Appointing loved ones as executors of your will may seem the natural thing to do, but there are very good reasons why it is often wiser to employ professionals. A case on point concerned two sisters who fell out bitterly after one of them arranged
Clinical negligence in the first hours and days of a newborn baby’s life can lead to a lifetime of disability. However, a case in which a six-year-old boy won eight-figure damages from the NHS shows that specialist lawyers are always there to ensure that lessons
Businesses in a hurry to raise finance sadly often make rushed decisions without the benefit of legal advice. In a case on point, a judge refused to relieve a company that entered into what turned out to be unwise hedging arrangements from the consequences of
Construction projects are replete with dangers and, where a failure to match up to health and safety rules results in injury or death, deterrent financial penalties are frequently imposed. In a case on point, a building contractor received a £425,000 fine after a worker fell
When interpreting contracts, judges follow the wording actually used as their guiding light in discerning the intention of the parties. That was certainly so in a High Court dispute concerning a major project to construct a state-of-the-art new innovation centre for a Russell Group university.
Elderly homeowners are often tempted to transfer their properties to loved ones in the hope of saving Inheritance Tax (IHT) or avoiding care home bills. However, as any good lawyer will tell you, and as a High Court case clearly showed, the wisdom of such
Elderly people who depend on others for companionship and care are vulnerable to exploitation, and that is why it is so vital that they have access to independent legal advice. In a case on point, a judge came to the aid of a widow whose
When considering allegations of workplace gross misconduct, it is often not enough simply to establish that a forbidden act occurred, without going on to discern the reasons for it and whether those reasons are linked to a disability. A tribunal made that point in finding
Most people feel a moral obligation to care for elderly relatives, but a legal duty to do so only arises where they lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. The Court of Appeal made that point in quashing the conviction of a woman
Legal documents once had to be placed in someone’s hands, or at least mailed to his or her registered address, to be validly served. However, a Supreme Court decision of particular interest to property professionals revealed the law’s gradual acceptance of electronic means of service.
