TikTok or TikNot? Should law firms invest in social media?
Newly released research suggests law firms are spending around a quarter of their marketing on social media advertising, despite nearly one in four partners dismissing it as a ‘waste of time.’ “TikTok or TikNot? Law firms in the social media age” is the 10th year legal marketing collective First4Lawyers have carried out its research into […]
EastEnders misrepresented legal process cause for concern
Private client law membership body The Association of Lifetime Lawyers has raised concerns about what it describes as misrepresentation of legal process in a recent episode of EastEnders. In the episode, one of the characters announces to his family that his will has been signed and “sealed” by his solicitor. The concern raised by the […]
Common Questions about Islamic Wills
When discussing Islamic wills and how they interact with UK law, several common questions arise. Muslims in the UK often face unique challenges in balancing their religious obligations with the legal framework of the country. Mariam Khan has been providing Islamic Will services since 2018 with qualifications in Islamic inheritance jurisprudence, alongside a master’s in […]
Legal service comparisons between England and Wales
Comparisons between consumer sentiment in England and Wales have been published identifying broadly positive views of the accessibility, trust and quality of legal services in the two countries. Legal Services Consumer Panel’s Tracker Survey is a report into the key similarities and differences between the procurement and experience of legal services in England and Wales. […]
Understanding the Evolving Space of Wills and Estate Administration
Helen Forster is Director at HTF Legal Limited, solicitor and Trusts and Estates Practitioner The nature of our society continues to evolve and this means the risks to consider when it comes to Will writing, estate administration and Will bank management have changed in recent years too. Traditional family units have modified, people are living […]
YouTube channel to showcase the work of genealogy and probate research
A genealogy and probate research firm will appear on a newly launched YouTube channel to explore the world of family history and estate inheritance. London-based Fraser and Fraser will feature on Probate TV’s series “Lineage,” a series of short case studies navigating complex probate cases, uncovering long-lost family members, and reuniting heirs with their rightful […]
The challenge of pension valuations in probate
Some aspects of managing a deceased estate are easier than others, especially when it comes to valuing assets. Putting a value to a property, for example, may appear easy on paper, but finding two surveyors who agree on anything is similar to the old joke about economists: if you have 10 economists in a room, […]
WillSuite’s 2024 Annual Report reveals surprising trends in estate planning
The release of WillSuite’s 2024 Annual Report has provided a comprehensive look into the intricate landscape of will drafting across England and Wales. Drawing from data sourced from over 200,000 wills and 140,000 Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), the report sheds light on key demographics, emerging trends, and notable statistics within the estate planning industry. […]
Business Branding vs Personal Branding
Over the last few weeks, Legal Growth Founder – Tom Stansfield has been traveling up and down the country attending client meetings, hosting training for law firms, attending conferences and meeting prospective clients. Some of this has been documented on both the Legal Growth socials but also on Tom’s… Why? It’s all about business branding, […]
Calling for pre-paid probate regulation
We recently wrote about the welcome regulation of funeral plan providers by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It has become painfully clear how crucial regulation is after the company Safe Hands went into administration earlier this year. Their customers’ funeral plans have been voided and it is likely that no more than 20% of their […]
Podcast: Prepaid Probate… what’s it all about?
In this latest Today’s Wills and Probate podcast David Opie is joined by the CEO of Probate Protect, Chris Cauvain. Chris discusses the professional, and personal, journey which has led him to setting up a prepaid probate business alongside his business partners. With the regulation of funeral planning nearly upon us, is prepaid probate the […]
Today’s Training partners with HTF Legal
Today’s Wills and Probate has partnered with Helen Forster of HTF Legal to provide live and on-demand legal training for private client practitioners and willwriters. Today’s Training was launched in 2020 with the intention of providing a “value add” service for readers of Today’s Wills and Probate and Today’s Conveyancer. Covering a range of topics […]
Law Society: UK-Mexico trade talks should lock in legal services market access
The UK has started its free trade agreement (FTA) talks with Mexico, with solicitors’ leaders hoping negotiators will lock in current legal services market access and increase trade in other sectors. The International Trade Secretary launched negotiations on a new UK-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (FTA) alongside her Mexican counterpart, Tatiana Clouthier, in London last week. […]
Leaseholders on fixed retirement incomes could be denied equity release
New analysis reveals 450,000 homeowners in England and Wales are at risk of becoming mortgage prisoners because their leases have run down to less than 75 years, the crucial threshold for mortgage finance, including lifetime mortgages. The data compiled by Lifetime Mortgage Gateway Logistics (LMGL) shows there are currently an estimated 400,000 leaseholders in England […]
How UWOs help in the fight against money laundering
Unexplained wealth orders (UWOs) were introduced four years ago to help tackle the problem of money laundering by high-net worth individuals, often with foreign and political connections. The concept of recovery of criminal proceeds has persisted in the UK for some time. Tools such as a civil recovery order have been available and commonly used […]
Charities “miss out on £940 million tax relief”
Hard-pressed charities could be missing out on over £940 million a year as generous donors fail to claim tax relief on the money they give, new research from Handelsbanken Wealth Management & Asset Management shows. Charity Commission data shows 60% of organisations have suffered a drop in income during the pandemic. The nationwide study found […]
Digital go-live for subject access requests
Requests for personal information can now be made through a new digital service. A new digital service allowing individuals to request personal information is now available which aims to improve the user experience for subject access requests (SARs). The process allows individuals to request information held by the Legal Aid Agency and other parts of […]
Two-thirds plan to adopt “flexi-retirement” lifestyle
Latest research from abrdn reveals that two-thirds of those planning to retire this year will work part-time to keep up with the rising cost of living. The research, which surveyed 2,000 Brits showed that many would-be retirees are considering part-time work with two-thirds (66%) planning to remain in some form of employment in 2022 compared […]
IDR Law: Martin P Holdsworth on the rise of contentious probate and the IDR Network
Today’s Wills and Probate sat down with Martin P Holdsworth, Founder and Director of specialist contentious wills and probate firm IDR Law, to discuss the recent increase in contentious probate cases, IDR Law’s newest innovation – the IDR Network (IDRN) and Martin’s take on the future of the contentious probate industry. Today’s Wills and Probate: […]
Case commentary: Fellner v Cleall
Removing an executor and obtaining costs – Fellner v Cleall [2021] EWHC 3599 (Ch) The dispute A recent case heard in the High Court demonstrates the risks which personal representatives face in proceeding to obtain a grant when there is an ongoing will dispute and in the face of opposition from the beneficiaries. I recently […]
