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04 June 2020 / Nicholas Bevan
Issue: 7889 / Categories: Features , Wills & Probate
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Where there’s a will; there’s a way

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Is it a misconception that a witness needs to be physically present at a will signing? Dr Nicholas Bevan reports

Life is short and we all take an occasional shortcut now and then. In our private lives we do not hesitate to rely on the trusty sat-nav instead of undertaking the map-reading for ourselves. Some authors might even resort to a tired cliché for their article’s headline!

As busy professionals, most of us will occasionally have substituted a case header for the judgment we know we should have read. Sometimes we adopt the opinion of a trusted commentator, particularly when it is plausible.

However, this kind of referential behaviour can lead us badly astray. Even the most esteemed institutions and authorities, just like our sat-navs, can have a bad day. The present controversy over whether it is possible to execute a valid will over the internet using remote video technology, is a prime example of the blind leading the blind.

There is a near uniform consensus within

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Signature Litigation—Catherine Naylor

Signature Litigation—Catherine Naylor

International fraud and asset recovery offering boosted by partner hire

Stevens & Bolton—Alexa Payet

Stevens & Bolton—Alexa Payet

Private wealth disputes team adds contentious probate specialist

Morgan Lewis—Paul Feldberg

Morgan Lewis—Paul Feldberg

Firm strengthens investigations and sanctions capabilities with London partner hire

NEWS
Cheshire West, which established an ‘acid test’ for deprivation of liberty safeguards, has been overturned by the Supreme Court
The Chancery Division and other segments of the High Court are to be replaced by a new Business and Property Division (BPD), in a major civil justice shakeup
Law firms that hold client money will need to file annual accountants’ reports and make a declaration, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) confirmed this week
Two district judges and a tribunal judge have been sanctioned for delays in delivering judgments and orders
Private equity (PE) investment into UK law firms halved to £250m last year, but deal volume rose, according to research by Acquira Professional Services’ Momentum private equity market tracker
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