A worried-looking older man sits at a kitchen table holding a bill, with a laptop in front of him

The Law Society of England and Wales has warned proposals in the Finance Bill could put personal representatives (PRs) at greater financial risk. The warning echoes the concerns raised by the House of Lords Economic

An open laptop with the words 'life insurance' on the screen

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published the interim findings of its competition review of pure protection products and found that, for those consumers that have taken out protection insurance, the market mostly works well.

three disks with simple drawings of a human brain, an AI brain, and the scales of justice

The use of AI in legal work is increasing the speed at which junior lawyers work, but has “significant implications” on how they learn and develop legal judgement, new research suggests. The findings from LexisNexis

An older couple with a laptop, file of papers, phone and papers spread on the table in front of them

The latest figures from the Equity Release Council reveal an 11% rise in lending, up to £2.57 billion in 2025 from £2.3 billion in 2024. A quarter of advisers (26%) responding to the ERC’s latest

Claire Cox

The High Court has overturned a 2014 will at the centre of a long-running family dispute, in a case which clarifies the law on testamentary capacity and mental illness. Claire Cox (pictured), partner at Gloucestershire

A man and a woman sit on opposite sides of a desk in conversation, with a pile of papers and a laptop between them

The latest Spotlight article from the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) focuses on early resolution, with practical steps for legal service providers to follow to resolve complaints at first tier. Clear communication, timely responses and proportionate remedies

Law Society sign on Chancery Lane

Following the announcement that 96 barristers have been appointed as new King’s Council (KC) in England and Wales, the Law Society of England and Wales says it is “extremely disappointed” that no solicitors have been

A young couple examine a form being shown to them by a solicitor

A new survey from Irwin Mitchell suggests a lack of clarity and legal transparency over digital assets is leading young people to seek protection through pre-nuptial agreements. The survey of 1,000 UK asset holders aged

Peter Thompson Clozesure

Executors selling residential property included within an estate will be guaranteed the full sale price if the buyer pulls out after contracts have been exchanged, in a new service which aims to mitigate the risks

The exterior of Kingston Crown Court

A report from the Institute for Government (IfG) on the potential impact of government plans to restrict jury trials reveals the changes would “unlock only relatively modest reductions in demand”. Instead, the IfG says, the

A small wooden house on a desk with a woman holding her hands protectively over the house

Research from international financial services group Canada Life suggests three quarters of homeowners planning for their retirement are not factoring in equity release from property. The survey of 2,000 adults aged 40 and over found

A group of judges in traditional clothes

The Judiciary of England and Wales has published its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030, which sets out its priorities for expanding the diversity of the judiciary, particularly the number of Black judges. The Judiciary said

The exterior of the Royal Courts of Justice

The behaviour of beneficial owners of land held on trust for a family member was “so unreasonable that it should have costs consequences” in a “pointless” battle over an application for registration of title to

A close-up of the WhatsApp logo on a phone screen

A High Court judge in a test case involving a dispute over the ownership of property belonging to a former husband and wife has ruled WhatsApp messages are not legally binding signatures in the transfer

The Law Society sign shot from below

The Law Society of England and Wales has backed the Online Procedure Rule Committee’s (OPRC) first Online Procedure Rules, as the consultation to seek views on the draft rules drew to a close yesterday. The

Richard Orpin

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has appointed Richard Orpin (pictured) as its new chief executive officer (CEO). Orpin joined the LSB in 2023 as director of regulation and policy and has almost 20 years of

Ward Hadaway's managing partner Steven Petrie

Setfords, Knights and Ward Hadaway have reported strong growth in their latest financial results, with the latter enjoying record turnover of £53.6 million in 2025/25, up 11.6% year-on-year. The firm, which recently merged with Teesside

A red rubber stamp with the word 'suspended' on white paper

A junior solicitor has been suspended from practice for two years after deleting part of a colleague’s handover note in the administration of an estate. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard that Jack Alexander Williams, who

David Lammy

The government has set out proposals to use interest on lawyers’ client accounts as “a crucial source of funding” to support and enhance services in the justice system. Funds would be directed to “areas of

Tiles spelling out 'legal fees' next to a calculator and notepad and pen on a desk

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has updated its guideline hourly rates for solicitors, with a recommended 2.28% increase effective from 1 January. The increase will see the top hourly rate (a grade A fee

An older women at a table with a pile of bills and a calculator, holding open an empty purse

Divorced women typically have £53,160 less in pension savings than divorced men in the UK, with men walking away with £85,800 compared to £32,640 for divorced women. The research by Mercer, now:pensions and the Pension

Louise Miller

UK law firm Ward Hadaway has strengthened its private client team with the appointment of solicitor Louise Miller, who joins the firm as a partner. She joins at a period of continued expansion for the

The exterior of a magistrates court

The government is calling for “thousands of ordinary people from all walks of life” to help deliver justice by becoming magistrates. The Ministry of Justice said it is looking for “everyday heroes from all backgrounds”

Robert-Green-Partner-Lachlan-Donaldson-Partner-James-Kent-Partner-Joanna-Worby-Managing-Partner

Kent law firm Brachers has completed the acquisition of fellow Kent firm Gill Turner Tucker. The acquisition comes a year after Brachers’ partnership with private equity-backed Lawfront, in a deal which took the national group

Lawyers and finance experts have welcomed the government’s announcement that the Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs threshold will increase to £2.5 million from April, allowing spouses or civil partners to pass on up to £5

Today’s Wills and Probate is written for and about the sector, and we want to share the news and stories that are important to you. Take a look at our updated submission guidelines to find

The Law Society sign shot from below

With the deadline for responding to the draft business plan and budget of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) now passed, the Law Society of England and Wales has announced it has rejected the proposals. In November,

A hacker at a desk surrounded by screens, with graphics of credit cards overlaid

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today launched Firm Checker, a tool for consumers to quickly and easily check whether firms are authorised to provide financial services. Around 800,000 people reported losing money to investments

Image credit: David Lammy ©House of Commons

A new expert panel chaired by deputy prime minister David Lammy has met to discuss plans that will ensure the UK remains a leading global centre for legal services. Legal and business experts who make

Jonathan Rees

CILEx Regulation has published its new EDI strategy setting out its key objectives for the next three years, along with its Diversity Data Report for 2025. CILEx regulates chartered legal executive lawyers, other members of

A close-up of a Crown Court sign and crest

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy has announced plans to modernise the criminal courts and cut delays, in reforms he said would deliver ‘swift and fair’ justice for victims. But

Westminster

The rule of law is under threat from a lack of access to justice, mistrust of the legal profession and politicians, and a lack of education and knowledge, according to a new report from the

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