A Bite-Sized Guide to Unusual Wills & Validity - Form, Format & Formalities

Introduction

Whilst there are rules around how wills are prepared and executed, with the courts normally very prescriptive in their interpretation, this is not always the case.

The world of wills is fast paced and ever changing despite the current requirements being set out for over 180 years since the Wills Act 1837.

The landscape as to validity of wills transforms with each new decision handed down as well as minor and major advancements in technology and some unconventional formats and contents are found to be valid as a result.

This short webinar will explore some of those more unusual wills and the reason why they have been found either valid or invalid.

It will look at how to navigate the minefield of will preparation and execution to avoid making the same mistakes or being the next peculiarity to be heard by the court.

The webinar is suitable for non-contentious practitioners who want to understand how best to avoid the pitfalls, as well as contentious practitioners who want to learn what to look for and how something which may look invalid, may not be.

What You Will Learn

The webinar will cover the following:

• Form:
• The ‘norm’
• Possible digital wills in the future
• Unconventional wills:
• The dictionary will
• The daily rose
• The ostrich egg will
• The shortest will in history and the dispute that arose about ‘mother’
• Nuncupative wills / privileged wills / verbal wills by service personnel and the requirements
• The will on the wall
• Shorthand
• Written in a private code
• Format:
• The ‘fish finger box’ will
• The shell will
• Formalities:
• Requirements of the Wills Act
• Attesting witnesses
• Presence
• Execution:
• A stamped signature
• Rubber stamp
• Thumb print
• Initials
• ‘your loving mother’
• A mark
• An X

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Friday 4th December 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,400+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.