A new career for the New Year?
Has your business been affected by COVID-19? Is your inbox empty and have your phones stopped ringing? Why not try something new for 2021 and give your business a boost? Estate Planning has thrived throughout lockdown, with some firms reporting a four-fold increase in enquiries and instructions, especially around Wills, Powers of Attorney, Trusts and […]
Just 7% of legal professionals think the probate process is fit for purpose
Just one in three legal firms think the time it takes to prepare probate is ‘reasonable’ Most discovery work is still manual and paper-based Waiting for institutions to respond and administration takes up the most time 73% of firms say lockdown has further exacerbated the problem Just seven per cent of legal firms think the […]
Roundtable provides insight into managing and maximising leads
On Thursday 5th November professionals across the sector joined together in a virtual setting to discuss how law firms manage potential leads, and ways in which those leads are driven without too much investment and ensuring every opportunity is maximised. The roundtable was opened and hosted by Today’s Wills and Probate alongside leading telephone answering […]
ILM launches new online training programme
ILM is delighted to announce the launch of its brand new modular training system, which has been designed around the needs of those new to the world of legacies as well as those who would benefit from a refresh in certain areas. Courses are completed online, in your own time and at your own pace. […]
Legacy bodies welcome Government actions to resolve probate backlog
Charity legacy bodies have welcomed a statement from HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), which sets out its plans to resolve the delay and backlog of Wills passing through probate. During the pandemic, rising death rates, an increase in incomplete grant applications and challenges to the usual working practices have all put added pressure on […]
Law Society issues guidance to solicitors advising on tax
Our ‘Technical Corner’ brings you information that will help you to continue to grow and develop in your career. This month’s technical corner article comes from Emily Deane TEP, STEP Technical Counsel. If you have any questions for our panel of experts, please submit them using the contact form below. We will publish the questions […]
Hear from WillSuite, who were Highly Commended at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020
On Thursday 22 October 2020, professionals from across the wills and probate sector came together to celebrate the successes and achievements of the industry is what has been a challenging year, at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020. The awards, which was back for it’s third year, took to the virtual stage and was […]
Lockdown Drives Surge of Contentious Probate Cases: Changes and Trends
We’re pleased to welcome Martin Oliver, Partner and Katie Alsop, Partner at Wright Hassall who will be presenting our next Certainty Expert Webinar, titled ‘Lockdown Drives Surge of Contentious Probate Cases: Changes and Trends’. In this webinar we will examine the surge in contentious probate cases which has come about as a result of ‘Lockdown’ […]
Integration helps reduce re-keying for a more efficient Will drafting process
Best-in-class solutions for legal firms – Clio and Arken Professional – are now integrated to provide the busy private client solicitor with even more efficiency gains. Although important beforehand, the pandemic, lockdown and working from home has further increased the need and appetite for cloud-based digital solutions and streamlining of processes. Arken Professional allows solicitors […]
Probate solicitors meet to discuss Bereavement Standard
Probate solicitors from firms across England and Wales have joined the chorus of organisations and individuals calling for a move towards standardised processes and an industry acceptance of digital documents, to make life easier for the recently bereaved. Often it’s lawyers who are blamed by bereaved customers for holding up end-of-life administration because of endless […]
Unregulated providers could see new SRA schemes
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is considering whether to offer a number of schemes to help those in unregulated legal services, as part of a submission to the Competition and Market Authourity. The SRA has revealed it could offer “activity-based licenses”, enabling lawyers to provide individual reserved legal activities. The SRA said: “We have found […]
Hear from Stanford Wills, winners at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020
On Thursday 22 October 2020, professionals from across the wills and probate sector came together to celebrate the successes and achievements of the industry is what has been a challenging year, at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020. The awards, which was back for it’s third year, took to the virtual stage and was […]
Taking care of your digital legacy
Rathbones Review written by solicitors Matthew Barnett and Jessica Brittain from Edwin Coe LLP’s private client team explain in a recent article ‘what a digital legacy is’ and ‘how to account for it in a Will.’ The firm said that English succession law has struggled to keep pace with people’s ever-increasing dependence on the online […]
WillSuite Launch New Website
WillSuite has spent the last 5 months providing workshops on branding, marketing, and business growth to all manner of industry practitioners (not exclusively WillSuite clients) giving tips on how to optimise your business, your website and making the most of the WillSuite platform. During this time we have been practising what we preach and have […]
Solicitor brothers faced different fates following SDT
Two brothers, who are both solicitors in the wills and probate sector have received different sanctions from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following an investigation. Petros Petrou accepted he should be struck off after he over charged two estates by £275,000. He also agreed to never apply for reinstatement to the roll. His brother Stylianos […]
Hear from Finders International, winners at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020
On Thursday 22 October 2020, professionals from across the wills and probate sector came together to celebrate the successes and achievements of the industry is what has been a challenging year, at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020. The awards, which was back for it’s third year, took to the virtual stage and was […]
Hear from Ashfords LLP, who were Highly Commended at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020
On Thursday 22 October 2020, professionals from across the wills and probate sector came together to celebrate the successes and achievements of the industry is what has been a challenging year, at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020. The awards, which was back for it’s third year, took to the virtual stage and was […]
Law firm offices can open to clients in second lockdown
During the second lockdown, the Government has confirmed that law firms can open up their doors to the public. The Law Society recently met with officials from the government to lock in an agreement and clarify the understanding of the rules that law firm offices can stay open for the next 4 weeks of lockdown. […]
Wills and Probate Practitioners: Know Your True Worth!
To say that we have been living through the most extraordinary of times would probably be the under-statement of the century! Certainly, in my conversations with Wills and Probate practitioners over the last few months, it seems that many of you have been extremely busy during this period, although, at the beginning of lockdown, there […]
Missing Beneficiary Insurance – Festive Family Reunions
DUAL Asset received a Missing Beneficiary claim last year where an elderly lady, living abroad decided to reconnect with her family back in the UK. They had lost touch many years ago. In turn, she then discovered she was entitled to an inheritance from a relative’s estate who had died the previous year. What prompted […]
