Farming families are often deeply rooted in their land and history. Ensuring the farm's legacy continues through generations is therefore a critical...
    For anyone who has received a significant compensation award as a result of a personal injury or are likely to benefit from such an award, creating a...
    Life is unpredictable. As much as we try to plan and control what happens next, the unexpected can strike at any time. From accidents to illnesses,...
    In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts, with...
    Whilst Sir Humphrey Appleby is, no doubt, right about the business of government being an eternal process (something we have perhaps all been...
    Following yesterday’s announcement from Rachel Reeves, change is coming for the way that agricultural businesses and estates need to plan for the...
    With the Ministry of Justice reporting that the number of Caveat applications made in England and Wales passed the 10,000 mark in 2023, it is clear...
    Deliberate deprivation of assets is where you have intentionally decreased your overall assets, or the assets of a person that you are acting for...
    If you create a life interest trust in your will (known as a qualifying interest in possession trust (IIP)), the assets are held by the trustees...
    Porter Dodson is thrilled to have been recognised in the recently released Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. The guide differentiates the...
    In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts, with...
    A Will is invalid if at the time it is executed the person making it (‘the testator’):
    The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 When somebody dies and ‘reasonable financial provision’ is not made for their...
    In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. This...
    A Will is invalid if at the time it is executed the person making it (‘the testator’) does not know: that they are making a Will; or that it will...
    In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. This...
    Inevitably, the process of administering a person’s estate starts very soon after their death. One of the first steps in that process is finding the...
    Charitable Gifts in Wills Many people look to make provision in their Wills for Charity, for a variety of reasons. Some may wish to benefit a...
    Many probate disputes are genuine. However, quite a lot of claims are weak, and are pursued in the belief that the defendant is bound to settle if...
    In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. We are...
    The Office of National Statistics has recently announced that the number of people who are married or in a formal civil partnership has fallen, for...
    Spring is in the air, Autumn crops are enjoying a respite from the rain, lambing is well under way and the ground is now being prepared for sowing...
    Disputes between Executors and the Beneficiaries of Estates have become much more common in recent years. Often, the dispute has its origins in both...
    Southwest based law firm, Porter Dodson, is pleased to announce the addition of Ben Simpson and Chris Dickinson as Partners, further enhancing their...
    In her latest blog, Robyn Greenway, a Senior Legal Advisor in our Private Client Team in Wellington, discusses the ins and outs of Powers of Attorney...
    ‘As I was banished, I was banished Hereford. But as I come, I come for...my claim To my inheritance’.
    Porter Dodson is boosting their offering in the Southwest Private Client sector by the appointment of Susannah Emson (formerly Bower) as a Partner...
    Robyn Greenway, a Senior Legal Advisor in our Private Client Team in Wellington often deals with a large number of intestate estates, and knows these...
    Whilst the volume of Contentious Probate disputes continues to rise exponentially, thankfully most discontented individuals seek remedy and...
    Porter Dodson is thrilled to have been recognised in the latest global Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. The guide differentiates the best...
    It is often not until someone discusses their wishes and affairs that they recognise the importance of a will. We frequently deal with families and...
    UK Top 200 law firm Porter Dodson, based across Somerset & Dorset, has appointed a new Managing Partner. Kate James takes on the role from Rob Fox,...
    In a controversial announcement made by the Government on 25 July 2020, wills witnessed via video link are to be legalised temporarily. As expected,...
    We recommend that everyone has a power of attorney in place. It will ensure that your affairs can be managed in the event you do not have capacity to...
    The position of siblings under UK Inheritance Tax (IHT) law received further media coverage last week, prompted by the Utley sisters and also by a...
    It is likely that at some point either you, a family member or a friend will be appointed to act as a Personal Representative of an estate.