The Law of Property Act 1925 – Few statutes have had such a lasting impact, and even fewer remain so central to everyday legal practice a full century after their enactment.

By Lawyers has released 2 more AI prompts in the Purchase of Land and Sale of Land guides enabling conveyancers to work more efficiently.

Part of our series of common legal questions and their answers, we look at the difference between holding a deposit as stakeholder or agent for the seller, and holding to order on the sale of land. Read more...

Part of our series of common legal questions and their answers, we look at the legal requirements for signing a will. Read more...

Part of our series of common legal questions and their answers, we look at how enforcing a breach of contract works. Read more...

The Private Child Arrangements guide has been enhanced with information about family assistance orders, special guardianship orders, gender identity issues, the court reporting pilot and the Our Family Wizard co-parenting app.

The accelerated first appointment procedure enables clients to reduce costs and skip straight to a financial dispute resolution hearing if an agreement has been reached. Read more...

At By Lawyers, we believe that matters are more than checklists and simply ticking boxes doesn’t get the job done. But there are times when an easy way to see where the file is up to, allowing others in the office to quickly pick up the threads, is essential. Our To do lists help to manage risk, guide the unfamiliar, and ensure nothing is missed. We have recently carried out a full and thorough review of the To do lists to provide consistency of language and format. This makes them easier to read, easier to complete and easier to keep updated. If you have any comments or suggestions about the changes, do please let us know.

We are very pleased to announce the release of two new By Lawyers publications: Employment Law – Non-Contentious; and Employment Law - Contentious. These two publications cover all aspects of practice and procedure whether acting for employees or for employers. They assist practitioners with representing clients, document drafting through to managing matters within the employment tribunals. The commentaries are practical and easy to understand and are supported by numerous helpful precedents. Key content includes: Commentary on contracts of employment, human resources, policies and procedures, transfer of undertakings, redundancy and unfair and wrongful dismissal. Commentary on conciliation, mediation and arbitration in the employee/employer relationship. Law and procedure relating to employment tribunals, including the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Comprehensive To Do Lists and Retainer Instructions ensure all necessary instructions are taken and followed. Letters to clients and third parties when establishing the employment relationship and when disputes arise. These Employment Law publications are an invaluable resource for practitioners who regularly conduct employment matters, as well as those with limited experience or those supervising junior lawyers. We invite you to explore these new guides. Comments and feedback are always welcomed.

The By Lawyers Practice Management publication has been reviewed and updated to ensure that the commentaries and precedents are in line with current law and practice. Read more...

The By Lawyers Sale and Purchase of Business guides have been reviewed and updated to ensure that the commentaries and precedents are in line with current law and conveyancing practice. As with all our guides, they take a practical approach, drawing on our authors’ considerable experience to cover all aspects of procedure, with a focus on practical tips that will help solicitors and conveyancers confidently run a sale or business purchase matter to completion. We invite you to explore this updated publication and to consider the wealth of assistance the guide offers for solicitors and conveyancers acting in the sale or purchase of a business.

By Lawyers have just released a Staff Office Procedures Manual which comprehensively covers a wide range of issues that arise in running legal practices. Useful for all firms, whether start-up, breakaway or well established, we have tailored the manual to help firms run their office day to day. With an emphasis on training and compliance this is an ideal way to ensure that everyone is aware of office policies. Areas which are covered include: Recruitment and induction policies Working procedures such as hours of work, dress code, a code of conduct and training policy Health and Safety Equality and Diversity Internet, email and mobile phone policy Staff leave including for jury service Drugs and Alcohol Bullying and harassment Whistleblowing Disciplinary procedures Conflicts of interest, confidentiality and intellectual property rights Security and cyber-security Guidance on a whole range of other office procedures from anti-money laundering to undertakings Firms can seamlessly implement these office procedures as their own with a view to later development and enhancement or use them as the basis for refreshing and enhancing existing procedures already in place.

This article details the major changes affecting major investors coming into force from April 2020. New EPC regulations Changes to the tax reliefs available for income tax and capital gains tax Tenants’ deposits Electrical safety standards A new surcharge on stamp duty land tax for foreign buyers of residential property Written by Louise Thomas, a London-based solicitor with over 25 years experience in all aspects of property conveyancing, this article will assist practitioners in advising landlord clients.

With the threat and uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus many practitioners will be asked to prepare documents that assist clients to manage their affairs should the need arise. By Lawyers commentary and precedents for Wills, Powers of Attorney and Advance Decisions (Living Wills) are available online to assist practitioners in responding to these requests. Read more...

Many subscribers will have noticed the file cover sheets now include a funny little code at the bottom of the page. This code is called a QR Code and it contains two identifiers that are used to identify the law firm and the matter. Should a firm use the FileMan Information Management system for long term file storage this will assist to streamline the process.