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Irwin Mitchell has announced it will combine with Scotland-based law firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie in an effort to strengthen its presence north of the border. The two firms working in collaboration will provide a
The coming week (11th – 17th September) marks the beginning of Remember A Charity Week which will see all things charitable legacies take centre stage. Taking place every September, Remember A Charity Week is described
The public has been warned of the dangers of “cowboy” will writers by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) following the publication of its new report on the unregulated will writing sector. According
Financial gifts from family members are now supporting a third of property transactions, new research from Legal & General has found. This is expected to total some 318,400 transactions by the end of 2023, a
The children of a “cruel and spiteful” property tycoon have failed in challenging their father’s £6 million will after the man, who once hired a hitman to kill his wife, cut them out of his
The government’s inheritance tax (IHT) take is “on course to break new records” as HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) receipts continue to soar, it has been suggested. New figures published by the government this week
SRA regulation of CILEX lawyers risks confusing consumers when trying to choose the right legal services, the Law Society of England and Wales has said. This comes in response to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
An option for attendees to book seating at an alcohol-free table has seen a legal awards ceremony gain plaudits from thousands of users on LinkedIn. The British Wills and Probate Awards, hosted by Today’s Media,
Salaries for lawyers who moved firms last year increased by three times as much as those for lawyers who stayed loyal to their firms, according to new research by legal recruitment consultancy Realm Recruit. As
Probate application delays remained the order of the day in June with applications taking an average of nearly four months, new data has revealed. Specifically, the timeliness between submission and grant for all probate applications
National law firm Irwin Mitchell has announced that its Group Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Tucker, passed away last Wednesday following an “unexpected illness”. Tucker had been part of Irwin Mitchell for nearly 40 years, joining
A London law firm has announced the integration of sign language and video relay into its provision of legal services, something it describes as “a first for law firms globally”. Culver Law specialises in tax
Aspiring solicitors should be paid £23,122 outside of London and £26,068 in London for qualifying work experience (QWE) for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) or during their training contract, the Law Society of England and
Following the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) decision to launch an investigation into unregulated legal services, the feeling from within the industry is – somewhat predictably – mixed. One of the CMA’s focuses is will
A “home loan” scheme designed to avoid inheritance tax (IHT) saw the executors of the estate narrowly miss incurring a double IHT charge following a recent challenge by HM Revenue & Customs. The deceased, Leslie
The director of a now dissolved will writing firm described as a “serial scammer” is finally set to appear in court to face fraud charges. Alana Benson will be joined by six other defendants relating
The government has issued a reminder to bereaved parents that those who lost their partner between 9th April 2001 and 8th February 2023 may be eligible for backdated government payments. This comes after Bereavement Support
It is “unlikely” that lasting power of attorney (LPA) application timescales will return to eight weeks anytime soon, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has said. Speaking during a meeting with industry body the
Will writing and pre-paid probate are the focus of a new review into unregulated legal services, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced. The review comes amidst concerns that not all providers are complying
The number of UK deaths resulting in an inheritance tax (IHT) charge increased by 17% to 27,000 estates in the tax year 2020-21 from the previous period, new data released by HM Revenue & Customs
HM Revenue & Customs has been called upon to “urgently clarify” its proposals to significantly change the tax treatment of beneficiary pensions. Jon Greer, head of retirement policy at Quilter, described the way the proposals
44% of individuals with assets totalling £1 million or more have not sought any advice on inheritance tax planning, a new study has revealed. What’s more, according to research conducted by Investec Wealth & Investment,
Talbots Law has acquired Wright Solicitors in what has been described as a “massive boost to [the] Black Country legal landscape”. The acquisition by Talbots – which is owned by its now over 400 employees
HMCTS has launched its latest survey to gather feedback on how it communicates and engages with court and tribunal users including legal professionals, the advice sector, contractors and criminal justice partner. With the justice system
Interest rate rises on unpaid inheritance tax are a “stealth tax” and a substitute for actual inheritance tax rate rises, it has been suggested. The current interest rate on unpaid inheritance tax is 7.5% having
New data has revealed that nearly 130,000 lasting power of attorney applications have been rejected over the last five years due to mistakes. According to Freedom of Information (FOI) data obtained by Quilter, there were
The delays affecting probate applications are at their worst point since 2019, new data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has revealed. The MoJ said that during the first quarter of 2023 there were 69,000
STEP, PDF & SFE welcome ruling that court-appointed deputies are not personally liable for a firm’s unrecovered costs Industry bodies have welcomed a recent judgment that found a solicitor does not have to pay her
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has updated its “Use an LPA” and “View an LPA” service so that users can now view the details of instructions and preferences in a lasting power of
The government has confirmed that it has laid a Statutory Instrument to set a new Statutory Legacy (fixed net sum) of £322,000 which will come into effect on 26th July 2023. The Statutory Legacy is
New data released by the Ministry of Justice has revealed that the number of lasting powers of attorney (LPA) registered in the first quarter of 2023 is up 33% on the same period last year.
The Law Society of England and Wales has set out its vision for the “important role” that the legal profession must play in the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), including the implementation of standards and