Who can make decisions on your behalf? According to the Office of the Public Guardian Annual Report, in 2017/2018 the number of Lasting Powers of Attorney registered by the Court was 770,995. What is a Lasting Power of Attorney? A Lasting Power of Attorney is a document that enables an individual (the donor) to appoint a person, or persons, to handle their affairs in the...
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Christmas can be the most magical time of year but what if you’re a family going through a break up, with parents living separately? What then? For divorced or separated parents, Christmas can be an ordeal fraught with anxiety, stress, and loneliness. Something to be endured rather than enjoyed. For children, they, too, can be feeling anxious and confused and worried how they are going...
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What a brilliant end to the year for us! Our Head of Family Law, Emma, has reached the finals of the prestigious Dorset Legal Awards in the Partner of the Year category. This is a fantastic achievement and wonderful recognition of the professionalism, dedication, passion and sheer hard work that she brings to her role every single day. It’s also a reflection of the great...
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A nationwide survey has recently been revealed that more than half of parents in the UK with children under 18 have made no Will. A worrying statistic, David Orr our Head of Probate is eager to encourage more parents to write up their last Will and Testament. He also wants to offer some of his advice and highlight the importance of having a Will for...
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Turning 50 is certainly an occasion to celebrate – and that is exactly what Autism Wessex has done this year, with hundreds of families attending their special anniversary family fun day. Having supported Autism Wessex over the past six years we have a fantastic relationship with the charity, which provides specialist services for adults and children affected by autism and its associated difficulties. This year...
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Recent statistics show that over 90% of unmarried couples are surprised to discover their lack of rights in relation to pensions, property or income, even if they have been living with their partner for a number of years. Breaking down the ‘Common Law Marriage Myth,’ we’ve asked our Head of Family Law Emma Hamilton Cole to answer some commonly asked questions. She is keen to...
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With 1.7m divorcing couples compelled to assign blame, our team of Family Law Solicitors have joined urgent calls for divorce law reform in England and Wales. Two members of the Williams Thompson Team, Emma Hamilton Cole Partner & Head of Family Law and Family Solicitor Charlotte Millard, are keen to highlight the current legal requirement to assign blame during divorce proceedings. This destabilising requirement is...
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It’s time to light the candles and pop the fizz because Autism Wessex is 50 this summer! Autism Wessex, a regional charity which provides specialist services for adults and children affected by autism and associated difficulties, is 50 years old this August. Over the past six years, our team at Williams Thompson has built a great relationship with the amazing representatives of Autism Wessex. We’ve...
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Last month, we were delighted to host our first ever Breakfast on Bridge Street networking event for Christchurch businesses at our Williams Thompson Offices. A hugely successful event we had nearly 30 business representatives in attendance, this included new and familiar faces, plus members of our own team. Bringing the business community together over tea, coffee, bacon rolls, pastries and chit-chat, we were pleased to...
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We are pleased to announce that Emma Hamilton Cole, who is both Partner and Head of Family Law at our firm, has successfully completed her Child Consultation Qualification training. Enhancing her professional expertise, Emma is now one of only a handful of solicitors locally who are qualified to talk with children as a part of mediation meetings in which arrangements are being made for a...
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