Victoria Neal, Specialist in Civil Litigation reflects on the new norm for Law Firms post Covid-19. “ Everybody is now accepting that things will not fully return to the “old normal” but that instead we will settle upon a “new normal”. I am pleased to say that at Pepperells we have been able to function exceptionally well during the lockdown. Most if not all of our solicitors worked using a variety of mobile devices which enabled them to work not just [...]
For most people, the breakdown of a relationship and the problems that can subsequently arise are distressing and stressful. At Pepperells Solicitors we have a specialist team of family lawyers who can assist you with your divorce, specifically tailor-made to your own needs and circumstances. To help us to help you, instruct us as soon as possible Many people try to resolve matters themselves and only seek legal advice when issues become difficult for them. It is very important to contact [...]
As the Coronavirus has affected many aspects of our daily life, legislation has had to adapt to such changes, most noticeably in the Adoption and Children Act 2002. The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (SI/2020/445) officially came into force on the 24th April 2020. There are several changes that foster carers or individuals hoping to become foster carers need to be aware of. The changes aim to strike a balance between maintaining the appropriate safeguarding standards and easing [...]
At Pepperells we take pride in keeping up to date with the latest legal developments. The new Domestic Abuse Bill is no exception to this. On 3rd March 2020, the new Domestic Abuse Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill is currently within the ‘Committee Stage’ of the legislative process after the completion of its second reading on 28th April 2020. The Bill will now be scrutinised by the Public Committee and a report will be produced by the 25th July [...]
Blog by Natalie Stiff I’m a busy associate solicitor in the family department at Pepperells and a busy mother of three. A key criterion for my employment is the flexibility of part-time working to allow me to spend more time with my children. I don’t want to be the parent who misses every school run or the school plays. At Pepperells, I have been given the flexibility to work in a way which suits me and my family. I work three [...]
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, many more people are requiring the assistance of family and friends. Whilst it seems simple to ask someone for help, there are legal restrictions that may prevent this from happening. A General Power of Attorney enables you (as the Donor) to give someone (an Attorney) legal authority to act on your behalf. This document will enable your chosen Attorney to undertake several varying tasks on your behalf. These include being able to deal [...]
Online divorce petitions are becoming increasingly popular amongst people who wish to represent themselves in divorce proceedings. Depending on the facts of your case, this will determine whether an online or paper-based divorce process should be followed as there are some restrictions to applying for a divorce online. For example, if your spouse is legally represented then the correct way to process the application is through the paper-based process. It is therefore important to seek legal advice before making the [...]
An advance decision (or a ‘living will’) allows you to make a statement which gives future instructions for consent/refusal of medical treatment. This includes decisions about whether you would like to receive life-sustaining treatment or not. It would only be used if and when you no longer have the capacity to make those decisions yourself. If it is completed and executed correctly, it is a legally binding document and medical professionals can be taken to court if they do not [...]
Our offices may be closed but here in the Criminal Department, which has always been a 24 hour a day 7 days a week FREE service for advising and representing clients in the police station, we continue with business as usual. As we all come to terms with changes in working, we continue to adapt in line with health and safety advice and Police Protocols. We can and will still attend police station interviews with the necessary safety measures being [...]
The national lockdown resulting from Covid-19 has, unsurprisingly, thrust the legal sector into uncharted territory. Legal professionals across all sectors are having to accustom themselves to new ways of remote working with this inevitably having an impact on the Court’s approach to dealing with certain types of cases. On 9th April 2020, guidance was published by the President of the Family Division and Lord Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Mostyn, on the ability of the Family Courts to hold effective remote [...]
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