The need for cohabiting partners to draw up agreements stating how their property and assets should be shared in the event of a break-up was highlighted in a recent case before the Court of Appeal. It involved a couple who had been in a relationship for many years and had lived together since 2002. When
Cohabitants are couples who live together as if man and wife but outside the confines of a marriage, for example, as boyfriend and girlfriend. In England and Wales, many couples are choosing to live this way and it is a relationship arrangement that is continuing to increase in popularity. Contrary to popular opinion, cohabitants are
The new system of Shared Parental Leave (SPL) allowing mothers and fathers to share 52 weeks’ leave came into effect on 5 April 2015. Under the SPL scheme, mothers are still required to take two weeks’ compulsory leave immediately after the birth, but the other 50 weeks can be shared between both parents. The benefits
A woman who said she suffered a mental breakdown after being subjected to degrading sexual harassment at work has been awarded £3.2m compensation. Svetlana Lokhova earned £750,000 a year as an equity saleswoman with Sberbank CIB in London. She said that for four years between 2008 and 2012 she was systematically abused by male colleagues
A woman on a zero-hours contract has won her claim of sexual harassment by her line manager despite initially being reluctant to bring a claim for fear of losing her job. The 22-year-old woman worked in the hotel industry. She became alarmed when her manager started touching her and asking about her sex life. However,
Two sisters who detest each other and no longer speak have lost the right to look after their elderly mother’s finances. Their 97-year-old mother drew up a lasting power of attorney (LPA) eight years ago appointing them as her deputies so they could make decisions on her behalf if she became unable to manage her
Thousands of people under the age of 40 have been signing up to buy starter homes at a 20% discount. The homes are being made available as part of a government scheme to get Britain building and help young people get on the housing ladder. It’s hoped that 100,000 new homes will be made available.
A divorcing wife has won the right to have a share of a property in India owned by her husband, even though he claimed he was not in a position to sell it. The case involved a couple who had been married for 30 years and wanted a clean break when they divorced. They both
The Court of Appeal has urged “warring” parents to put the needs of their children first when taking legal action over contact arrangements. It says many parents focus too much on their rights at the expense of their duties and responsibilities towards their children. The plea came during a case involving two parents in a
Many small businesses are unsure about how to deal with shared parental leave (SPL) according to a survey reported in The Times newspaper. Half of the 400 firms polled said they didn’t understand the legislation and how it would work. A further 17% said they were worried about the effect the new rights would have