As you may have noticed it is 400 years since the great Bard’s death. Many of his sayings and quotations have become part of our everyday language and we use them probably without even knowing or noticing that we are doing it.
His plays are still staged around the World. They are studied by students for their exams (perhaps sometimes a bit reluctantly it must be said). Some of us might think Shakespeare has nothing relevant to say to us today and nothing much to teach us. Perhaps not, but one of his characters certainly has. Richard II in Shakespeare’s play “The Life and Death of Richard the Second” says to his companion in Act 3 “Let’s choose executors and talk of wills…” Well done for thinking of that say those of us who know what happens when there is no will left. But then again Richard is facing his fairly imminent death and may well have wished he had sorted out his will and affairs generally when he had more time and was not under such pressure. Let’s hope for the sake of his family that he did get his will done in time.
Don’t be like Richard II and leave making your will until the last minute. Do it now, when you have the time to spend so you make the right decisions. Talk to us and we will be more than happy to help you in any way we can.
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Andrea is a Director and Head of Private Client department and specialises in Wills, probate and tax planning. She also advises on lasting powers of attorney and declarations of trust in relation to property ownership. Andrea is often asked to advise elderly parents and their children on the issue of trust of the family home and gift of the family home to the children.
Many clients regard her as the ‘family’s solicitor’ and come back to her whenever they need legal advice. Clients have appointed her to act as their Attorney in the event that they become unable to manage their own affairs and she has acted in this capacity on a number of occasions.
Andrea is a member of Solicitors for the Elderly.
Andrea qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and has worked as a full time solicitor since then. She has been with Gray Purdue, now Verisona Law, since 1987, initially acting for clients in matrimonial cases. Since 1999 she has advised on Wills and probate, and related matters.
She was on the Solicitors panel for the Leprosy Mission for a number of years and supports ‘free Wills’ campaigns designed to raise money for charities.
Past work
- Acted for a client whose husband died unexpectedly without making his Will and leaving her with a young baby.
- Made an application to the Court to amend the rules of intestacy to ensure that the client was able to manage financially without having to tie up funds for her baby daughter until she was older.
Acted for a client whose solicitors at the time had failed to do a deed of variation to reduce the amount of inheritance tax that was payable on his late father’s estate. Ensuring that the client received compensation for this and was put in the position he would have been had the deed of variation been prepared and signed in the time allowed.
- Wills
- Probate and administration of estates
- Tax planning as it relates to wills and estates
- Lasting powers of attorney
- Registration of enduring powers of attorney
- Declarations of trust and transfers of equity
- Initial advice regarding probate and will disputes
- Living wills/Advance Directives
- Equity release
- You’ve made a Will. Now where is it?
- Declaration of Trust - is it for me?
- Rise in dementia cases highlights the need for LPAs
- Who will run your business if you cannot?
- Who would take care of your children if you die?
- Making a Will: Solicitor or DIY?
- Where there's a Will there's a way
- Declaration of Trust: Who needs one?
- ONE TO WATCH: Inheritance Test Case Headed for Supreme Court
- Shakespeare 400
- Making a Will - are you too afraid to do it?
- The devilish detail on inheritance tax
- Shakespeare 400 Part 2
- Nailing down agreements on divorce
- Family Arbitration: how to keep disputes out of Court
- Divorce minus the Court
- New laws for child custody and access arrangements
- WYATT v VINCE: Revolution or Overreaction?
- Working together to divorce
- Avoid the hidden costs of divorce and separation
- Has the time come for ‘No Fault Divorce’?
- Why you should take legal advice when setting up Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Shakespeare 400 Part 2
- Shakespeare 400
- Where there's a Will there's a way
- Cohabitation
- Private Client. Planning for the future
- What is an Executor
- Family Law
- Why Make a Will
- What is an LPA
- Divorce
- LPA and Dementia Article
- An introduction to Life Interest Trusts
“If it had not been for the EPA I would have had real problems even discussing my mother’s affairs with banks, investment companies, government departments and care providers, much less paying her bills from her account.
“Being able to supply copies of the EPA to the various parties meant they would speak to me and act on my instructions. Without it I would have had to pursue a long, complicated and expensive legal process – at a very difficult time personally.
“I would absolutely recommend planning ahead and making an LPA. It could make a huge difference to your loved ones.”
Paul
"We have now received all of the information for the deputyship. We are delighted with the outcome. I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you for your work and support. It was a difficult thing for us due to the circumstances, but you made it easy and that really helped.
Thank you also for the settlement of the account, we are very grateful. I have friends who have Autistic children and adults I will recommend you in the future".
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