Gifting by attorneys and deputies
Introduction The law regarding gifting by attorneys and deputies on behalf of someone else is complex. The purpose of this blog is to highlight and explain some of these complexities and signpost attorneys and deputies to further resources. What constitutes a gift? What constitutes a gift can sometimes be hard to identify. Usual situations would […]
Online company now offering free legally-binding wills
Beyond.life, a company that offers probate and funeral director broker services, have introduced free online wills that claim to be legally binding. The company’s advert claims: “When there’s a solicitor, there’s a solicitor’s bill. Until now.” However, a company spokesperson has also reassured legal service providers that they are “not trying to replace solicitors.” Will […]
New Reforms to Protect the liberty of vulnerable people in care
Amendments have been made to mental health legislation that identifies when a person’s liberty can be legally deprived. The new law, currently in draft with the House of Lords, aims to protect the rights of people who do not have the capacity to make decisions about their care. Presently, to legally authorise a DoLS, a […]
Industry experts share their views on the safety of legal professionals’ home visits
Preparing a clients’ Will and discussing personal details with them to ensure loved ones benefit from the estate in the future can be a sensitive matter – but do the benefits of home visits compromise legal professionals safety? Dealing with such private information can be made less daunting if an appointment can be arranged in […]
Will writing regulation and complaints handling
We are all aware that Will Writing is not regulated by statute, but that does not mean it’s not regulated at all. Consumers, if they feel that their complaint has not been dealt with properly or that they are being ignored, which appears to be a growing trend, not only among will writers but service […]
Tony Peckham: It’s time to put away the quill and ink
Tony Peckham, 70, of TP Consultancy, has been running his professional Estate Planning business for 15 years now, but one simple change has resulted in his company being more successful than ever. Like many other professionals, Tony was used to the old fashioned way of writing Wills whereby he had to print out instructions, complete […]
IPW achieve Chartered Trading Standards Institute renewal
The Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) and The Institute of Scottish Professional Willwriters (ISPW) have again had their membership of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute Approved Consumer Code status renewed by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI). The renewed accreditation highlights the excellent and accurate work that is consistently completed by members of the IPW […]
Exclusive Post summer training course announced for estate planning professionals
UK’s leading web-based planning business, Legacy Legal, are hosting a training event in September which will offer expert advice and solutions to estate practitioners, Will-writers and IFAs from the across the country. After their success of earlier events in the year, September’s event will be held at Hilton Hotel in Cobham (KT11 1EW) on 19th […]
Judge’s Spotlight – Loschinee Naidoo
Director of Compliance and Risk at Legal Eye Limited, Loschinee Naidoo is on the judging panel for the first upcoming British Wills and Probate Awards 2018. In this interview, she talks about her current role, what fuelled her interest in this particular area as well as her thoughts on how professionals in the Wills and […]
Dishonourable Ex-Lawyer Called to give Evidence over a Will
Anal Sheikh, a struck-off solicitor, is called to give evidence at the High Court over a Will she had written. Ultimately the court accepted that her evidence corroborates with other evidence in the case, however, The High Court found that Sheikh often said “the first thing that came into her head without reflecting on whether […]
Solicitor suspended for sending Islamophobic Tweets
It is not only Boris Johnson that has been swept up in the issue of Islamophobia in recent weeks, as a solicitor has been suspended for 18 months by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT). Deborah Elizabeth Daniels, partner at West Yorkshire law firm, Bird and Daniels, made a vast number of tweets over a period […]
Anne Lucking joins the Board of PCCB
The Property Codes Compliance Board (PPCB) which regulates the Search Code has appointed Anne Lucking, Managing Director of Index Property Information Group, as a new Board member. Anne is the nominated representative for the Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) on the Board and replaces Alan Thorogood of Infotrack who relinquishes his post by rotation […]
New Webinar highlights What makes a person want to become a client of your private client team?
We are delighted to welcome this month’s speaker Gill Steel from LawSkills to the next instalment of Certainty Expert Webinars. LawSkills specialises in Learning & Development and Consultancy for Private Client practitioners in the areas of Wills, Probate, Elderly & Vulnerable client, Trusts and Tax. Join our webinar on Wednesday 22nd August 2018 at 12.00pm […]
Report claims only 27% of legal service users ‘shop around’
A recent report into how consumers are choosing legal services has found that users are driven by many factors, but they are not shopping around for legal services. Shockingly, the report, carried out by the Legal Services Consumer Panel, claims that only 27% of legal service users shop around before using a company. Because of […]
The Continuing Inheritance tax injustice for cohabitating siblings
For many, the thought of losing their wife, husband or long-term partner is the stuff of nightmares; the thought alone creates a feeling of all consuming grief. Now imagine that, despite losing the person closest to you, the property and estate you share is to be charged for inheritance tax (IHT). In the real world, […]
Human friendly automation for Estate Planners – the future?
Today, Legacy Legal Ltd is one of the most inclusive and adaptable web-based planning businesses in the country, who provide comprehensive estate planning solutions for financial service professionals in the UK and Northern Ireland. Legacy Legal has its roots in the financial services and, when in 2007, the property market crashed, there appeared to be […]
Deadline for British Wills and Probate nominations is extended
Last Friday was the deadline for the written submission to enter the British Wills and Probate Awards. With a number of late nominations we’re extending the date for final submissions to the end of this week, so for those of you who have not sent of your submission you now have until the 10th August […]
To me to who? Beloved Comedian Barry Chuckle Dies aged 73
Barry Chuckle, one half of the Chuckle Brothers comedy duo, and stalwart of children’s television, has tragically died at the age of 73. Immortalised in the hearts of multiple generations, Barry Chuckle was best known for the television show ‘Chuckle Vision,’ which paired Barry’s dimwitted character against the often-naïve wit and intelligence of brother Paul. […]
40% of legal professionals reluctant to discuss charitable giving with clients
The Law society held a roundtable discussion on legacy giving which found 40% of solicitors did not feel able to raise the issue of charitable giving with their clients, according to 2016 research by Remember a Charity (RAC). Legacy income is the biggest single source of voluntary income to the charities sector, currently worth more […]
UK Heatwave claiming more lives than average and expected to rise
Much like the weather of late, the number of deaths has increased exponentially, when compared to past statistics. When the deaths were compared with the national statistics over the past five years, 663 additional deaths have been attributed to the abnormally hot periods we have experienced in June and July. It would seem that a similar spike […]
