Kerri Westlake

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Kerri Westlake Adams Harrison

The partners are delighted to announce that Kerri has been approved as a Chartered Legal Executive.

Adams Harrison considers that internal progression is an important part of the culture of the firm and Kerri is an example of the opportunities available, having joined the firm after finishing school and working up through the ranks.

Kerri became a graduate legal executive in 2015 and formally became a fee earner in 2016.

She has 6 years’ experience already and is well-versed in handling complex cases but the fellowship with the Institute of Legal Executives was delayed due to the pandemic and associated factors. The partners are delighted that she has finally received this well-deserved recognition.

Congratulations Kerri!

Spring Is Coming

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Debra Tofts, our friendly receptionist in Sawston, is also a Mental Health First Aider within the firm.

She is often inspired to write and circulate a poem to staff to lift the spirits, and has kindly given permission for this one to be published on our website and social media pages.

It’s Coming

You can feel it

You can see it

You can hear it

It’s coming

 

It brings you hope

It lifts you up

It restores you

It’s coming

 

Out of shadows

Out of darkness

Out of chill

It’s coming

 

The days longer

The rays brighter

The warmth alluring

It’s coming

 

Just around the corner

Just within our grasp

Just teasing us gently

It’s coming

Jack Stewart, New Partner

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The Partners are delighted to announce that Jack Stewart was promoted to Partner with effect from 1st January 2023.

The Partnership Team comprises: Jennifer Carpenter, Melanie Pratlett, Shoshana Goldhill, Richard Booth and Jack Stewart.

Papworth Trust Donation

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We were delighted to meet Jo Revitt from Papworth Trust on 5th January to present her with a donation cheque for £150.

Adams Harrison donate to 3 charities each Christmas (local to each of our three offices) as an alternative to sending Christmas cards.

Click here for more information about Papworth Trust and the work they do.

In the picture Jennifer Carpenter, Managing Partner (left), presenting the cheque to Jo Revitt (right).

Foodbank Donation December 2022

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The staff at Saffron Walden office collected items to donate to Uttlesford foodbank.

More details can be found here: https://uttlesford.foodbank.org.uk/

Christmas Jumper Day 2022

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Once again Adams Harrison staff were excited to join in the Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day 2022, and they were all very grateful for the extra layer of clothing due to winter finally arriving with sub-zero temperatures overnight!

We are busy counting the donations made by staff who donned their Christmas jumpers.

This year will be TWICE as good as before because for every £2 donated the UK government promised to give £2 to Save the Children too.

Here is a photo of our staff in Saffron Walden office who got into the Christmas spirit!

Happy Birthday Christine

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Christine Gee, our Wills & Probate specialist paralegal in Sawston office celebrates a significant birthday this weekend.

Happy birthday Christine!

We won’t give away your age except to say it has an 0 in it.

Celebrating women in the law over the past 100 years

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100 years ago the first woman was admitted to the Law Society of England & Wales.

In fact the following momentous achievements for women all happened in 1922:
• Dr Ivy Williams was the first woman to be called to the Bar in May 1922. She did not practice as a barrister but became the first woman to teach law at an English university.
• Helena Normanton became the first woman to practice as a barrister in England. Helena was called to the Bar in November 1922 and went on to become the first female counsel in cases at the High Court of Justice, and the first woman to obtain a divorce for a client.
• Carrie Morrison became the first woman admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in December 1922. Maud Crofts, Mary Elizabeth Pickup and Mary Elaine Sykes also passed their Law Finals Examination at the same time but Carrie was the first to complete her articles and be admitted to the Law Society Roll.

The fight for equality in the legal profession actually started decades earlier. It was in 1878 that Janet Wood became the first woman to complete a law degree in the UK. Even then women were only permitted to take a ‘Special Exam for Women’ which was offered as an alternative to the men’s degree exam.

Some 100 or more years later the fight for equality in the legal profession continues and every year all women in the profession celebrate new milestones for equality and diversity.
• In 2017 Lady Hale was appointed the first woman President of the UK Supreme Court.
• In 2018 the Supreme Court saw its first female-majority panel hear a case – with Lady Hale, Lady Black and Lady Arden sitting as three out of five judges to hear the case re D.
• In 2019 Elizabeth Johnson became the first female chartered legal executive to be appointed a judge.

At Adams Harrison we are proud of our balance of male and female leaders

In December 2022:
• The firm is owned by an all-female partnership, comprising Shoshana Goldhill; Melanie Pratlett and Jennifer Carpenter. Other partners include Richard Booth and, as of 1st January 2022, we welcome Jack Stewart as a partner.
• Equality and Diversity is integral to our working practices and recruitment plans
• As at December we are made up of:
• Six female and four male qualified lawyers
• Two female unqualified lawyers
• One female and one male trainee solicitors
• One female practice manager

There are more achievements to be made for equality and diversity in the legal profession and we are excited to be part of the journey.

Invalid Will

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There are a number of legal reasons why a will made may be invalid. This article deals briefly with the situation where it cannot be proved that the will was properly executed.

Legal requirements

It is Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 that sets out the legal requirements for how a will should be executed. This includes that a will must be in writing and signed in a particular manner by the testator (person making the will) and their witnesses.

Case law has held that only the strongest of evidence will rebut the presumption that a will was properly executed.

There have certainly been some interesting cases over the years:-

In Marley v Rawlings in 2012 mirror wills were prepared for a husband and wife to execute. However, their solicitor unfortunately gave them the wrong will to execute. The Supreme Court held even though the wrong spouse had signed the will it could be dealt with under Section 20(1)(a) of the Administration of Justice Act 1982 on the basis that it was a clerical error and it was clear what each of the testators had intended.

But in Barrett v Ben and others in the same year the Court of Appeal said that the testator’s sister signing the will made it invalid because there was not sufficient evidence that the sister had signed it at the direction of the testator.

There have been cases that have come before the courts where witnesses have not signed the will but as long as they saw the testator sign the will and have provided their personal details they could, after the testator’s death, be able to give evidence that they had witnessed the will signing. Therefore, such wills have been valid.

Why is it important?

Whether a will is valid or not can make a huge difference to how the deceased’s estate will be administered. If there was only ever the invalidly executed will prepared by the deceased then it will be treated as if he/she died intestate (with no will) and therefore the intestacy rules will dictate who the beneficiaries are. If one or more previous wills were made during the testator’s lifetime then if the last will prior to the invalid will can be proved then the estate will be administered in accordance with that. Therefore, there can be every benefit sometimes in a beneficiary that has recently been disinherited arguing that the last will of the deceased is invalid.

What do you do if the will is invalid?

You will want to stop the invalid will being used to obtain the grant of probate and the estate being administered in accordance with its terms. Applying for a caveat at the Probate Registry is the first step. However, you will need legal advice as to whether you have good grounds to be challenging the validity of the will.

How can you find out more about the circumstances in which a will was made and/or executed?

If a will was professionally prepared by a will writer or solicitor they are under a legal obligation, further to a case of Larke v Nugus and Law Society Guidance to provide details about the will making after the testator’s death to anyone likely to have an interest in the deceased’s estate.

For legal advice on this area contact us – whether you are the executor, beneficiary or a family member.

National Minimum Wage – Enforcement

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The Government has just announced the new rates of pay for National Minimum Wage (NMW) that will take effect on 1st April 2023. The new rates of pay compared to those currently in place are:-

  • Age 23 or over (NLW rate): £10.42 (up 9.7% from £9.50).
  • Age 21 to 22: £10.18 (up 10.9% from £9.18).
  • Age 18 to 20: £7.49 (up 9.7% from £6.83).
  • Age 16 to 17: £5.28 (up 9.7% from £4.81).
  • Apprentice rate: £5.28 (up 9.7% from £4.81).

What can you do as a worker or employee if you are not paid the correct rate?

Even if you have agreed to accept a reduced rate, lower than National Minimum Wage you still have a claim.

Any agreement by a worker/employee to be paid a lesser rate is void.

A number of claims could be available to you:-

  • Unlawful deduction from wages
  • Breach of contract
  • Unfair dismissal
  • Detriment

Strict time limits apply so seek our advice early.

Unlawful deduction for wages

This is a claim that you have not been paid the correct amount and therefore, the difference in your actual pay and the NMW amounts to an unlawful deduction. Such a claim must be brought within three months of the date you received the pay. However, if the pay you are receiving is lower than NMW on an ongoing basis then you will be able to claim at any time within three months of the last payment. Relatively recent changes to the law though mean you can only claim back for a maximum of two years.

We would assist you in calculating the arrears of pay and the period for which you could claim.

Unfair dismissal and Detriment

If you are dismissed because you have sought to ensure that you received the correct rate, or because your employer has been prosecuted for an offence for failing to pay NMW under The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 then this will be automatically unfair.

This means you do not need a specific length of service to be eligible to bring a claim for unfair dismissal

If you suffer any detriment as a result of:

  • becoming or being eligible for NMW
  • taking action to ensure you receive it;
  • or your employer being prosecuted for an offence relating to NMW

then you can bring a detriment claim for compensation. The Employment Tribunal will award such compensation as it considers just and equitable in the circumstances.

If you are a worker and you are fired because you have asserted your rights regarding NMW then although normally workers cannot claim unfair dismissal (as this is only available for employees) you can advance an unfair dismissal or detriment claim in this situation.

In these cases it will be assumed that the worker qualified for the NMW unless then employer can prove otherwise.

The worker/employee bringing legal action is just one consequence for the employer of failing to adhere to the NMW and the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. There are criminal proceedings, civil enforcement and public naming of organisations.

Contact our employment law specialist, Jennifer Carpenter solicitor and managing partner if you need advice on the National Minimum Wage legislation as a worker, employee or employer.