Simonne Llewellyn, CEO of Finders International, was recognised at the 2025 Probate Industry Awards in London.
The awards were presented by broadcaster Steph McGovern.
Finders International, the UK’s largest probate genealogy firm, was awarded UK Probate Research Firm of the Year.
The team also won in the category of Story of the Year.
Ms Llewellyn’s staff have been regulars on the BBC’s Heir Hunters television programme for more than a decade, which follows cases of reuniting inheritance with long-lost family members.
The firm was awarded the highest accolade at the event in recognition of its work across “heir hunting,” or probate research.
This involves tracing family members to estates to which they often had no idea they were legally entitled.
The process involves solving complex family trees, digging through records, and often contacting relatives and friends to piece together and confirm family connections.
The work allows any estates (property or money) to be awarded to next-of-kin family members, rather than to The Crown, if left unclaimed.
The UK Probate Industry Awards exist to award excellence among leading probate solicitors and heir hunters, while celebrating the most engaging story of human interest produced by the industry.
The awards recognise merit across business operations, impressive growth, client satisfaction, and meaningful social impact for companies providing probate services to the public.
Judges commented on Finders International: “Having provided compelling evidence – demonstrating expertise, commitment, helpfulness to the industry and client focus, they also provide a diverse range of services not traditionally offered by companies in this space.”
The second win for Ms Llewellyn’s firm, Story of the Year, was for the family saga of siblings Alfred and Margaret Ardener.
Both then octogenarians, they were reunited after 70 years apart through the efforts of heir hunters at Finders International solving the intestacy of their late sister Mabel, who left a small estate.
Margaret then passed away shortly after a heartfelt day spent with her younger brother Alfred, allowing both siblings to be reunited after decades apart.
This story was praised for reuniting a family as a consequence of research to pass on a small inheritance.
Antoine Djikpa, chair of the IAPPR (International Association of Professional Probate Researchers), commented: “With the increase in intestacies (individuals who die without a will), not only in the UK but globally, and increased strain on local authorities left to pick up the pieces when individuals pass away, it’s never been a more important time than now to recognise the crucial work of our legal and probate professionals.”
