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 Purchase of Land commentary has been enhanced to include, in addition to searches of local registers carried out by local authorities, the process for applications for searches of a local authority register which have been migrated to HM Land Registry and are made using the registry’s Search for local land charges service. We invite you to explore this updated publication. Comments and feedback are always welcomed.

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.

The By Lawyers Sale of Land Guide has been reviewed and updated to ensure that the commentary and precedents are in line with current law and conveyancing practice. The extensive review was performed by our author Marcella King. As with all our authors, Marcella takes a practical approach, drawing on her considerable experience to cover all aspects of procedure, with a focus on practical tips that will help solicitors and conveyancers confidently run a sale matter to completion. The following sections of commentary have been expanded: undertakings are explained in more detail; the unregistered land section has been improved; adverse possession claims and procedures are discussed in greater detail; the process by which contracts are exchanged has been amplified, including a worked example of using Formula C; and post-completion tasks are discussed in greater detail. The following precedents have also been enhanced as part of the review process: Retainer Instructions -Sale of Land; and To do list – Sale We invite you to explore this updated publication and to consider the wealth of assistance the guide offers for solicitors and conveyancers acting in residential sale matters.

From 20 April 2020 existing statements of truth for estates will be replaced by the new grant of representation application forms. Old-style Statements of Truth received after that date will be rejected by the Probate Registries and practitioners asked to submit the appropriate new form instead. The implementation of the new forms is part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service’s drive to streamline its systems thereby enabling bulk scanning. This in turn is expected to reduce errors and speed up their processes. The new forms which may be found on the matter plan are: PA1A – Probate application – without a will PA1P – Probate application – with a will PA8A – Application to stop, or extend a stop on a grant of representation (Caveat)

Temporary rent concessions for commercial leases – Side letter or deed of variation? A side letter which records the agreed temporary alteration to the existing lease, and which is not intended to have a lasting impact upon the lease terms. Read more...

A precedent Reservation Agreement has been added to the sale and purchase of land guides. The agreement is designed to bind the parties to an agreed pre-exchange time frame in which the seller will not deal with third parties, and the buyer will either exchange the offered contract or withdraw on discovery of serious adverse affectations through the usual investigations, searches and enquiries. By this means the parties are able, immediately following agreement and issue of the contract, to be confident that the transaction will proceed in the absence of unforeseen and unexpected circumstances.

According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) almost one quarter of firms do not adequately explain leasehold tenure and the associated issues. Accordingly, By Lawyers have reviewed the precedent Report on title – Leasehold in an effort to provide clients with a much clearer understanding of the implications of purchasing a leasehold estate. Plain language communications, particularly with clients, is a primary focus for By Lawyers.

By Lawyers have amended the Partnership Agreement and the Limited Partnership Agreement precedents to include a new clause for the distribution of profits. Other amendments have also been made. Read more...

This change will impact individuals involved in the management of a company or filing on behalf of a company from 18 November.

The Ministry of Justice’s plan to reduce the number of jury-held criminal trials is causing concern among legal professionals with the changes risking dismantling a cornerstone of the British justice system.

The Court of Appeal ruled that Kristie Higgs' dismissal from Farmor's School for critical Facebook posts on LGBTQ+ lessons was unlawfully discriminatory and disproportionate.

The By Lawyers commentary has been updated to include details of the Pathfinder pilot, a groundbreaking approach in the Family Court aimed at improving outcomes for children and families. Read more...

Part of our series of common legal questions and their answer, we look at the rights of an employee. Read more...

Part of our series of common legal questions and their answers, we look at discretionary trusts. Read more...