When drawing up your Will, one of the first things you will need to decide is who you would like to be your Executor. They should obviously be someone you trust completely but they also need to be someone who is capable of performing the role competently when the time comes. Alice Vage from our…
We published a blog a while back now discussing what happens to our digitally stored assets when we die – What will happen to your ‘Digital Life’ when you die? Apple have now created a feature which enables those with iPhones to appoint a digital Legacy Contact to make sure precious digital memories aren’t…
A recent high profile divorce case in the news, Standish v Standish, has resulted in a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court clarifying what should be classified as ‘matrimonial’ and ‘non-matrimonial’ assets. This is something that can be controversial in many divorces, not just those concerning multimillionaires! Background to Standish V Standish This case centred…
As awareness of term coercive control continues to grow, its impact is being recognised more and more frequently in divorce proceedings. Solicitor Tegan Pownall discusses coercive control and its impact on divorce. So, what is coercive control? Coercive control is a pattern of abusive behaviour used to dominate and control a person, that causes the victim…
This isn’t always the case. In general terms, there is no time limit for challenging the validity of a Will if you are concerned that the person making the Will did not have capacity, or was forced into making the Will, although if there has been a delay in contesting the Will, the court may…
A recent BBC Panorama undercover investigation has shone a spotlight on some disturbing dubious sales tactics being used by some estate agents. The investigation focused on the practice of conditional selling and of overvaluing properties to attract clients. Solicitor Demelza Dunstan from Penderlaw’s Property team explains these terms and outlines their implications on your purchase.…
Any divorce, amicable or not, is never a pleasant experience to go though. If things are acrimonious, or become so during the process, then it can often be a thoroughly emotionally draining experience. Even more so if there are children involved. If you find yourself in such a situation, choosing the right divorce solicitor to…
This is actually not true says Family Law Solicitor Rachel Macwilliam. Courts make their decision purely on what they see as being in the best interests of the child, and every case is different. The law itself does not impose bias but there has been a view in the past that courts made decisions based…
Our Disputes and Litigation team were recently instructed in a Will dispute where access to medical records was required to be able to prove whether the Will in question was valid. The issue was around whether the person who made the Will had capacity at the time the Will was made, something which could only…
No, you are not obligated to use the solicitor recommended by your mortgage provider says Samantha Bellamy from our Property team. Sam explores some of the matters you should consider when choosing a property solicitor. Freedom to choose While your mortgage provider may recommend a firm, you are free to choose your own solicitor. It’s…
