bell
- Stephens & Bolton
- Farer & Co
- Womble Bond Dickinson
- Roythornes
- Shoosmiths/Rothley Law
- The Wilkes Partnership
- Gateley plc
- IDR Law
- Nelsons
- Pennington Manches
- Howells Solicitors
- Mishcon de Reya
- Wright Hassall LLP
- Birketts
- Druces
- Browne Jacobson LLP
- Ashtons Legal
- HCR/Hewitsons
- Berrymans Lace Mawer
- The Official Solicitor
- Tollers LLP
- Wilkin Chapman
- Charles Russell Speechly
- Taylor & Emmett
- Withers
- Michelmores
- Shakespeare Martineau LLP
- Sintons
- Forsters
- Howard Kennedy
- Jones Myers LLP
Testimonials
"The wonderful Mark Keeley leads an exceptional team."
The Legal 500, 2025
"Mark Keeley is an absolute star. A mediator who is deservedly hotly in demand, he brings that wealth of experience to bear in the resolution of th...
The Legal 500, 2025
"Mark Keeley is very smart, gets straight to the point but takes a practical view, and is sympathetic to the emotional nature of the dispute."
The Legal 500, 2025
"Mark Keely is thoroughly excellent. He is so good at keeping calm and assisting in the resolution of private client disputes that he is a go-to me...
The Legal 500, 2025
"He is an extremely good mediator in this field. He is all over the law; he is a real go-to for contested probate and domestic private client work."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"He is very down to earth, approachable and technically excellent."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"He's phenomenally popular. He's absolutely never failed to perform to an excellent standard and he commands respect, trust and confidence."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"Mark is one of the leading contentious trust and probate practitioners in the country. He has genuine enthusiasm for the area he works in."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"Mark knows the law inside out, he knows how clients should be advised, and he is very good at getting to a fair result."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"He does quite a wide range of mediations. He's very good at rolling his sleeves up and gets on top of all the issues."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"He has very in-depth knowledge of the law but also an excellent manner about him. He is great at handling emotional situations with sensitive clie...
Chambers & Partners, 2025
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