Bross Bennett

13/09/2021

If you’ve recently ended a relationship and the two of you have a child or children together, you may worry that your former partner is turning your child or children against you.

Parental alienation is a situation in which one parent uses strategies — sometimes referred to as brainwashing, alienating, or programming — to distance a child from the other parent:

https://bit.ly/3htVQ24

Whether or not parental alienation syndrome is a recognized mental health condition, it's certainly a real thing. We'll tell you what it is and what you can do.

13/09/2021

A perspective published in The Times today about how the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill could radically transform our response to the crimes of domestic abuse and sexual violence:

https://bit.ly/3A8KDLH

There has been much public debate about the content of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, but there’s one particular aspect that I believe could radically transform our response to the very serious crimes of domestic abuse and sexual violence.We know that more than one third of all vio...

13/09/2021

A dementia diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean you're unable to make important decisions at that point in time.

But as symptoms of dementia get worse over time, you may no longer be able to make decisions about things like your finances, health or welfare. This is sometimes referred to as lacking mental capacity.

You may want to make plans now for a person you trust to make decisions on your behalf. This means your wishes for your future care can be respected. It'll also help give your family peace of mind.

https://bit.ly/3C5aMvp

Information and advice about managing the legal affairs of people with dementia, including power of attorney, advance directives, and making a will.

05/09/2021

After being off school for so long, it is only natural that many young people will be worried about returning to school. How can parents support their children to transition back to school life? YoungMinds has some helpful suggestions.

https://bit.ly/2VgJ2Eb

Our Parents Helpline experts share their tips for supporting a child in the transition back to school life.

05/09/2021

It only takes one disgruntled family member to throw estate planning into disarray. And, with the pandemic increasing the financial pressures on families, many bereaved people are contesting wills.

The rise of blended families — those made up of different families brought together over time by new relationships — means personal finances are much more complicated than they used to be:

https://on.ft.com/3yNbafR

Recent high-profile legal disputes highlight the fraught business of leaving wealth to loved ones

25/08/2021

Many parents assume that if they have appointed a godparent for their child, that the godparent will be able to step in to take care of the children if they were to die, but this is not the case. However, there are certain steps you can take to make this more likely:

https://bit.ly/3kv12n8

Many parents assume that if they have appointed a godparent for their child, that the godparent will be able to step in to take care of the children if they were to die, but this is not the case.

25/08/2021

A landmark judgment that could bring part of UK law into line with sharia law’s position on “bride price” payments is to be announced this week in the central London county court:

https://bit.ly/3sK5IJs

Woman has taken her ex-husband and his parents to court seeking full payment of her mahr

25/08/2021

A European Commission plan to block the UK from joining an international legal co-operation agreement after Brexit will inflict serious complications on divorce settlements and child maintenance awards, lawyers have warned:

https://on.ft.com/3muRMlh

Brussels’ opposition to Britain’s attempt to join Lugano Convention could add uncertainty to family break-ups

03/08/2021

You might think that once a person dies, their will is set in stone. In fact, if all executors and beneficiaries agree, it is possible to change someone’s will once they are deceased:

https://bit.ly/37kGOpH

03/08/2021

The value of the average UK home has risen by 53% since April 2009, but the inheritance tax threshold has remained static. And that means more people will end up paying. How can you minimise your exposure?

https://bit.ly/3io5q7e

The value of the average UK home has risen by 53% since April 2009, but the inheritance tax threshold has remained static. And that means more people will end up paying. David Prosser looks at how to minimise your exposure.

27/07/2021

By making a will, you control what happens to your worldly possessions when you die – but there are a number of simple mistakes that could stop your wishes being carried out:

https://bit.ly/3iRsDhr

Your will sets out what you want to happen to your possessions when you die, so it’s vital to get it right. Which? lists the common pitfalls to avoid.

27/07/2021

Every new parent wants to avoid the nightmare scenario of their child being born into a limbo where their parenthood, and possibly the baby’s right to citizenship of their home country, is not legally recognised.

Holders of hereditary peerages and baronetcies, however, find themselves subject to further, little-considered pitfalls, which have the potential to have a major impact on their family life and identity many years down the line:

https://bit.ly/3rBLEZ7

The heir and the spare – or are they? Sarah Williams, Legal Director at Payne Hicks Beach, and Edward Bennett, Barrister at Harcourt Chambers, offer their insights