‘’It’s NOT okay not to be okay’’
I recently had the pleasure to attend a webinar to discuss the work the Group Transformation Division at Lloyds Banking Group have been doing to support colleague’s mental, physical & emotional wellbeing during this difficult period. The objective was to share experiences from different organisations and industries; at LBG we have a number of different […]
Fraud and computer misuse crimes rise by more than a third
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Crime Survey for England and Wales showed that there were an estimated 4.6 million fraud offences in the year ending March 2021, a 24% increase compared with 2020 figures. The survey also revealed that fraud and computer misuse offences have risen by more than a third in England and […]
Let’s get down to brass TAX!
The last 2 webinars of the ‘Pentology’ have covered ‘death planning’ for couples, both married and non-married, but have not yet touched upon what the options are for clients with a real IHT liability. We at Countrywide Tax & Trust Corporation Ltd take pride in offering high quality guidance to help you provide the best […]
How can firms achieve commercial success in the post-pandemic world?
Commercial success is the driving force for ambitious law firms and, speaking to our clients, it’s no surprise many have a renewed determination to re-evaluate current business practices and strategies in the wake of Covid-19. There has never been a better time to build on lessons of the past year, using technology to support agile […]
Free webinar: ‘Managing risk in estate administration’
Join Title Research’s Technical Manager, Simon Barber, on Wednesday 11th August at 12pm, as he reveals some common challenges faced by legal professionals in estate administration. In addition to case studies to illustrate ways to reduce risk to your firm and clients, Simon will cover: Managing risk and maximising estates with overseas assets The importance of locating all […]
Government rakes it in on IHT but what if you can’t pay?
New figures released by HMRC revealed that inheritance tax payments during 2020-21 totalled £5.4bn – increasing by 4% (£190m) on the last tax year. This has affected 33,000 people who have been hit with a tax bill, which the Office for Budget Responsibility say is up by a third, with the average payment around £160k. […]
The Classic achieves £7m in sales
Last weekend Silverstone Auctions returned to The Classic at Silverstone, the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival, for their eleventh year as the official auction partner where they sold £7milllion worth of classic cars and collector motorcycles. The three-day sale opened with a dedicated motorcycle auction on Friday 30th July, this was a first for […]
Inheritance disputes – when one partner wants to do something different with a lump sum
A modern-day issue centres on inheritance—should you be lucky enough to receive one, what if you plan to spend it one way, but your partner has very different ideas? That was the dilemma posed by the Daily Mirror this week, taking the example of an anonymous letter sent to the Daily Telegraph where a woman […]
Call for evidence to avoid “Unnecessary” litigation
A major call for evidence has been launched by the Government seeking views on the best ways to settle family, business and other civil disputes away from the court room. The Responses will shape future reforms to civil, family and administrative justice, with Ministers determined to help more people resolve their issues without the stress […]
Equity release activity nears pre-pandemic levels in Q2 as existing customers return
The Equity Release Council has published its Q2 2021 equity release market statistics which show that lending is nearing pre-pandemic levels as existing customers return to the market. Statistics show an increase in consumer confidence as 20,352 new and returning customers accessed property wealth between April and June, up from 16,527 in Q1 2021 and […]
“National investment” plan following FJG acquisition
Private Equity firm Blixt Group has invested in Essex based Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP solicitors (FJG). It is the first foray into the legal services sector for Blixt for whom FJG will “become a springboard for further acquisitions over the next 3 to 4 years.” The Blixt Group has indicated it has access to significant […]
Professional Executor conducts a Certainty Will Search as a safeguard measure
A Certainty Will Search is used by members of the public and professionals every day as a safeguarding measure to ensure that that the last Will of the deceased is located and their estate can therefore be distributed correctly. The National Will Register assists in ensuring that everything has been done to locate the last […]
Legal oversight regulator’s arrangement processes are headed in the right direction
The Legal Services Board’s (LSB) proposed new rules and guidance for changes to regulatory arrangements are a significant improvement, the Law Society of England and Wales said today. The oversight regulator is seeking views from the ten approved legal services regulators on how they seek the LSB’s approval for alterations to their regulatory arrangements. The […]
The role of digital transformation in addressing probate pain points – the days of paper-based processes are limited
When CLS established their Estate Administration Customer Focus Group its primary purpose was to discover the ‘pain points’ probate solicitors experience. No amount of data and analysis is as good as a discussion with our law firm customers to help us find out about process problems and the barriers law professionals face when trying to […]
LawTech must comply with highest ethical standards
The Law Society of England and Wales has published the outcomes from its LawTech, Ethics and the Rule of Law discussion paper, unveiling a set of principles and guidance that would be beneficial for the solicitors’ profession. In the face of Covid-19, the justice system moved online, pushing the profession to modernise quicker than expected. […]
