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Author Archives: Paul Wood

  1. Why Am I Asked to Wait Outside? Understanding Private Legal Meetings

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    When a loved one attends an appointment to discuss matters such as wills, probate, or later-life planning, it can feel unsettling to be asked to wait outside while they meet privately with a solicitor. This reaction is completely understandable; after all, legal decisions often affect families as a whole.

    However, meeting with a client alone is not only standard professional practice, it is a vital safeguard designed to protect everyone involved.

    Below, we explain why private meetings are necessary and how they ultimately serve your loved one’s best interests.

    Identifying Our Client & Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

    Solicitors owe a duty of care to their client. Meeting privately allows us to confirm their identity, understand their wishes clearly, and ensure that instructions are given freely and without confusion.

    In many situations, more than one person may be affected by the advice being given. By seeing clients alone, we can identify and manage any potential conflicts of interest at an early stage, ensuring that all advice remains impartial, appropriate, and legally sound.

     

     

    Confidentiality & Privacy

    Legal matters relating to wills, estates, and later-life planning can be deeply personal. Discussing finances, family relationships, or future care arrangements is not always easy.

    A private meeting allows clients to speak openly and honestly, without fear that sensitive information may be shared unintentionally. This confidential environment helps clients feel comfortable addressing difficult topics and ensures we receive the full picture needed to provide accurate and appropriate advice.

    Strict confidentiality rules apply to all client meetings, and these standards protect both the client and their loved ones.

     

    Capacity & Protection From Undue Influence

    Clients often seek legal advice during challenging or vulnerable periods in their lives. It is essential that we are confident they have the capacity to make informed decisions and that their instructions reflect their true wishes.

    Meeting privately enables us to assess a client’s understanding and decision-making ability without influence from others. This protects the validity of legal documents and significantly reduces the risk of future disputes or allegations of undue influence — something that can be distressing and costly for families.

     

    What Happens After the Meeting?

    Once the private consultation has concluded, we may invite family members or companions into the room for a general discussion — but only if the client requests this and if we believe it is in their best interests.

    It is important to note that we cannot take instructions from anyone other than our client, nor can we share information without their explicit consent.

     

    A Reassuring Process

    While being asked to wait outside can feel uncomfortable, this approach is designed to protect your loved one, their wishes, and the people who care about them most.

    Your understanding and cooperation play an important role in ensuring that legal advice is delivered properly, ethically, and with everyone’s long-term interests in mind.

     

  2. Understanding your legal rights during divorce: A simple guide

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    There is a reason that they say that divorce falls within the top five most stressful life events. Deciding to proceed with a divorce is not always easy, particularly if the process seems overwhelming!

    If you’re considering or going through a divorce in England or Wales, it’s crucial to understand your legal rights and the steps involved. This guide offers a straightforward overview of what you need to know to navigate the process with confidence.

     

    1. Grounds for Divorce

    In April 2022 the law in England and Wales changed to allow “no-fault” divorce. This means you no longer need to prove wrongdoing by your spouse (such as adultery or unreasonable behaviour) to satisfy the Court of your entitlement to a divorce. Instead, you simply need to state that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

    Key changes:

    • Either spouse can apply for a divorce, or both can apply jointly.
    • There’s a minimum 20-week reflection period from the start of the process before the conditional order (formerly “decree nisi”) is granted.

     

    2. The Divorce Process

    Here’s a simplified overview of the steps:

    Filing the Application

    You can do this online via the government website, either jointly with your spouse, or you can file your own application. The person applying for the divorce is known as the “applicant”. The fee is currently £612 (as at June 2025), however you can complete a Help with Fees form (EX160) if you believe you may be entitled to a fee reduction.

    Service of the Application
    If the application is not made jointly, the other party must be formally notified. They will be known as the “respondent”.

    Acknowledgement of Service
    The respondent acknowledges receipt of the application and indicates whether they intend to dispute the divorce. The respondent can only dispute the divorce if the court does not have jurisdiction to deal with the case, the marriage is not valid or the marriage has legally ended. The respondent cannot simply disagree with the divorce, as they could pre-April 2022.

    Conditional Order
    After the 20-week period, the court will grant the Conditional Order.

    Final Order (formerly “decree absolute”)
    At least 6 weeks (and one day!) after the conditional order, the applicant can apply for the final order, which legally ends the marriage. In most cases, the applicant will be advised to delay applying for the Final Divorce Order, until such time as the financial matters have been resolved.

     

     

    3. Financial Settlements

    Dividing the matrimonial assets is usually the most time-consuming and complex part of a divorce. The law aims to achieve a fair outcome, and whilst the starting point is that the assets are divided equally, the Court will look at various factors to determine whether an equal division would actually be fair. Factors considered include:

    • The welfare of any relevant children
    • The length of the marriage
    • Both parties’ income, earning capacity, property, and other assets
    • Financial needs and responsibilities (e.g., housing, children)
    • Contributions to the family (including non-financial, like raising children)
    • Standard of living during the marriage
    • Any health conditions which affect a party’s financial needs or ability to earn
    • In rare cases, serious or gross misconduct, if it would be unfair for the Court to ignore it

    These factors always need to be considered when reaching an agreement. Once an agreement has been reached, we strongly advise that you obtain a Consent Order approved by a court, even if you reach an informal agreement, to make the settlement legally binding.

     

    Final Thoughts

    Knowing your legal rights helps you make informed decisions, protect your future, and hopefully avoid unnecessary conflict.

    Whether you’re at the beginning of the process or need some help progressing matters to the next stage, Leonard Gray would be happy to assist you. We advise on all matters relating to relationship breakdown so please reach out for a free 20-minute consultation with one of our friendly team!

    > Book Your Free Consultation Now <

     

  3. Property Market Update: Stability Returns After November Budget

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    It has been an uncertain time for us all in the months leading up to November’s budget announcement, with much conjecture and speculation dampening the recent property market.

    Locally, we have seen a 0.1% reduction in house prices in the South East year on year for the first time in 18 months, according to some reports.

    As it turned out, the highly anticipated budget contained very few policies which affect the vast majority of buyers or sellers. A welcome sigh of relief!

    As quickly as in the days following the announcement, mortgage companies already began to reduce their rates to tempt those waiting, eager buyers.

    Financial website ‘What Mortgage’ commented that:

    “Nationwide announced yesterday it was making cuts of up to 0.19% on its fixed-rate mortgages for both new and existing customers. Virgin Money announced it was cutting selected rates by up to 0.19%. Then Halifax revealed it was making cuts of up to 0.2% on selected three-year fixed-rate mortgages for those looking to buy with less than a 10% deposit.”

    It is our hope that, once we’ve all enjoyed the festive season, the property market can resume its normal ‘January surge’ in significantly more certain waters.

  4. Why Thorough Chain Checks Matter When Moving Home

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    When moving home, it’s very common to find yourself in a chain – where your purchase depends on selling your property, and your buyer also needs to sell theirs, and so on.

    This is why it’s crucial that your estate agent properly checks a potential purchaser’s entire chain before agreeing to any sale. Doing so ensures you are fully informed about your buyer’s position and allows you to make a confident decision when accepting an offer.

    You may assume this is standard practice – but we recently saw how damaging it can be when this is overlooked.

    We received an offer from a potential purchaser who told us they had sold their property through agent ‘A’, and believed their chain was complete.

    On contacting agent ‘A’, we were told that the next link in the chain had also sold their property to a non-dependent buyer (a first-time buyer).

    However, after calling agent ‘B’, we discovered this was not true – the property had not yet been sold!

    Because agent ‘A’ had not double-checked the chain, their client was given false information, agreed to a sale based on it, and took their property off the market unnecessarily. The home was also wrongly marked as “Sold STC” on Rightmove, wasting valuable marketing time.

    To make matters worse, Rightmove rules mean that a property must remain marked as “Sold STC” for a set period of time, currently 49 days, before it can be re-launched as a “new” listing. As a result, our potential purchaser’s property now appears to have been sitting unsold for longer than it really has, potentially putting off future buyers.

    This is why we never rely solely on information from just one part of the chain – every link is always checked with each agent involved.

    It’s also important to establish whether anyone in the chain is working towards a specific timescale, such as starting a new job or getting children into a new school. Ensuring all parties are aligned from the outset avoids unnecessary stress and setbacks later.

  5. Changing a Will After Someone Has Died – What Is a Deed of Variation?

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    When someone dies and leaves a Will, it sets out who should receive their money, property, and possessions. But sometimes, the people named in the Will (called beneficiaries) may decide that they want to change things – for example, to give some or all of their inheritance to someone else.

    This can be done using something called a Deed of Variation.

    What Is a Deed of Variation?

    A Deed of Variation is a legal document that allows someone who’s due to inherit something to change who gets it. They might want to share their inheritance with someone else or give it away entirely.

    The new person receiving the gift doesn’t have to be named in the Will – it could be a family member, a friend, or even a charity.
    For example, if you’re due to inherit £10,000 from your father’s Will, you could decide to pass on £5,000 of that to your sister using a Deed of Variation.

     

    Why Would Someone Want to Do This?

    There are many reasons. You might feel that someone else needs the money more than you. Or maybe you’d like to support a charity. Sometimes, it’s also done to help reduce Inheritance Tax (more on that below).

     

    Is There a Time Limit?

    Yes. If you want the changes to help with Inheritance Tax planning, the Deed of Variation must be done within 2 years of the person’s death.

     

    What About Inheritance Tax?

    One of the big advantages of using a Deed of Variation is how it’s treated for tax purposes.

    If you make a gift through a Deed of Variation, it’s treated as if the person who passed away gave the gift – not you. That means it usually doesn’t affect your own Inheritance Tax situation, and it avoids triggering the “7-year rule” (which is where large gifts you make could still be taxed if you die within 7 years of giving them).

    This can make things much simpler and cleaner for everyone involved.

     

    What Happens If You Don’t Use a Deed of Variation?

    You could still give someone your inheritance by simply gifting it to them. But if you give away more than £3,000 in a year, that gift might be counted as part of your estate if you die within the next 7 years – meaning it could be taxed.

    A Deed of Variation avoids that issue.

     

    Who Needs to Be Involved?

    • The person giving up part or all of their inheritance must sign the Deed.
    • The new person receiving the gift doesn’t always have to sign, but it’s sometimes helpful.
    • The executors (the people managing the Will) might need to sign too – especially if the change affects how much tax is paid.

    Everyone involved must be over 18 and able to make their own decisions. (Different rules apply if a child’s inheritance is being changed – this article doesn’t cover that.)

     

    What If There Was No Will?

    Even if someone died without a Will and the estate is being shared out according to the Rules of Intestacy, a Deed of Variation can still be used to make changes.

     

    Always Get Advice

    Every situation is different, and it’s important to get proper legal advice before making changes.

    Our friendly team can talk you through your options and help you decide what’s best for you and your family.

  6. Leonard Gray Celebrates Continued Excellence with CQS Accreditation

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    Leonard Gray is proud to announce its continued accreditation with the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS). This recognition underlines our ongoing commitment to excellence in residential conveyancing and reflects our dedication to providing a trusted and client-focused service.

    What is the CQS?

    The Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the hallmark of quality in the residential conveyancing sector. It sets rigorous benchmarks for solicitors, ensuring adherence to high standards in client care, legal expertise, and practice management. Accreditation requires firms to demonstrate compliance with the Law Society’s Core Practice Management Standards (CPMS) and the National Conveyancing Protocol, which promote transparency, efficiency, and best practices in property transactions.

     

    Why This Matters to You

    For clients navigating the often complex process of buying or selling property, our CQS accreditation offers peace of mind. It signifies that we:

    • Follow Established Protocols: We adhere to a structured process designed to make conveyancing more efficient and transparent.
    • Prioritise Client Care: Your needs and concerns are central to how we work.
    • Mitigate Risks: Compliance with anti-money laundering and fraud prevention measures ensures your transaction is secure.
    • Are Trusted by Lenders: Our accreditation strengthens relationships with mortgage providers, smoothing the process of financing property transactions.

     

    Commitment to Excellence

    Reaccreditation with CQS is not automatic; it requires an annual review and ongoing compliance with evolving standards. This ensures that Leonard Gray remains at the forefront of conveyancing quality, embracing innovations and continually enhancing our service.

    By choosing Leonard Gray, you are opting for a team with a proven track record, an unwavering focus on quality, and the expertise to make your property journey as seamless as possible.

    For more details about how our CQS accreditation benefits you, visit the Law Society’s official page or get in touch with our experienced team today.

  7. Devon McNamara appears on the The Silent Epidemic Podcast to talk about The Emotional Challenges of Divorce and Custody

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    In a recent episode of The Silent Epidemic, Devon McNamara, senior associate and family law specialist at Leonard Gray LLP, joined Hatice Mehmet-Quirk to discuss the emotional complexities surrounding divorce and child custody cases.

    A particularly intriguing part of the conversation explores how a family lawyer might approach a high-profile celebrity breakup, like that of Molly Mae and Tommy Fury. This offers valuable insight into the importance of mediation and maintaining strong co-parenting relationships—even under intense public scrutiny.

    Devon also shared a candid perspective on the pressures of her role, detailing how she balances the demands of her legal career with motherhood. She opened up about the strategies she employs to avoid burnout while managing the emotional weight of her clients’ cases.

    Touching on the mental health toll divorce can have, Devon provided practical advice for navigating the emotional rollercoaster, acknowledging that men and women often handle separation differently. Her insights offer support and guidance to those facing the personal challenges of divorce and custody, emphasizing the value of resilience and balance in the process.

    To hear more of Devon’s expert advice and in-depth discussion, you can listen to the full episode of The Silent Epidemic using the link below…

    Watch Now – YouTube
    Listen Now – Spotify

     

  8. Devon McNamara to appear on the Omnia Therapy podcast

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    We’re thrilled to announce that our very own Devon McNamara, one of our esteemed family lawyers, will be featured on the Omnia Therapy podcast in September.

    Devon will be sharing her insights on the intersection of family law and mental health, drawing from her experiences as both a dedicated legal professional and a working mum.

    Don’t miss this engaging discussion where Devon brings her unique perspective to the conversation—covering everything from navigating the challenges of the legal field to balancing work and family life.

    Stay tuned for an enlightening episode!

     

  9. Devon McNamara has rejoined our family law team

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    We are thrilled to announce that Devon McNamara has rejoined our family law team!

    After exploring new opportunities, Devon has decided to return to our firm, and we couldn’t be happier. Her expertise, passion, and dedication to her clients have always been remarkable, and we’re excited to welcome her back into our family.

    Please join us in extending a warm welcome back to Devon! We’re looking forward to achieving great things together once again. 💼❤️

     

  10. Mary Yusuf joins our Litigation Team

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    We are very pleased to announce the addition of Mary Yusuf to Leonard Gray’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution team.

    Mary is a vibrant and seasoned solicitor at Leonard Gray Solicitors, seamlessly navigating the intricacies of litigation matters from inception to resolution.

    With 8 years of experience in litigation and 4 years as a qualified solicitor, Mary has made significant contributions to both local and national firms. Her client base spans a diverse spectrum, ranging from individuals and local businesses to financial institutions.

    Mary brings a dynamic and solution-oriented approach to her practice. Recognising that litigation can be a stressful period for clients, she takes pride in fostering open communication, explaining legal processes, and providing tailored solutions aligned with the client’s objectives.