Insights

Our Managing Partner Melinda Giles helps younger listeners understand the law around someone passing away in her appearance on the Kids Law podcast.

Capital Gains tax does not just apply to properties, but also to shares not held in ISAs, parcels of land, holiday homes, works of art, jewellery and digital assets (ie cryptocurrency etc).

The Act brought in a form of protection to the leasehold flat by a Certificate Scheme but unless these certificates are granted at the right time, and in the right way, the protection can be lost. It is crucial that the correct Certificates are in place if you want to sell your leasehold flat, or if you wish to buy one.

The Giles Wilson Moot As a leading local law firm, we seek to encourage and nurture legal potential in the region from a young age. Therefore, we are delighted to announce that Giles Wilson will be holding a Mooting competition this year. What is the Giles Wilson Moot? The Giles Wilson Moot is a competition structured as a series of mock legal hearings, leading to a grand final. Students are invited to act as legal counsel, preparing and delivering compelling arguments based on various legal scenarios to a panel of esteemed solicitors, barristers and judges. Additionally, each team of students must respond to a series of questions posed to them by the panel and be prepared to think on their feet. A unique opportunity for an insight into legal practice Recognised by the Law Society, our Moot offers a rare opportunity for local students to experience the law in practice; something that is not commonly found outside of university level study. We are very proud of the fact that is it the only competition of its kind in the Southeast. We believe that our Moot enables the participants to develop key skills that will set them in good stead for any future career, such as; confidence in public speaking, critical thinking and analytical ability. The winners will receive prizes, including the prestigious Giles Wilson Moot cup, work experience with Giles Wilson and barristers’ chambers. Getting involved We have contacted schools within a 5-mile radius of our head office in Leigh-on-Sea to be involved. The schools that participate will have the opportunity to attend ‘Moot evenings’ whereby students will receive further information on the competition, be able to ask questions and network with legal professionals within Giles Wilson. The Moot competition itself will start with the quarterfinals, taking place in October 2024, with semi-finals planned for November, and the final in December. The Moot competition is part of our calendar of events for 2024 and will be in support of our 2024 chosen charities. Therefore, anyone is welcome to come along to watch the Moot rounds and support the students and charities if they wish to. If you require any further information, please send an email to: [email protected], with the subject “Giles Wilson Moot 2024”.

If you visit us at Giles Wilson looking for advice about potential inheritance tax (IHT) we will balance the options between the good advice to spend your money on yourself now whilst you are fit and well (after all you earned it) and ‘you can’t take it with you’, against the reality that many people do want to help their own beneficiaries as much as they can.

As cherished members of the family, pets hold a unique place in our hearts and homes. But when a relationship ends, who takes responsibility for their care, and how can financial support be allocated to ensure their well-being?