Do solicitors acting as executors have to follow certain rules when dealing with an estate? A second cousin died 16 months ago and the solicitor acting on their behalf appears not to have applied for probate or published notices to find any creditors (one potential creditor has contacted an heir hunter who contacted surviving relatives recently on the basis that they may be beneficiaries to the estate – I assume this is because the heir hunter and creditor assume there was no valid will). Having tracked down the solicitor acting as executor they have confirmed there is a valid will but refuse to speak to potential beneficiaries or surviving relatives. I have heard from a potential beneficiary (who is not a family member) who they think the beneficiaries are and it could be a case of partial intestacy. Until the will is published it is impossible to know given refusal of solicitor to engage. What recourse will beneficiaries have against the solicitor if they have been wasting time and allowing costs to mount and the value of the estate to decline by their apparent inaction?