From neverland to never ever: disputing ‘the King of Pop’s’ estate
Michael Jackson, known by many as the ‘King of Pop,’ passed away on 25 June 2009. When preparing his will, he had plenty to consider, including his many assets and…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Why you can’t list a Ford Focus as a Porsche 911
Vehicle misrepresentation – a statement made from one person to another, which is later found to be untrue or inaccurate – is a common issue and can lead to drastic…
James Melvin-Bath LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor-advocate
First-time buyer? Stamp duty tax cuts revealed
In the government’s recent growth plan, announced by the former chancellor on Friday 23 September, it was revealed that first-time buyers will only pay stamp duty land tax on homes…
Willans
Solicitors
Government u-turns on off-payroll working rules
Today (17 October 2022), the new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has announced that the government’s plan to scrap the IR35/off payroll working rules (as detailed just three weeks ago in September’s…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
A guide to agricultural property and business property relief
Agricultural property relief allows land and farm buildings to be passed free from inheritance tax either during a lifetime or after a death. This is subject to certain conditions being…
Miranda Hawkes FCILEx, TEP
Associate, chartered legal executive
IDTA: New UK standard contractual clauses for international transfers
New standard clauses mean organisations will need to incorporate either the International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK Addendum in all contracts concluded on or after 22 September 2022. This…
Klára Grmelová MGR (LLM Czech)
Solicitor
Queen's funeral bank holiday - what are employers' obligations?
It was announced over the weekend that Monday 19 September will be an additional public holiday to mark the funeral of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Since this has, understandably,…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
New global business mobility route streamlines UK worker visas
2022 has been a year of exciting developments in the business immigration world. So far, the biggest news is UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) opening the new global business mobility…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
A new gateway for pay equality
A recent case has paved the way for employers to be more transparent in identifying equal work and pay. For the first time, a tribunal has ordered a company to…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
Why sole director companies should check articles of association
A recent case has highlighted the importance of ensuring a company is incorporated with carefully drafted articles of association, if there is only one director. All limited companies must have…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
One month to go: countdown to 1 September Trust Registration Service deadline
There is just one month to go until 1 September, when all ‘express trusts’ must be registered with the Trust Registration Service (TRS). One of our trusts experts, Tom O’Riordan…
Tom O'Riordan LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Major Supreme Court ruling finds paid holiday for part-year workers cannot be pro-rated
On 20 July 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s earlier decision in Harpur Trust v Brazel that part-year workers should not have their paid holiday pro-rated. Here,…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
The Charities Act 2022
After key changes to the law were proposed in May 2021, the new act received Royal Assent on 24 February 2022, and was passed into law as the Charities Act…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
How does the Queen’s Speech 2022 impact employment law?
The Queen’s Speech was delivered by HRH the Prince of Wales on 10 March 2022, on the occasion of the opening of Parliament, setting out the priorities of the government…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Court rules that ‘hidden’ terms can’t be relied upon
It’s a general legal principle that once a contract is signed, a person is bound by the terms of that contract and any terms incorporated into it (such as standard…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
Landlords are off the hook rules tenancy case
A 2021 Court of Appeal decision suggests that landlords are off the hook if they failed to serve the energy performance certificate (EPC) or gas safety certificate (GSC) for an…
James Melvin-Bath LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor-advocate
Divorce and finances: A guide to dividing assets upon divorce or separation
On this page, we offer a comprehensive guide to divorce and finances. Read on for more information about financial remedy orders, asset protection, and dividing up your personal and business…
Sharon Giles LLB (Hons)
Partner
Regulation changes to see rise in energy efficiency standards
From 1 April 2023, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations are set to become even stricter for commercial properties. The regulations were introduced in 2015 to target the least…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
The higher cost of proceeding to trial
Our litigation & dispute resolution partner outlines some of the commercial risks involved in proceeding to trial in an intellectual property infringement case. In trademark infringement and passing off cases,…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
The balancing act of corporate group structures
When it comes to corporate group structures, it’s important to balance the benefits and the challenges, says corporate & commercial partner Chris Wills. There are a number of issues to…
Chris Wills LLB (Hons)
Partner
Buying on an estate? Beware of rentcharges
Recently, the government said it intends to ban the sale of houses on a leasehold basis; to put an end to the practice of developers imposing escalating ground rents and…
Willans
Solicitors
No-fault divorce – everything you need to know
Today, the landmark no-fault divorce law comes into effect in England and Wales. This means that divorcing couples no longer have to play the ‘blame game’ or provide evidence of…
Sharon Giles LLB (Hons)
Partner
Don’t demolish your prospects in a building dispute
As a team, we often deal with disputes between consumers and builders relating to new builds, extensions and substantial property alterations. While not uncommon, how can you avoid a dispute…
James Melvin-Bath LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor-advocate
Self isolation rules end – what's next for employers?
Thursday 24 February saw the end of all COVID self-isolation rules in England, meaning that there is now no legal requirement to isolate following a positive COVID test result. As…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
Changes to marriage law
From April 2022, civil wedding and partnership ceremonies in England and Wales can take place outdoors, following a decision to make temporary measures permanent. The change offers engaged couples more…
Kristie Silsby LLB (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
Big plans for business immigration
2021 was a year of big announcements for business immigration as the Home Office revealed ambitious plans to modernise and expand the current system. Fast forward to 2022 and it’s…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
What's new for employment law in 2022?
Due to the pandemic, 2021 saw another year of disruption and delay in the employment law universe. Many predicted changes didn’t materialise and therefore, it’s expected these may come to…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
Temporary reintroduction of Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme
As part of its £1 billion support package for businesses, the Government has reintroduced the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme for small and medium-sized employers. The subject of sick pay…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
License for alterations – do I need one?
As a team, we’re regularly asked by tenants proposing to carry out work at their premises if they really need to document the plans. Often, the landlord has already told…
Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)
Partner
Normality resumes for property possession claims
There’s no doubt that the past 18 months have been difficult for businesses and individuals, both financially and personally. Residential property landlords have been particularly impacted by the ban on…
James Melvin-Bath LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor-advocate
When is a post-termination restriction unreasonable?
Post-termination restrictions are a constant source of debate and controversy. It is often unclear whether they are enforceable, and in late 2020 the government ran a consultation on reforming post-termination…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
We’re supporting Good Divorce Week 2021
The journey through separation, divorce and beyond is complex and challenging, and for many, this has been heightened further throughout the pandemic. While every family is different, there are ways…
Kristie Silsby LLB (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill is intended to put an end to ground rents for new qualifying long residential leasehold properties. Currently, freeholders can charge as much as the…
Willans
Solicitors
Key change to capital gains reporting
There is one radical change that may have slipped under the radar of most grappling with the pandemic: changes to how capital gains on the sale or disposal of UK…
Laura Stone LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Deeds of variation: When is it appropriate to use them?
If you are due to inherit and you would like to redirect your inheritance elsewhere (for example if you would prefer your children to inherit instead), you can do this…
Jennifer Cockett LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor
The new Charities Bill – 10 years on
From providing more flexibility to giving greater powers to trustees, the new Charities Bill aims to simplify processes for charities and clarify grey areas in the law. Published on 26…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
