Search site
Call our office
Make an enquiry
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.
Every professional must operate to a reasonable industry standard; solicitors are no exception. If you have entered into a contract with a solicitor or if a solicitor has simply assumed responsibility for providing you with advice which you have chosen to...
When talking about divorce it’s never long before pensions, finances and how much the whole process costs comes into the conversation. There has been the usual spike in January divorces once again, not least the richest man in the world Jeff Bezos of...
No fault divorce for separating couples are going to be introduced into the law. In the next session in parliament the justice secretary David Gauke has confirmed he will bring in the legislation enacting the reform. This will mean that couples...
Comedian and funny man Ken Dodd had the last laugh last year when he married his long term partner on his deathbed, thus avoiding Inheritance Tax and with probate on his estate just granted his Will and £27.5m fortune is now public. Whilst...
It’s that time of year when ski and snowboarding holidays can end in disaster and a claim for compensation and consequential losses. Whilst the vast majority of ski trips end in happy memories and fantastic photographs sadly some of them do end in...
Mifid II came into effect over a year ago on 3 January 2018. It’s an acronym for Markets in Financial Instruments Directive 2 and, at over 30,000 pages, it’s far from a bit of light reading. Mifid II was designed to offer more protection for...
Introduction The story of the US/China trade dispute was a thread running through much of last year. Some progress was made in resolving the dispute at December’s G20 summit and that appeared to continue in January with China saying it is...
For those who want to stay safe from the efforts of pension scammers, help is out there. It’s just as well because such help is in high demand. Between August and October alone last year, the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) ScamSmart website...
With help-to-buy ISAs being phased out on 30th November 2019, many people are considering transferring their funds into a Lifetime ISA. You’ll still be able to access existing help-to-buy accounts until 30th November 2029, but it’s worth knowing...
A new system alerting charities to when they have been left money in wills is to be established by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) following a decision to end its current arrangement. This has been welcomed by many in the charity sector who are...
As a company director you are responsible for the day-to-day running of the business and accountable for its success or failure. According to the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) there are seven specific duties you need to observe: to act within...
We acted recently for a business who had a series of company cars, one of which was involved in a speeding incident. The notice to prosecute came in the post addressed to the business, as it would if you were caught out speeding in your own car. Like...
Consideration of financial or prenuptial agreements before setting out on a life together can be essential if you are marrying into wealth. As we see in the news recently the founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos announces his pending divorce to wife MacKenzie of...
As the cold weather drops and frost and snow are forecasted this week here’s a timely reminder to be safe on the roads. Driving in the winter is different to other times of the year – with icy windscreens, adverse weather and longer periods of...
Identity Fraud has been in the headlines recently and can be a real problem. A recent case is exemplified below. On 15 May 2018, the Court of Appeal handed down its decision in a case called (1) P&P Property Ltd v Owen White & Catlin LLP and...
If you’re looking at getting your finances in order this New Year it is important to consider making Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) – these are legal documents that allow you to nominate people you trust to make decisions for you, should you...
Recent research shows that 1 in 5 UK workers attempt to hide their disability from their employer. The same study shows that over half of disabled people feel that their disability is putting them at risk of losing their job. In the current landscape, it...
In the case of Thompson v Ragget (2018) EWHC 688 Ch, the High court ruled in favour of an unmarried woman who had been left out of her partner’s £1.5m estate. The distribution of an estate, either under the terms of a Will or pursuant to the...
A quiet wind down to Christmas? Everyone leaving their offices early and not much happening in the second half of the month? Nothing could be further from the truth: December was one of the most eventful months of the year and while there was some good...
The choice of whether or not to release equity from your home ultimately rests with you. However, the decision will have wide reaching consequences for your family. It’s sensible, before releasing equity, to see a financial adviser who will explain the...
Inheritance tax is enormously unpopular to say the least. A YouGov poll found that 59% of the public deemed it unfair, making it the least popular of Britain’s 11 major taxes. What’s more, the tax has a limited revenue raising ability, with the...
From January 9 2019, the cold-calling of savers about anything to do with their pensions will become illegal. The new law doesn’t just cover phone calls. Any unsolicited emails or text messages about your pension will also be illegal. As it stands,...
FILING PAPERS ONLINE - DIVORCE, THE EASY WAY? Whilst the rest of us were tucking into Christmas Dinner 13 people were filing for a divorce to online service of HM Courts and Tribunals. The official figures show that this rose to 77 people completing...
For a Will to be validly recognised in England and Wales, it must be signed in front of two independent witnesses, who print and sign their names, this aids when resolving probate disputes . While this requirement has been a long-recognised rule of the law,...
Following the Matthew Taylor Good Work Review, the Government has announced what it calls the biggest overhaul of Employment Law in twenty years. The key proposals are as follows: 1) changing the rules on continuity of employment, so that a break of up to...
Oldham Law firm Pearson Solicitors is urging local families to consider making their New Year Resolution for 2019 to get a Will and plan their financial futures. January is a particularly popular time to make a Will or make changes to an existing Will....
Separated parents squabbling over who gets to spend time with their children over Christmas are advised to resolve disputes before the festive season. Although your relationship with your partner has ended it is important to remember that you are both still...
Santa paid an early visit to our Queen Street offices today when he came to collect food parcels for the Oldham Foodbank. In his role-reversal visit Santa collected boxes and sacks of goodies from our staff in readiness for the festive season. Over...
“No oral modification” clauses (hereafter, NOM clauses) are oftentimes employed in commercial contracts to prevent parties from varying terms of a contract via means which are other than the agreed upon form, e.g. varying the contract in writing...
Since increased pensions freedoms were established in April 2015, the FCA says that £3 billion worth of annuities have been rejected by over 55s. Now, nearly three in five over 55s are refusing the guaranteed annuity rate (GAR) offered to them by their...
Introduction It is always difficult writing a report like this, as you are always trying to ‘hit a moving target.’ While you can record the stock market levels at the close of business on, say, 30th November, there is always the...
For women returning to the job market after a long career break, getting back on track can seem daunting. Many are reduced to applying for graduate-level and admin work, far below their level of experience. They feel that their skills are outdated or they...
Retirement planning means taking into account a whole host of factors. You have to navigate tough questions like, ‘What will the impact of inflation be?’ or ‘When will interest rates start to creep up?’ As well as these, there is...
RECENT POLL FINDS SUPPORT for 100% MORTGAGES Considerable support for 100% mortgages has been shown in a recent YouGov report showing that some 48% think that reintroduction of 100% mortgages is a good idea. 100% mortgages let people buy homes without...
Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers' staff better not forget their foodbank donations and #sillysanta costumes and I’m telling you why - Oldham Food Bank and Action Oldham need donations to support our town. On Friday 14th December, the team...
Can a series of small acts of misconduct from an employee, over time, amount to a reason for dismissal, despite none of the acts being classed as gross misconduct? Yes – answered the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) in Mbubaegbu v Homerton University...
It’s the season of goodwill to all men and women, even financial advisers and although a pension may not be top of your Christmas wish list here’s a tongue in cheek look at what your financial adviser could be giving you this festive season: On...
Asking a patient for consent when treating them was at the heart of a recent case for medical negligence solicitors - a client who reacted badly to his antibiotics and was left with life changing disabilities has received a settlement when Pearson Solicitors...
We are proud to announce that we are the headline sponsors of the Oldham Business Awards 2019. Entering their 11 years, the awards attract scores of entries each year from all sectors of the Oldham business community and culminate each year in a gala dinner...
In the recent case of Colino Sigüenza v Ayuntamiento de Valladolid and Others , the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) was asked to consider whether a five-month halt in business between contracts could preclude the possibility of a transfer...
As temperatures are set to plummet this week there is no time like Road Safety Awareness Week to remind people to be safe out on the roads. Road Safety Awareness Week coordinated by the Brake Charity this year focuses on the safety of those on two...
The question in the recent case of Bellman v Northampton Recruitment Ltd was whether a company could be legally liable for the actions of their employees even at after work parties. Yes, answered the Court of Appeal – but it depends on the facts. ...
For every commercial business that is bought or sold within the OL postcode the Pearson commercial conveyancing team are donating £5 to help Oldham Mayor Cllr Javid Iqbal realise his charity target. After meeting with the Mayor recently the Pearson...
Introduction October was, to put it mildly, an eventful month. It was a month which saw the majority of markets on which we report down steeply, as fears of higher interest rates in the US combined with worries about the US/China trade war. There was,...
This year Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered his autumn budget a few weeks earlier than usual. Normally the budget is released in mid-November, but this year he gave the budget on 29 October. In the run up to Brexit, Hammond didn’t release any huge...
In the UK, we are faced with the challenge of an ageing population. Many of us will live longer than we might have expected. Already, 2.4% of the population is aged over 85. Because of improvements in healthcare and nutrition, this figure only looks set to...
Sustainable investing has grown rapidly over the last couple of decades. Investors are increasingly committed to the social and environmental impact of where they put their hard- earned money. Getting good financial returns and having a positive impact on...
Pimlico Plumbers and another v Smith [2018] UKSC 29, will remain a key authoritative legal source when it comes to employers classifying their staff as ‘workers’ or ‘independent contractors’ for the foreseeable future. What was in...
Introduction A Budget for “Strivers, Grafters and Carers” Budgets, as we all know, take place on Wednesdays. After the excitement of Prime Minister’s Questions, the Deputy Speaker calls ‘the Chancellor of the Exchequer’ and he...
Only a week to go until the next Professional Oldham event, tickets are going well and so we would encourage businesses to sign up now as it promises to be a good night. The group always try to offer something different with the events, whether it’s...
