For the eighth year running, 6 members of Barrett & Co Solicitors LLP took part in this year’s Reading Legal Walk, which took place “after work” hours on 12th July 2021. The walk consisted of a 10 km route around Reading to raise money for local advice centres in and around the Reading and Thames…
There have been a few changes in our department recently, so we thought we should reintroduce ourselves! Anthony Raumann: Anthony joined the firm in June 2021 as our new head of Family Law. He has many years’ experience as a Family Solicitor and in the wider legal field. Anthony approaches matters with a calm and…
It has recently been highlighted by me as well as others (see article Can you exclude entry to someone for not wearing a face mask – 7th May 2021) that it could be disability discrimination if you refuse entry to someone if they refuse to wear a face mask. However, some social media posts claim…
Broadly speaking, if someone cannot make a certain decision for themselves, they are often said to ‘lack capacity’ to make the decision. Capacity is function specific, based upon the decision at hand that needs to be made. The legal framework applying to mental capacity can be found in The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). This…
Readers of this month’s newsletter will note Juliette Spanner’s article “What is mental capacity and how does it impact me?”, which refers to the The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). All attorneys should familiarize themselves with the MCA in order to carry out their duties properly and effectively. It is very easy, when asked to…
In order to make a Will in England or Wales, the law requires you to understand fully what you are doing and its implications. This is known as having “testamentary capacity”, which is a special category of capacity. Broadly, in relation to making a Will, it relates to whether a person is capable of understanding:…
General power to buy or sell property under a power of attorney An attorney under a registered EPA or financial LPA may make decisions about anything that relates to the donor’s property and financial affairs. This includes buying and selling property, and this can be done without obtaining the consent of the Court of Protection,…
The Right to be Forgotten emerged from people’s desire to control the course of their lives without being forever or periodically stigmatised as a result of past behaviour. It is an incredible tool to digitally erase unwanted details to enable you to have a fresh start in life, by avoiding the terror of undesirable data…
The Private Client Department is often instructed by clients concerned about their vulnerable friends or relatives and how to assist them in managing their personal or financial affairs. If the person has already lost capacity and does not have an Enduring or Lasting Power of Attorney in place, then the only way properly to protect…
Making a Will It is often the case that the first Will a person makes in their lifetime is triggered by an event such as the birth of their first child, purchasing their first home or inheriting from a relative. It therefore often follows that the person preparing the Will, the Testator, does so when…
