Keeping property safe, secure and prepared for sale
A house that has become recently vacant, due to an owner having passed away or being moved out for their own safety, may need a little more attention than normal to protect it and prepare it for sale, especially if the owner has been unable to maintain the property for a period of time. Whilst […]
Statutory Wills During COVID-19
As the world grapples with the implications of a global health pandemic, many have turned their minds to estate planning and will-making. The recent Certainty Expert Webinar from Tom Dumont QC, Barrister, Radcliffe Chambers titled ‘Execution of Wills, especially in a Lockdown’ highlighted the very real challenges faced by prospective donors in the current climate. […]
First Category Shortlists Announced For The British Wills And Probate Awards 2020
Excitement is growing for The British Wills and Probate Awards, as the first three category shortlists have been revealed. The awards are brought to you by Today’s Wills and Probate, alongside headline sponsor, Arken.legal (UK) Ltd, a leader in software solutions for the Wills and estate planning industry. Best Use of Marketing & Social Media […]
Video Wills: What the Government Really Said
Dr Nicholas Bevan, solicitor and senior associate at Solicitors Title LLP, took the time to share his views on the Ministry of Justice’s announcement it made almost a week ago regarding the legalisation of video wills. This journal was commendably prompt to alert its readership, in a special bulletin, of the Government’s press release that […]
Feel Good Friday: Firm’s Private Client Practice Takes Top Spot
There has been lots of positive things happening across the sector this week, so we wanted to share these good vibes with you as part of our ‘Feel Good Friday’ news items. Here is a little snap shot of what’s been going on. Firm’s Private Client Practice Takes Top Spot The private client practice of […]
Keeping Your Finger On The Pulse
Keeping up to date with changes in legislation is critical when dealing with estate planning clients and their financial affairs. Our Webinars are designed to not only keep you abreast of what you can offer to your clients to achieve their estate planning aims, but to also keep you informed of anything you need to […]
Law Society Open Consultatation For Disabled Solicitors
The Law Society for England and Wales has launched a survey to find out how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the working practices of disabled lawyers, as they make bid to understand how to improve their work experiences. Simon Davis, President of the Law Society, said: “We are aiming to build on the knowledge gained […]
Covid-19 Hasn’t Sent Cyber Criminals In To Hibernation
Whilst many of us have been getting to grips with the various phases of the government’s plans to lockdown and subsequently return the country to normal, it’s safe to say that cyber criminals haven’t been resting on their laurels. It has become apparent since lockdown that there has been a rise in law firms falling […]
No Children, No Allowance? Not If We Can Help It!
The Residence Nil Rate Band: At current rates, everybody has an individual initial Inheritance Tax allowance of £325,000.00 that applies against their Estate. Anything up to this amount is passed to your beneficiaries’ tax free. It doesn’t matter what assets your Estate consists of, or who you pass it to, the allowance simply applies. In […]
Bankruptcy Overseas – A Probate Solicitor’s Responsibility
By Andrew Ritson, Finders International’s Legal Support Services manager Probate solicitors will be used to dealing with beneficiaries and it is important for the estate’s personal representatives (PRs) that due diligence is carried out in all scenarios. It is the PR’s responsibility to know and check the financial status of the beneficiaries before an estate […]
The Impact Of Covid-19 On Wills, Probate & Estate Administration
Kings Court Trust’s latest blog post reviews the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Wills, probate and estate administration. For the vast majority of us, COVID-19 has had an effect on the way we work and how we live our personal lives. Estate administration is an industry that relies on and works with several […]
Man Seeks To Overturn High Court Decision
A bitter family dispute has continued to rumble on as a man attempts to overturn a High Court’s decision regarding his mother’s Will. Last month, we reported that Susan Bond, successfully overturned her mother, Jean Clitheroe’s Will enabling her to inherit part of the £325,000 estate that was solely left to her brother John Clitheroe. […]
Larger Law Firms To Face New Economic Crime Levy
Announced in the Budget in March, larger law firms will face a levy of between £100 and £200 per every £1m of revenue, that will go towards supporting the government’s economic plan. Firms that are subject to the Money Laundering Regulations, , will have to pay the levy so that the Treasury can raise £100m […]
My Lockdown Legacy – What Will Yours Be?
Written by Pippa Shepherd, Head of Customer Engagement at Arken.legal On a Friday night 19 weeks ago, I packed up from the office, wished my colleagues a happy weekend and drove home – it didn’t even cross my mind that I would wake up the following day to COVID-19 symptoms and have to begin my […]
Webinar: Intestacies – The Risks & Opportunities
Enhance your knowledge of how to deal with an intestate estate by joining Title Research’s next webinar. On Wednesday 5th August at 12pm, Title Research’s Technical Manager, Simon Barber, will provide an in-depth overview of intestacy, covering the risks and opportunities. In 45 minutes, Simon will cover: Why intestacies occur Intestacy rules A step-by-step walk-through of a family […]
Industry Reacts To MoJ Announcement
At the weekend, the Ministry of Justice announced that video Wills that were made during the coronavirus pandemic would be legalised. In the hope of reducing the number of contentious probate cases that could undoubtedly arise as a result. Although there will be a number of nuances that practitioners will have to be aware of. […]
1 In 10 Adults Born In 1980s Set To Inherit More Than Average Lifetime Earnings
Up to 10% of UK adults born in the 1980s will inherit more than half as much as an average person would earn in their lifetime. A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that as many as one in ten UK adults will inherit more than half than the average person […]
LawCare Are Looking For New Trustees
Legal mental health charity LawCare has appointed a new chair to its board of trustees. Andrew Caplen replaces outgoing chair Bronwen Still as of this month. Andrew is a Solicitor, Notary Public and a former President of the Law Society of England and Wales (2014/2015), Chair of the Law Society’s Management Board (2010- 2012) and […]
Introducing The Summer 2020 Edition Of Entitlement From Title Research
The summer 2020 edition of Entitlement, Title Research’s quarterly news digest, is now available for legal professionals to download completely free of charge. Entitlement is a digital magazine produced by the genealogy and asset repatriation specialists, Title Research. It is released every quarter and features informative and insightful articles, all written by experts in the […]
Overview Of Compliance Within The Legal Services Industry
In our industry, transparency allows our clients to make informed choices prior to instructing a firm to carry out any work. It is taken quite seriously by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), who provides a list of transparency rules that all registered firms are required to comply with. These rules mainly consist of how to […]
