The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is seeking views on new proposals for dealing with client complaints, which include changing when relevant information about the process must be provided and displaying the details prominently online. Although
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has responded to the Legal Services Board’s (LSB) Upholding Professional Ethical Duties consultation saying it feels annual training on ethics should be mandatory. The consultation, which closed on
Former journalist Dana Denis-Smith OBE has been elected as the new deputy vice president of the Law Society of England and Wales, taking office from October 2025. Denis-Smith OBE spent a decade as a journalist
The number of estates leaving legacies has risen by 22% year on year, contributing to a 9% overall growth in the legacy market which is now valued at £4.5bn according to the first Legacy Giving
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has been directed to take action by the Legal Services Board (LSB) in the wake of the independent review into the failure of Axiom Ince. In response to the report,
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has set out its expectations for service providers when dealing with third-party delays, which stress the importance of effective communication. The LeO says almost half of the complaints it receives are
A new bill passed by the Scottish Parliament will prevent anyone who isn’t licensed from using the title ‘lawyer’, following a 10-year campaign by the Law Society of Scotland. The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland)
The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed the government’s decision to partially fund level 7 apprenticeships for young people aged 16-21, but said providing opportunities for those aged over 21 is ‘critical’ to
A Southport based genealogist has become one of the first Chartered Paralegals under the new CILEX scheme after going through the pilot programme last year. Claire Miller of Langton Genealogy joins a small cohort of
All financial service providers should offer a death notification option for clients under the Consumer Duty rules. The tools already exist, says the owner of two bereavement notification services, and can be implemented voluntarily, without
Inheritance Tax receipts published by HMRC reveal April 2025 income stood at £97m higher than April 2024 at £800m continuing the recent upward trend driven by the ‘prolonged freeze’ on IHT thresholds and rising property
The ‘complex’ tax affairs of wealthy individual makes it difficult for HMRC to identify the tax they owe; but the agency says it has doubled the tax revenues it has collected over the past 12
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has said it will continue to ‘ratchet up the consequences’ of non-compliance with anti-money laundering regulations, as it released details of fines totalling almost £100,000 in the first two weeks of
‘Welcome’, ‘critical’ and ‘impactful’ are just three of the descriptions practitioners have used in response to the proposals put forward by the Law Commission in its long-awaited report on modernising wills law. Welcoming the report
Alternative legal platform providers, otherwise known as consultant-model law firms, continue to demonstrate ‘importance that lawyers are placing on autonomy, work-life balance, and the ability to build a practice supported by strong infrastructure’ say the
A survey has identified just 15% of parents discuss inheritance with their children, leading to warning of even more litigation in the future. A survey conducted by Irwin Mitchell suggests one in six parents over
In this episode of the Today’s Wills and Probate Podcast, host David Opie welcomes Sam Grice, founder of Octopus Legacy (formerly Guardian Angel), to discuss the origins, evolution, and future ambitions of one of the
Private equity backed DJH has announced the acquisition of the Private Wealth business of Stoke-headquartered Beswicks Legal; taking their tally to 13 acquisitions over the past three years. The professional services and accountancy group, which
It will ‘take time’ for the charity sector to fully understand the full implications of the proposed Wills Act submitted to the government for consideration following the publication of the Law Commission’s Modernising Wills Law
Private-equity backed Lawfront have announced the acquisition of Southern-based Trethowans taking the total fee income for the group to over £130m. The thirteenth acquisition is part of the group’s strategy to acquire large regional firms
The owner and manager of former London-based law firm Kingly Solicitors has been fined over £4 million for ‘serious’ and ‘intentional’ misconduct in the largest penalty the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has ever issued. Nurul
A mortgage lender for people 50 to 90 plus is calling for greater clarity and meaning on what ‘later life lending’ really means as it raises concerns it has become a synonym for equity release
One in ten people have no cash saving and one in five have less than £1,000 to draw upon in an emergency according to research conducted by the Financial Conduct Authority. The regulator said it
Following the announcement CILEX was has introduced a new ‘CILEX Chartered Paralegal’ qualification genealogical and probate research services firm Fraser and Fraser staff are amongst the first to have gone through a pre-approval process to
Estate planning and digital legal technology provider Arken have announced CEO Dave Newick will step down with immediate effect, to be replaced by Anthony Philips. Newick, a New Zealander, came to the UK to lead
The Law Commission has published its much-anticipated report into the modernisation of Wills law and testamentary freedom in which it outlines reform recommendations including the enablement of electronic wills; the abolition of the law that
The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of moving the assisted dying debate forward by a count of 70 to 56, with one abstention. The bill, which was tabled by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur,
The family of a millionaire who made his fortune in the health drinks industry have won an appeal to reinstate their claim to half his £18m estate. Alan Lorenz, a senior executive at nutritional supplements
The regulation of the funeral plan market has had a ‘profound and ongoing impact’ not just for funeral plan providers, but also for adjacent sectors like Over 50’s insurance. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was
An ‘unusual’ probate claim ended in farce as a woman who was falsely declared dead has appeared in court via video from her home in Nigeria to challenge fraudsters who registered a power of attorney
Paralegals will receive formal recognition under amendments to CILEX’s Royal Charter which bestows the title of CILEX Chartered Paralegal to professionals who can demonstrate they have worked in a legal role for over five years
Early bird entry to The British Wills and Probate Awards 2025 finishes today (Friday 16th May). The current discounted rate of £129 +VAT to enter the awards will increase from tomorrow to £169 +VAT. Each