Search site
Call our office
Make an enquiry
Our people
Search our people
Are you looking for high quality legal advice? You have come to the right place.
We regularly write about different legal topics and welcome your comments on our posts. If you would like more information on our services, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
For blogs on financial advice, please visit our IFA blog here.
Figures were released earlier this month showing that Cafcass received a total of 3,284 new private law cases (involving 4,040 children) in December 2019. This was 7% higher than December 2018. This continues a trend of an increased number of private law...
Government statistics show that as many as 40% of divorces are now being dealt with online. But what is the background to this and where are the pitfalls of an online divorce? Online divorce was introduced by the Ministry of Justice in 2018. A lot of...
The phrase "Divorce Day", traditionally the first Monday in January, is coined by the media rather than family lawyers. Many who practice family law, including family lawyers who are Members of Resolution , are likely to agree. So, it is...
Last week, after a devoted Norwich City FC fan sadly passed away, it became clear that he had left a legacy in his will to buy all the players a drink. Did you know there are different types of legacies which could be included in a will, depending on how...
The House of Commons ruled this week (15 January 2020) that the statutory legacy for partners under the intestacy rules will increase to £270,000 as of 6 February 2020. The update, which was due in October 2019, has been welcomed by the Law Society....
In July 2019, the Guardianship (Missing Persons) Act 2017 finally came into force. This act has been long-awaited for families with missing loved ones. Birkett Long represented the claimant in the first claim of this kind in the Chancery Division of the...
The world’s oldest known signature, from Sumeria (in modern-day Iraq), was added to the back of a clay tablet in circa 3100 BC. Fast forward to the 21st century, electronic signatures are now used as a popular and quick way to execute documents. Do...
The Charity Commission has recently concluded a number of investigations into the apparent mismanagement of charities. On occasion, the charities in question were carrying out worthwhile and charitable functions. Behind the scenes, however, the behaviour of...
"Will you marry me?" is quite possibly one of the most anticipated questions that many people hope to hear in their lifetimes. It is a question that is loaded with love and hope for a future filled with happiness. It is easy, and completely...
A Tribunal has determined that ethical veganism is a ‘philosophical belief’ and is capable of protection from discrimination. Jordi Casamitjana, an ethical vegan, claims that he was treated less favourably by his employer because of his...
Increasingly, the family court is willing to step outside of strict rules of procedure where it appears fair for it to do so. The decision made in the recent case of Ali v Barbosa demonstrates this. The facts of the case were quite interesting, as the...
Tracy Martinez, the Training Co-ordinator from Outhouse East , came to Birkett Long’s offices to deliver three LGBTQ+ Awareness training sessions to staff. The aim was to improve staff knowledge and understanding of the spectrum of gender and...
Birkett Long is proud to sponsor a local school’s cricket teams. The Year 6 A teams at St Cedd’s School in Chelmsford have been wearing their sponsored kits this season. The firm is delighted to be a sponsor in the first year that the St...
A new initiative for Writtle University College, The WUC Equine Academy, is aimed at supporting talented riders for one academic year whilst studying for any higher education award at Writtle University College. Leading Essex law firm, Birkett Long, has...
It is not true that your spouse ceases to be your legal next of kin when you separate. While you remain married, your husband or wife is still regarded as your legal next of kin. What if I die and have not divorced? If you separate but do not take steps to...
Rachel Leech, a solicitor in the Court of Protection and Inheritance Disputes Team at law firm Birkett Long, has been appointed as trustee for the Helen Rollason Cancer charity. A charity dedicated to supporting people whose lives have been touched by...
Working in a firm of our size, about 180 people, it is inevitable that we encounter the many highs and lows of life with our colleagues. When I read about St Helena Hospice’s Forget Me Not campaign, which is a similar concept to the poppies...
Community focused staff at Essex law firm, Birkett Long, have raised over £19,329 for the UK’s leading dementia charity, Alzheimer’s Society. Each year the firm, which has offices in Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon, chooses a...
The fastest growing businesses in Essex will take their place under the spotlight alongside the county’s top 100 performing companies, when the results of the new format Essex Limited 2015 study are unveiled by financial and business advisers Grant...
NHS continuing healthcare funding is a government promise that the NHS will pick up the nursing home bills of older people. Despite this promise, at Birkett Long we are still chasing £1.5 million owed to families, with that figure rising weekly. NHS...
