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Please come back for regular updates, articles and information relating to a variety of legal topics as well as firm news.
“It’s good to talk”………Why Mediation in Civil Disputes should increasingly be your first resort, rather than your last. What is Mediation? As you may know, Mediation is a voluntary and confidential form of...
Introduction. Many people find it uncomfortable to think about making a Lasting Power of Attorney, despite it being something that should provide you, your family and friends real peace of mind. In reality, the best time to make a Lasting Power of...
Helen Cojeen a Senior Solicitor and Head of the Child Care Department at Kingsfords Solicitors Limited, recently instructed Counsel to appear in the Court of Appeal when successfully appealing against an earlier decision of a local judge, HHJ Scarratt, who...
The implications of Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd v Medley Assets Ltd [2024] Background This recently reported case places back into focus the fact that the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 has been drawing it’s pension for some years now and...
Introduction Nobody likes to think about making a will, despite it being something that we all should act on. Around one in three people do not have a will, meaning that upon your death you are considered “intestate”. This is far from...
Background A review of the basis for determining financial remedies upon divorce, or the ending of a civil partnership, is currently being undertaken by the Law Commission. Some would say that it is has been a long time coming as the law for reaching...
Property transactions can often be complicated and require the expertise of an experienced conveyancer to provide guidance and support. However, we believe it is also important for potential homebuyers and sellers to have a comprehensive understanding of the...
What is Equity Release? If you are a home-owner, you can access some of the money invested in your home without having to move in one of 2 ways:- Lifetime Mortgage. This acts like a normal mortgage, being a loan secured against the value of your home....
Background A family bakery business in North Wales, employing nearly 1000 employees over its 4 sites has recently been found to have discriminated against an employee under Section 15 of the Equality Act 2010 . This section specifically relates to...
You may have ran into the new buzz phrase in the conveyancing world known as “On-line Conveyancing”, a process where the legal tasks involved are handled purely over the phone or on-line. In an increasingly busy world, this may seem an...
As Parliament is dissolved pre-election – what happens to legislation in the process of being put on the Statute Books? A snap election has been called with all eyes on the upcoming debates – leaving little time for the government’s...
“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is now.” Why quote this? Backtracking, the ideal time to think about what happens to a French property when the owner dies is before the purchase of the property. If you did...
Employment law evolves the fastest – whether by case authorities or new legislation. 2024 is no different, with a few new laws fast approaching. These include a law on “tipping” coming into effect from 1 st July 2024 under the Employment...
The General & Municipal Workers Union, reported to have in excess of 560,000 members in the UK across nearly all industrial sectors, has recently stepped up its actions against Amazon. It has issued a Class Action “Inducement Claim” in the...
Government Intentions There has been much recent speculation in the press and amongst opposing politicians as to whether the intended Renters Reform Act will receive Royal ascent, without having been watered down by a raft of potential changes. To recap,...
Before the probate process can begin, a Grant of Probate will need to be obtained. A Grant of Probate is a legal document that is issued by the Probate Registry, which is part of the court system. This document should be obtained by an executor who will be...
Wills are incredibly important legal documents, that outline how you would like your assets and debts to be distributed in the event of your death. Unfortunately, many people in the UK have yet to create a Will, which in the unfortunate event of an untimely...
The Competition Appeal Tribunal has had a busy time in 2024. In February permission has been granted to proceed to Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen in a Class Action seeking up to £3billion in damages for users holding Facebook accounts between 2016 and 2023. ...
Tesco has lost its appeal seeking to overturn a ruling that it had infringed Lidl’s trademark relating to its ubiquitous yellow circle design upon a blue square background. The action started in 2020 following Tesco’s use of a similar design to...
The final hurdle preventing a Class Action being brought against Apple in the UK, was successfully jumped on the 12th March. The Competition Appeal Tribunal approved the revised Litigation Funding deal under which noted consumer champion Justin Gutmann...
Family Law never stands still 2024 is unlikely to be any different as a number of important statutory changes will be seen, allied with a Law Commission Report landing in September. The Carers Leave Act 2024, coming into force this Spring will enable...
Despite ever expanding aspects being are conducted on-line, it is often the case that we have not really given thought to our own digital legacy when we die. Many elements of our lives including Social Media, on-line banking, savings, photographs, music,...
If you have had cause to visit any central or east Kent Hospitals last year, you may have bumped into our advert and associated content in the ‘ League of Friends Magazine ’ freely distributed to patients, their family, friends and visitors...
Insolvency experts at PwC believe that around 30,000 businesses will become insolvent in 2024. The hardest areas to be hit are likely to be in the hospitality, transportation, manufacturing and storage sectors. No business is free from risk, with even blue...
The recent ITV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office has drawn to the Public’s attention the fact that over 900 postmasters were wrongly criminally convicted of theft and false accounting as a consequence of the accounting defects within the...
Buying a new home is exciting, however the reverse is often true when selling a property. It takes roughly 2-3 months to sell, so apply these tips to attract potential buyers. 1. First Impressions are Essential It is important to ensure that the front of...
One of the questions we are most frequently asked by home movers is, how long does conveyancing take? We take a look at the process and the amount of time it might take until you can complete your sale or purchase. If you would like to move quickly, it is...
An Act making provision about the enforcement of child support maintenance and other maintenance received Royal Assent on 20 July becoming law. It seeks to up-date the 1991 Child Support Act and 2008 Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act, by...
This new Act makes provision about an employee’s entitlement to unpaid leave should they have caring responsibilities. The Act received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023 The Act introduces a statutory entitlement to grant employees, who are providing or...
Property transactions of any form are a huge milestone, but moving house is often especially exciting. One of the most asked questions that clients are keen to know is exactly how long does it take to move house? There is no way to calculate the exact...
Buying a new home is an exciting prospect, however, the reverse is often true for selling a property. Selling your house can feel like a daunting task, and for good reason. The average home takes roughly 2-3 months to sell and can be an incredibly complex...
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from one party to another. It's an essential step in any property transaction, and many homeowners are keen to know how much it contributes to the cost of buying a house. ...
Why you should consider making a Lasting Power of Attorney. If you have had cause to visit any central or east Kent Hospitals recently, you may have bumped into our advert and associated content in the ‘ League of Friends Magazine’ 2023- 2024...
Introduction It is becoming increasingly popular to buy property or land for development purposes at auction, as savvy buyers believe they may be able to secure property, or land at a price with real value for money. According to information supplied by...
The way property development projects are managed depends on the agreements made between the landowner and developer. These agreements demand considerable care and attention not just in the negotiation but also in the drafting. There are different types of...
When a commercial tenant’s lease expires complex legal issues can be created for the Landlord if the Tenant remains in occupation. To avoid these issues the Landlord should take the correct steps leading up to the expiry date to protect itself. ...
I have been a litigation lawyer for many years and for the past 6, or 7 I have had to grapple with the complexities of Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (‘SEND’) Law after my autistic children were diagnosed as such. From the very...
Firstly solicitors don’t bite and we are human (well most of us are!), I appreciate that visiting a solicitor can be a daunting prospect but we are very much here to help you so please do not be nervous. This guide highlights some of the things that...
(Corporate Insolvency & Governance Act 2020 (Coronavirus)) (Amendment of Schedule 10 Regulations 2021) The temporary insolvency restrictions previously put in place by the government to ease financial pressures on business are being lifted. Instead...
I think it is fair to say that most people are surprised when I advise that the court has the power to go behind the deceased’s will, even where there was nothing wrong with it. This is despite the principles of Inheritance (Provision for Family and...
Settlement agreements (formerly known as compromise agreements) in an employment context are presently widespread and set out binding terms agreed between an employer and employee covering the ending of the employment relationship. Often, they will arise...
Setting out the future on how residential buildings should be constructed and maintained The Building Safety Bill published on 5 July 2021 will create a clear pathway for the future of how residential buildings should be constructed and maintained. The...
What next for your business as we (hopefully) come out of Lockdown? Introduction On 26 June 2020 the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 came into force introducing measures to relieve the burden on businesses during the Coronavirus...
How can I make sure that someone I trust can speak for me or make decisions on my behalf in the future if I can’t (or don’t want to?) By making a legal document called a Lasting Power of Attorney (an LPA). There are two kinds: a...
When your partner faces the prospect of having to move into a care or nursing home it is an emotional and scary time. We often meet with families who are just overwhelmed not just emotionally but also with all the information, they have been given. This...
Supreme Court Judgment rules in favour of FCA's Business Interruption Insurance Test Case The Supreme Court delivered its judgment in the FCA’s Business Interruption Insurance Test Case on 15 January 2021. This has been welcomed as a lifeline...
The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (Coronavirus) (Extension of the Relevant Period) Regulations 2020 You may recall that the Government passed an Act in Parliament in June 2020 to support businesses in addressing the challenges arising...
Most people decide to make a Will when they have retired from the working world. Whilst for a small majority of people this may be fine for the rest of us it’s the wrong way to be thinking. Why? - let me give you a few examples of situations where a...
A Part 36 offer may be made at any time until judgment is handed down; including before proceedings having been issued. Although making an offer early on can be beneficial, it is wise to assess whether you are informed enough to make the offer if any...
Those who read my previous short article will be aware of the stay on possession claims imposed by CPR 55.29 was due to end on Sunday 23 August. At the mast minute, on 20 August 2020 the Lord Chancellor directed the Master of the Rolls and the Civil...
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