The organisation responsible for maintaining professional standards within the legal software industry has recently appointed a new chair person. Craig Matthews, CEO of Pracctice Ltd has been appointed as the new chair of the Legal
The Guardianship Act, also known as Claudia’s Law, will come into law at the end of July 2019, the Ministry of Justice confirmed on Friday. The new legislation allows families to take financial control of
Experienced solicitor, Keith Smart, boasting over 40 years’ experience, has been struck off by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) for excessively overcharging probate clients £168,771 Between 2016 and May
The threat of a light summer breeze brushes through the lush vegetation and gently sways through the enveloping trees protecting the stark grey stoned Victorian church. Once upon a time, this Northumberland church setting with
Research has indicated that 33% of the world’s adult population have a social media account of some description, yet few have considered the implications of what happens to their online data after they die. Facebook
The retirees of tomorrow are less likely to look upon their property as an inheritance they will pass on after they die. According to the Equity Release Council’s report, ‘Beyond bricks and mortar: the changing
Deaths registered in the opening quarter of 2019 have significantly decreased by 14% since the same period in 2018. The 134,337 deaths registered in the opening quarter of 2019 represented 5,497 fewer deaths than the
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill was introduced to the House of Commons last week. Once the Bill is enacted, those within failing marriages will be able to divorce without having to blame their partner.
In the past year legacy income has increased by 10%, exceeding £3 billion for the first time. Whilst many were concerned that legacy income would struggle until a definitive Brexit outcome is reached, 2017’s total
The current Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary, James Brokenshire, has claimed that first-time buyers (FTBs) should be permitted to use their pension pot to help fund the deposit needed to buy their
In the past three months, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have issued 12 scam alerts concerning probate, inheritance or customer entitlement to money. Just yesterday, Tuesday 11th June 2019, the SRA disclosed that a member
A man has been jailed for 18 years after killing his brother following an intense inheritance dispute. According to Direct Line research, the number of Wills and probate disputes making their way to HM Courts
Newcastle based law firm, Muckle, have increased their private client offerings with the appointment of a new lawyer to their growing team. Christian Swinburne is an experienced practitioner in private client legal services, specialising in
The role of an executor can be fraught with peril as the personal representative (PR) is tasked with consolidating a lifetime of assets and liabilities. Often, the deceased may have the foresight to appoint an
A proverbial tug-of-war involving the legendary French singer, Johnny Hallyday’s, $100 million estate is reaching an exciting climax as new technology and social media is being used as evidence. French and American intestacy laws have
A 14-year-old British girl, grieving the sudden and unexpected loss of her father, has also been denied her £500,000 inheritance by a Dubai court. Pedro Dos Santos, a former HSBC banker, had left the generous
The Wills and Estate Planning sector was shaken at the end of May following two separate convictions for dishonesty and fraud. Michael Collier, a sole practitioner facing financial pressures at the turn of the decade,
Following strict instructions as to what should happen to a Virginia woman’s pet dog after she died, a poor unfortunate Shia Tzu, in the pinnacle of health, was euthanized so that it could be buried
Charities will be given less than six weeks to prepare for the new Wills Notification service. HM Courts and Tribunals Service have confirmed that the charity sector will not be offered any further details on
Experts have warned that 0.8% of the world’s GDP or around $600 billion is lost to cyber crime each year, yet reports suggest the legal sector is ill prepared for dealing with and preventing cyber
The High Court has ruled in favour of a cleaner who is set to inherit more than £400,000 of her deceased employer’s estate. Leonora De Costa had worked for Harold Tickner, ex Savoy Head Waiter,
A sophisticated solicitor who spent the final five years of a twenty-five-year legal career acting dishonestly by unlawfully amending client Wills and stealing over £200,000, has been jailed for four years and two months. Mold
A care worker has discovered he is the sole benefactor of a country manor house following a DNA test. Many of us fantasise about winning the lottery or inheriting a fortune from an unknown relative
Following a decade of consistently rising house prices and favourable pension schemes, around 1 million people aged over 60-years are teetering on the precipice of an Inheritance Tax (IHT) black hole. Unbeknown to the estate
A legal firm specialising in Wills, trusts, probate and estate planning have made the bold decision to reduce their working week to four days in a bid to improve the customer experience. Plymouth based firm,
Today’s Wills & Probate (Part of the Practical Vision Network), have launched a sentiment survey in association with Lawyer Checker to understand firms engagement with cyber risk. If it is not already, protecting your firm
In 2013, the Law Commission conducted a public consultation on the contents of the 12th programme of Law Reform. Based on the consultation, leading representative legal bodies highlighted where the Victorian law is failing modern
As the August 29th deadline for Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) compensation claims draws ever nearer, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) have released a briefing note warning executors, administrators and estate administration providers
The Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) are attending a meeting with Smee & Ford tomorrow morning, Thursday May 22nd, to discuss the issues involved with a change over from the current service to whatever iteration
The Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2018 was once again set for a provisional hearing yesterday in the House of Commons. However, it was inevitably overlooked as more pressing governmental business took precedence. The Secretary of
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) confirm that the average time to process an application for probate is currently taking over 30 working days. HMCTS have been under intense scrutiny recently as a flock
A carer with previous criminal convictions for dishonesty offences has been jailed for attempting to defraud over £60,000 from the 65-year-old vulnerable man with extreme learning difficulties she was employed to help. June Sanderson, also