Month: January 2021

Wills, Probate & Trust

Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) were replaced by Lasting Powers of Attorney in October 2007. If you made an EPA before 2007, this can still be used, however, if the donor (that is the person who made the EPA) has lost or is losing capacity, you will need to register the EPA with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used. An unregistered EPA can be used whilst the donor still has capacity.

Family Law

Family mediation is a process that resolves disputes involving children and/or financial issues following separation. The sessions are led by a fully trained, independent mediator who is neutral and will not take either side.

Family Law

As part of mediation week, we have put questions to our very own resident Family Mediator, Jennifer Goldstein. We are keen to find out more about family mediation and how it used to help separating couples. Jennifer is a Senior Partner at Samuel Phillips Law, specialising in Divorce and Family Law. She has been an accredited Family Mediator since 2015.

Employment

On Monday 4 January 2021, the Prime Minister announced that schools and colleges are to be closed to most pupils until at least half term in February. This last-minute change has, understandably, worried parents and employers.

Family Law

Taking place between 18 – 22 January 2021 is Family Mediation Week. The aim is to raise awareness of mediation and how it can help separating families reach an amicable agreement about family-based issues. Many couples going through a separation or a divorce do not know that mediation is an option for them.

Employment

The UK has struck a deal with the EU which at its heart sought to secure a tariff and quota-free trade deal.  To achieve this agreement, after a tortuous four years of posturing, compromises have naturally been made.

Family Law

In a slight departure from the usual legal and HR focussed articles we thought, in light of the latest lockdown and its implications for working parents we provide a piece that may support your staff in such a position. Please feel free to share this with your employees if you think it may offer some insight and support at this very difficult time.

Employment

Jaguar Land Rover assembly line worker Vic Rumbold had suffered many years of ill health, so bad was his sickness record that each year of his 20-year career at JLR his sickness days exceeded at least 10.  His employer estimated the days missed which equated to a massive 808 shifts had cost the business was in excess of £95k.

Residential Property

In what now feels like the proverbial Groundhog Day, at 8pm on 4 January 2021, the UK was moved into its third National Lockdown. Echoing the announcement made at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the Prime Minister yawped his now familiar slogan instructing the nation to 'stay at home'.

Family Law

England will return to many of the toughest restrictions imposed in March last year as the new variant of coronavirus spreads rapidly across the country. Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced last night that England will be placed under a third national lockdown. The new restrictions will become law on Wednesday and are expected to last until mid-February.