Anglo-Spanish expertise for Special Situations

Coordinated cross-border support when matters become complex

Certain property and inheritance matters cross the boundaries of English and Spanish law and can quickly become complex.

Drawing on years of experience handling these interactions, our team is uniquely placed to provide practical, end-to-end support. We combine expertise in Spanish conveyancing with estate planning and administration, sometimes involving contentious elements.

Each situation is unique. At any given time, we’re typically involved in bespoke projects that fall outside standard conveyancing or estate administration work, special situations that demand a coordinated Anglo-Spanish approach.

From intestacy and cross-border liabilities to historic property transactions, we help clients navigate these issues efficiently, compliantly and with confidence.

How can Morr & Co help?

We act as a bridge between UK and Spanish legal systems, coordinating all necessary legal, tax and administrative steps.

Our services often include:

Liaison with local Spanish professionals

We coordinate with Spanish notaries (Notarios), lawyers (Abogados), tax advisers (Fiscalistas) and valuers, briefing them clearly and managing communications to keep matters moving forward.

Document preparation and formalisation

We handle preparation, notarisation, legalisation, translation and registration of UK documents for recognition in Spain, ensuring everything is correctly formatted and properly authenticated.

Cross-border inheritance and tax guidance

We provide guidance on cross-border inheritance, estate administration and tax matters, covering both UK law affecting Spanish assets and Spanish law affecting UK estates.

Representation and oversight

We act on behalf of one or both parties in co-ownership or estate administration situations, providing structure and oversight where needed. We also offer second opinions and measured intervention for clients who, having faced language, cultural, or procedural barriers, feel uncertain or cornered.

This may include taking a watching brief on local Spanish lawyers to provide reassurance, clarify matters and ensure accurate, transparent handling of property and inheritance affairs.

By combining UK-qualified legal expertise with in-depth knowledge of Spanish law and practice, we help clients avoid delays, misunderstandings, or unexpected costs that can arise when navigating these matters independently.

Areas we cover

Intestacy

We regularly assist with full or partial intestacy, ensuring estates are correctly recognised and administered under both Spanish and UK law.

This includes establishing who inherits under the applicable succession rules, ensuring UK personal representatives have the authority they need to act in Spain, and coordinating with Spanish notaries, where necessary, to prepare declarations.

Certification of England and Wales law for Spanish transfers

We certify England and Wales law to facilitate or unblock Spanish inheritance transfers – clarifying succession rules, domicile principles, and the role of personal representatives under England & Wales law.

Where appropriate, we reference the Non-Contentious Probate Rules and the Estate Administration Act 1925, providing reassurance to Spanish notaries and registrars that Spanish estates are administered under established, verifiable sources of England and Wales law. This certification often proves essential when Spanish professionals need formal confirmation of UK legal principles.

Certification of Spanish law for UK Court applications

We arrange affidavits of Spanish law to support applications for Grants of Representation in England and Wales, providing clear declarations where Spanish Wills or Spanish domicile may affect UK estate administration.

These affidavits (sworn statements) help UK probate registries understand how Spanish law applies, ensuring the correct grant is issued and avoiding later complications when dealing with Spanish assets.

Handling liabilities and insolvency

We provide guidance on debts, claims and insolvency within Anglo-Spanish estates, including advice on renunciation or disclaimer of inheritance to limit exposure to liabilities or unwanted obligations.

Spanish law allows beneficiaries to accept an inheritance with the benefit of inventory (limiting liability to the value of inherited assets), or to renounce it entirely. We guide clients through these options and coordinate the necessary formalities to protect their position.

Contentious probate in Spain

Drawing on experience supporting UK contentious probate lawyers in cross-border disputes, we provide clear opinions on the feasibility, costs and prospects of enforcing England and Wales estate claims in Spain.

While these cases are often uneconomic to litigate, our guidance is frequently invaluable in shaping pragmatic settlements. We help parties understand the practical realities of cross-border enforcement, enabling informed decisions about whether to pursue matters formally or seek negotiated resolution.

We also implement preventive measures to protect clients from misuse of prior Spanish-registered Wills, for example, arranging for a later England and Wales Will (validly covering Spanish assets) to be translated, legalised and registered in Spain. This serves a similar protective function to a UK probate citation, preventing outdated Wills from being used improperly.

Swaps of UK and Spanish property

We’ve advised on bespoke UK-Spain property swaps, offering practical guidance on the transfer process and the applicable tax regimes in both countries.

These arrangements require careful structuring to ensure both sides of the transaction are documented correctly and that tax liabilities in both jurisdictions are properly understood and managed.

Formalising historic agreements

We’ve assisted in converting historic private sale and purchase agreements into fully recognised Spanish public deeds, through notarial execution, legalisation and registration where required.

This work often involves unravelling old arrangements where properties were transferred informally or where documentation was incomplete, bringing matters into proper legal order and enabling clear title to be established.

Multi-jurisdictional experience

Beyond UK and Spanish matters, we have experience liaising with lawyers and institutions in jurisdictions including Canada, Croatia, Dubai, Germany, Morocco, Switzerland and Ukraine.

This expertise is particularly valuable when Spanish estates involve assets or beneficiaries across multiple jurisdictions, enabling us to coordinate complex cross-border administration efficiently and seamlessly. We understand how different legal systems interact and can manage the practical challenges of multi-country estate work.

When to seek our advice on a Spanish estate

Our services are particularly relevant for clients and professionals managing Anglo-Spanish estates, cross-border probate, or inheritance disputes.

You may need our support when:

• Administering an estate involving intestacy or partial intestacy
• Facing disputes over Spanish assets or succession rights
• Formalising historic private property transactions that were never properly documented
• Navigating complex lifetime property arrangements between the UK and Spain
• Dealing with estates that span multiple countries beyond just the UK and Spain
• Seeking clarity on whether a cross-border claim or dispute is worth pursuing

Engaging us early allows you to benefit from clear guidance on cross-border estate administration, practical coordination between UK and Spanish legal systems and reassurance that all steps are handled efficiently and compliantly.

Our integrated Anglo-Spanish approach ensures a clear roadmap, coordinated oversight and proactive resolution of issues – complementing the work of local Spanish professionals to maximise efficiency and clarity.

We don’t simply pass matters to Spanish lawyers and step back. We remain actively involved, monitoring progress, anticipating issues and ensuring all parties understand what’s required and when.

This level of coordination is what transforms complex cross-border matters from overwhelming to manageable.

Get in touch with our Anglo-Spanish lawyers

To discuss a cross-border inheritance or property matter, contact us for an initial consultation or to explore how we can assist your firm or client.

We’ll assess your situation, provide an honest view on the best path forward and outline what’s involved – including realistic costs and timescales.