‘Flagrant breach’ of elderly client’s trust sees solicitor struck off
An experienced solicitor has been struck off after she “acted in flagrant breach of the trust placed in her by her elderly client”. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard that Julia Cooper, who was admitted in 1993, drafted an agreement for her civil partner to purchase a property from her client, Ms S. The tribunal heard […]
LPA rules for legal executives don’t make sense, says MP
The current rules governing legal executives’ scope relating to powers of attorney “[do not] make any sense”, the Member of Parliament (MP) behind the Powers of Attorney Bill has said. Currently, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) lawyers can participate in the creation of a power of attorney (POA) but cannot certify as genuine a […]
UK population ‘gambling with £5.5tn inheritance’
Over half of the UK is “gambling with inheritance” through not having in a will in place, new research has revealed. According to Quilter, 57% of people are without a will, leaving their family finances open to challenge when they pass away. Of those that do have a will, the majority (53%) have not updated […]
Pledged legacy donations soar despite cost of living crisis
Pledged charitable bequests soared during 2022 in spite of the cost of living crisis, according to new research. Specifically, figures from Farewill suggest legacy giving pledges included in wills increased by 8.7% year-on-year in 2022. The will writing firm said the average sum of primary gifts increased in every age bracket from 41 to 80 […]
Changes to the Treasure Act 1996: Impacts on those inheriting treasure
The government has announced changes to the definition of what constitutes treasure – and the changes have implications for those inheriting treasure. Under the current definition set out within the Treasure Act 1996, newly discovered artefacts can only be legally classified as treasure if they are more than 300 years old and made of precious […]
People more willing to discuss death in wake of pandemic – study
A post-pandemic poll on the UK population’s attitudes to life and death has found over a quarter are now more likely to discuss their final wishes and funeral plans with family. This rises to nearly a third of over-55s and is even more prevalent for women (29%) than men (24%). As well as this, one […]
How can legal professionals support clients with dementia?
In recognition of the upcoming Dementia Action Awareness Week from 16th to 22nd May 2023, it could not be a more pertinent time for legal professionals to consider how they can best support their clients who are affected by dementia. One in three people born in the UK will go on to develop dementia during […]
Setting up a paralegal practice
Before setting out to deliver paralegal services direct to businesses and consumers, there are several issues to consider. These include qualifications and experience, demand for the services you would offer, and how you would grow your business. Qualifications Clients want to be sure that the person handling their (frequently delicate) legal issues is competent to […]
Widow wins half of £1m estate despite being cut out of will
A widow has won half of her late husband’s £1 million estate despite his will entirely excluding her and their four daughters. Harbans Kaur, the widow, married Karnail Singh in 1955. Singh wrote his will in 2005 before dying in 2021 following 66 years of marriage. In his will, he expressed his wishes to leave […]
