The New Year isn’t always a happy time. January often sees a significant rise in the number of couples considering divorce. In fact, the first working day of the year (this year it was the 6th January) has become known as ‘Divorce Day’ due to the number of enquiries received by organisations like Amicable and Relate and by family law firms like ours. The Christmas and New Year period offers a chance for family time [...]
Making a Will is an important responsibility that ensures your loved ones are left with helpful and practical guidance. It puts you firmly in control of who benefits as well as what they are entitled to. However, poorly written Wills may be invalid or can result in the Will being disputed. Here are our tips on how to avoid Will disputes: What is a Will dispute? A Will dispute is a disagreement between relatives or [...]
Cohabitation is becoming more commonplace in today’s society. Of the 326,117 households in Dorset, nearly 10% are living together but are not married. This raises an important question – what are the rights for cohabiting couples? Below, our Family Law solicitors highlight the current laws for unmarried couples and what Williams Thompson is doing to reform these laws. Why are Williams Thompson campaigning for reform? Despite living like a married couple, unmarried couples living together [...]
As some of you know, divorce laws in the UK are set for a major change, allowing couples to apply for a ‘no-fault’ divorce. But what does this mean for the people of Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch? See what our Head of Family Law and Partner, Emma Hamilton Cole, thinks below… Currently, anyone seeking divorce has to prove that their partner is at fault due to adultery, desertion or ‘unreasonable behaviour’. This can take up [...]
On 5th November 2018, the Government announced their plans to significantly increase probate fees – the charge paid for administering an Estate on death. Under the draft legislation, the probate fees were due to dramatically rise from a flat fee of £215.00, to a sliding scale, with a maximum fee of £6,000.00 for Estates valued at over £2,000,000.00. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, Lucy Frazer QC, declared “this new branded fee model represents [...]
If you are separating and have children with your ex-partner, it is vital that you consider the impact this might have on your children. Here, we are going to discuss the steps you and your solicitor can do to minimise this impact. What Can You Do to Help Your Children? If you’re unsure whether your children are struggling, there are a number of signs that you should look out for. You may notice a change [...]
A Pre-Nuptial agreement is a legal document that both parties sign before they get married to record ownership of their respective assets and finances, should the marriage fail. They are often drawn up in cases where one person in the marriage is bringing significantly more assets than the other and both parties feel it’s fair to recognise this if the marriage breaks down. Many people are put off by the idea of signing a pre-nuptial [...]
The number of will disputes across the UK are on the increase, with a record number 227 disputes reaching the High Court in 2018. At Williams Thompson, we understand that the passing of a loved one is a distressing experience, only made worse by the stressful event of disputing the assets in the aftermath. However, with the assistance of a Solicitor and the drafting of a good, clear will, such disputes can be avoided. Will [...]
Our team has over 20 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to residential conveyancing. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Stephen Bowden, Partner and Head of Property. Here are 10 reasons to use Williams Thompson for your conveyancing: Established Residential Property Department We have a long-established residential property department providing a personal service to buyers and sellers. It is our role as [...]
Although divorce rates are falling in England and Wales, there were over 100,000 divorces in 2017. Divorce is often a very disruptive and upsetting experience for both parties, but there are ways to reduce the acrimony. Having dealt with a wide variety of divorces and separations over many years, we have helped lots of couples come to a civilised conclusion. Here are our top tips for an amicable divorce: Handle Your Emotions & Communicate Effectively [...]
