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The Law Commission is seeking views on the possible introduction of electronic wills, which it says are now becoming feasible due to technological advances. It also wants to explore ways to deal with predatory marriages that exploit vulnerable people. During the Covid pandemic, several countries, including the UK, allowed paper wills to be witnessed virtually.
Actress Sophie Turner and her ex-husband, singer Joe Jonas, have used mediation to reach a shared custody agreement for their two children. The couple had previously announced that they divorced amicably but then the Game of Thrones star sued Jonas, claiming he hadn’t let their daughters return to England from the US. However, they then
Thinking about the area of law that you would like to qualify into can be tricky. Some trainees know exactly what area of law they want to qualify in before they even start their training contract and others have absolutely no idea. Some trainees start their training contracts thinking they know exactly what they want
I am currently in the third seat of my training contract in the Commercial Property department and this will be my second time working as a trainee in the team. I thought it would be good to give an overview of what a Commercial Property trainee does on day-to-day basis, although no two days are
It is no secret that the work of a trainee solicitor can be taxing at times. There are deadlines to meet and just as you start to feel comfortable and on top of everything, you are switching seats and starting the whole process again. All this means is that it is especially important to take
At Machins we have three committees that welcome and encourage involvement from all members of staff, and I am lucky enough to be a member of all three. The Social Committee is responsible for planning, organising and overseeing social events and activities throughout the year, including our annual Christmas party. We also run a number
Machins Solicitors been recommended as a Top-Tier firm in one practice area for the fifth year running and has been recommended in seven practice areas in The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2024 edition. Among the areas of expertise in which the firm is regarded includes family, corporate and commercial, employment as well as commercial litigation, private
Leading law groups have warned the government against making mediation compulsory in family disputes. The Ministry of Justice has just completed a consultation on compulsory mediation for all ‘suitable low-level’ family court cases. The Law Society says it supports government efforts to secure amicable resolutions in family disputes but believes mediation should only be voluntary, not
New regulations are being introduced to impose tougher sanctions on parents who fail to pay child maintenance. The government says the Child Support (Enforcement) Act will see families paid faster as it gives the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) the power to use a liability order to reclaim unpaid child maintenance instead of applying
The unfortunate dispute that arose recently among Aretha Franklin’s sons illustrates what can happen when a person dies without having made a properly drafted will. The legendary soul singer died in 2018. At the time, it was thought she had not made a will, so her estate was divided equally between her four sons. However,