News and views

Retiring as a trustee? There’s a process that should avoid any problems down the line.

On the face of it, buying bare land might seem a far simpler task than purchasing a home. In reality, though, there are often just as many considerations and potential traps for the unwary. Buying a property tends to be an emotional experience for most of us, and even some of the fundamentals can get overlooked in the heat of the moment.

Aspiring Law Administrator Carol Stevens with the welcome pack for Age Concern’s “Dignity Champions” initiative.

Mortgages, eh. They’re one of life’s bittersweet realities – there’s the immediate relief in securing one … quickly followed by the more sobering reality of servicing the blessed loan.

As a lawyer, I’m commonly asked what the legal age is for a variety of different activities – so, I thought it would be interesting and helpful to summarise just what’s allowed at various stages of childhood and adolescence.

It’s three years since the much-publicised Family Court reforms were introduced – and the changes are still taking some families by surprise.

Of all the methods to buy a property, winning at auction tends to come down to a little luck and a lot of homework – but it can also bring risks for the uninitiated.

Early in my legal career, back in Scotland, I was sent off to a far-flung farm on a case that was to turn a tad testy.