Bereavement Leave will help families to deal with life-changing challenges in child’s first year, says The Estate Registry
The Estate Registry (TER) welcomes the introduction of a statutory entitlement which applies when the mother or primary adopter of a child dies within the first year of its birth or adoption. The legislation provides for protected time away from work for the surviving partner to take on the child’s care. The new law, the […]
Scots reject assisted dying as bill defeated in Holyrood
The Scottish Parliament has rejected the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, voting by a majority of 12 MSPs to put paid to any further progress on legalising assisted dying in Scotland. The proposal, which had been brought by Liam MacArthur, would have allowed two doctors to confirm a person was terminally ill […]
Parents dispute the funeral arrangements of son who died by suicide
The High Court is considering a highly sensitive dispute between separated parents over the funeral arrangements of their 17‑year‑old son, who died by suicide in December 2025. The case centres on the religious beliefs of the parents and their right to seek burial in accordance with religious doctrine. Gabrielle Barbus died on 30 December 2025 […]
Graves could be reused under new Law Commission proposals
Graves could be reused and closed burial sites reopened under proposals published by the Law Commission. The commission’s final report of its review of burial and cremation law has made a number of recommendations aimed at “simplifying, clarifying, and modernising the law” to ensure it offers suitable protections to people arranging burials and cremations and […]
IHT ‘arbitrary, distortionary and expensive to administer’ and should be scrapped says Institute of Economic Affairs
Inheritance tax is “arbitrary, distortionary and expensive to administer” and should be scrapped, according to a recently published paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), because of the heavy burden it places on families alongside a discouragement of savings and investments. A Taxing Inheritance outlines how the UK’s IHT regime places it fifth highest […]
Property tycoon’s widow in £5m inheritance fight
The Brazilian-born former wife of a wealthy London property investor and restaurateur is fighting a £5million High Court battle to restore four properties to her husband’s estate and allow her and their children to inherit their full value. Gabriela Teixeira and Abbas Moaven and their two children Elis and Aryan, now 22 and 19, lived […]
AI is blurring boundaries on legal advice, new LSB chief exec warns
Richard Orpin, the new chief executive of the Legal Services Board, has hailed legal services as a “huge economic success story,” but warned that “AI is blurring the boundaries between regulated and unregulated legal advice.” Speaking at LegalEx London, Orpin (pictured) highlighted that the revenue generated by legal activities in the UK grew from £41.4 […]
What private client lawyers need to know about Medallion Signature Guarantees
Many estates and private investors outside North America hold shares listed in the United States or Canada. When these securities need to be transferred or sold, transfer agents often require a Medallion Signature Guarantee (MSG). This specialised certification confirms the identity and authority of the person signing documentation relating to the transfer of securities. It protects […]