About MW Legal
Explore the experience, values, and mission behind our legal work.
Practical Legal Support With Real-World Experience
At MW Legal, we specialise in helping individuals and families plan for the future with clarity, confidence and peace of mind. Whether you are preparing a Will, navigating Probate, setting up a Trust or supporting a loved one who has lost capacity, we provide calm, practical guidance tailored to your circumstances.
Our focus is simple: to make complex legal matters feel manageable, fully explained and sensitively handled.
Meet Mark Whatley
MW Legal was founded by Mark Whatley, a specialist Private Client Solicitor with extensive experience in Wills, Probate, Trusts, Inheritance Tax planning and Court of Protection work. Mark’s approach is grounded in clarity, empathy and professionalism — taking the time to understand each client’s situation and offering advice that is both practical and reassuring.
Mark works with clients across Hampshire and nationwide, providing flexible appointments and clear, transparent support at every stage.
Strategic Legal Leadership in Industry
Ready to broaden his experience, Mark moved in‑house and joined an international construction company as Head of Legal.
Working closely with senior leadership and operational teams, he provided clear, practical guidance in a fast‑paced commercial environment where decisions had to be made quickly and confidently.
This role strengthened his ability to navigate complex issues, communicate clearly under pressure and deliver solutions that were both strategic and grounded in real‑world practicality.
These skills now underpin MW Legal’s calm, confident approach to Private Client work: offering clients the reassurance of a solicitor who is steady, experienced and able to handle even the most challenging situations with clarity and care.
Leadership and Service in the Royal Navy
Alongside his legal career, Mark serves as a Royal Naval Reserve officer, specialising in Media Operations and Engagement. His work involves supporting the Royal Navy’s communication strategy, public engagement and the management of information in dynamic operational environments.
This role has further developed his ability to communicate clearly, manage sensitive situations and balance organisational and human considerations. These qualities directly enhance the thoughtful, measured advice he provides to clients: particularly when guiding families through emotionally charged or complex decisions.
Focused on Private Client Excellence
Mark’s diverse experience, from private practice to in-house industry leadership, and service in the Royal Naval Reserve, ultimately led him back to the area of law he finds most meaningful: supporting individuals and families with Private Client matters.
He founded MW Legal to offer a service that is personal, steady and genuinely client‑centred. By combining technical expertise with clear communication and a calm, measured approach, Mark helps clients navigate Wills, Probate, Trusts, Inheritance Tax planning and capacity‑related issues with confidence and reassurance.
His focus is on delivering thoughtful, practical advice that makes a real difference at important moments in people’s lives.
Your Partner in Private Client Law
Wills and Inheritance Tax Planning
MW Legal helps Clients put robust, thoughtful Wills in place and plan ahead to minimise Inheritance Tax. We take time to understand family circumstances, assets, and long‑term wishes, then draft clear, legally sound Wills that protect loved ones and avoid future disputes. Alongside this, we advise on Inheritance Tax exposure, the use of Allowances and Reliefs, and strategies such as Lifetime Gifting or Trusts to reduce the tax burden. Our focus is on giving Clients confidence that their Estate will pass smoothly, tax‑efficiently, and exactly as they intend.
Capacity and Planning for Later Life
MW Legal supports Clients in planning confidently for later life by helping them put clear, protective arrangements in place while they still have capacity. We advise on Lasting Powers of Attorney, ensuring trusted people are legally appointed to make decisions about health, welfare, property and finances if needed in the future. We also guide Clients through advance planning around care, safeguarding, and managing assets in a way that avoids unnecessary stress or disputes. Our focus is on clarity, dignity and reassurance, giving individuals and families the structures they need to stay protected and in control as circumstances change.
Trusts and Tax Planning
MW Legal helps Clients to protect their assets and pass them on smoothly to their loved ones. We advise on creating and managing Trusts, providing clear Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax guidance, and ensuring all documents and registrations stay compliant. Our focus is on practical, reassuring support that safeguards wealth, supports vulnerable beneficiaries, and keeps families’ long‑term plans on track.
Court of Protection
MW Legal supports Clients who need the Court of Protection to step in when someone can no longer make decisions for themselves. We help families apply to become a Deputy for property, financial affairs or personal welfare, ensuring the application is clear, accurate and tailored to the person’s needs. We also advise Deputies on their ongoing responsibilities, from managing finances and making best‑interest decisions to meeting reporting requirements. Where disputes or safeguarding concerns arise, we provide calm, practical guidance to protect the individual at the centre of the process. Our aim is to give families clarity and reassurance at a time that can feel overwhelming, ensuring vulnerable people remain safe, supported and legally protected.
Probate and Estate Administration
MW Legal guides families through Probate and Estate Administration with clarity, care and efficiency. We handle the legal and practical steps required after someone dies — from securing the Grant of Probate to collecting assets, settling liabilities, dealing with Property, and distributing the Estate in line with the Will or intestacy rules. We liaise with banks, insurers, pension providers and HM Revenue and Customs, preparing the necessary Inheritance Tax forms, and ensuring deadlines and compliance requirements are met. Throughout the process, we provide steady, reassuring support to relieve the burden on Executors and families, helping them navigate a difficult time with confidence and peace of mind.
Contentious Probate
MW Legal supports Clients through Contentious Probate with a calm, strategic approach designed to resolve disputes as efficiently and sensitively as possible. We advise on challenges to Wills, concerns about Capacity or Undue Influence, disputes between Executors and Beneficiaries, and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. We help Clients understand their rights, assess the strength of a claim, and explore the most effective route forward — whether that’s negotiation, mediation, or Court Proceedings when necessary. Throughout, our focus is on protecting relationships where possible, safeguarding the estate, and achieving a fair, practical outcome during what is often an emotionally charged time.
Legal Advice You Can Trust
At MW Legal, we combine experience, transparency, and practical solutions to deliver legal advice that truly works in the real world. Our clients trust us to guide them with clarity and confidence, and many have shared their experiences working with us.