Dishonest Probate Solicitor Took Vulnerable Beneficiary’s Money
A probate solicitor has been struck off after convincing a vulnerable client to part with £4,700 to pay for repairs to a property they had inherited but instead the money went straight into her personal bank account. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) did not believe Vidal Eulalie Martin’s account of the story, who was a […]
Inheritance Tax Bill Scam Cost Executor £120,000
A married couple from Northfleet in Kent tricked an executor out of an inheritance tax bill. Lee Finch was conned by email into paying an inheritance tax bill totalling £120,000 into the fraudsters account. The judge heard that in the summer of 2017, Mr Finch had emailed a solicitor’s firm in order to settle an […]
Moneypenny Strengthens Position In US Market
Moneypenny, the UK’s leading provider of web chat, answering services and outsourced switchboards for small and large businesses, has extended its services in the US with the acquisition of VoiceNation and Ninja Number. The details of the transaction have not been disclosed. VoiceNation is an award-winning bilingual telephone answering provider and Ninja Number is a […]
After A Piece Of This Package? Join The Queue!
We have been truly overwhelmed with the popularity of the Multiple Sibling Trusts Package, and the sheer amount of positive feedback we are receiving. Within a few weeks of release, hundreds of professionals are already utilising this new addition! So, let us tell you why… A client wouldn’t leave their children a joint bank account […]
Kingsley Napley Vlog 2: Suspicious Factors
Kingsley Napley has attempted to offer a user friendly consumer vlog. We have looked at the frequent issues arising in the creation of a valid Will. In this vlog, we explain the suspicious factors arising if a loved one suspects the testator did not know and approve the content of their Will.
Home Title And ID Fraud
Gaining a foothold on the property ladder has been no mean feat throughout the past decade. Eligibility regulations and lending criteria tightened considerably following the financial crisis in 2008, property prices increased by 40% whilst the average wage increases were modest at best. When homeowners sacrifice and fight to own a property to call their […]
How Case Law Has Shaped The Interpretation Of Due Execution Of Wills
For anyone in the field of Wills and probate, the requirement to meet the validity requirements of Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 (WA 1837), will be etched on their minds. It states: “No Will shall be valid unless— (a) it is in writing, and signed by the testator, or by some other person […]
Government Endorse Law Commission’s E-Signature Report
The government is in overwhelming agreement with the Law Commission’s report on the Electronic Execution of Deeds. The government will endorse the draft legislation regarding electronic signatures as being permissible and confidently used in commercial and consumer documents. The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice also accepted the recommendation of setting up an […]
Riders On The Storm: Flood Forecasting And What Can Be Done
After the wettest February on record, storm Ciara, Dennis and Jorge have caused further damage, flooding and devastation across the UK, this winter. The flooding has already caused widespread travel chaos, left over 3000 homes flooded, forcing thousands more to evacuate, and sadly costing the lives of 5 people. On the 17th of February, there […]
Four Celebrities Who Left Behind Important Lessons About Wills
Kings Court Trust’s latest blog post looks at four celebrities who have passed away and the lessons we can learn from their deaths. Often, celebrities are in the spotlight for their fame and talent while alive. When they pass away, they intrigue us for a different reason – how much they were really worth and […]
How Banks Can Make You Turn in Your Grave and How Insurance Can Help
In December 2018, Santander UK was fined £32.8m by the Financial Conduct Authority for serious failings in dealing with the accounts of their deceased customers. The bank did not transfer £183m held in their accounts to entitled beneficiaries, when it should have done. Some delays by the bank were as long as 13 years after […]
Expert Discusses Evolving Role Of Modern Paralegals
Once viewed as the assistant to a solicitor with a main aim of aiding them in the development of a case, the role of a paralegal is now unrecognisable. Gone are the days when a paralegal’s main function was to act as support or admin alone. Law firms are encouraged to fully utilise the expert […]
Moneypenny Launches Live Chat Visualiser Tool
The UK’s leading outsourced communications provider to the legal sector, Moneypenny, has launched an interactive online tool to help firms visualise how a live chat service would look on their website. The technology is simple to use and just requires users to input a URL in order to see a real-time example of a live […]
Belgium King Admits He Fathered A Child In 1960s Affair
A woman who has fought for seven years to prove that an abdicated Belgian king is her biological father, has finally had an “grudging admission” from the king’s lawyer. The seven–year legal battle, and decades of rumours, ended after a court-ordered DNA test revealed that Delphine Boёl was in fact correct and was the biological daughter of former Belgian King Albert II. “His Majesty King Albert II has […]
Avoidable Mortality Rates Rose Marginally In 2018
Avoidable mortality rates increased slightly between 2017 and 2018 but have fallen by 67 per cent since 2001. According to the most recent data set on avoidable mortality, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 22 per cent of all deaths could have been avoided in 2018. Overall, 138,293 deaths of the total 616,014 […]
