Guided Approach
A conversation-led process for couples who want clarity before anything is written.
Guided Approach
A conversation-led process for couples who want clarity before anything is written.
Guided Approach
Guided is for couples who want to talk things through together before anything is written.
It offers a supported, conversation-led way to create your wills, with time to explain your wishes, ask questions, and understand your options before decisions are fixed in writing.
You may already feel aligned. Or you may want space to explore certain points more carefully. The process allows for both — shared discussion where helpful, and clarity around individual instructions where needed.
The structure is careful and considered, but led by conversation rather than forms alone, so nothing is rushed and nothing is assumed.
The aim is not just two finished documents, but confidence — knowing your wills have been shaped thoughtfully, with clear advice and professional oversight at every stage.
Your meeting can take place online or, where appropriate, in person — including home visits within our local area — allowing both of you to talk things through comfortably.
This service is provided as part of Elephant Legal’s non-reserved legal services. Find out more about how we are regulated.
A conversation-led way for couples to create their wills with time, clarity and careful professional oversight.
How Guided works
1. Getting started
Once you choose Guided, I’ll confirm the details with both of you and make sure this is the right route for your circumstances.
You’ll receive clear information about the process, pricing, and what to expect, along with the necessary client care documents. Identity checks are completed for each of you before any work begins, so everything can proceed securely and properly.
Nothing is drafted at this stage — it’s about setting things up carefully and making sure you both feel clear before moving forward.
2. Talking it through
Guided begins with a dedicated appointment either online or in person.
This is a calm, focused conversation where we explore your wishes, your circumstances, and anything either of you may be unsure about. I’ll explain options in plain English, answer your questions, and help you understand the implications of different choices.
Some decisions will naturally be shared. Others may need a little more space. The conversation allows for both.
Your appointment is booked once the initial fee is confirmed. This secures the time needed to talk everything through properly and provide clear, considered advice.
3. Shaping your instructions
After our discussion, your instructions are clarified and carefully shaped.
I’ll reflect back what we’ve discussed, check that everything accurately captures your intentions, and identify anything that may need further thought or explanation. Where decisions affect you both, we make sure they are clearly understood. Where something relates to one of you individually, that is addressed with equal care.
If additional work or services are needed, these are discussed openly before anything moves forward.
Once the scope is clear, I’ll confirm what’s included and the total agreed fee before any drafting begins.
4. Drafting your will
Once your instructions are confirmed, drafting can begin.
Each of your wills is prepared based on what has been agreed, with care taken to ensure the documents work properly — individually and together — and accurately reflect your intentions.
Drafting begins once the remaining balance has been received.
This is the point where your shared discussions and individual decisions move from conversation into carefully written form.
5. Reviewing and refining
You’ll each receive your draft wills to review in your own time.
You can ask questions, request changes, and take time to reflect. Amendments are a normal part of the process, and nothing is finalised until you are both satisfied that your wills accurately reflect your wishes.
Where changes affect you both, we’ll make sure everything remains aligned. Where something relates to one of you individually, that can be addressed with equal care.
Nothing is rushed at this stage.
6. Finalising and completion
Once the wording is agreed, the final versions of your wills are prepared.
I’ll confirm the next steps for signing and witnessing, and make sure you both understand how your completed documents should be stored.
When execution is complete, the matter is formally closed.
At that point, your arrangements are finished and properly in place — with clarity about what has been agreed and how it operates.
Careful Advice, Not Casual Conversation
Guided is conversation-led, but it is never informal or casual.
Your wishes are handled with care, and every decision is considered with professional judgement to ensure it is clear, workable, and genuinely reflects what you both intend. If anything is unclear, incomplete, or could create difficulties in practice, we pause and talk it through properly before anything is finalised.
That’s because reassurance comes from clarity. This isn’t about rushing to two finished documents — it’s about taking the time to understand your circumstances, shape your instructions carefully, and put arrangements in place that work in the real world.
Guided adds explanation and structured support, not complexity — so you can move forward together with confidence, knowing nothing has been assumed or left unchecked.
Ready to move forward?
If Guided feels like the right fit for you both, you can begin by booking an appointment. I’ll confirm the next steps and send everything you need to get started, so the process begins clearly and with the right structure in place.
You don’t need to have everything decided — Guided gives you space to work things out together with calm, structured support.
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The Guided appointment is a focused conversation about both of you and what you want to put in place.
We’ll talk through your circumstances, your wishes, and any questions or uncertainties either of you may have. I’ll explain options in plain English, highlight anything that needs careful thought, and help you understand how different choices work in practice.
There’s no expectation that you arrive with everything decided — the appointment is about understanding and clarity, not rushing to conclusions.
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No.
Guided is designed for couples who want help working things out together. You may already feel aligned, or you may have areas you’re still thinking through.
The process gives you space to explore decisions calmly, ask questions, and reach conclusions with support rather than pressure.
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Yes.
Guided allows space for reflection. You’re not expected to make decisions on the spot, and you can take time to review information or consider matters privately if needed before moving on.
The pace is steady and supportive, not rushed.
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That’s entirely normal.
Conversations often bring new perspectives or highlight things that hadn’t been considered at the start. If your wishes evolve — individually or together — the process adjusts with you.
Nothing is fixed until the final wording is agreed.
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Yes.
Part of the Guided service is professional oversight. If something is unclear, incomplete, or could cause difficulties in practice — for one of you or for you both — I’ll flag it and explain why, so it can be properly considered.
This isn’t about saying no — it’s about making sure what’s put in place genuinely works.
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Very often, yes.
Guided is particularly suited to couples whose circumstances don’t feel straightforward, or who want reassurance before decisions are finalised.
Complexity doesn’t exclude you — it simply means more care and explanation may be needed. If anything falls outside what can be covered, that’s discussed openly and calmly before moving forward.
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It’s very common for couples to approach certain decisions differently at first.
The appointment provides space to explore options calmly and understand the implications of different approaches. Some decisions will naturally be shared. Others may remain individual.
Where needed, matters can be clarified separately to ensure each of you is comfortable with your own instructions.
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Yes.
Although much of the process is joint, each of you is entitled to give instructions independently. If either of you wishes to clarify something privately, that can be arranged discreetly and professionally.
Guided supports open discussion, but it also respects individual autonomy.
Next steps