Blog

Protecting yourself when appointing an Attorney for your LPA

You may have seen several stories in the news lately regarding abuse of Lasting Power of Attorney. We therefore thought it would be a good idea discuss the issues raised and put them in context. Leah Chenoweth, Solicitor at Penderlaw, discusses the topic and how to protect yourself when appointing an attorney. A recent BBC…

How do I contest a Will?

The death of a loved one is one of the hardest things in life to go through. If there is also a dispute over their Will, this can make it even more distressing. You may feel that they were not of sound mind when they made their Will or perhaps even were unduly influenced or…

Building an extension?  7 fundamentals to get right.

Whether you’re buying a house with lots of potential that you want to make the most of, or have decided against moving in favour of extending your existing home, there is a lot to consider when building an extension.  Solicitor Demelza Dunstan highlights the legal pitfalls to avoid when extending your property. Building an extension…

Separation without Divorce – What you need to know

The prospect of divorce is never an enticing one, and many separated couples may wonder whether they really need to take the final, decisive and potentially costly step to legally end their marriage.  Rachel Macwilliam, Family Law Solicitor at Penderlaw Solicitors, explores the topic of separation without divorce. Choosing separation rather than divorce Separation, conscious…

How to avoid a divorce like Brangelina

Once the golden couple of Hollywood, it was reported recently by the BBC that after 8 years of wrangling, Brad and Angelina are finally divorced. Whilst most of us have less complicated lives (not to mention fewer kids and less stuff to fight over!) it is still sad when we see couples making their divorces…

The January Divorce Phenomenon

It is a truth universally acknowledged that sadly January is the busiest month of the year for family lawyers and is sometimes described as the January divorce phenomenon. The festive period, which comes with the pressures of spending increased time with loved ones can often prove too much for a relationship to bear and those…

Diddly Squat? IHT, Trusts & Clarkson’s Farm

“People like me will simply put it in a Trust and, as long as I live for seven years, that’s fine.” Jeremy Clarkson So said Jeremy Clarkson when clashing with the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire in typically flamboyant style when protesting with farmers about Labour’s changes to IHT relief for farmers. A substantial increase of tax…

We’ve adopted a donkey!

We have decided that instead of sending piles of Christmas cards this year, we would adopt a donkey from the Flicka Foundation. Flicka are a local donkey sanctuary based near Penryn. We had a vote in the office which was won by the festively named Sparkle! Sparkle arrived at Flicka in spring 2020 with her…

Wills and Divorce – What you need to know.

Our team often get asked about the impact of divorce on existing legal arrangements such as Wills. Rachel Macwilliam, Solicitor in our family law team, explores the topic of Wills and Divorce. Should I wait until after my divorce to update my Will? When you’ve made the momentous decision to get divorced, making a new…

What are the grounds for contesting a Will?

Everyone’s Will should be a true reflection of their wishes. However, sometimes situations arise where it is thought that this has not been the case. Tegan Pownall explores the subject of how to deal with inheritance disputes, contesting a Will and what is referred to in legal terms as contentious probate. In simple terms, if…