Article Category: Insight & Opinion

It is a common misunderstanding that in the event of a married individual dying without a Will, then their widow, widower or surviving civil partner would inherit everything. This is not always the case.  What Happens If You Die Without a Will? Anyone who dies without a will is said to have died ‘intestate’. The rules as to… Read more »

Opposite sex couples can now take advantage of the recent change in the law allowing them to enter into a civil partnership. Ann Chamings and John Eccles became one of the first couples in the UK to become opposite sex civil partners on New Years Eve 2019. They had been in a relationship for 43… Read more »

When unhappy couples spend time together over Christmas without the day-to-day distractions of working life, that time can really clarify why you might not want to spend another stressful holiday together. If it is an amicable divorce or separation that you want despite the circumstances behind your parting ways, a solicitor will be a calm… Read more »

Concerns have been doing the rounds lately regarding the resolution of cross-border legal disputes post-Brexit. However, it appears The Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill aims to address this by effectively safeguarding the Hague Convention. What is the Hague Convention? The Hague Convention consists of a series of treaties created with the aim to… Read more »

Divorce rates in the UK have officially hit a record low. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were a total of 90,871 divorces between heterosexual couples in 2018. That reflects a drop of 10.6% in comparison to 2017 and the lowest recorded number since 1971. The reasoning behind this has been widely considered… Read more »

Many farmers want to pass their farm onto the next generation and to do so as tax efficiently as possible. It is therefore essential that farming families plan carefully for the future of the farm and their business interests, whilst thinking about their long-term aims carefully and with tax liabilities in mind. Farming Families and… Read more »

Mr Steve Easterbrook, the now former Chief Executive of McDonald’s, has mutually agreed for his employment to be terminated following a consensual relationship with another employee. This follows the resignation of Mr Brian Krzanich, former Chief Executive of Intel Corp, in June 2018 who resigned following a consensual relationship with another employee. These cases exemplify… Read more »

The employment tribunal are considering the case of Casamitjana v League Against Cruel Sports, where for the first time ethical veganism — the philosophical belief by an ‘ethical vegan’ — comes into question. Should it qualify for protection under the Equality Act 2010 and what does this mean for employers? Jordi Casamitjana is an ethical… Read more »

During a heated discussion, an employee told me he’d had enough and stormed out. The next day he confirmed that he didn’t mean to resign and wants to withdraw the resignation. Do we have to agree or can we just accept his resignation? The answer to this question will depend entirely on the circumstances. Notice… Read more »

In Ms H Munro v Sampson Coward LLP, the Employment Tribunal considered whether comments regarding Ms Munro’s birthday amounted to age discrimination and harassment. Ms Munro also claimed that she suffered detriment and dismissal on the grounds of whistleblowing when she informed her employer of the comments. Background Ms Munro, a legal secretary in the… Read more »