Mark Scanlon
“I have had the pleasure of working alongside Mark on a number of matters. He is highly personable and down-to-earth.“
– Legal 500 UK 2027
Mark is a Legal Director and leads Barcan and Kirby’s Contentious Trusts and Probate team. He qualified as a Solicitor in 2012, working first in the Probate and Estate Administration team.
Mark has specialised in litigation, specifically contentious probate and Trust disputes, since 2015.
His expertise includes acting for claimants and defendants in relation to:
Will and estate disputes
- Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims
- Validity of Will challenges, including:
- Due execution
- Revocation
- Testamentary capacity
- Knowledge and approval
- Undue influence
- Fraudulent calumny
- Forgery
- Will rectification and construction claims
- Personal representative and beneficiary claims, including appointment and removal
- Professional negligence claims
Trust disputes
- Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (‘TOLATA’) claims
- Breach of Trust disputes
- Trust rectification and construction claims
- Trustee and beneficiary claims, including appointment and removal
- Professional negligence claims
Recognition
- Recognised as a ‘Leading Associate’ in Legal 500 2027
- The Contentious Trusts and Probate team received a Tier 3 ranking in Legal 500 2026 and 2027
- The team was ranked as a ‘Firm to Watch’ in Legal 500 2024 and 2025
Memberships
- Full member of ACTAPS
- Member of the Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA)
- Affiliate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) since 2014
Qualifications
- STEP Certificate in Contentious Estates
- Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS)
- STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation
- Bar Vocational Studies from the University of the West of England
- Law with Politics (LLB) from Birmingham City University