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Author Archive | Gill Steel

Gill Steel

Government Refuses To Regulate Will Writing

By on May 14, 2013 in Gill's Blog

To-day I am sad to report that the Minister of Justice, Chris Grayling, has refused to accept the Legal Services Board recommendation to regulate Will writing – http://bit.ly/12s94hZ

It is hard to appreciate the kind of evidence which the Minister believes is required to justify the regulation of this most fundamental of legal services. I suspect that it is yet further evidence of the lack of appreciation of the role the legal profession plays in providing services which are in the best interest of the client and not themselves; as opposed to Bankers and supermarkets who supply services in the interests of their shareholders whether or not it is what the consumer requires, as we have seen with the mis-selling scandals.

double portions wills

Double Portions – Kloosman v Aylen & others [2013] EWHC 435

By on April 19, 2013 in Wills

Double portions sound greedy and in a way they are. If someone makes a lifetime gift and there is a gift in a Will to the same beneficiary was it the intention of the deceased to provide for them twice?

Gill sponsored walk with SI Winchester Soroptimists

Women Walking Winchester For Some Good Local Causes

By on March 14, 2013 in Gill's Blog

Last Friday, 8 March – International Womens’ Day – I set off from Rose Cottage with a great group of women to spend the next seven days walking 82 mile around the boundary of Winchester in aid of some good causes. We’ve so far had cold weather and snow and today are basking in glorious sunshine [...]

Gill Steel

Should the Law Society set up a Bank?

By on February 7, 2013 in Comment, Gill's Blog

As yet another Banking crisis appears over the horizon and trust in the sector is damaged once more I ask myself “should the Law Society create a Bank”? What do you think?

IHT & Joint bank accounts – Matthews v HMRC [2012] UK FTT 658

By on November 22, 2012 in Tax

This is another case about the correct IHT treatment of the interest of a deceased person in a joint bank account on death and whether there may be a gift with reservation of benefit (GROB).

Are the current pathways to legal qualifications fit for purpose?

By on October 30, 2012 in Comment, Gill's Blog

Gill Steel reviews Legal Education & Training Review and asks are the current pathways to legal qualifications fit for purpose?

Gill Steel

Are you using the HMRC Bereavement service in your estates?

By on October 4, 2012 in Comment, Gill's Blog

In December 2011, in response to pressure from representative bodies, HMRC undertook to improve their bereavement processes and the new service was launched in April 2012. Are you using this service? Is it working?

Domicile – Perdoni v Curati [2011] EWHC 344

By on August 29, 2012 in Probate

In order to establish the correct succession to Mr Curati’s estate it was necessary to establish which were the correct jurisdictional rules to apply as to whether an holographic Will made by the deceased in Italy on 20 September 1994 revoked his earlier English Will made on 18 December 1980.

Construction of charitable gift – Phillips v RSPB & others [2012] EWHC 618

By on July 24, 2012 in Wills

The case of Phillips v RSPB & others serves as a reminder of the importance of checking the correct name of a registered charity and ensuring the wishes of the testator are clear in the event that the charity is an incorporated charity. Does the testator want his legacy to form part of the general assets of the company or be held on charitable trust?

Trusted Adviser – what would happen if there was an unanticipated disaster at your law firm?

By on July 20, 2012 in Comment, Gill's Blog

How would you feel if you walked into the office to find the SRA, the police and the local press camped outside the door? Scandals have almost become commonplace at present – be it the News International ‘Hacking’ scandal; the Nat West IT glitch; the Barclays Bank Libor fixing scandal; the G4S Olympic Security scandal and the HSBC Money laundering scandal – I could go on. What links these disasters and could they happen to you?