Category: Law

Did you know, a crucial factor of a successful lawsuit or recovery is getting the right lawyer to represent you? However, the “right” lawyer is usually expensive, and individuals or companies with bigger resources will be able to hire them. 

As a victim, it’s normal to be lost when looking for the right lawyer, which is why we wrote this article. We want you to find the right lawyer, while also keeping yourself away from the bad ones. We believe you deserve to get the proper compensation for your loss, which is why finding a good law firm such as Graham Evans and Partners Solicitors is very important. 

With that said, you should ask some important questions before hiring a lawyer, as their answers will show signs of their competencies and experience levels. Here are some questions you should ask before hiring a personal injury lawyer: 

What Are Your Past Experiences?

This question will prompt your lawyer to share their previous experiences on how they handled their cases. This will provide a good insight into your lawyer’s style and experience, which you can put into consideration. A good lawyer with experience handling cases similar to yours has a better understanding of the legal process and the right steps to take to win. They will also know what is the price or benchmark for “fair compensation”.

What is Your Fee Structure?

Here’s the part where it gets tricky. Ever heard of law firms providing “No fee if no recovery?” Let us give you some context. 

Law firms usually charge on a contingency fee basis, which means there will be no “service fee” charged if there are no recoveries made. However, here’s the catch: there will still be some charges in most cases to cover their working expenses, as some work needs to be carried out by third parties such as getting documents and filing fees. Of course, these are not a problem if your lawyer has successfully recovered, but it will pose as some misunderstanding if your lawyer did not win your case. 

To prevent confusion, we’d recommend you find a lawyer with a fixed fee structure that requires you to pay a fixed amount of money instead of involving yourself in promotional schemes such as “No fee if no recovery”. A fixed fee structure ensures that you will not be financially burdened as the legal process goes on, while also paying the lawyer fairly for their work. 

What Are Your Certifications?

This question will give you information on whether your lawyer is certified by a regulatory body. A certified lawyer under a regulatory body such as SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) will need to meet specific requirements and undergo constant training to ensure that they are receiving the latest updates and changes within the legal world. 

Lawyers or solicitors that are certified are much more likely to be more trustable and reputable as they are regulated by a bigger entity. It ensures that the lawyers are performing in an ethical and professional matter. 

 

Bonus Tip: Remember To Check Their Reputation First!

It definitely doesn’t make sense to ask about the reputation of the lawyer from the lawyer himself or herself. Always be sceptical and check their reviews and experiences from past cases. 

There are a few ways you can check their credibility and reputation, one of them is by their ratings on legal directories or third-party websites such as Google Reviews. Lawyers with high average ratings generally have a better chance of getting the job done well than those with lower ratings. 

 

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, you should not compromise anything to get a good personal injury lawyer, as they have a higher chance of recovery, which is what anyone deserves. Remember to follow the steps closely to ensure that you find the right personal injury lawyer.

 

When someone makes a will, they will usually specify the person they want to administer their estate, known as an executor.
Here, Darwin Gray explain the duties of an executor and how a beneficiary can hold the executor to account.

Executors have a number of important duties and responsibilities when it comes to managing the estate of someone who has passed away, including:

• Collecting in and managing the assets of the estate: The executor is responsible for identifying all of the assets that belong to the estate, including any bank accounts, investments, property, and personal possessions such as vehicles and jewellery. They must also manage these assets, ensuring that they are protected and preserved for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
• Paying the liabilities of the estate: The executor is responsible for paying any outstanding debts or taxes that are owed by the estate at the date of death. Typically this includes credit card bills, mortgages, loans, council tax and other debts. The executor must also file any necessary tax returns and pay any inheritance tax owed by the estate.
• Distribute the estate’s assets: The executor is responsible for distributing the assets of the estate in accordance with the provisions of the will or, if there is no will, according to the intestacy rules. This may involve selling assets for cash, transferring ownership of assets, or making cash payments to the beneficiaries out of bank and savings accounts.
• Keeping estate accounts: The executor is responsible for keeping records of the estate’s assets, debts, and distributions, known as estate accounts. These show how the estate’s assets have been managed, how the estate’s debts and taxes have been paid, and what is left to do to finalise the administration of the estate. Beneficiaries can ask to see copies of the estate accounts, and if the executors unreasonably refuse to disclose them the beneficiaries can issue legal proceedings against them.

If an executor breaches their duties, it can have serious consequences for the estate, the beneficiaries and for the executors themselves. By way of example, if the executor mismanages the assets of the estate, it could cause the estate to suffer financial losses, which will impact on what is distributed to the beneficiaries. If the executor fails to pay the estate’s liabilities, it could result in additional costs or penalties for the estate, again impacting on what is available to distribute to the beneficiaries. Executors have a personal liability for any losses suffered by the estate as a result of their breach of duties, and the financial consequences to the executor can be significant.

If a beneficiary believes that an executor has breached their duties, there are steps they can take to try and resolve the issues:

• Talk to the executor: often, the executor is not aware that they are breaching their duties and is doing so completely innocently, so may be willing to correct their mistake if it is brought to their attention. Explaining the concerns to the executor to see if they are willing to take steps to address the situation is usually enough to get things back on track;
• Seek legal advice: if the executor does not agree that he or she is breaching their duties, it is sensible to seek legal advice. A solicitor with experience in wills and probate disputes can assess the situation and provide guidance on the best course of action.
• Try to reach a settlement: a solicitor experienced in these claims will be skilled at negotiating to try and reach an agreement between executors and beneficiaries. Engaging in correspondence, conducting a meeting between the parties and mediating the matter may all assist in resolving the matter without the need to go to Court.
• Issue a High Court claim: If the executor is not prepared to correct their breaches, the beneficiaries may need to issue court proceedings. If the Court agrees that the executor has breached their duties, and that if they remain in post it may adversely affect the estate, the beneficiaries or the proper administration of the estate, the Judge is likely to remove the executor from their role and order that a substitute – usually a professional like a solicitor – takes their place.

Whether you are an executor or a beneficiary, if there is a suggestion or belief that the executor is in breach of their duties, the sooner the issue gets resolved, the better, as the potential financial consequences for the estate, the beneficiaries, and the executor for an executor acting in breach of their duties can be severe.

As technology advances, there are many firms who started to adopt online businesses, including online conveyancing firms of course. The Online conveyancing process generally still remains, the only difference is the communication method which is through virtual meetings such as Google Meet, Skype, or general messaging.

However, some people are thinking – Is online conveyancing safe?” It is a reasonable concern given that the conveyancing process is not a small transaction. Choosing good online conveyancing firms such as My Conveyancing Specialist and taking basic precautions can increase the chances of you having a better experience.

Online Conveyancing: Making Conveyancing a Borderless Businesses

Online conveyancing is basically doing all the work of a conveyancing solicitor without physical proximity, which means it is not bounded geographically anymore. This can be seen as a threat to local conveyancing firms as the business was used to taking a hyperlocal approach as the only difference is the face-to-face meeting.

For online conveyancing, all of the legal aspects of the property transactions are handled by the solicitor, and all of the forms that need to be filled will be given via email or other online tools. The conveyancing solicitors will do all the work in the background such as property sales, property search, and drafting the contracts.

Once you are happy with your sale contract, your conveyancer online will help you exchange contracts with the buyer, and the property is yours! However, these are very convenient for basic transactions only. If it involves more sophisticated matters such as chains.

What Defines a Good Online Conveyancing Firm?

Good online conveyancing firms have one common trait – reliability. People look for a reliable conveyancing firm because the money involved is a lot. Thankfully, there are regulatory bodies that help us define reliable conveyancing firm.

So here are a few things you need to check out before engaging in any conveyancing firms.

Are They Accredited Firms?

If the conveyancing firm you engaged has been accredited by Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme, give yourself a pat on the back.

This scheme makes it compulsory for law firms offering conveyancing to follow a set of guidelines that ensures clients are protected and set the minimum professional standards for the industry. Checking your law firms beforehand is one of the best practices to ensure safe online conveyancing.

Are They Listed and Licensed?

If you are doing online conveyancing, you need to ensure the conveyancing solicitor is certified and proven to be legitimate. Thankfully, you can check whether they are licensed via the Law Society.

Here Are The Ways To Avoiding Conveyancing Fraud

Online conveyancing can be very convenient, but fraudulent cases are starting to pop out. These fraudsters pretend to provide online conveyancing services and asking you make a payment to a specific bank account. This method is usually done through emails.

As technology advances, these fraudulent emails can be look very genuine as they might be able to gain access to your personal information or even the email of your online conveyancer . Never be too careful about online impersonations, here are some ways to prevent yourself from being phished:

Call your online conveyancer

Make it a habit to call your online conveyancing solicitors when you are notified of a transaction online. Your online conveyancers will be able to tell you if they have requested the payment.

Send your money in separate transactions

Split the amount into 2 transactions, pay 10% of the full amount in tthe first transaction as a test. Call up your online conveyancers to make sure they have received it, then proceed to pay the remaining balance.

Conclusion

The one downside for us would be: As compared to standard conveyancing firms, online conveyancing solicitors don’t have a comprehensive local knowledge

The one piece of advice for online conveyancing would be – Never be too careful. Online conveyancing is certainly a good convenient service, however, given the nature of the conveyancing process, the money involved is very big. Online conveyancers should also look for solutions to increase security to make online conveyancing a much more pleasurable experience.

The ever growing legal firm has recently acquired David & Snape, further expanding the company with 14 offices and 180 staff. Redkite is one of the largest law firms in Wales and the South West, previously consisting of 12 offices and 150 employees.

David & Snape, which has been trading since 1929, will now be able to offer increased specialism due to its incorporation with Redkite. Their focus being on litigation, contentious probate and employment law.

Redkite Solicitors Porthcawl will provide an improved service to the area due to the acquisition. The office, located on Lias Road, will benefit from an increased investment in IT.

An improved service for Bridgend will also be seen, as Redkite Solicitors Bridgend will also benefit from the improved IT. The office is located on South Street and will continue to trade after the acquisition.

The new acquisition will also benefit from the fact that Redkite Solicitors is regulated by SRA.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority ensures that:

• The firm can provide all types of law, including reserved legal activists
• Everyone working in the firm must follow SRA rules
• If things go wrong, the firm must have insurance cover
• If things go wrong and your money is lost, the SRA fund may be able to reimburse you
• If things go wrong you may be able to get your documents and money back

The offices in Porthcawl and Bridgend are now regulated by the SRA due to the acquisition. Meaning that customers in these areas will benefit from this protection.

The acquisition of David & Snape by Redkite, is contributing to the Redkite’s ambitious growth strategy. The firm, which is headquartered in Carmarthen, has undertaken a period of rapid expansion which has allowed Redkite Solicitors to double its turnover to over £9 million since 2017. This latest acquisition is predicted to increase this turnover to £10.5 million.

Other firms that Redkite Solicitors have recently made deals with that have contributed to its growth are:

• Charles Crookes, based in Cardiff and Brecon
• Harris Arnold, based in Swansea
• Phoenix Legal Group, based in Gloucestershire
• Orme and Slade, based in Ledbury

New jobs at the Spilman Street based office in Carmarthen have also been created by these new acquisitions. The team in Carmarthen provides finance and back-office services to Redkite’s offices in Brecon, Cardiff, Carmarthen, Dursley, Haverfordwest, Ledbury, Pembroke, Stonehouse, Stroud, Swansea, Tenby and Whitland.

Neil Walker, chief executive of Redkite, said:

“Redkite Solicitors has been helping individuals, families and businesses across England and Wales resolve their legal issues for over one hundred years. We have built our heritage and reputation by listening to local communities and developing services that meet their needs.

“As a law firm rooted in the local communities it serves, David & Snape is the perfect fit for us as we expand our footprint across Wales and beyond. It fits perfectly with our strategy of providing the best quality legal advice from high street locations.

“The expert teams based in the Bridgend and Porthcawl offices will continue to provide the same quality service to loyal clients, while also offering a more extensive range of legal services.

“We are delighted with the acquisition and the possibilities it brings. We are also pleased that this expansion has resulted in new jobs in Carmarthen, demonstrating our continued commitment to investing in our operations in Wales.”

Ryan David, previously a Partner at David & Snape, is now a Partner with Redkite. Commenting on the deal, he said:

“We are also incredibly excited about joining forces with such an ambitious and well-regarded legal business and brand. This deal means we will be able to offer our clients a broader range of specialist legal services and an improved service through more effective deployment of IT solutions.

“We have always been driven by providing the best possible service to our clients, and we look forward to providing a more holistic service as a result of this deal.”