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28 April 2011 / Daniel Curran
Issue: 7463 / Categories: Features , Wills & Probate
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Working hand in hand

Can alternative business structures revolutionise the wills & probate world? Daniel Curran investigates

The countdown has begun until the Legal Services Act 2007 (LSA 2007) comes in to force in October. Revolutionising the provision of legal services, the Act is intended to ensure that consumers can access services of better value and quality with ease. Indeed, the uptake of new business models has already been greeted positively by consumers; in a recent YouGov survey, 60% of consumers said they would buy legal advice from big brand names.
This changing legal landscape will be particularly pertinent to the wills and probate sector; one area of law which nearly every member of the public is likely to encounter in their lifetime whether they are writing a will, or they are the beneficiary or executor of a will.

Underpinning the work of solicitors in this sector, are the vital services provided by professional probate genealogists. Working for solicitors, executors, trustees or beneficiaries, these probate professionals identify and trace heirs, in addition to locating beneficiaries under will or

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jackson Lees Group—Jannina Barker, Laura Beattie & Catherine McCrindle

Jackson Lees Group—Jannina Barker, Laura Beattie & Catherine McCrindle

Firm promotes senior associate and team leader as wills, trusts and probate team expands

Asserson—Michael Francos-Downs

Asserson—Michael Francos-Downs

Manchester real estate finance practice welcomes legal director

McCarthy Denning—Harvey Knight & Martin Sandler

McCarthy Denning—Harvey Knight & Martin Sandler

Financial services and regulatory offering boosted by partner hires

NEWS
The cab-rank rule remains a bulwark of the rule of law, yet lawyers are increasingly judged by their clients’ causes. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian McDougall, president of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, warns that conflating representation with endorsement is a ‘clear and present danger’
Holiday lets may promise easy returns, but restrictive covenants can swiftly scupper plans. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Francis of Serle Court recounts how covenants limiting use to a ‘private dwelling house’ or ‘private residence’ have repeatedly defeated short-term letting schemes
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already embedded in the civil courts, but regulation lags behind practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Ben Roe of Baker McKenzie charts a landscape where AI assists with transcription, case management and document handling, yet raises acute concerns over evidence, advocacy and even judgment-writing
The Supreme Court has drawn a firm line under branding creativity in regulated markets. In Dairy UK Ltd v Oatly AB, it ruled that Oatly’s ‘post-milk generation’ trade mark unlawfully deployed a protected dairy designation. In NLJ this week, Asima Rana of DWF explains that the court prioritised ‘regulatory clarity over creative branding choices’, holding that ‘designation’ extends beyond product names to marketing slogans
From cat fouling to Part 36 brinkmanship, the latest 'Civil way' round-up is a reminder that procedural skirmishes can have sharp teeth. NLJ columnist Stephen Gold ranges across recent decisions with his customary wit
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