Trust, Wills and Probate

With a steady and increasing trickle of cases involving the misappropriation of assets by attorneys appointed by people who have lost the ability to look after their own affairs, the...

Words are the very stuff of law. Whilst in most instances the legal meaning of a word is the same as its meaning in everyday use (and the courts generally...

A recent case shows clearly, yet again, how important it is not to rely on oral promises. When a woman gave substantial sums to the man she was in...

When a person lacks mental capacity, they are unable to create any valid legal agreement – for example to make a valid will. Challenges to wills on the ground that...

A woman who contested the will her father made shortly before he died has been left with a legal bill larger than her inheritance, after the High Court ruled that...

It is becoming increasingly common for older people to need assistance with looking after their day-to-day affairs. Appointing an attorney using a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is seen by...

The amount of money left to charities in the wills of deceased people reached an all-time high in 2014, totalling more than £2.2 billion. An analysis of accounts filed...

The risks inherent in giving away assets prematurely were illustrated in a recent case, which involved a 76-year-old disabled woman and her son. In 2012, the woman gave her...

Many couples would be left scratching their heads if asked whether they own their home as ‘joint tenants’ or ‘tenants in common’. However, in one case, the distinction led to...

The crucial importance of appointing a reliable person to act as your attorney, to manage your affairs should you no longer be able to do so yourself, was illustrated yet...