Earlier this month, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) proposed taking non-reserved legal activities within multi-disciplinary alternative business structures (ABSs) out of duplicate regulation. The move is chiefly aimed at alleviating regulatory pressure on multi-disciplinary practices (MDPs) given their relatively low level of interest in becoming an ABS and encouraging more MDPs to enter the market, the authority said on its website.

The 14th of May this year has seen the Inheritance and Trustees Powers Act 2014 (ITPA 2014) receive Royal assent meaning that, as of the commencement date of 1 October 2014, significant changes to the intestacy procedures, rules regarding claims against an estate and certain powers of Trustees will come into practice. ITPA 2014 amends already existing legislation, namely:

Almost two thirds of Britons have not made a Will and so risk leaving a financial nightmare for family members when they die.

Hugh Lowther, the eldest son of the seventh Earl of Lonsdale, has been left with no other option but to sell his family's mountain in the English Lake District to cover Inheritance Tax (IHT) liabilities on his late father's estate. The decision of the new earl has brought much attention as the sale of Saddleback Fell is probably the first property divestment of its kind, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) reports.

Kings Court Trust (KCT) recently hosted free CPD seminars for our colleagues in Newcastle, Crawley and Cambridgeshire areas.

A large number of councils across England and Wales are looking to adopt the alternative business structure (ABS) model for their legal departments in a bid to maintain their effectiveness as spending cuts and outsourcing threaten their viability.

More than 300 firms have now obtained a licence to become an alternative business structure (ABS).

Probate Registry fees are set to rise from 22 April 2014. All Grant applications received from this date onwards will be subject to the new fees.

A cemetery in south-east London has turned to modern technology to allow anyone unable to attend a funeral ceremony to pay their respects by watching and listening to the service via their smartphone, computer or tablet.