The probate bottleneck: What’s stalling legal services?
The probate and estate administration landscape are more challenging than ever for legal service providers. Amid increasing client demand and growing caseload complexities, over 50% of legal professionals report struggles with workload and resource shortages, as highlighted in Exizent’s 2024 Bereavement Index. These capacity constraints not only hinder firms’ ability to serve clients effectively but […]
Oral shareholder agreement can override will, rules EWHC
An oral agreement among shareholders regarding the transfer of shares upon death can be valid and binding, the England and Wales High Court (EWHC) has ruled. The court determined that such an agreement may not only supersede a company’s articles of association but also override the terms of a deceased person’s will. STEP reported that […]
Over 40% of new mortgages extend beyond retirement age
Data from the Bank of England, obtained by LCP partner and former pensions minister Steve Webb, reveals a significant shift in the mortgage market. In the second quarter of 2024, just over two in five new mortgages had terms extending beyond the borrower’s pension age. This marks a notable increase from the end of 2021, […]
‘Poor communication and delays’ among top complaints from wills and probate customers, say Legal Ombudsman
Poor communication, delays and progression failures are among the top grievances cited by consumers using wills and probate services. The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) have published their annual report on customer complaints, collecting case studies and customer feedback to paint a picture of areas that need improving within the legal landscape. According to LeO’s data, the […]
Using web-based technology to your advantage
Using web-based technology can be a great way to streamline your client data input processes, control formatting, and manage data cleansing, all for a relatively low cost. Over the past two years, we have worked closely with James Hadley of KingsGuard Legal, to utilise web-based technology to deliver clean, simple solutions to assist with different […]
Statutory interest on pecuniary legacies within Wills
As a general rule, interest (not compound) is payable on a pecuniary legacy (the gift of a specific sum of money) in a Will starting on the date the legacy is due to be paid. If the legacy in question is an immediate legacy which the deceased testator wanted to be paid to the legatee […]
Diary of a Private Client Practitioner
People have often commented about how dry and technical private client law is, and it is often viewed as being ‘dull’ and ‘boring’. Even at university when I was sitting in my trust’s lectures, I had no idea (and hadn’t even thought of it as a possibility) that it was an area in which I […]
