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NLJ this week: Remote wills

30 October 2020
Issue: 7908 / Categories: Legal News , Covid-19 , Wills & Probate
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Wills can be witnessed using video conferencing technology, thanks to an emergency COVID-19 executive measure. It defines ‘presence’ in statute for the first time

However, the Justice Secretary’s Order facilitating this has some ‘curious features’, solicitor Nick Bevan writes in NLJ. He scrutinises the legislative move, the run-up to it and the manner with which it was communicated.

Bevan identifies some mixed messages, half measures and missed opportunities. Moreover, he writes, there appear to be ‘two concurrent video will execution regimes in force’. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Freeths—Ruth Clare

Freeths—Ruth Clare

National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Partner appointed head of family team

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return

NEWS
Conveyancing lawyers have enjoyed a rapid win after campaigning against UK Finance’s decision to charge for access to the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The dangers of uncritical artificial intelligence (AI) use in legal practice are no longer hypothetical. In this week's NLJ, Dr Charanjit Singh of Holborn Chambers examines cases where lawyers relied on ‘hallucinated’ citations — entirely fictitious authorities generated by AI tools
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
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