Can your will be contested?
We’re seeing a steep increase in the numbers of people challenging Wills across the UK. This is backed up by a survey claiming that one in four people said they would challenge a Will if they were unhappy with the provisions it made. Why are more Wills being...
Planning for the unthinkable
A gift to the charity Oxfam has highlighted the importance of making a provision in your Will for the unlikely event that the whole family should die with you or before you. Richard Cousins was the head of a successful Catering company and had an estate worth...
High Court decision (the rectification of a company’s register of members)
What do you do if a company’s sole member and director dies leaving the company unable to function without them, and you’re the executor of the will? The case of Williams v Russell Price Farms Service (2020) was a turning point for business law. The High Court...
Charity Golf Day 2022!
We are excited to announce that we are again teaming up with Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre for our THIRD Charity Golf Day! Our 3rd fundraising Charity Golf Day in aid of Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre. It is taking place on Wednesday 7th...
Lasting powers of attorney (why are they so important?)
A power of attorney is a legal document that allows those you trust to make decisions for you, or act on your behalf, if you are no longer able to or if you would like some help with making your own decisions. Just a few reasons why you might need someone to...
12 steps in the legal process of buying a business
Four Oaks Legal Services has a business and commercial department, which provides a full range of company related legal advice. Here Stuart McIntosh, commercial Solicitor and Director at the firm, takes a look at the step-by-step process of buying a...
Your guide to the UK trust register changes
Four Oaks Legal Services has created an information leaflet that explains the UK Trust Register changes that are taking place this year. The leaflet looks at whether the trust that you look after (as a trustee) or the trust that you created (as a settlor) needs to be...
Is Covid changing how we plan for the future?
Writing a Will has three major benefits: You can ensure your wishes are carried out. Personal bequests got to the people and charities that you want to benefit. You don't leave a stressful situation for family and friends to sort out after your death. The difficult...
Simple or complicated, what’s your will type?
Search online for ‘simple’, ‘free’ or ‘cheap’ will writing and you’ll be presented with a range of website results including sponsored adverts promising that you can sort everything in five minutes flat. In theory, you could scribble who you want to leave your earthly...
Who cares?
Care homes are increasingly asking potential residents of their homes to ensure that the resident has Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) in place. We have had a number of cases recently where clients have asked us to assist with this due to requests from the care home...
Boomerang kids?
We all know things have changed when it comes to children flying the nest. The price of property is a serious hurdle and many ‘children’ are remaining in, or returning to, the family home into their late 20s and 30s. But what would happen if you died? Would...
Should I get a solicitor to write my will?
The ongoing pandemic has understandably caused many people to make Wills for the very first time. “Do It Yourself” Will-making kits have become an increasingly common means of creating a Will in recent years. They are a cheap alternative to a professionally prepared...