Short term savings, long term pain Historically, many people have put off writing a will for fear of the costs involved but more recently the cheaper alternative option of the DIY will has emerged as a growing trend. These wills are readily available via...
What the statistics say The current pandemic has a lot to answer for. Earlier this year, divorce rates were noted to be soaring in China and the US following the coronavirus outbreak, and since the UK lockdown began in March this year, at...
Divorce law shake-up Following more than 20 years of ‘consideration’, the UK has finally caught up with countries such as the US, Australia and Scotland by introducing the new legal concept of a ‘no-fault divorce’. Under the...
Restrictions fight illness but fuel domestic abuse The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the world to take drastic measures in an effort to fight the disease and minimise the spread of infection. Lockdowns, self-isolation and social distancing have resulted...
Life, but not as we know it We live in unprecedented times. Anxious times. Strange, dark and difficult times. Pandemic, social distancing, isolation, lockdown, ‘essentials only’, PPE, homeschool, furlough - these are the words we have come to...
Sweetness or Sadness? Love it or loathe it, Valentine’s day came and went this year as it always does – with the usual commercial assault of hearts and flowers, hugs and kisses, cupid, chocolates and cuddly bears! What came a surprise though,...
Now and then… Heard about last year’s social media ’10-Year Challenge’ trend? If you’re not ‘in the know’, the craze, also known as “glow-up challenge”, "2009 vs 2019" or "How Hard...
Ruins not Romance Love it or hate it, there’s no avoiding it… Christmas is here again! And yes, some of us might be all tinsel and baubles, glowing with excitement to share it with a cherished partner. But for others, the ongoing build-up...
The good times and the bad times Life is a funny old business, full of ups and downs and with many a curveball thrown in when you least expect it. You might be planning your wedding, buying your dream home or making a will to provide for your children....
A row over curtains Earlier this year, a businessman and his interior designer ex-wife ran up £1million in lawyers’ bills over property and furnishings alone in their divorce case – with a judge needing to step in and rule on who...
Bargain Hunters Beware We all love a good bargain! Whether it’s hitting the sales, a steal on eBay or raiding the reduced section at your local supermarket, nothing beats that feel-good ‘win’! And there’s no doubt that the old...
Summer vibes or summer blues? It’s that time of year again – the kids have broken up from school, you’ve got 6 weeks to entertain them, a job to juggle and a holiday to cram in. So, are we all ‘party tummy’ at the prospect...
It’s over, but what happens next? As most of us can testify, the breakdown of any relationship is a painful experience for the couple and their children, and it’s frequently an emotional and exhausting process. Couples can struggle to agree...
Death unites the soaps again… We all love a meaty storyline, but there sure is a morbid thread linking our favourite soaps at the moment. What with Dinah in EastEnders, Liz Dingle in Emmerdale and rumour of a popular character soon to croak in...
New Life Spring has finally sprung and it’s a lighter, warmer place full of new life - as we put those cold, grey drizzly winter months behind us, we find ourselves looking ahead with promise. Divorce can feel a bit like this. And if you’re...
Media Madness We live in crazy times. Almost 3 years after the country voted to leave the EU, the Brexit process continues to drag on and with no deal on the table, emotions are running high across the nation: anger, embarrassment, frustration,...
Pampered pet In the wake of fashion industry icon Karl Lagerfield’s death , his beloved pet cat is reportedly set to inherit a significant chunk of the Chanel Creative Director’s £150million fortune . In an interview with French...
As another new year rolls round again, many of us are looking to make life changes, often following the festive indulgences. Diets and detox top this list but it might surprise you that divorce applications are up there too. January signifies a new year...
Magical mayhem! It the same story every year. As we hurtle towards Christmas and the craziness ramps up, the adrenalin is pumping and the stress levels start soaring. The tree, the decorating, the presents, the wrapping, the delivering, the turkey, the...
Whether it’s the KFC mutated chicken, the earth being flat or goldfish having a 3-second memory, we all love a good old urban myth – y’know, the kind of legend that spreads by word of mouth for its comedy or shock value. The legal world is...
4 out of 10 young adults still can’t afford to buy a house New research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has shown that 4 out of 10 young people cannot afford to buy one of the cheapest homes in their area with a 10% deposit, let...
Rare divorce case highlights the need for reform The final ruling in what’s been described as the most significant divorce case of the century has not only caused devastation and one party ‘unable to move forward with their...
... before it’s too late. FACT: 1 in 3 will develop dementia Dementia might not be the most jovial of topics - thinking or talking about it, let alone planning ahead for its possibility by means of a lasting power of attorney (LPA), makes a lot of us...
Football Fever As World Cup fever grips the country, many of us look forward to supporting the England squad throughout the tournament – enjoying the hot weather with barbeques and cold beers, eagerly awaiting each game whilst keeping our fingers...
The Royal Wedding - the knot was tied but was a prenup signed? It was arguably the wedding of the year: a British Prince and an American actress, a real-life fairytale. And although this is Meghan Markle’s second marriage, if we’re...
Children come first For many of us, our kids are the apple of our eye, our pride and joy - and how we feel about them doesn’t change as they become adults and maybe go on to have families of their own. Our own personal relationships may come and go -...
March is notorious for being a changeable month in terms of the weather, with the phrase ‘in like a lion, out like a lamb’ describing the stormy start of the month we often see, and the subsequent calming as we enter April. And then we have a...
Valentine’s Day: the final straw Every year, from 1st January onwards, we get Valentine’s Day coming at us from every direction. Wherever you look it’s Hallmark-heaven, with hearts, flowers, chocolates and cuddly toys thrust in our...
If you’ve seen the film, you’ll know the words: "Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get". How true that is - good or bad, none of us really know what’s around the corner. We...
It’s that time of year again, the John Lewis ad has melted the nation’s hearts and the festive season is firmly underway. But for some parents, it’s not all yuletide greetings and HoHoHo! For those who are separated or divorced, amicably...
In Celebrity Cohabitation News... …and only days after she talked of marriage and baby No.2 being on the cards in the future. OK, it’s a fair cop, it’s fake news - we made it up to get your attention (but for good reason, keep reading). ...
Too young, too busy, too broke Regardless of whether you’re one of the Millennial, Generation Z or even Generation X brigade, these are just some of the reasons that over 50%* of people the UK don’t have a will. A staggering 68%* of this...
Business is booming According to the Institute for Family Business, we have over 4.7million family-owned businesses here in the UK and with new research by cloud accounting software provider FreeAgent revealing an estimated 1.4 million of these...
Soulmate found! Whether you were an obsessed fan or not, you can’t have missed hearing about this summer’s TV hit and arguably everyone’s favourite guilty pleasure, ITV2’s reality-show Love Island . The nation has been hooked...
You’ve been looking for ages and you’ve finally found it – your dream house, the next chapter, happy days… so what happens next? Now that you can give the Conveyancing Process the green light, it’s time to get serious. Buying...
You’d imagine not, in this day and age, but some would argue that discrimination does still exist for certain couples in the UK. Marriage Equality Not long ago, it was widely recognised that marriage discriminated against same sex couples ...
As we approach Easter, it’s got me thinking. At this time of year children are getting excited about the Easter Bunny and chocolate egg hunts, and some of the religious among us are preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, of His resurrection...
…for those without a commercial Lasting Power of Attorney. “It’ll never happen to me” …and that’s what a lot of us think, but sadly accidents do happen. All the time and often out of the blue....
Mediation is a commonly misunderstood word in the legal world. The biggest misconception being that mediation can help you mend your relationship, a bit like counselling. The simple answer is, it cannot. It’s not a method for reconciliation but one...
As we fast approach February 14th, Spring is on the horizon and love is in the air. Along with Christmas and New Year, Valentine’s Day is considered one of the most romantic times to pop the question and, according to the Chillisauce Marriage...
It’s that time of year again. January - the month named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions, and a time generally associated with rebirth, renewal and resolutions. And as we reflect on the previous 12 months, our attention turns to how...
…financial stress, marital strain & domestic abuse. As wonderful as Christmas is for the vast majority, existing marital problems combined with financial stress and playing happy families together can put some relationships under extreme...
...this year, I'm giving you my will! OK, so it doesn’t roll off the tongue in the same way as the Wham! classic (at all!) and it might sound a bit gloomy, but take a moment and think about it. It’s the thought that counts That’s...
“Brangelina” split throws co-parenting into the spotlight again Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their rainbow family once looked like the picture perfect family, with the world seemingly following every harmonious collaborative move they made. ...
… how can summer stress can push a relationship over the edge? As the sun sets on summertime, September is fast becoming the top month to divorce. Over recent years divorce lawyers and relationship counsellors have noted a surge in...
Technology, the internet and online services have revolutionised the world as we know it and transformed the way we live on a daily basis – how we make friends, keep in touch with the world, find love, socialise, entertain ourselves, learn, shop, pay...
Summer lovin’ or summer stress? For many of us, it’s hard to imagine summertime conjuring up anything other than images of long sunny days, fun-packed family outings, lazy afternoons and picnics in the park - the joyful sound of your...
In years to come, we could be looking back on 2016 as a landmark moment, the year the legal sector’s recruitment landscape changed. The traditional route to law Historically, if you wanted to become a solicitor, the traditional route...
Consider this: you need to go to court for custody of your children following the breakdown of your marriage; you aren’t eligible for legal aid but nor can you afford a solicitor …what are your options? Well, you can either represent...
Bold Action After chancellor George Osborne yesterday pledged to continue taking ‘bold action’ on home ownership, The Law Society Gazette asked the question: could conveyancers be in for more stamp duty shocks when the government plans to...
