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Self-help disclosure essentially describes the situation that most family solicitors have faced, where your client helps themselves to potentially confidential documents that belong to their partner. During divorce proceedings this is particularly common. Clients often believe that it is entirely innocent and perhaps even legal to take a peek at the odd email, letter or
As individuals, we are increasingly acquiring digital assets which could form part of our estate following our death; a Paypal balance, an online gaming avatar, music, photos, social media accounts, and copyright in blogs to name but a few examples. Is it necessary to update your will specifically to include these assets and how would
Women dent their promotion chances when they become mothers and that affects their future earning power, according to new research. Time spent on maternity leave and reducing hours once they return to work means they gain less experience, which also holds them back and pushes down their pay rates. The research by the Institute for
A new scheme has been launched to encourage the use of arbitration in family disputes involving the welfare of children. The Family Law Arbitration Children Scheme was set up four years ago to help families resolve financial issues. Now the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators, which runs the scheme, wants to extend it to cover
House prices in England and Wales rose by 8.7% in the year to June, according to the latest figures in the UK House Price Index provided by the Land Registry. The monthly increase from May was 1.0% taking the price of the average house in the UK to £213,927. In England, the June data showed
Citizens Advice has reported a 58% rise in the number of women experiencing employment problems related to maternity leave. Over the last 12 months, the number of mothers seeking advice about their rights have risen from 2,099 to 3,307. The most common problems women report are: Redundancy after they tell their employer they are pregnant
The government has published its longest ever list naming and shaming employers who have failed to pay the National Minimum Wage (NMW). The list names 197 companies across a range of sectors including football clubs, hotels, care homes and hairdressers. Between them they owed their employees £465,291 in arrears because of longstanding underpayment of wages.
The actress Carey Mulligan has been appointed the first UK Global Dementia Friends Ambassador by the Alzheimer’s Society and the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The star of films such as Suffragette and The Great Gatsby aims to inspire and engage world leaders to promote a better understanding of dementia, a condition afflicting her grandmother. Her
High divorce rates and the increasing number of people entering into second relationships is leading to more and more disputes over wills and family inheritance. Conflicts due to second marriages have now become one of the main reasons for families taking legal action following the death of a relative. A typical problem arises when a
The late Duke of Westminster saved his family billions of pounds by using a trust that allows wealth to pass through the generations without attracting a large inheritance tax liability. The Duke died in August leaving an estate valued at £9bn. It’s thought nearly all of that wealth will pass to his son Hugh without