DeHeng Successfully Represented a Complex International Legacy Dispute

2024-08-22

DeHeng recently achieved a favorable resolution in a high-profile, complex international inheritance dispute involving assets worth tens of millions of yuan. The case, represented by Beijing Office partner Gou Jianmei, was successfully mediated by a Beijing court. 

The dispute centered on a Beijing property bequeathed through a joint will by two deceased Chinese spouses to their foreign granddaughter alone. The two defendants, as statutory heirs, contested the will’s validity and the legitimacy of the plaintiff’s inheritance claim, demanding distribution under statutory succession laws.

In this case, DeHeng represented the plaintiff and made an accurate and creative legal interpretation of the “acceptance of inheritance intention.” The mediation agreement has now been served and holds legal enforceability in China, allowing the client to pursue cross-border enforcement of the estate. This outcome not only secured property rights worth tens of millions of yuan for the client but also ensured the deceased’s final wishes were honored, earning high praise from the client.