Blog
Rayner my parade! The importance of specialist advice.
Jemma Brimblecombe
7 April 2015
Robin Williams' brand protection – tax efficient way to protect publicity rights in the afterlife
Robin Williams was an outstanding actor and comedian who broke new ground with his characters and films. News of his suicide in August 2014 shocked the world and, eight months after his death, he is still making headlines as detail of the Robin Williams Trust emerges.
28 October 2014
Legal update - The requirement for suspicious circumstances in 'want of knowledge and approval' claims
As we have highlighted in previous blogs, challenging a will on the grounds of ‘want of knowledge and approval’ is not always easy. The recent case of King v King (2014) demonstrates that, in cases where testamentary capacity and execution are not in dispute, if a claimant is unable to satisfy the court that the circumstances in connection with a disputed will are sufficiently suspicious then a claim on the grounds of want of knowledge and approval will not succeed.
16 October 2014
Second judgment on will signing error: Solicitor’s insurers to pay legal fees
In January 2014, the Supreme Court handed down its’ judgment in the case of Marley v Rawlings and another, which related to a will that had been incorrectly signed. For an overview of the case, please see our previous blog: ‘Supreme Court upholds the Wills in a landmark case where a married couple accidentally signed each other’s wills’.
9 September 2014
“Trusting” fraudulent family
In the case of Arthur James Watts v John Harris Watts (2014) the High Court has recently awarded damages for deceit and breach of trust to a claimant beneficiary who was the victim of a fraudulent misrepresentation made by a trustee.
1 September 2014
Famous painters and secret trusts
Judgment has now been given at the High Court in London in the dispute over Lucian Freud’s £96 million estate. Freud was an internationally-recognised and highly successful artist and draughtsman. His residuary estate after payment of legacies and inheritance tax but before administration expenses was estimated by the claimants to be worth about £42 million. The first claimant, Diana Rawstron, was Freud’s’s solicitor and the second claimant, Rose Pearce, was one of his children. They were the executrices of the disputed will. The defendant, Paul Freud, was one of his 14 children.
