Early legal advice for separating couples but no mandatory mediation
March 15th 2024Separating couples will get early legal advice as part of the Government’s family court reforms, but the idea of introducing mandatory mediation has been scrapped. Joanne Grey Senior Associate Solicitor in our family law team reports on this recent case. A legal advice pilot will be launched to help families agree child arrangements quickly, addressing barriers to early resolution including a lack of understanding of the options available such as mediation, which will…
We’re proud to support Update Your Will Week 2024
March 7th 2024This week is Update Your Will Week (4th–10thMarch), an annual campaign hosted by The Association of Lifetime Lawyers. It aims to raise awareness around the risks of not having an up to date Will and encourages people to update their Will to ensure their wishes are carried out when they die. Why is it important to have an up to date Will? Having an up to date, well-drafted Will is…
Manager loses tribunal claim over right to work only from home
March 3rd 2024A senior manager has lost her tribunal claim for the right to work entirely from home. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment reports on this recent case. The case involved Miss Wilson, who works for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA allowed her to work from home during Covid for health reasons. When Covid restrictions eased at the end of 2022, she applied to change her terms of employment…
Children to remain with mother even though she abducted them
February 28th 2024A court has ruled that two children should remain with their mother even though she abducted them and retained them unlawfully. Shannon Bateson, Solicitor in our family law team reports on this recent case. The case involved a Polish couple who moved to Scotland with their three-year-old son in 2013. They then had a second son who was born in 2015. The family remained in Scotland until July 2021, when they returned…
Wife ordered to pay husband £120k after trying to thwart settlement
February 22nd 2024A wife has been ordered to pay her husband £120,000 after trying to thwart the terms of their divorce settlement. Amy Fallows Senior Associate Solicitor & Head of our Family Law team reports. The Family Court heard that the couple had run a property lettings business together. All the properties were in the wife’s sole name, as was the matrimonial home. A final order was made in 2021 that provided for a roughly…
Changes to holiday pay entitlement could save employers up to £248m
February 19th 2024Changes to the way holiday pay is calculated for irregular and part-time workers could save businesses up to £248m a year, according to government figures. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment & HR reports on this recent case. The government says it is exercising its Brexit freedom to change how holiday entitlement is calculated for people who do not work full-time throughout the year. This includes shift-workers, school employees and…
Husband tries to overturn divorce order with claim about £2m diamond
February 14th 2024A husband who claimed his wife had concealed a £2 million diamond from him during divorce proceedings has failed to overturn their financial settlement. Joanne Grey Senior Associate Solicitor in our family law team reports on this recent case. The case involved a couple who had been married for several years and had two children. Under the settlement of 2021, the husband was to receive the family home and the wife was to…
Tenants to get more protection against discrimination by landlords
January 18th 2024The Government has announced changes to the Renters (Reform) Bill to protect vulnerable residents and improve the safety of homes for tenants. Joseph Halvorsen, Apprentice Trainee Solicitor, reports on this recent case. It has tabled amendments to make it illegal for landlords and agents to have blanket bans on renting to people who receive benefits or who have children – ensuring families aren’t discriminated against when looking for a home…
Worker was discriminated against after revealing mental ill-health
January 11th 2024A worker whose contract was cancelled within hours of her revealing her mental ill-health was discriminated against on the grounds of disability. Jennifer Cafferky Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. That was the ruling of the Employment Tribunal in the case of Ms Zalejska and Cameo Consultancy (Recruitment) Limited. Ms Zalejska was appointed to a 12-week assignment at Principal Medical, based at Banbury Cross Health Centre. The…
Government announces ground rent reforms to benefit leaseholders
January 8th 2024The Government has announced proposals to cut ground rents to help homeowners in leasehold properties. Elizabeth Crouch Senior Associate Solicitor & Head of Residential Property provides an update. Housing Secretary Michael Gove has launched a consultation that will set out options including capping ground rents at a so called “peppercorn” rate for existing leaseholders, freezing ground rents at current levels and capping the ground rents at a percentage of the property…
