Matilda Battersby is a freelance journalist and editor, and a senior reporter at the Today’s Media titles. She worked at The Independent newspaper for many years, but has also worked at The Times, Evening Standard, Telegraph and I newspapers since going freelance in 2015. Her specialisms are property and books, having worked extensively for various trade property magazines and The Bookseller magazine. She is based in East London.
The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed the government’s new anti-money laundering and recovery strategy, but has warned about the potential for “increased burden” and duplication of work for solicitors and firms. The
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is urging all charity trustees and professional advisers to check new rules for accounting that apply from this year. Changes to the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has fined a solicitor more than £20,000 for “a reckless disregard to the risk of harm and his regulatory obligations” over five years. Bryn Roberts, a sole practitioner at Evan
Almost a third of people without a will believe they have nothing worth leaving behind, new research reveals. A national poll of almost 2,000 respondents commissioned by the charity Will Aid suggests 67% of adults
The incoming Law Society president has called for greater openness around disability in the legal sector. Brett Dixon, who will take up the post from October 2026, said improving disability inclusion is one of the
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has provisionally struck off the director of a financial services business after he was found to have “recklessly” provided pension transfer advice he was unqualified to give. The FCA has
The Law Society of England and Wales has warned that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) complaints handling proposals could “increase administrative burden without delivering clear benefits for consumers”. The SRA recently consulted for a second
Adult children living at home could cost their parents a combined £17 billion if they don’t pay rent, Key Equity Release estimates. Rising numbers of adult children living with their parents in the UK are
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned that grieving families could be hit with up to £3,200 in fines due to “misunderstandings” in understanding their tax obligations. HMRC is issuing an educational letter as a
The Law Society has raised “serious concerns” over proposed changes to fees for the Legal Ombudsman. The 12 week consultation period on The Office for Legal Complaints’s (OLC) proposed changes to the Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO)
New research shows that 94% of lawyers use Artificial Intelligence (AI) for legal work, with 74% using it at least once a week and 34% using it every day. One in 10 (10%) of the
A former director of Axiom Ince has been struck off and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs for amending an invoice to give “the misleading impression” of a discount. Toby Richard Matthews admitted to dishonestly
Women are four times less likely to get help with the admin of death, with newly published research showing men were four times more likely than women to pay a professional to handle estate admin.
Nearly a quarter of the population of England and Wales lives in an area classed as a ‘legal aid desert’, new research reveals. Analysis of local authority data by LexisNexis suggests that 14.49 million people,
Alex Norris has become the first non-lawyer to be granted the post of Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice in a Labour government. The MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley, who on Monday
A firm has been fined over £12,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for misconduct in handling client money, while a solicitor has received a rebuke for misconduct in the administration of an estate. Kings
Potential care costs are the biggest retirement concerns among over-55s, new research suggests. A survey of 2,174 UK adults, conducted by YouGov for UK wealth management firm Mattioli Woods, highlights that that while over-55s are
MPs are calling for the threshold for when a probate fee becomes payable to be quadrupled from £5,000 to £20,000. In June, the government announced probate application fees will rise to £526, an increase of
Almost half of homeowners (47%) described themselves as “just getting by” financially, yet their estimated estates are well above the current Inheritance Tax (IT) threshold. New research by high-interest savings platform Flagstone shows that of
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data reveals the number of Black judges has remained “disappointingly stagnant”. The diversity of the judiciary statistics for 2026 show Black judges make up only 1.6% of the judiciary, up slightly
A solicitor who failed to complete a Firm Closure Notification (FCN) after being repeatedly contacted by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has been suspended from practice for two years. A Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) fined
The widow of a “giant of the legal profession in Birmingham” has lost her appeal against a 28-day suspended prison sentence for contempt. Sophie Fleming was previously found to have harassed the executors of her
Pension firms must do more for customers in older pensions and fund savings, according to the financial services regulator. In a multi-firm review of consumer duty price and value practices, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Retirement options and later life lending are being complicated by the rising numbers of older people getting divorced, according to Key Equity Release. The divorce rate among those aged 65+ has doubled since the early
One in four over 55s have never discussed inheritance, new research suggests. The research by YouGov for wealth management and employee benefits firm Mattioli Woods highlights a persistent reluctance among over-55s in the UK to
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) proposals to improve access to later life lending products for older borrowers have been welcomed as “positive” and “pragmatic” by Key Equity Release. Key warns, however, that proposed changes to
Half of women working in legal services say their current working pattern is unsustainable for their long-term health. A majority (67%) of women lawyers have considered moving jobs or taking a career break due to
New research reveals that across every form of contact, law firms scored themselves significantly higher for customer service than customers did. A survey of 200 law firms and 5,000 consumers discovered the gap between business
The Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) has urged HMRC to rethink key aspects of its proposed inheritance tax (IHT) framework for pensions. The representative body for providers is warning that the current approach places unrealistic
The majority of UK homeowners above the inheritance tax (IHT) threshold haven’t calculated their potential liability, new research reveals. A survey by Censuswide on behalf of Flagstone, also reveals that 20% of estate holders may
New salary research has revealed the biggest disparity in pay begins four years after lawyers have qualified. Realm’s 2026 Private Client Salary Guide explores salary benchmarks from a survey of 1,000 lawyers and experts across
The former CEO of National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), who “fought tirelessly” for better recognition of paralegals in the UK, has announced she is retiring. Amanda Hamilton (pictured), who is credited with transforming the