Article Category: Insight & Opinion

We set out below the most significant recent changes introduced by the Council of European Union to the Prospective Directive (2003/71/EC). Further guidance can be provided on request. Copies of the text adopted can be found HERE. A note of the press release made can be found HERE. To download a full copy of this Legal Comment,… Read more »

While the nation is collectively jumping for joy at the prospect of two four-day public holidays on two successive weekends in England and Wales, employers may find themselves wondering where they stand. The announcement that the royal wedding date is the 29th April 2011 and is to be marked with a public holiday could lead… Read more »

When two or more people own a house they can do so either as joint tenants or tenants in common. If they own as joint tenants, and one of them dies, the survivors inherit the house. If they own as tenants in common, the share of the house owned by the person who died passes… Read more »

Changes came in during February 2009 to the rules regarding how much a surviving spouse and children should inherit when someone dies without making a will (known as the intestacy rules). However, these changes did not amend the rules regarding who should inherit the estate. There is still a common misconception that a surviving “common… Read more »

A survey commissioned by the find-a-solicitor website, Unbiased suggests that almost 1.5million people in the UK plan to leave their assets for the benefit of their pets. As may have been predicted, the majority of people (87% of those interviewed) would want to leave their assets to their family but another 9% of those interviewed… Read more »

Facebook, eBay, Bebo, Paypal & MySpace, to name just some of the online accounts that millions of Britains have joined in the online revolution. As a nation we are becoming more and more dependent on online accounts, we shop, chat, gamble and date online but what happens to these accounts when someone dies? The way… Read more »

Like most law firms we had a number of enquiries from members of the public who have been injured as a result of falling on snowy and icy roads, paths and pavements during the recent period of inclement weather. Slip and trip accidents increase during the autumn and winter seasons for a number of reasons;… Read more »

Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families recently announced government plans to change the law allowing grandparents the right to apply through the Courts for contact to their grandchildren. At the moment, grandparents must first obtain the permission of the Court to bring the application by showing that they have an… Read more »

The Government should consider an urgent change in maintenance legislation to prevent a collapse of the financial support system for separating unmarried couples. Family lawyers at law firm SAS Daniels LLP says marriage rates are plummeting as more people choose to simply cohabit – which means that the rights of co-habitees in the UK are… Read more »

With the current weather conditions, we are seeing an increasing number of enquiries and news reports with regards to whether or not employers are obliged to pay their employees who are unable to make it into work as a result of the snow and ice. One of the basic principles of an employment relationship is… Read more »