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 Clay FCILEx
Associate, chartered legal executive
Wills Act changes allow video witnessing : a much-needed update, or risky business?
Changes to the Wills Act are set to allow video witnessing of wills in some circumstances. But while bringing the law up-to-date with today’s lifestyle is no bad thing, hastily-made…
Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Non-resident capital gains tax: what you need to know
If you own property in the UK but do not live in the UK, you should make sure that you comply with non-resident capital gains tax (NRCGT) rules, including the…
Laura Stone LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
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…
Laura Stone LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
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
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), TEP
Partner
The probate process: key steps explained
When someone dies, you may need to apply for a grant of probate or letters of administration in order to deal with their estate. For ease, references in this article…
Jennifer Cockett LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, 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)
Senior associate, 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: 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 closing a deal successfully. Corporate & commercial partner…
Chris Wills LLB (Hons)
Partner
Is it ever ok not to disclose information when selling a business?
When buying a business and assets, the default position is that everything is “sold-as-seen”. This means that, whilst a prudent buyer will want to exhaust the due diligence process in…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
Knot again! Another knotweed liability case
We are all aware of the potential liabilities that the dreaded Japanese knotweed may bring. This can range from civil liability to a neighbour, or even criminal liability if reasonable…
Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)
Partner
Succession planning for business owners; top tips
If something unexpected befell one of the key people involved in running your business, what would happen? It is important that every business has a crisis plan in place to…
Rachel Sugden LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Turning a blind eye: the concept of 'dishonest assistance'
The court has shed light on the legal concept of ‘dishonest assistance’, in the recent case of Group Seven Limited & Others v Notable Services LLP & Others [2019]. By…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Do I really need to bother with a shareholders’ agreement..?
When starting out, many businesses naturally want to keep costs to a minimum. This often results in them regarding a shareholders’ agreement as something optional or something to consider at…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
Grounds for contesting a will
If you think someone’s will may not be legally valid, you may be able to challenge it There are many ways in which the validity of a will can be…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Succession planning for business owners
It is important that every business has a crisis plan in place to make sure that the business can operate without key individuals if needs be. This should amount to…
Rachel Sugden LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
A guide to disputes with trustees & executors
What is an executor? Executors are the people who are chosen by the person making a will and are tasked with administering their estate. They are the individuals (for example,…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Contesting your inheritance or entitlement
Inheritance Act 1975: If you haven’t been properly provided for, we can help you get the outcome you need. If you feel you have been left out of a will,…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
A guide to intellectual property rights
They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery. But when it comes to intellectual property, a competitor copying your ideas can put your business’s whole operation and finances at…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Settlement agreements – what employers need to know
When you need a clean break from an employee, a settlement agreement can be a neat solution, explains Jenny Hawrot, one of our employment law associate solicitors. When should I…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
Trusts: A useful tool to protect your family & business
People will come across trusts without even realising it. Mr. Bennett in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is desperately trying to find “suitable” husbands for his daughters because the family…
Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Willans supports Dementia Action Week 2021
We are pleased to help promote Dementia Action Week (formerly Dementia Awareness Week), which runs from 17-23 May this year. This national campaign week is supported by the Alzheimer’s Society,…
Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Protecting your brand on an international scale
Despite the significant resources which a company will allocate to international brand protection, it is surprising how often trade mark protection programmes are launched without a clear strategy. An international…
Kym Fletcher LLB (Hons) Euro
Consultant, solicitor
Tougher regulation for charity trustees
The Charity Commission’s new legal powers were introduced in the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016. They include the power to issue an ‘official warning’ to charities and/or trustees,…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
Divorce - what happens to the family business?
Where a family business is involved, divorcing couples and the court have to consider other factors. Associate Jonathan Eager in our family law team explains more. Family businesses are often…
Jonathan Eager FCILEx
Partner, chartered legal executive
New rules for mobile phone masts – one year on
The Electronic Communications Code came into force on 28 December 2017, giving telecommunications operators statutory rights to install and operate electronic communications apparatus on, under or overland. It came about…
Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)
Partner
Disclosure rules shake-up with new pilot scheme
Disclosure is a stage in the litigation process in which the parties have to submit documents which are relevant to the issues in the dispute, even if they are detrimental…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Brexit Q&A: How can my business manage post-Brexit risks?
The key to navigating Brexit for any business is planning. Right now, despite the uncertainty around what Brexit may or may not look like, all businesses (whether they trade directly…
Chris Wills LLB (Hons)
Partner
Brexit Q&A: How might Brexit affect employment law in the UK?
If there is a ‘Deal-Brexit’, it is envisaged that there will be a transitional period from 29 March to 31 December 2020. What happens during that transitional period will very much…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
