When someone dies their affairs are generally dealt with relatively smoothly. However, when disputes arise no end of troubles are caused - the biggest of which being a stalemate more »

Resolve your dispute without going to court.WBW Mediation Services are delighted to launch our new leaflet introducing our team and the services we offer, for more information more »

When a pair of New Age travellers split up and divorced in 1992, both were penniless and there was no order for maintenance to be paid to the ex-wife for her or the couple's more »

Wills are complex documents and strict rules apply to ensure they are valid. A successful validity claim will result in a declaration that the Will in question is invalid and, if more »

A convicted sex offender has been refused any involvement in his young son's future save for a single letter explaining his absence if the boy ever asks about his father when he more »

Many think that, by making a Will, you dictate who receives what when you die. Aren't the succession laws in this Country built specifically to give us testamentary freedom – more »

Two British children who were unilaterally removed from their mother by their father must be returned to their new home in Canada. The High Court ruled that the children had more »

WBW Solicitor Amy Kernohan advises: In this Country, we have the freedom to make a Will leaving our estate to whomever we desire when we die. However, we also have the more »

Make a Will Week – 20th – 26th May 2013 Did you know: •61% of adults in the UK have still not made a Will - Standard Life •7% of UK adults have left a gift in their more »

The Courts continue to report increasing numbers of inheritance claims, and with high profile inheritance disputes such as those surrounding the estates of Sir Jimmy Saville and more »

With high profile and "celebrity" inheritance claims making their way into the headlines, there will be little surprise to hear that inheritance claims are on the rise. With more »

Recent news stories have raised questions as to Bereavement Leave and a BBC report has investigated  'Should everyone get paid bereavement leave?' There is currently no more »

An 88-year-old political campaigner has won a landmark Court of Appeal ruling that the retention on a police database of details concerning his attendance at various protests more »

In rejecting a company’s plea that it was not bound by the terms of an agreement with energy consultants, the Court of Appeal acknowledged that a better deal might well have more »

A retired couple’s inheritance tax planning was very nearly scuppered by a drafting error in a deed by which they intended to transfer their substantial home to their son and more »

A will signed by a 96-year-old woman two years before her death has been declared invalid by a judge on grounds that its execution was procured by the undue influence of her more »

In circumstances where a worker copied his employer’s documents onto a USB stick shortly before resigning and taking up a new position with a direct competitor, the High Court more »

A teacher who, whilst suffering from depression and extreme stress, inflicted life-threatening injuries on a 14-year-old pupil, has been barred from working with vulnerable more »

In a stark warning to litigants that they can forfeit their legal rights through inactivity, judgment for substantial damages and costs has been entered against a defendant in a more »

In circumstances where the sole director of a property investment company had inflicted unfair prejudice on his fellow shareholder by procuring the transfer of its entire more »

A former power station worker has secured compensation after he developed the asbestos-related disease mesothelioma. The 77-year-old man worked at a power station in the North more »

A scout master who suffered permanently disabling back injuries when he ‘hit the deck’ after sliding down a fireman's pole in front of his troop has been awarded almost more »

A mother who failed to win permission to move overseas with her children due to the damaging impact on their relationship with their natural father has failed to convince the more »

A Catholic journalist who was upset and offended by a senior colleague’s foul-mouthed reference to the Pope has failed to convince the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) that he more »

A salesman has failed to convince the first-tier tribunal that a sum he received on termination of his employment was effectively a redundancy payment the first £30,000 of which more »

A mother who abducted her children and flew with them to Australia in an act of ‘deliberate cruelty’ to her husband has nevertheless been set on the road to redemption. more »

Seven Supreme Court justices are to consider a landmark ‘big money’ divorce case that has caused huge controversy and exposed a fundamental rift between family and commercial more »

Employers are entitled to offer older workers bigger redundancy packages than their younger colleagues even if the duration of their service is identical. Rejecting a direct age more »

A nurse who came under investigation after serious failings in the provision of care were uncovered at a north London home for the elderly has failed to convince the Court of more »

A recent farm succession survey has highlighted that around 40% of farmers have not thought about succession planning for their business. WBW Partner Malcolm Emery explores more »

A mother who had her one hour-old son taken away from her by police after her boyfriend threatened to ‘mobilize an army of 200 skinheads’ to kidnap the child has failed to more »

A businessman who argued that a row he had with his wife in respect of her map-reading skills was wrongly treated as evidence that their relationship had irretrievably broken down more »

A father who abducted his three children from their home abroad can nevertheless keep them in England after his 13-year-old son vehemently objected to leaving the country. The more »

WBW Solicitors and Corraline Health are launching the new group to bring the working people of Newton About and the surrounding areas together to meet, to talk and to network so more »

A would-be adoptive mother who was tragically struck blind by a brain tumour came home from hospital to face the trauma of social workers threatening to take the baby girl she more »

Sarah Witheridge, Partner & Head of WBW Property Department explains:We often come across farm or land which has been owned by one family for generations. Often, the legal more »

The fictional protagonists in Charles Dickens' Bleak House took generations to waste their inheritance on interminable court proceedings but it took a real family just four years more »

In a contributed article for WBW Solicitors 'Need to Know' Newsletter, James Baker of Strutt & Parker, Exeter, explores current trends in the rural property market. One of more »

People in Devon who think they should be assessed for eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding need to apply by 31 March 2013. NHS Continuing Healthcare is a package of more »

Most people will be asked during their lives to perform the role of Executor for a relative or friend. It is difficult to refuse and few people do, but, you should know what the more »

Two brothers were denied their rightful inheritance after their frail step-mother was pressured into changing her will by a relative, the High Court has ruled. The 75-year-old more »

WBW has bolstered its ranks with the appointment of two new members to our Private Client Department - Amy Kernohan and Sharon Lamerton. Amy moved to the firm, from more »

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have announced that from 22 April 2013 charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) will be able to enrol to make Gift Aid repayment claims more »

....of getting 100% Inheritance Tax Relief on the agricultural value of the farmhouseWBW Partner and Head of Farms & Estates Team David Charlesworth explores: This relief, more »

Even though sperm donors were deprived of the status of legal parents by the terms of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, they retained the right to seek contact with more »

The ex-wife of a Russian businessman who is engaged in a ‘titanic struggle’ to make him satisfy her £12.5m divorce award will receive at least a small part of her due more »

Laura Clarke explores how hydropower can provide the farm with a second income stream Humans have harnessed the power of water to generate energy for agriculture and manufacture more »

In a ruling which is bound to cause consternation in the construction and associated industries, the Court of Appeal has ruled that falls in property values that coincide with more »

Even though sperm donors were deprived of the status of legal parents by the terms of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, they retained the right to seek contact with more »

How many horse owners look longingly at the long vacant pasture owned by a landowner who never seems to make use of that dream paddock and believe it is just crying out for their more »

The much-debated Bill to allow 'gay marriage' has been published on the UK Parliament website.Unexpectedly, the draft Bill excludes adultery with a member of the same sex as a more »

The English courts are empowered (under the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984) to determine the financial settlement on a foreign divorce in certain circumstances. This more »

A local authority which was ordered to pay more than £420,000 compensation to a disappointed job applicant in respect of race discrimination has failed to convince the Court of more »

A mother who had her daughter taken from her at birth and put into foster care due to concerns over her psychological frailty and habit of forming relationships with inappropriate more »

A property dealer who is said to be worth £400 million has been given a six-month jail term after a High Court judge ruled that he disobeyed orders to provide details of his more »

A father who claims that serious injuries suffered by his baby son were caused by a fall from his bouncy chair has been denied permission by the Court of Appeal to present a more »

In circumstances where a worker copied his employer’s documents onto a USB stick shortly before resigning and taking up a new position with a direct competitor, the High Court more »

Although an ex-wife fully understood the terms of a divorce settlement by which she agreed to pay her former husband a total of £450,000, a family judge was entitled to exercise more »

Gloomy weather getting you down? It's going to get worse before it gets better: researchers claim that the third Monday of January is the most depressing day of the more »

Need to Know is WBW Solicitors update on issues affecting farms and other land based businesses, providing opinion and advice from our Farm & Estates Team who are made up of a more »

A bout of severe weather, with the potential for snow, is due to hit Devon and Cornwall around midnight with particular disruption possible in Devon. When the weather makes it more »

A £200 million asset freezing order issued in the context of the breakdown of the relationship between an extremely wealthy businessman and the mother of his children was more »

WBW teamed up with Lush cosmetics last week to stage a special ‘make your own’ scent workshop at Exeter’s Phoenix Centre. Youngsters of all ages were invited along last more »

A senior family judge responded with ‘shock, alarm and disbelief’ to a money-driven dispute between two local authorities over which of them should pay for the support of two more »

In a ruling that underlines the limited weight that can be placed on the ‘wishes and feelings’ of children in family cases, the Court of Appeal has opened the way for a mother more »

A Court of Appeal ruling in a big money divorce case – which effectively outlawed the long-established practice of the High Court Family Division to look behind corporate more »

A Christian who was demoted at work for posting his opposition to gay marriage on Facebook has won a breach of contract claim after a judge ruled that he was wrongly found guilty more »

Victims of stalkers are now protected by tough new laws which make stalking a criminal offence in England and Wales. The offence will now carry a maximum six-month sentence and a more »

A MERGER of two established firms will create one of the strongest legal practices in Torbay, senior lawyers have announced. WBW Solicitors LLP will merge with Bynes, based more »

An ‘enormously wealthy’ businessman engaged in a decade-long financial dispute with the mother of his three children has won a court ruling that she was never his wife under more »

An unfaithful boyfriend whose ex-fiancée claimed that he made an ardent Valentine's Day promise to give her his £230,000 home if they split up or he ever cheated on her again more »

An office Christmas party is an opportunity for employers to thank members of staff for their contribution over the year and is a chance to relax and enjoy the holiday season. more »

A mother and father's plea that vitamin supplements in formula baby milk led to them being condemned for battering their month-old baby has been rejected by a judge who refused more »

In an important decision that further defines the word ‘worker’ within the meaning of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA), the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that more »

In a case which underlines the benefits of careful professional drafting in the settlement of commercial disputes, a lack of clarity in a compromise agreement reached between more »

A woman has been permitted to re-open the financial aspects of her divorce after a High Court judge described her former husband as a ‘master of the half-truth’. The woman had more »

A Court of Appeal ruling has underlined the wisdom of employing professionals to draft commercial contracts rather than relying on informal exchanges of emails. Lengthy and costly more »

A vulnerable father has won an appeal against a family judge’s finding that he caused his baby daughter’s non-accidental injuries on grounds that the failure to provide more »

Following the publication of the interim report on the review of pensioner taxation published by the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) earlier in the year, HM Revenue and Customs more »

Where parties of full age and capacity executed a declaration of trust stating that a residential property was owned by them in equal shares as tenants in common, the burden of more »

A courageous road accident victim who is determined to become a mother despite her catastrophic injuries has settled her £11m damages claim in the midst of a High Court hearing. more »

An airline pilot whose wife refused to return home with him after a family holiday has broken the tape first in their ‘race to divorce’. The Court of Appeal ruled that a more »

A severely disabled ten-year-old boy has been awarded a £5.8m settlement of his case after failures in his treatment at Southampton General Hospital a few weeks after his birth more »

Parents whose baby daughter was taken from them after a hospital admission revealed multiple fractures of her skull have won an appeal against a ruling that the father was the more »

Five care workers engaged in providing 24-hour care to a disabled woman were employed under ‘global’ contracts of employment and had the requisite continuity of employment to more »

A businessman has failed in a unique bid to convince a High Court judge that a £350,000 debt he owes to his ex-wife in the context of their divorce should be wiped out by his more »

A pharmacist who was dismissed after allegedly calling the business for which she worked ‘a little Sikh club’ has had her hopes of a £35,000 compensation award dashed after more »

Two fathers who were handed suspended prison sentences by magistrates for failing to pay almost £13,000 in child maintenance have won their appeals after judges ruled that flaws more »

A ‘very rich’ businessman has been ordered to pay his ex-wife a lump sum of £4 million, plus £150,000-a-year for the rest of her life, to finalise their divorce. The former more »

A Saudi Arabian businessman is asking the Court of Appeal to rule that the family courts of England and Wales have no jurisdiction to resolve disputes between himself and his more »

The High Court is being asked to decide whether a Church of Scientology chapel should be recognised as a ‘place of worship’ at which marriages can be lawfully solemnised under more »

In a ruling which reveals a sharp division of views between family and corporate lawyers, the Court of Appeal has more than halved an ex-wife’s £17.5 million divorce settlement more »

WBW solicitors, have recruited two new members to our team. Susanna Whale joins the crime department in Torquay and Tracey Granger has been engaged as private client advisor more »

The Court of Appeal has lifted the shadow of suspicion hanging over a mother and father accused of harming their baby after he sustained mysterious bruising. The court ruled that more »

The necessity of a High Court hearing to resolve fundamental ambiguities in a will has underlined the wisdom of testators employing professional will drafters. The will of Ronald more »

Teachers and students at Decoy Community Primary School in Newton Abbot have a set of new waterproof jackets thanks to WBW Solicitors. WBW have sponsored waterproof jackets which more »

A High Court judge is considering arguments that a businessman’s discharge from a bankruptcy in which his ex-wife was listed as a creditor expunged his obligation to pay her the more »

Europe’s largest cemetery has been awarded to the partner of a deceased businessman after the Court of Appeal ruled that she and the child they had together are entitled to more »

TWO young legal eagles at WBW solicitors in Newton Abbot have recently achieved law qualifications and promotions within the firm. Roxanne Turner, 27, who started as a Legal more »

Lawyers for a boy who was left severely disabled by meningitis after his condition went undetected for days after he attended a hospital accident and emergency department have more »

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced plans to introduce a new kind of employment status – that of ‘owner-employee’. The plan is that new owner-employees will more »

The Court of Appeal has urged employment tribunals to ensure that an exception to National Minimum Wage (NMW) legislation, designed to benefit both employers and workers, is not more »

If you send a paper tax return for the 2011-12 tax year, it must reach HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by midnight on Wednesday 31 October 2012. If your return is late, you'll more »

A High Court judge has ordered disclosure of social services records to the Official Solicitor who is investigating claims that social workers let down two children by delaying more »

Lawyers for an eight-year-old boy who was born seriously brain damaged after he was starved of oxygen in the womb have achieved a settlement of his case worth at least £5 million more »

Lawyers for an eight-year-old boy who has been stricken by cerebral palsy since his hospital birth have settled his damages claim for £395,000 after a judge accepted that it was more »

Coombeshead Academy are delighted to have sponsors WBW back on board to support their very successful reading programme, Accelerated Reader, again this year. The programme is more »

In an important test case, the Court of Appeal is to consider medical evidence that vitamin supplements in baby formula milk may have led to an innocent couple being condemned as more »

A tribunal ruling has emphasised the wisdom of seeking independent tax advice after a farmer who mistakenly paid more than £168,000 in Landfill Tax more than 15 years ago was more »

In the midst of extremely acrimonious divorce proceedings, a High Court judge has ruled that a husband has no interest in a £40 million London home which was bought during the more »

The children of a council executive alleged to have killed himself due to intolerable work stress have won a £100,000 settlement of their claim against his employers. The man more »

HM Treasury has announced a new agreement with the USA which will enable the US Internal Revenue Service and HM Revenue and Customs to share information in order to 'improve tax more »

A High Court judge has rejected arguments that a ‘no set-off’ clause in a sales contract, protecting the supplier’s entitlement to the price of goods without deduction, is more »

A mother and father who claimed that serious injuries suffered by their baby daughter were caused by the strap of her bouncy chair have been permitted supervised contact with her more »

A ‘cavalier, callous and aggressive’ businessman who left his ex-wife mired in debt when they split up over his affair with another woman has been hit with a £4 million bill more »

An ultra-orthodox Jewish father has failed to convince the Court of Appeal that his ex-wife should be prevented from moving their children to schools where they will receive a more »

Little-mentioned changes in the tax rules relating to furnished lettings should give landlords pause for thought. From April 2013, the 'renewals allowance' will be withdrawn for more »

A local authority has admitted violating a mother and baby's human rights when social workers took away the little girl within hours of her traumatic hospital birth. The mother more »

Valid marriages are those that fall within the scope of the Marriage Act 1949. Before contracting a marriage, certain formalities are gone through, but it is not normally more »

A young mother who claims her troubled childhood in the care system meant she was given no fair chance to prove she could be a good parent to her baby daughter has had her more »

A mother may never be allowed to care for her four children again after refusing to leave her violent partner who ‘destroyed any kind of acceptable family life’. Senior more »

WBW Solicitors are sponsoring up-and-coming Exeter City Football Club player Jacob Wannell. 18-year-old Jacob has been given a professional contract by the Grecians after being a more »

A shopper, who slipped on grapes outside a high street convenience store, fracturing both her wrists in the fall, has won £111,859 damages for her injuries. Samira Hassan, more »

The Court of Appeal has granted protection to the well-known ‘Henley’ brand of watches after ruling that the marketing of confusingly similar ‘Henleys’ time pieces more »

In NHS Leeds v Larner, the Court of Appeal has sought to ensure consistency in the approach of employment tribunals to the holiday pay rights of workers whose employment is more »

A small family company has triumphed in its High Court fight to protect its valuable designs for outside cigarette bins from a multinational rival. Pendle Metalwares Limited more »

A woman who says she feels like a freak because of the effect on her growth of an undiagnosed tumour has won £1.228 million damages. Kate Woodward, aged 20, claimed at the High more »

A judge has exposed a scandal in the care system which resulted in two baby boys being stripped of their family ties and moved around a series of foster care placements, suffering more »

Following a consultation exercise, the Ministry of Justice has announced the amended fee structure that will apply to those wishing to make use of the employment tribunal more »

The novelty and ‘individual character’ of a best-selling wine bottle carrier have been recognised by a judge who found that its registered community design had been infringed more »

Introducing our Farm & Estates Team under the leadership of new Partner David Charlesworth, WBW Solicitors invites you to join our seminar for farmers and land more »

Following a review of the operation of the family courts by Mr Justice Ryder, the Government is poised to introduce measures designed to speed up the operation of the courts by a more »

A schoolgirl who suffered catastrophic head injuries when she was clipped by a motorist who was rushing to work is in line for very substantial compensation after a High Court more »

A Court of Appeal judge faced with having to decide whether two young children should live with their mother or their grandmother has said that he ‘cannot be Solomon’ and more »

Torbay helmsman Garry Phare will be sporting a new sail thanks to a sponsorship deal with WBW Solicitors. Royal Torbay Yacht Club's Garry Phare won the Fast Handicap Orestone more »

WBW Solicitors have a new Tax and Trust Manager. A Former HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officer, Rob Jenks joins the firm bringing with him over 25 years of experience. Rob, 46, more »

A woman left with severe learning difficulties due to hospital mismanagement of her birth has won over £4m in compensation more than 45 years after her delivery. The claimant more »

Passengers who say they suffered a range of injuries when a cruise ship was lashed by high winds during a nightmare Atlantic voyage have had her compensation hopes boosted by a more »

A local authority has paid a six-figure sum to four sisters who alleged that there had been a negligent failure by social workers to protect them from their abusive home more »

A Lord Justice of Appeal has emphasised the primacy of the principle of equality in the division of assets in divorce cases over conflicting principles of Sharia law. In some more »

The country's most senior judge has heralded a 10% increase in general damages awards to compensate for the pain, suffering, distress and inconvenience of negligence, defamation more »

The French Government’s plans to introduce higher taxation of foreign-owned homes could be challenged by the British Government. Treasury sources indicate that they are looking more »

Representatives from leading South Devon Law Firm, WBW Solicitors, took part in the ladies only Sleep Walk for Rowcroft Hospice on 21st July 2012.WBW were one of the main sponsors more »

A social worker who was stabbed by a mental patient who had earlier threatened to ‘kill her on the spot’ has won the right to sue two NHS trusts after the Court of Appeal more »

WBW Partner David Charlesworth opened the annual Exeter Craft Festival, David chairs the committee which runs the popular event on Cathedral Green. At 11am on Friday, David gave more »

The general rule that the loser pays the winner's legal costs does not always apply, as a successful claimant found recently. The claim was made in the wake of defamatory more »

WBW Solicitors hosted an exclusive private view evening at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum for clients and associates this week. The evening, complete with drinks and mini cakes more »

A property owner (the appellant) whose Victorian townhouse was severely affected by subsidence has failed to convince the Court of Appeal that a local authority and a housing more »

A divorcing couple’s dispute over the partition of their £50 million fortune has been compared with spoilt children squabbling in a nursery by a senior family judge. Lord more »

WBW were delighted to sponsor and support an evening of awards celebrating successful and inspirational women at the inagural Women of Achievement Awards. The awards were an more »

In a cautionary tale for unmarried couples who fail to make formal arrangements regarding money and property, a former couple had to go to the High Court to resolve a dispute over more »

A father is one step closer to forging a relationship with his two-year-old daughter after judges at the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) ruled he should be given the chance to more »

With just 11 days to go and with international athletes arriving for London 2012, one of the Olympic Torch bearers made a visit to the WBW Solicitors Church House, Newton Abbot more »

The rights of children to have a meaningful relationship with both parents were at the centre of a case in the Court of Appeal Court in which a father was given fresh hope of more »

The benefits of a cohabitation agreement when a couple are living together were clearly illustrated by a recent Court of Appeal case. Christopher Chapman, an accountant, moved in more »

Judges at the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) have expressed concern after hearing that delays in the appointment of guardians in care proceedings have led to vulnerable children more »

A judge's right to change his or her mind after announcing a decision is at the centre of an ‘extraordinary’ Court of Appeal case involving a young child who could be more »

A District Judge has upheld an insurance mis-selling claim brought by a customer who was ‘duped’ into taking out payment protection insurance (PPI) in relation to a hire more »

WBW Solicitors are delighted to sponsor the 'Business of the Year' category in the first Herald Express Women of Achievement awards next week. The event recognises inspirational more »

The combination of miserable weather at home, a weak Euro and steep falls in property prices over the last few years may make the prospect of acquiring a foreign home in Europe an more »

Praised by the judges for its ‘ambition and imagination’, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum was last night crowned 'Museum of the Year' and awarded the £100,000 Art Fund Prize more »

When the biological father of the child of a lesbian couple applied for contact with the child, the Court of Appeal faced a quandary. Was a ‘third parent’ (in this case a gay more »

WBW Solicitors are delighted to welcome as a partner, David Charlesworth, to head up their well established Farm & Estates Team, based in the Exeter office, but working more »

Whether a person intends to form a contract is not a question of what was in their mind at the time, but whether their actions were such that it could be objectively determined more »

In light of the busy sporting summer ahead, with the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and the European Football Championships in addition to the usual annual events, the Chartered more »

A recent case in the Court of Appeal illustrates clearly why it is beneficial for couple who are living together to enter into a co-habitation agreement. Christopher Chapman, an more »

A recent dispute over the extent of a right of way over farmland in County Durham may be of interest to property owners, particularly to owners and occupiers of agricultural more »

Employment issues are the focus of a free forum event hosted by WBW Solicitors in Heathfield on Wednesday 20th June at 9.00-10.15am The forum will provide a focus for discussion more »

WBW Solicitors have expanded after the successful incorporation of McDermott French Solicitors. Sarah French and Julie McDermott formed a partnership in 1995 and opened an office more »

A recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union in relation to a claim of breach of copyright of a software package has confirmed that: • creation of software more »

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Child Tax Credit (CTC) benefits cannot be shared between parents, even if they live separately and the children spend time with each parent, following a decision of the UK Supreme more »

When a court has made a decision, it is not open for a person to argue in different proceedings in another court that, on the same facts, a different decision should be more »

The Supreme Court has ruled (Seldon v Clarkson Wright and Jakes) that the test for justifying discrimination on the ground of age is narrower for direct discrimination than for more »

To mark the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, there is an extra bank holiday this year on Tuesday 5 June. Also, the spring bank holiday, which normally falls at the end more »

WBW Solicitors were delighted to once again sponsor Sheep Classes at this years Devon County Show, judged by Britain's favourite farmer and BBC TV Countryfile presenter Adam more »

Just married, moved house, had a baby or gone through a divorce? These are times to make sure you have an up-to-date Will.During Make a Will week, taking place 19-25 May 2012, WBW more »

The Supreme Court has provided useful guidance on the circumstances in which a mandatory retirement age will be justified in a case involving a solicitor. His partnership more »

Local school pupils have been considering the arguments for and against a proposed new law which would give the government powers to check up on who people phone, which websites more »

WBW Solicitors are once again partnering the Torbay Schools Law & Citizenship Web, an initiative which introduces local pupils to the legal system and those who work within more »

WBW Solicitors got an unusual visitor this week in the shape of a giant sheep. Barbara, the mascot for the Rowcroft Hospice Sleep Walk, visited WBW solicitors’ Newton Abbot more »

Employment issues are the focus of a free forum event at WBW Solicitors in Exeter this week. The breakfast event will give Exeter business leaders the chance to discuss staffing more »

Many of us are only too aware of the exorbitant costs of funding a care home placement. Some of us are aware that there may be financial recompense from the NHS where an more »

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A man who fathered a child for a lesbian couple and then sought a contact order, contrary to his initial agreement with them, has been successful in the Court of Appeal. After more »

One of the first ‘big money’ cases involving the break-up of a civil partnership has been heard by the Court of Appeal. The appeal concerned the decision of the family court more »

A man who was the intended beneficiary of a £70,000 estate has lost out after the discovery of a major blunder at the time the wills of his deceased ‘parents’ were more »

The action of a mother who ‘abducted’ her own child in Australia and brought him back to the UK was cleared by the Supreme Court recently. She removed her child to protect more »

Legal challenges faced by professionals dealing with the affairs of individuals with learning disabilities will be discussed at a seminar organised by WBW Solicitors on Thursday more »

From 6 April 2012, the unfair dismissal qualifying period increases from one year to two years for those whose employment began on or after that date. Employees who started more »

Any employee who has completed one year of continuous employment and who ‘has, or expects to have responsibility, for a child’ is entitled to take up to four weeks’ unpaid more »

The property team at WBW Solicitors has been awarded the Chartermark of the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), the highly prized quality standard for residential conveyancing more »

An extremely convincing Internet scam ahs recently come to our attention which is targeted at US citizens resident abroad. The scam consists of an invitation to the recipient to more »

Leading Devon Law Firm WBW Solicitors has announced a new Senior Partner, with Property Law partner Michael Setter replacing Michael Martin after 4 years in the role. Mr Setter's more »

The Government has accepted the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) for this year’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates. From 1 October 2012 the following rates will more »

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A mother left unable to recognise her children due to a stroke after surgery has received a £4.85million payout from Derriford Hospital. The woman had returned to the hospital more »

When a judge failed to invite a child’s aunt and her husband, who were willing to care for him, to attend a hearing to determine his future care arrangements, a challenge was more »

The Chancellor’s Budget this year was set in the context of mixed economic data and business confidence. The economy continues to be sluggish but has been aided by a softening more »

An extremely convincing Internet scam has recently come to our attention which is targeted at US citizens resident abroad. The scam consists of an invitation to the recipient to more »

The Chancellor’s Budget this year was set in the context of mixed economic data and business confidence reports. The economy continues its sluggish course, aided by a softening more »

Employment issues are the focus of free forum event at WBW solicitors in Newton Abbot early April. The breakfast event will give Teignbridge business leaders the chance to more »

When can a couple go through a properly carried out ceremony of marriage in this country and still be unmarried under British law – other than when the marriage turns out to be more »

Since 2007, when the Mental Capacity Act 2005 came into force, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) have taken the place of Enduring Powers of Attorney. A power of attorney allows more »

An RAF officer who suffered crippling injuries when he dived head-first into a shallow ball pond during an It's a Knockout-style fun day is due to up to £6 million damages after more »

At a time when personalisation is key and the rights and dignity of the individual are paramount, Advanced Directives are featuring more and more in the legal landscape. They more »

Care fees and funding is a complex and confusing area underlined by concern that your money will run out, you will become a burden on your family and, in turn, lose your dignity. more »

A recent case illustrates that those who challenge a will may find themselves liable for costs unless the challenge has some substance to it. George Wharton, 78, was suffering more »

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have won another significant battle in their quest to reclassify ‘self-employed’ workers as employees after slimming club Weight Watchers (WW) more »

WBW Solicitors hosted a social evening at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum for clients and associates. more »

In a case concerning the sale of a business in administration, which amounted to a ‘relevant transfer’ for the purposes of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of more »

A man who acted as a sperm donor so that a lesbian couple could have a baby, and who agreed not to seek parental rights, has found himself in the Court of Appeal after his more »

Employers will be aware of the Government’s decision to increase, from 6 April 2012, the qualifying period before which an employee becomes entitled to bring a claim for unfair more »

Is a partner who receives only a small share of the firm’s profit and takes no part in the management of the firm really a partner? That question was at the heart of a recent more »

It is widely thought that the National Minimum Wage (NMW) applies to all workers, but there is a specific exemption from the NMW regulations when a domestic worker is treated as a more »

The widely-reported victory by a Portsmouth Landlady who was taken to court for using a Greek provider to screen live televised sport is to be challenged. In a recent case, the more »

With less than six months to go before the London 2012 Olympic Games commence on 27 July 2012, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has begun publishing more »

Contracts involving property are often ‘messy, with obligations on the vendor (and sometimes the purchaser) extending beyond the completion date. This can cause problems when more »

Disputes in the workplace are regrettably a common occurrence and can have many different causes. Attempts should always be made by all parties involved in the dispute to resolve more »

One of the most important things to make sure of in any legal agreement involving the purchase of assets is that the transferor actually owns the assets you are seeking to more »

"You are better off to buy." The Halifax have found that new homeowners mortgage pay, on average, £116 or 16% less than the average cost of renting a similar property. The more »

The fiancée of Rock Musician Gerry Rafferty, who died in 2011, is to apply to the court for financial provision to be made for her out of his estate. Under the Inheritance more »

A recent case in the London County Court illustrates the vital importance of a testator both having the mental capacity to make a will and knowing and approving its more »

Regulation 8(7) of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) provides that where the transferor is the subject of bankruptcy proceedings or more »

In England and Wales, the law prevents a person who unlawfully kills another person (or a person who ‘aids, abets counsels or procures the death of another’) from benefiting more »

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are to challenge a ruling that their practice of ‘storing up’ penalties before issuing demands for them was unfair. The practice was challenged more »

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have issued a warning to taxpayers to be on their guard against fraudulent emails as the self-assessment deadline of 31 January approaches. Joan more »

Giving a guarantee may seem like a relatively low-risk undertaking, but there are serious risks attached, including the risk of personal bankruptcy, if the person whose debt you more »

In general, rents on property are exempt supplies for VAT. However, a landlord often supplies other services to tenants, such as cleaning and maintenance, which would normally be more »

There have been many cases over the years which have involved the determination of shares of ownership of a property when an unmarried couple have split up and wished to dispose more »

Under Section 3 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (SDA) workers are protected from less favourable treatment on the ground that they are married or in a civil partnership. Under more »

Informal arrangements within families are often a recipe for legal problems later on, as a recent case shows. The circumstances that gave rise to the problem were a variant of more »

A businessman and his wife have been sent to prison for four years and 16 months respectively after their business failed to disclose more than £5 million in profits. The more »

For many years, it was accepted law that ministers of religion did not normally come within the definition of ‘employee’ for the purposes of the Employment Rights Act 1996 more »

Informal arrangements within families are often a recipe for legal problems later on, as a recent case shows. The circumstances that gave rise to the problem were a variant of more »

According to accountants UHY Hacker Young, a crackdown by HM Revenue and Customs on buy-to-let landlords in the North West who have failed to declare their rental income has led more »

It is not generally appreciated that when a couple own a property jointly but are not married or civil partners, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) apply slightly different principles more »

The Government consultation on the council tax discounts applicable to second homes closed at the end of December. There have been council tax discounts available to second home more »

In his Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, has announced plans to bring forward the increase in the State Pension Age (SPA) to 67. For men, the more »

On 1 March 2011, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that, with effect from 21 December 2012, the use of gender as a risk factor by insurers should not result in individual more »

In Zulhayir v JJ Food Service Ltd., the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) held that an employee was not ‘self-dismissed’ because he had failed to respond to a letter from his more »

Need to Prove You Are UK Resident? It may be hard to believe, but there are times when being UK resident is beneficial for tax purposes. In the event that you need to prove your more »

The Government has announced plans to introduce legislation to give legal rights of inheritance to long-term cohabitees. There are currently more than two million couples living more »

For many years now, the system for adoption in the UK has been regarded by many as unduly lengthy and complicated, with fewer than one in 60 children in care in England and under more »

Each year, sickness absence costs the tax payer £13 billion and £15 billion in economic output is lost. As the population of Great Britain is both growing and ageing, the more »

It is not generally appreciated that when a couple own a property jointly but are not married or civil partners, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) apply slightly different principles more »

According to accountants UHY Hacker Young, a crackdown by HM Revenue and Customs on buy-to-let landlords in the North West who have failed to declare their rental income has more »

Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced the Government’s proposals for reform of employment law, which aim to cut unnecessary demands on business whilst safeguarding more »

Managing Partner Steve Bulman and Head of Employment Kerry Curd attended Coombeshead Academy for the launch of the new competition aimed at developing children’s reading more »

The High Court has ruled that a company director who signed a guarantee over a 35-year lease when he thought that all he was doing was witnessing the signature of a fellow more »

A woman who fell down a set of temporary steps at Birmingham International Airport has won £28,000 in compensation from Thomson Airways. She was boarding a flight to Lanzarote more »

The normal rule on divorce is that matrimonial property (assets built up during the marriage) is to be divided equally. Non-matrimonial property (normally assets brought into the more »

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have established a new team of investigators and specialists in order to identify wealthy tax avoiders. One of the first targets of the 200-strong more »

Misaligned fractures are painful, and can be very difficult to put right. If you are unlucky enough to break a bone, you trust that the hospital team will diagnose it properly and more »

If you are an employer or manager who needs assistance with employment law related matters, then why not join us at our Employer's Forum. The next forum will be held on Wednesday more »

A man who suffered a ripped calf muscle, broken bones and nearly had a toe severed when a waste handling machine reversed into him is in line for compensation, following the more »

Mr Gaines-Cooper organised his affairs so that he complied with the HMRC guidance, contained in their leaflet IR20, to make himself not resident in the UK for tax purposes. more »

Are you ready for the 2012 changes to work-place pension schemes? At present UK employers are not required to contribute to their employees’ pension schemes. However, that is more »

The Supreme Court has now ruled in the 2010 case of Kernott v Jones in which the respective shares of a property bought by a couple who cohabited and then split up had to be more »

The Employment Tribunal (ET) has ruled that the dismissal of an employee who made derogatory remarks about work colleagues on her Facebook page was unfair. After a particularly more »

Life coaches may need help to get their lives back on track if HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is successful in its latest blitz. Life coaches, music teachers and other private more »

This is a case which has implications for all couples who live together but are unmarried. Patricia Jones and Leonard Kernot were such a couple, they lived together, had children more »

Following the closure of the recent disclosure window for taxpayers to come forward with details of previously undisclosed Swiss bank accounts, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) more »

In March this year, a 20-year-old student was awarded compensation of £54,000 for injuries he sustained playing rugby when he was 16 years old. Jack Sutton fractured his right more »

The Court of Appeal has held that where an employer provided an intended, unambiguous written notice of termination to an employee, the employer was not subsequently entitled to more »

An experienced swimmer who dived into a pool at a friend's late-night party and was rendered tetraplegic after hitting her head on the bottom of the pool has lost her claim for more »

The Bribery Act 2010 came into force on 1 July 2011. It is an offence under the Act for a person to request, agree to receive or accept a financial or other advantage intending more »

A diagnosis that your child is suffering from a disability can be devastating in the early days. Cerebral palsy is sometimes diagnosed at birth, and in other cases it is raised as more »

Political meltdown following the hacking furore, economies in crisis, the public purse short-changed, access to justice limited, the NHS in turmoil, anxieties over the nation's more »

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have always taken a relatively ‘soft’ line on what constitutes a ‘gift out of income’ for Inheritance Tax (IHT) purposes. A gift out of more »

Since 6th April 2008, any UK resident adult who has been in the UK for 7 out of the past 10 years has had to pay a £30,000 charge to elect to be taxed on a remittance basis. The more »

Sign of the times as stress levels are now most common cause of long-term sickness absence. For the first time, stress has been reported as the most common cause of long-term more »

A local authority may well rue the day its inspector identified a loose paving stone as an ‘immediate or imminent hazard’ as its identification as such was a powerful piece of more »

When the co-founder of two companies in the wind farm business was effectively ‘frozen out’ of them by his fellow shareholders and excluded from participating in their more »

The Coalition Government has announced its decision to extend the qualification period for the right to claim unfair dismissal from one year to two years. The change will come more »

A recent dispute over a divorce settlement dealt with an unusual situation. The husband had been in an accident and was partially disabled. He had received a settlement of more »

The question of where one is resident is not only important for tax purposes, but also as regards where divorce proceedings can be brought. For those who lead a ‘jet-set’ more »

According to insurers Sun Life, the average cost of dying (such as cremation etc. costs) has risen to more than £7,200 - an increase of more than 60 per cent in the last seven more »

A woman who was left permanently disabled after a routine hip operation went wrong has won over £100,000 in damages. Margaret Peabody, 51, was suffering from painful more »

A claimant who grossly exaggerated his injuries following a motoring accident and based his claim for compensation on the exaggerated claims has been given a nine-month prison more »

When a local authority terminated the placement of a child who had been placed with a view to adoption, and took the child back into care, the family with whom the child was more »

There is a general rule that an action for damages for personal injury must be brought within three years of the claimant becoming aware of his or her injury. Recently, a man more »

It is easy to put off making a will. However, this is the only way to guarantee that your money goes to who you want it to upon your death. If someone dies without making a will more »

The first few weeks following your baby’s birth should be a wonderful time - it’s a life changing experience, and most women are prepared for things to be different. Everyone more »

The EIS has been with us in one guise or another since 1990 and offers significant Tax breaks to individuals who are prepared to invest in small unquoted trading companies. Since more »

From 6 April 2008 disposals of qualifying businesses and business assets have been eligible for Entrepreneurs’ Relief (ER). In simple terms, it allows business owners to reduce more »

Relationships can seem indestructible when they begin. All that excitement and the feeling of being in love can make it seem pointless or untrusting of your partner to consider more »

Complaints Procedure Unless your treatment was funded privately, you can make a complaint using the NHS Complaints Procedure. You should be able to obtain more information about more »

Domicile is a Legal concept and in the UK is broadly equivalent to an individual's home country. Other countries have concepts of "domicile" but they do not all agree to the UK more »

In the EU, names can be registered as Community Trade Marks (CTMs). Recently, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) refused to allow fashion designer Elizabeth Emanuel to obtain more »

Employers are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to prevent their disabled workers from being placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with persons who are more »

If building your own home, very careful consideration needs to be had and detailed advice taken both from your solicitors and also from your accountants. Failure to do so may mean more »

Although the Civil Partnership Act, which allows same-sex couples to be legally joined, came into effect as long ago as December 2005, the right to have a same-sex religious more »

Estate agents’ contracts normally contain a clause that gives them the right to a commission if the property is sold within a period of time after the agency agreement is more »

The duties of a partner in a limited liability partnership (LLP) are not the same as those in an ‘ordinary’ partnership as regards the fiduciary duties owed to the other more »

Slipping or tripping is the single most common cause of major injury in UK workplaces. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that more than 10,000 workers suffered serious more »

The Exeter office of WBW Solicitors is pleased to be taking part in Will Aid’s Make a Will month for the fifth consecutive year. During the month of November, we will expertly more »

Incorrect use of the Internet and social networking tools has led to many employers having to deal with issues such as time theft, defamation, cyber bullying, freedom of speech more »

The old adage ‘once bitten, twice shy’ clearly does not apply to former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney. He has announced that when he marries Nancy Shevell at Marylebone Register more »

The employee in this case was employed by two different NHS Trusts, in different jobs, working different hours. One of the jobs involved travelling whilst the other was based in a more »

A woman who was injured when the car being driven by her husband was involved in an accident has won £34,000 in compensation from his insurers. The 78-year-old woman was being more »

If you are an employer or manager who needs assistance with employment law related matters, then why not join us at our Employer's Forum. The next forum will be held on more »

In Wincanton plc v Atkinson and another, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) held that the decision of a haulage company to dismiss two of its drivers who continued to perform more »

A company that tried to defend itself against a copyright infringement claim found that failing to take legal advice early in the proceedings cost it dear. When the infringement more »

The Supreme Court has handed down its decision in a case concerning the employment status of 20 valeters who provided car-cleaning service to motor retailers and auctioneers more »

The Agency Workers Regulations 2010, which come into force on 1 October 2011, give temporary agency workers certain new rights. Some of the new rights apply to all agency workers more »

The law relating to the fiduciary duties of directors is stricter than many company directors might think, as a recent case illustrates. It involved the director of a company who more »

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the decision of a lower court that a small risk of serious injury is ‘acceptable’, and thus the failure to carry out a risk assessment was more »

A recent case illustrates how strong the evidence must be before the presumption that a person making a will has the mental capacity to so will be overturned. It involved an more »

A cyclist who was hit by a lorry after he collided with barriers around electrical works has won a settlement worth millions of pounds in compensation for the life-changing more »

In the current economic climate, many employers are seeking ways to reduce staff costs. Changing work patterns may assist this process. However, when considering reorganising the more »

Force majeure is the term used when something unexpected and not preventable occurs which radically changes a situation. A force majeure clause is often included in contracts to more »

An attempt by online retailer Amazon to patent its ‘one-click’ purchase system has predictably failed in the patent court. The reason for the failure was that the creation of more »

Restrictive covenants are restrictions on the rights relating to a property. They may, for example, allow rights of access over the property concerned or operate to prevent a more »

When one business uses the trade marks of another, an action can be brought for trade mark infringement and possibly also for ‘passing off’ – the term given to the situation more »

When a person is made bankrupt, or has a debt relief order (DRO) made, their creditors must all receive equal treatment. Bankruptcy is a well known procedure and, in effect, more »

When a married couple with children are getting divorced and the financial arrangements are being considered, the primary concern of the court will always be the welfare of the more »

When a party to a contract breaches the contract, the other party is normally allowed to bring the contract to an end. It is not normally possible (unless the contract allows it) more »

The High Court has taken decisive action in the war against the illegal distribution of copyright material by requiring BT, the UK’s largest Internet Service Provider, to block more »

Lion Steel Equipment Ltd is to be charged with manslaughter unde rthe Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act 2007. The prosecution follows the death of a man who fell through a more »

Many homeowners know, to their cost, that the drains on their property are their responsibility, not that of their local water company. Owners of properties with septic systems more »

The recent case in which a New York lawyer and his wife found they had no entitlement to use the communal gardens near their £6.8 million Chelsea home illustrates the importance more »

Two young children were prevented from being removed to Canada by their mother after the Court of Appeal ruled that to do so would not be in their best interests. The girls’ more »

Gilding the lily when making insurance claims is a not uncommon, but dangerous practice as a company whose premises were damaged by fire found out. When making its claim to more »

Many contracts require one or both parties to use ‘all reasonable endeavours’ to fulfil the contract. When low-cost airline Jet2 and the operators of Blackpool Airport (BAL) more »

When children are placed with foster parents, responsibility for them remains with the local council and the council retains the right to remove the children to a new foster home more »

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that it is necessary to construe the wording of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 – and the Equality Act 2010 which supersedes it more »

If an employer is ‘proposing to dismiss as redundant’ twenty or more employees at one establishment, within a period of 90 days, the collective consultation provisions of more »

‘Passing off’ is the legal term for when a business seeks to profit from the name or reputation of another business by using a similar name. When the person or business more »

One of the defences against repossession of a house, where a secured debt or mortgage is not repaid, has been where the partner taking out the loan brought 'undue influence' to more »

It is the case that adult social care is rarely out of the media or the collective public conscious. In the UK some 400,000 people are now in residential care homes, a figure more »

The High Court has confirmed that a trade mark refers to the general impression given by the mark, not to the details of the mark and this can include auditory and conceptual more »

A recent decision of the Court of Appeal shows how difficult it is to substantiate claims that assets held in trust are not to be taken into account when determining wealth for more »

Changes to the Family Procedures Rules (FPR) – which govern the conduct of divorce proceedings – make alterations to the way divorces are to be carried out.   The main more »

Increasing numbers of people are spending substantial periods of time away from their homes on account of working away, having a second home or for any of a number of other more »

When a business sues for damages because of breach of contract, the damages are based on the loss of profits for the claimant that have resulted from the breach. However, what is more »

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has upheld a decision of the Employment Tribunal (ET) that an employee was not entitled to be paid his contractual wages during a period when more »

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have suffered another defeat in a case concerning IR35, the legislation that in effect makes PAYE rules apply when a limited company is artificially more »

Sometimes, people tell you things you don’t want to hear. When the person doing the telling is an expert witness you have instructed, problems can result. In court proceedings more »

The potential for reducing Inheritance Tax (IHT) bills by placing ‘soft’ valuations on assets is all too clear and has led HM Revenue and Customs to undertaking almost 10,000 more »

One of the often forgotten issues in retirement planning is the possibility of having to fund long-term care at some future time. Such care is means-tested and most care home more »

A couple who had large-scale alterations to their house done, including the creation of a substantial basement room, found that the basement suffered from substantial water more »

A scam which traded on the greed of the gullible has been closed down by the the Financial Services Authority (FSA) after nearly £4 million was ‘invested’ by people seeking more »

The availability of affordable housing in rural areas has been a problem for many years, with young people often having to move away in order to find employment that will enable more »

As part of its comprehensive review of employment law, the Government has launched a consultation on plans to introduce a new system of flexible parental leave from 2015. Under more »

There are several possible instances – such as absence abroad – when land is to be sold and an attorney has to be appointed to undertake the transaction in the place of the more »

The genealogy website Ancestry.co.uk has recently uploaded more than six million probate records covering the period from 1942 to 1966. These include the details of many famous more »

A blitz by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) has led to fifteen South West businesses being fined more than £100,000 when 28 illegal workers were found. The fines followed 114 raids more »

WBW Solicitors are delighted to be inaugural members of the the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAAM) Business Club. The Busines Club aims to help companies strengthen their brand more »

A Council that took account of the personal circumstances of an applicant for planning permission, when granting an application to construct a bungalow outside the designated more »

The victory in the Court of Appeal of Ms Sharon Shoesmith, who was the Director of Children’s Services for Haringey Council at the time of the death of 17-month-old Peter more »

When cohabiting couples fall out, what happens about the family home is often one of the most difficult issues to resolve. In a recent case, a couple had split up after living in more »

Dual or multiple employment arrangements are popular with foreign domiciled employees whose duties are performed partly in the UK and partly outside the UK. HM Revenue and more »

Dual or multiple employment arrangements are popular with foreign domiciled employees whose duties are performed partly in the UK and partly outside the UK. HM Revenue and more »

A pensioner from West Bromwich has won £25,000 in damages after she was injured when a bus driver pulled away as she was getting off at her stop. Doreen Tyler, 82, was more »

Under UK law, anyone who is allowed unopposed occupation of a piece of land for more than twelve years (10 years for registered land if appropriate procedures are followed) can more »

Redundancies involving senior staff often involve a compromise agreement under which the employee agrees to compromise their right to take a case to the Employment Tribunal in more »

The new ‘mediation first’ rule applicable to divorce and separation have been well publicised, but moves to make the process more jargon-free have not received much more »

Under UK law, anyone who is allowed unopposed occupation of a piece of land for more than twelve years (10 years for registered land if appropriate procedures are followed) can more »

It may be assumed that when a couple purchase a property in equal shares, that is how ownership remains, but it isn’t necessarily so. In a recent case, the High Court had to more »

Infringement of a trade mark need not be a visual issue and a trade mark can be infringed when the sound of the trade mark is infringed. The case arose when the international toy more »

A recent case will cause concern to anyone who has a specific wish that their estate should not pass to certain people. It involved a woman who left an estate of more than more »

In Ajayi and another v Aitch Care Homes (London) Ltd., the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) upheld the decision of the Employment Tribunal (ET) that an employee’s ‘refusal’ more »

WBW are partnering the new Torquay Schools Law Web, an initiative which introduces local pupils to the legal system and those who work within it. The scheme is open to the more »

When the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 were first introduced, employees were protected from discrimination by reason of any ‘religion, religious more »

The proposed rules to deal with ‘disguised remuneration’ (where remuneration or assets are made available to an employee by a third party such as an employee benefit trust) more »

UK employers are increasingly falling victim to instances of ‘malicious dismissal claims’ from disgruntled ex-employees. A survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and more »

Under the Housing Act a spouse or civil partner has the right to succeed, in most circumstances, to an assured tenancy where he or she was cohabiting with the deceased  more »

A recent case in the Court of Appeal has demonstrated that terms agreed by email can amount to a contract despite a formal contract referred to in the emails remaining unsigned. more »

The Royal wedding has already put an extra bank holiday into the calendar on the 29th of the month and the House of Lords has reacted by allowing pubs an extra two hours of more »

When land is used over a long period of time by persons other than the owner of the land, they may acquire an easement (a legal right to use the land). Easements can be acquired more »

The man who disguised his house as a barn and then claimed that the local council was ‘out of time’ to take action with regard to the breach in planning permission has lost more »

In accordance with the Pensions Act 2004 all defined benefit schemes must have regular actuarial valuations to ensure that the scheme meets the ‘Statutory Funding Objective’ more »

A recent decision of the Employment Tribunal (ET) illustrates that care should be taken over any private communication made out of working hours if this contains material or more »

Following a major review carried out last year by Lord Justice Jackson, the Government has unveiled its plans for a radical overhaul of the civil justice system.  Firstly, more »

The Government is to take action to make the process of evicting anti-social tenants quicker. Anti-social behaviour is a serious problem where it occurs and harassment by more »

A recent case serves as a reminder that the intestacy rules only recognise a person’s natural, adopted or illegitimate children and illustrates the need to make sure that no more »

A woman in her 60s was recently forced by her two brothers to repay more than £30,000 she had charged for administering their late parents’ estates after they threatened legal more »

Provisions contained in the Equality Act 2010 that allow positive action specifically in the process of recruitment and promotion, in limited circumstances, come into force on 6 more »

A shareholder who sought, by refusing to agree to a share valuation, to force the company of which he was a shareholder to give him information he wanted, was rebuffed by the more »

A recent case concerning the misuse of database information illustrates the wisdom of preparing comprehensive evidence in support of one’s arguments. Databases can be valuable more »

Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced that the right to request flexible working will not now be extended to parents of children aged 17. The measure had been due to come more »

The Chancellor, George Osborne, today announced the Emergency Budget’s purpose was to rescue the nation’s finances, paying for past mistakes, with today’s Budget being to more »

The Government has published a ‘Call for Evidence’ seeking the views of employers, employees and other interested parties on whether the current procedures for dismissing more »

Employers who offer childcare support to employees are reminded that from 6 April 2011, changes are being made to Employer Supported Childcare (ESC). Under the current ESC more »

In an important case (OTG Ltd. v Barke and Others), the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has provided clarification on the application of Regulation 8(7) of the Transfer of more »

A recent case shows how important it is to follow correct procedure in company law, as when the company’s internal regulations are not followed, documents executed on the more »

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has published the annual update to the codes of practice for sponsored skilled workers. If an employer wants to sponsor a migrant worker from outside more »

The Government has published the draft Employment Equality (Repeal of Retirement Provisions) Regulations 2011. These will abolish the Default Retirement Age (DRA) of 65 and are more »

Alstom, the French engineering giant currently in the news as being under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office for allegedly distributing corrupt payments to secure more »

The Government has announced that the ‘Time to Train’ regulations will not be extended this April to employees of small and medium-sized businesses. The right to request time more »

In Tiffin v Lester Aldridge LLP, the Employment Appeal Tribunal found that a fixed share partner (FSP) of the firm was not entitled to claim unfair dismissal because he was a more »

With targets to meet, deadlines to comply with, promotions to compete for and long, irregular working hours, the working environment can often be fraught and stressful. This, more »

WBW Solicitors is proud to launch its new website today. The new, contemporary design now reflects the firm's position as a full service law firm focused on the South West more »

WBW Solicitors are pleased to announce the appointment of a new partner, Steven Carman. Steven, previously an associate solicitor with the firm specialising in corporate work, more »

Just because one planning authority behaves in a particular way, that does not mean another has to behave in the same way. That simple point scuppered a claim by objectors to a more »

When the terms of a house building contract exclude a liability for losses which might be incurred by the client for defective works, the client has no redress under a general more »

As part of its comprehensive review of employment legislation, the Government has published a consultation document, ‘Resolving Workplace Disputes’. This seeks views on more »

A woman who abused a relationship of trust was found guilty of the theft of nearly £30,000 recently. The 63 year-old woman befriended another woman, aged in her late 70s and was more »

In Tiffin v Lester Aldridge LLP, the Employment Appeal Tribunal found that a fixed share partner (FSP) of the firm was not entitled to claim unfair dismissal because he was a more »

Following clips being placed on YouTube, Sky Sports presenter Andy Gray was dismissed from his job – said to be worth £1.7 million per year. The sacking represents a stark more »

When an employer wishes to prevent a departing employee from having access to information that could be useful to a competitor or which would assist the employee in setting up in more »

Just because one planning authority behaves in a particular way, that does not mean another has to behave in the same way. That simple point scuppered a claim by objectors to a more »

HMRC has published revised guidance on tax residence and domicile which will apply from April 2011. The 86-page revised guidance (HMRC 6) mainly affects claims relating to more »

The Government has confirmed earlier announcements that the Default Retirement Age (DRA) will be abolished in order to give people greater flexibility as to when they stop more »

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The Court of Appeal has ruled that files of evidence obtained by stealth by a wife must be returned to her ex-husband. The Court considered that the breach of confidence of the more »

The coalition government have announced today that people planning to sell their houses after 21st May 2010 will not require a Home Information Pack to market their property. The more »

A new Website is being launched next week to help inform people about Collaborative Law.The website www.devoncollaborativelawyers.comhas been developed by a group of Collaborative more »

The Family Law team of WBW Solicitors has raised over £1000 for new facilities for the Torquay Contact Centre. The team, lead by head of department Fiona Yellowlees, did a more »

A factory worker who suffered a serious back injury when a colleague leapt onto him at work has won an undisclosed amount in compensation.   William Jones, 46, was bending more »

Are the conditions of entitlement to state pension credit under the 2002 State Pension Credit Regulations compatible with EU law? That is the question raised by a recent Supreme more »