Coronavirus: What it means for residential landlords
The government has passed emergency legislation to protect tenants from eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic, by the Coronavirus Act 2020. These changes affect nearly all tenants in the private rented…
Nick Southwell LLB (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
Family law issues & coronavirus: Q&A
The coronavirus pandemic has thrown family life into a tailspin, and for those with current relationship, family and divorce issues, things may get even more complex while the crisis is…
Sharon Giles LLB (Hons)
Partner
Rules relaxed to allow UK workers to carry over annual leave
Another change to UK employment law has seen the government relax the rules on the date by which workers must use annual leave. Ordinarily, UK workers are unable to carry…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Coronavirus and lease obligations: Q&A for commercial tenants
You’ll no doubt be aware of the concessionary measures that are being introduced by the government to help ease the potential economic fallout of COVID-19 on UK businesses. In the…
Nigel Whittaker BA (Hons)
Partner
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: New guidance from government
The government has today published further details of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (also known as the ‘furlough scheme’) as part of the emergency measures surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. The…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
What does 'furlough' mean? A quick definition for employers
As part of the emergency measures surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a plan to support employees who would have otherwise been laid off during the crisis.…
Willans
Solicitors
Who will make decisions about your health and welfare, if you became unable to?
Simon Cook discusses the importance of health & welfare lasting powers of attorney. Though no-one likes to think about losing the ability to manage our own affairs, it can happen.…
Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Taxation of settlement payments
Associate solicitor Jenny Hawrot outlines the upcoming changes to the taxation of settlement payments and explains what these may mean for employers. Payments are often made by an employer to…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
Terms & conditions: Don’t let the ‘small print’ become a big issue
Whether you’re a start-up or a fully-fledged operation, properly drafted terms and conditions are a must. Associate solicitor Sophie Martyn explains why… When starting or growing a business, putting in…
Sophie Martyn BSc (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
Does a director owe a fiduciary duty to a company’s shareholders?
New case law has thrown directors’ duties into the spotlight once again. Trainee solicitor Helen Howes explains more… Under the Companies Act, a director owes fiduciary duties to the company…
Helen Howes LLM
Trainee solicitor
An e-sign of the times?
Times are changing but there’s still a place for pen and ink when it comes to legal property documents, explains paralegal Yasmin Lewis. In the commercial property sector there is…
Yasmin Lewis LLB (Hons)
Paralegal
What will the electric vehicle mean to residential development and businesses?
The advent of the electric vehicle could soon prompt change in planning policies, explains property litigation partner Nick Cox. As part of our firm’s internal ‘Green Willans’ group, I have…
Nick Cox LLB (Hons)
Partner
IR35 and the off-payroll working rules
The new off-payroll working rules are a key change to be aware of in 2020 for medium and large companies, explains employment law partner Matthew Clayton. Contractors like being self-employed…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Removing a shareholder or director: what you need to know in a business dispute
It is a relatively common occurrence for business owners to fall out. When the business is run through a company, it is important that the parties take legal advice; the…
Helen Howes LLM
Trainee solicitor
New statutory legacy sum introduced - what does this mean?
In the latest update to intestacy rules (meaning the rules that take effect when someone dies without a will), the government has increased the fixed sum that partners with children…
Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Does my employer own my intellectual property?
From an advertising poster through to a developed piece of software, intellectual property rights will arise whenever there are creative endeavors in the workplace. It is important for employers to…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Trustees' duties & charity land: 6 frequently-asked questions
Getting the best deal for your charity, while complying with charity law, is part and parcel of being a trustee; but what are the legal requirements when it comes to…
Charlotte Brunsdon LLB, BA (Hons)
Solicitor
Process of contesting a will: the key steps explained
If you think someone’s will has been created incorrectly, you might be able to legally challenge it. There are several factors to consider when starting the process of contesting a…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
How do companies become GDPR compliant?
The media flurry around the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018 has quietened, but organisations shouldn’t be lulled into a false sense of security. The…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Non-disclosure agreements: 4 frequently-asked questions
Whether you want to protect your ideas and keep a competitive edge, or you want to keep an acquisition or business sale a secret, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are a useful…
Sophie Martyn BSc (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
GDPR : 8 frequently-asked questions
While the stir around the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has certainly died down since May 2018, the GDPR is still as relevant as ever to all…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Menopause at work: New guidance for employers
ACAS has published new guidelines for employers on how to manage the impact of the menopause at work. ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is an organisation which provides…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
GDPR fines explained
We often hear of businesses lamenting the cost of GDPR compliance, but as the bedding-in period passes and national supervisory authorities such as the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) tighten…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Are you a trustee? Know your obligations
The last few years have seen a dramatic increase in trust regulation and the penalties for non-compliance can be onerous, requiring great care by trustees. Trust Regulation Service (TRS) Legal…
Susie Jones GCILEx
Private client executive
A guide to domicile elections; inheritance tax on UK and foreign assets
If you are UK-domiciled (broadly meaning the UK is your permanent home), you have to pay inheritance tax on worldwide assets. If you are not UK-domiciled, you only have to…
Hannah Wall BA (Hons), MA
Associate, solicitor
The classic car market & the law - Q&A
The classic car market is a multi-billion pound industry, not surprisingly with many legal complications, but that shouldn’t impair the joy these four-wheeled icons can bring… What kind of businesses…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Workforce succession planning - Q&A with our employment law partner
There are many aspects to succession planning in businesses – whether it be the business owner’s or investor’s exit plans, how best to hand on the business in a will,…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Your digital legacy: what happens to your assets after you die?
Most people have heard of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and and would recognise those as a digital asset. However, what about social media, email accounts, digital music, online accounts for…
Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Inheritance Act claims: time is of the essence
You can make a will leaving your estate to whoever you like. However, if you leave out a relative or dependent, they may still be able to claim ‘reasonable financial…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
What will happen to the ‘no-fault’ divorce bill?
Just as we were on the brink of major divorce law reforms, and an already long overdue end to the blame game that many couples currently have to play to…
Sharon Giles LLB (Hons)
Partner
Charitable legacies - benefits of leaving a gift in your will
At Willans, we recognise that there is a wide range of local and national charities that our clients support through their lifetimes, whether this is through regular donations or through…
Laura Stone LLB (Hons)
Solicitor
Probate fees: the ‘stealth’ tax
An update: After the latest edition of Your Life & the Law was published, we are pleased to say that after much debate and challenge, the government has decided not…
Jennifer Cockett LLB (Hons)
Solicitor
Will the UK still have to comply with the GDPR after Brexit?
The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) has released its annual report, which has revealed an “unprecedented” year. It received 41,661 data protection complaints in 2018/19, up from 21,019 in 2017/18. Big…
Kym Fletcher LLB (Hons) Euro
Consultant, solicitor
Proprietary estoppel: challenging a ‘broken promise’
If you have been promised a gift or other property from a person that has died but this promise hasn’t been reflected in their will, a solicitor or lawyer may…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Buying a business or property in the hospitality & leisure sector?
Whether you’re a first-time business buyer entering into the leisure sector, or you’re an experienced hotelier embarking on your next acquisition, the importance of doing your legal ‘homework’ shouldn’t be…
Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)
Partner
Closing a deal successfully: top tips from one of our corporate partners
When it comes to buying or selling all or part of a business, there can be many pitfalls on the road to completion. Corporate & commercial partner Chris Wills explains…
Chris Wills LLB (Hons)
Partner
