Elizabeth Pender

Case Study: Landmark ruling on High Net Worth Divorce: Standish v Standish

Supreme Court of the United Kingdom located in Parliament Square in Westminster, London, England. It is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil and criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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…

Myth busting :  I can contest a Will at any time

Man holding papers and looking at them while sitting on the sofa at home

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…

BBC Panorama investigation into conditional selling by Estate Agents

Woman looking at properties for sale in estate agent window.

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.…

Penderlaw’s triple win at Cornwall Law Society Awards

Cornwall Law Society Awards 2025 Penderlaw Team

We’re absolutely thrilled that both Tegan Pownall and Alice Vage won awards at this year’s Cornwall Law Society Awards! Cornwall Law Society’s prestigious annual awards ceremony took place on Friday, 13th June at Truro Cathedral. The ceremony is a glamourous black-tie occasion, bringing together lawyers from all over the county and a chance to celebrate…

So, why haven’t you got a Will?

Important not urgent maybe.  You’ll get around to it sometime.  Too young perhaps? According to a recent survey*, 67% of adults don’t have a Will, or have a Will which is out of date.  If you die without a Will you can leave those you love most with uncertainty, not to mention a huge administrative…

Making a Will with Dementia

A question our team often get asked is what to do when a relative loses capacity without having made a Will. For a Will to be valid, a person must usually be deemed to ‘have capacity’ at the time of signing it. Solicitor Lucy Wilton, and Litigation Executive Claire Lockwood, explain the options available when…