Recruiters: Don’t sleep walk into losing money
If you supply temporary workers, it’s crucial to have legal contracts in place. If your contracts fail, so may your chance of recovering the fees you charge. There are three...
Lasting powers of attorney are also for the young
Many people combine successful businesses and careers with active social lives, taking skiing and sailing holidays, cycling to keep fit and generally enjoying their hard earned leisure time. The problem...
Landlords must think long-term to safeguard development potential
When granting long leases of flats, landlords should think carefully about what rights they should give over common areas; and, when responding to a claim by the lessees to acquire the freehold,...
Help! The executor isn’t doing their job
An executor is the person appointed in a Will to administer the estate of a person who has died. Acting as executor is a position of responsibility and can be...
Debenhams Ottaway wins national excellence award
Debenhams Ottaway has won the prestigious Law Society Excellence Award 2015 for their private client work. The awards, which took place at London’s Hilton Park Lane last night, celebrate leading...
Debenhams Ottaway raises over £7,000 in one week for charity
Last week Debenhams Ottaway held its second Charity Week. This time it was in aid of their chosen charities for the year Mind in Mid Herts and St Albans Museums and Galleries Trust....
Debenhams Ottaway launches debt recovery product for the recruitment sector
The recruitment sector is particularly vulnerable to the financial risk posed by bad debt and late paying clients. Debenhams Ottaway, a leading Hertfordshire law firm and REC Business Partner has...
Cheats never prosper
What an exciting day yesterday was for family lawyers. At long last the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, decided that not being entirely honest about the financial...
Bernadette Hillman guest speaker at RTPIs annual East of England Planning Law Update
Bernadette Hillman, head of planning at Debenhams Ottaway, will again be talking at the RTPI’s annual East of England Planning Law Update held at Downing College, Cambridge on 6 November 2015. Bernadette...
Who can make decisions on my future care if I can’t?
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) allow you to appoint someone you know and trust (known as an Attorney) to make decisions on your behalf should you lose mental capacity and...
What a team! Debenhams Ottaway’s Nicholas Turner listed as an elite leading lawyer by Legal 500
Debenhams Ottaway’s team of lawyers based in St Albans and Radlett has again come out on top in this year’s Legal 500 rankings. Nicholas Turner, head of the team advising...
Trustees – what are you letting yourself in for?
If you agree to be a trustee of a charity, whatever the nature of that charity, whether it is a charitable company, unincorporated association, charitable trust or otherwise, you will...
Suspect donations – advice for charities
As with any other organisation, charities must be cautious of falling victim to fraudsters. If your charity is defrauded, you could face both financial losses and also reputational damage. The National Crime Agency...
Successful planning appeal for local St Albans restaurant
The planning team at Debenhams Ottaway recently acted for local Mediterranean restaurant Bar Meze in its successful planning appeal after it was refused to extend their opening hours. This successful...
Single sex divorce: The law has some catching up to do
The US State of New Orleans has recently seen its first single sex divorce. Ironically this took place two hours before Louisiana sanctioned its first same sex marriage. Here in...
Rewarding employees: Are your bonus schemes fit for purpose?
Bonuses allow employers to reward good performance and increase motivation amongst their workforce. However, employers may be exposed to potential disputes with employees if bonus schemes aren’t implemented correctly. A...
Resolving disputes through alternative means
When a business becomes involved in a dispute it can often lead to unbudgeted cost and expense with no guarantee of a successful outcome. Resolving disputes quickly, even if it...
Relocating after divorce must be in the child’s best interests
With the rise in “international” marriages and relationships, more children have been born to parents of more than one nationality. In the event of a breakdown of the relationship, it is...
Pay Less for Your Ex
Following divorce, the on-going obligation to continue to pay maintenance to an ex spouse is often a bone of contention. Spousal maintenance payments are often seen as a financial burden and frequently...
New rules require landlords to install smoke alarms
From 1 October 2015, anyone letting all or part of their property for rent is required to have at least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their properties...