Peter Mark Arnstein trading as

Fairchild Greig & Company is administering the storage and retrieval of Wills and Deeds formally held by FWB Solicitors on behalf of the successor practice. As part of this work, Wills are being digitally scanned and indexed before the originals are stored with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) Probate Registry on behalf of the testator.

Most documents other than Wills, such as property Deeds, are held by Peter Arnstein in his personal capacity. However, in 2019 the successor practice had cause for concerns that Peter Arnstein had not declared all the wills he was holding, had denied holding any and refused to transfer those that clients said he was holding.

The SRA investigated and in December 2021 confirmed in a letter that files had been retained by Peter Arnstein at his home some of which were transferred to other firms without the knowledge or consent of the successor practice. Instead, he enlisted the help of his former trainee who became the head of Ince Gordon Dadds LLP to deny access to the files and prevent projects to audit his former practice from proceeding. 

The successor practice had transferred most of the known files illicitly held by Peter Arnstein to Axiom Stone Solicitors to ensure the safe return of client monies to their rightful owners and beneficiaries, however, in 2019, 2021 and 2023 suspicions were reported to SRA and police that the Managing Director of that firm, Pragnesh Modhwadia, has been unduly influenced by the files retained by Peter Arnstein. 

The firm of Ince Gordon Dadds LLP went into Administration after years of false accounting, and was purchased by Axiom Solicitors (who renamed to Axiom Ince Ltd t/a Ince & Co) using misappropriated client monies, which led to the intervention of the firm by the SRA and Metropolitan police in September 2023, with the Serous Fraud Office (SFO) taking over in November of that year following following raid of several building and the arrest of 7 people in relation to £66m of client monies unaccounted for and spent. 

The files of FWB Solicitors are therefore spread across various authorities including but not limited to: The Administrators of Axiom Ince Ltd,  the SFO, the SRA and Fairchild Greig & Co. who should remain your first point of contact. 

Please contact Fairchild Greig & Co. with your request. They will refer your request for papers other than Wills to the SRA and/or the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to liaise with Peter Arnstein on your behalf. Requests for Wills will be handled in accordance with the relevant regulatory requirements depending on the purpose of your request. These include the need to verify your identity, your entitlement to have sight and/or access to the Will, and proof of address. If the Will is being requested on behalf of a testator who has died, they will need sight of an original death certificate. A nominal file retrieval fee of £30 + VAT (£36 inclusive) may be applicable. Fairchild Greig & Co. will explain full details of the relevant policies, procedures and processes when handling your enquiry. 

As of 1st October 2017, Coplexia Collaborative LLP became the successor to the former sole practice of FWB Solicitors. Its members have since assigned all successor responsibilities (including Executorship of Wills and Trusteeship of estates) to Fairchild Greig Trusts Ltd of Fairchild Greig & Co. which is a non-trading company (category code SIC 74990) incorporated for the purpose of enabling continuous succession of professional Executor and Trustee responsibilities on behalf of solicitor practices, lay executors, end clients and named beneficiaries of the estate. It is regulated directly by HMRC under registration number XEML00000173543.

Possibly. The following extracts are from Wills appointing a member of the firm as professional Executor and Trustee with wording that appoints the firm or its owners as professional Executors (which is best-practice) and will result in a successor practice being appointed:- 

"I APPOINT Peter Mark Arnstein or one other of the partners at the date of my death in the firm of Forman Welch & Bellamys Solicitors of 23 London Road, Twickenham, TW1 3SX or in whatever firm may have succeeded to that practice to be the sole Executor of this my Will [...]" 

"I APPOINT Peter Mark Arnstein of Forman Welch & Bellamys Solicitors of 23 London Road, Twickenham, TW1 3SX or the Partner or Partners of that firm or their successors in business who at the date of my death has succeeded to and carry on its practice to be the Executors and Trustees of this my said Will [...]"

"I APPOINT the partners at the date of my death in the firm of Forman Welch & Bellamys Solicitors of 23 London Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW 3SX or of the firm which at the date has succeeded to and carries on its practice to be EXECUTORS AND TRUSTEES (hereinafter called my "My Trustees") of this Will [...]"       

Conversely, the following examples use wording found on many of the Wills prepared by firms associated with Peter Mark Arnstein which appoint Peter Mark Arnstein as Executor and Trustee in person:-  

 "I APPOINT PETER MARK ARNSTEIN of 23 London Road, Twickenham, TW1 3SX to be the Executor and Trustee of this my Will [...]"

"I APPOINT my friend FIRSTNAME SURNAME of 3 Friends Address, Town, Postcode and PETER MARK ARNSTEIN of 23 London Road Twickenham TW1 3SX to be the Executors and Trustees of my Will [...]"

This would mean that Peter Arnstein can apply for a Grant of Probate or Representation for the estates in his name so as to administer the estate himself with complete discretion over how the estate assets are to be used. The investigations into his conduct have all related to this level of control over the estate which he obtained either through a Grant of representation in his own name or by way of Deeds of Appointment through which he took over control from one of his associates.  

If you are concerned about the wording of your Will, it can be revoked with the execution of a new Will that replaces Peter Arnstein with any trusted friend or family member of your choice (or Fairchild Greig Trusts Ltd) as your Executor and Trustee. 

So far as we know, Peter Mark Arnstein was first associated with Devanes of 3 Friars Lane, Richmond Green, Richmond, TW9 1NL which we think evolved into Bellamys Solicitors of the same address before moving to various offices in Twickenham, including 41 York Street, and later 23 London Road where the firm merged with Forman & Welch & Co. to form Forman Welch & Bellamys Solicitors (commonly known as FWB Solicitors). Bellamys was owned by Frank de Lattre (now deceased) and had absorbed the firm of Stollard & Limbrey Solicitors from its principal Peter Jeremy Roche (now retired). There is also an association with Michael Bittison (Accountant) dating back decades. 

In the same week that the regulator confirmed it had filed proceedings against Peter Mark Arnstein with the Disciplinary Tribunal, enquiries by a former client of his made to Michael Bittison revealed that Peter Mark Arnstein has been working with Baron Grey Solicitors of Langtry House, 441 Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 2EF. His association there went public soon after the chance discovery.

It is important to point out that until various hearings are concluded and orders made to the contrary, Peter Arnstein is not prevented from working; and that no explicit or implied accusations are being made against any of his associates mentioned above. 

Fairchild Greig & Co. meet clients at their homes, at their head office in Chiswick Park and at a variety of locations in Twickenham, Richmond Upon Thames, Teddington or Kingston Upon Thames by prior appointment. Please visit their website for the information on the latest options: https://www.fairchildgreig.co.uk/our-premises/