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Latest Posts
Avoiding common delays in obtaining probate Probate is a term which is loosely used to cover the administration of an estate, and it has a reputation for being a lengthy process. The administration includes a number of key stages, including obtaining the...
‘For a seller there are certainly some advantages to the modern method of auction, such as speed and a defined timetable,’ admits David Peters, solicitor and Head of the conveyancing team with Watkins Solicitors. ‘However, there are also pitfalls for the unwary and so it is important to consider how it would work for you.’
Are mirror wills right for us? If you are married , in a civil partnership or cohabiting with a long term partner, and thinking of making or updating your will, you may have heard the expression ‘ mirror wills ’ and wonder if this would...
3 Things to Expect as a First-Time Buyer Buying your first home is a major achievement but is one of the most significant investments you are likely to make. It can be a very overwhelming time, so you should consider the following: Stamp Duty Land...
10 things parents need to know about EOTAS Due to the shortage of special school places, many parents today are asking the Local Authority to fund Education Otherwise than at School (known as EOTAS ) packages. Some parents think that if...
For International Women's Day , we are celebrating women's achievements and, in particular, shining the spotlight on our brilliant new generation of solicitors who qualified at the start of the year. In a series of articles across the week, we...
For International Women's Day , we are celebrating women's achievements and, in particular, spotlighting our brilliant new generation of solicitors who qualified at the start of the year. We begin with Martyna Piatkowska , a Family...
For primary to secondary school – DEADLINE IS 15 FEBRUARY 2024 For secondary to post-16 placements – DEADLINE IS 31 MARCH 2024 Currently, SEND tribunals are being listed for hearings in early 2025; whilst the SEND Tribunal has indicated...
Hague Convention Application Dismissed Watkins Solicitors' International Family Department had a recent success in the High Court in London. The firm acted for a mother who was a Ukrainian citizen and had two children with a French father....
What to do if the deceased resided overseas and had assets in the UK? If the person who had died was resident in a former commonwealth country, recognised by the UK's Colonial Probates Act, then an application can be made to "reseal"...
Legal steps to consider when diagnosed with a life-limiting illness On top of the heartbreak and worry that a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness can cause, there will be a raft of concerns and uncertainties about your care and financial affairs, and it...
The link between Judicial Review and the annual review process We are regularly contacted by clients who have had an Annual Review of their child’s Special Educational Needs, but the review process has not been fully completed by the Local...
Making sure your property passes as you choose, with a life interest trust Creating a will with a life interest trust over your property allows you to ensure that your home passes to those you choose, whilst also allowing you to provide for another loved...
In a landmark judgment issued today (8 March 2022) the High Court has made it clear that every local council must keep to fixed legal time limits when reviewing the needs of children and young people with special educational needs . Councils have been...
High Court rules that student finance regulations discriminated against students who were unable to prove their immigration status in time due to pandemic delays Re Jawad Naeem v Secretary of State for Education and Kyra Morris [2022[ EWHC 15...
In July, one of our clients approached the International Department to apply to the Court for permission to move back to her home country of Poland with her children. Our client moved to England approximately eight years ago but was keen to...
Watkins Smashes Fundraising Goal 24 September 2021 was MacMillan’s Coffee Morning – a nationwide fundraising effort for a valuable cause. As many at the firm will already be aware, Watkins took part in the effort to raise money for this...
This October, partner Tony Calwell will be running the London Marathon to raise money for the Red Cross and St Michael's Hospice, Hereford. He is running in memory of his late sister-in-law Alison, a great fundraiser herself, who sadly died last year....
We are delighted to announce that one of our trainee solicitors, Marika Szychalska is now a fully qualified solicitor – congratulations to Marika! Marika joined our firm in September 2016 when she was a student at the University of the West of...
We are delighted to announce that Andy Kerese and Murihah Ahmed have both been offered training contracts with the firm. Both commenced on the 1st June 2021, and both will continue working in the Family department for then next few months. Congratulations Andy and Murihah!
What happens when the Local Authority does not name the school or college of your choosing? For those with EHC plans there are specific rules relating to phased transfers where children either start primary school, move to secondary school or move to post...
In late 2019, Emma Grimbly (Education Paralegal) was working on numerous cases whereby Devon County Council were neglecting their duties to issue an Annual Review Decision Notice within the required 4-week period and neglecting to...
A judicial challenge against Devon County Council brought by Watkins Solicitors on behalf of three children with special education needs has succeeded in the Court of Appeal this week. All three appeal judges agreed that there are important issues that the...
We have been receiving many enquiries for Pre-Nuptial Agreements this week following the government’s announcement permitting weddings this Summer. The breakdown of a marriage is not something we like to consider when planning a wedding,...
Many divorcing couples are able to agree financial arrangements between themselves. This, in principle, is great. Talking sensibly and reasonably about the future and coming to an agreement during times of high emotion is certainly an achievement and it is...
As everyone will be aware the UK entered a further national lockdown on 5th January 2021, which resulted in the closure of schools across England and Scotland (schools in Wales are scheduled to return on 18th January 2021, however a further Welsh Government...
Managing Partner Beverley Watkins features in the latest edition of the Law Society Gazette, where she discusses representing three families in a test case in the Court of Appeal that could significantly impact on local authority procedures for children with...
Watkins Solicitors have successfully been granted permission to appeal in the Court of Appeal on behalf of 3 children with SEND in a judicial review that could significantly impact on local authority procedures for children with EHCP’s. The claims...
We are aware of the media attention surrounding Covid-19 and whether it will impact on your conveyancing transaction. We are doing all that we can to ensure that we keep things moving along as smoothly as possible. The Law Society has issued a press...
Have you recently been appointed as an Executor in a Will for a person who has died? Or has a relative died without making a Will and you wish to be the Administrator? If that is the case, you may not be entirely sure of what an Executor or an ...
A PLO (Public law outline meeting) or PPM (Pre-Proceedings Meeting) is a meeting called by the Local Authority when they have concerns surrounding your care of your child/children. The meeting is an opportunity for the Local Authority to make you aware...
Chancel repair liability is the requirement for some homeowners to pay towards the cost of repairs to the chancel of a nearby church which can be expensive. If the property you are proposing to buy falls within boundaries of a parish, you can be held...
A Judicial Review against funding cuts by Cornwall Council to college education for autistic young people concluded today, 11 December 2019, with a huge success. Full course funding has been restored, not merely for the September 2019 cohort but for...
Beverley Watkins appeared in an article published by BBC News yesterday, following a Special Needs and Disability Tribunal ruling in favour of her client, Nura Aabe and her severely autistic son Zak, against Bristol City Council. Asked for her reaction,...
Wednesday marked a vital step forward in ensuring the needs of children with Special Educational Needs are met. The first report published by the Education Committee on 23 October 2019, details key concerns regarding the implementation and funding of...
Beverley Watkins, our Education Law Specialist, will be speaking at Developmental Language Disorder Unpacked, a workshop for parents of children with Developmental Language Disorder. The event takes place in Bath on 16 th October and is being run by...
In recent news, Emma McNulty (18) was sacked from her job for taking a day off work when her beloved family dog sadly died. This has caused much discussion in the media about the right to time off work, particularly when suffering a bereavement. So do you...
Our client Nura Aabe and her son Zak are the subjects of a BBC News article following Nura’s decision to take legal action against the City of Bristol College, who used Zak’s appearance in a BBC documentary earlier this year to assess him for a...
There are concerns as to whether the ongoing uncertainty of Brexit is impacting on the property market in the UK. Simon David, Law Society of England and Wales President commented: “According to our estimates, the volume of work in legal...
Take a step back and put yourself into the shoes of your child. What stage of life is your child at? What is their personality like? What do they like doing? What do they not like doing? What is their favourite colour? What foods do...
Magna Academy in Poole has been in the news today over the fining of a parent who refused to send her daughter to school to take part in two activity days at the end of the term. The regular timetable was suspended and replaced with the activities, some of...
The Administrative Court in Cardiff has permitted a final hearing of Judicial Review proceedings to challenge the cutback of education for young people with special educational needs in Cornwall.
The government recently held a consultation on home education, due to a growing increase in the number (estimated 57,600) of children and young people being educated at home. However, in its conclusion of the consultation response, the government does not...
1. What are Employment Tribunals? Employment Tribunals are independent judicial bodies who resolve disputes between employers and employees over employment rights. They will hear claims such as unfair dismissal, breach of contract, discrimination,...
Dr Keith Lomax, our Judicial Review Specialist, successfully brought proceedings against a local council in Huddersfield on behalf of his client, whose allotments were being seized. The National Allotments Society tried to join the proceedings, which they...
The Autism Act 2009 was designed to bring about changes in the way adults with autism were treated by local authorities and NHS organisations. It is the only condition-specific legislation of its type in England and although references adults, has been...
Families in Wiltshire have been successful in their bid to challenge the Council’s proposals to close down three schools for children with complex needs and disabilities. Dr Keith Lomax of Watkins Solicitors in Bristol & Bath , who...
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal This Tribunal hears appeals about EHC needs assessments and EHC Plans as well as claims of disability discrimination. The number of appeals is on the rise; between 2018 and 2019 the Tribunal has seen...
A report published this week by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in response to a complaint against Cornwall Council, highlights three key areas that we find are repeated failings throughout the country. The Ombudsman identified that...
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