Business and Property: ToLATA update May 2020 – St Ives Chambers

Posted May 28th, 2020 in appeals, chambers articles, land registration, news, trusts, valuation by sally

‘By way of observation, the principle set out in Bagum-v-Hafiz [2015] EWCA Civ 801 whereby a beneficiary under a trust of land may effectively buy out the others interests appears to be increasingly applied and it has been recently considered in the Court of Appeal case of In the matter of the Estate of Roger Kingsley sub nom (1) Karim Sophie Kingsley (2) Aaron Richard Playle (as Executors of the Estate of Roger John Kingsley) v Sally Margaret Kingsley [2020] EWCA Civ 297. There, the Court of Appeal rejected the appeal that in a farming partnership case the judge had not been entitled to make an orderforsale at a court-assessed price rather than ordering a sale on the open market. Unlike a trustee, the court was not required to get the best price for the property. The Court rejected the notion that Bagum required some sort of valuation threshold to be overcome. On the contrary, Bagum was authority for the proposition that valuation (and the risk that the court-assessed value would not necessarily be the same as the price in an open market sale) was clearly a discretionary matter.’

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St Ives Chambers, May 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk

An Introduction to Cryptocurrency – New Square Chambers

‘The first thing to say is that you should learn as much about holding and transacting with cryptocurrencies as you have time for.’

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New Square Chambers, March 2020

Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk

Will construction—failure of trust (Jeffreys and others v Scruton and others) – Wilberforce Chambers

Posted March 17th, 2020 in chambers articles, news, trusts, wills by sally

‘The Will established a discretionary trust for the testatrix’s issue with a standard power to add any person as an additional beneficiary during the 80-year trust period and wide powers to appoint and apply capital and income. It directed that ‘in default of and subject to any exercise of’ those powers, the trustees should hold the trust fund (i) on expiry of the trust period for her issue (if any) then living and (ii) ‘if at any time the trusts declared by the foregoing provisions fail’ on trust for her nephews and nieces absolutely (subject to attaining age 18 or previously marrying). The testatrix had one child, who predeceased her. The question raised by the trustees was whether the power to add a beneficiary remained exercisable, or whether the trust fund was held exclusively for the nephews and nieces. The court held that upon the testatrix’s death the discretionary trusts had failed—that the power to add was not exercisable—and that the trust fund was accordingly held on trust for the class of nephews and nieces entitled under Clause 5(c)(iii) of the Will.’

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Wilberforce Chambers, 12th March 2020

Source: www.wilberforce.co.uk

Co-ownership and declarations of trust – Family Law

Posted March 12th, 2020 in land registration, news, trusts by tracey

‘Where a client owns or plans on owning a property jointly with someone else, there are a number of things that should be considered.’

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Family Law, 11th March 2020

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Naturalist who wanted to rewild family farm loses 15-year legal battle with his brother, as judge rules he cannot prevent sale – Daily Telegraph

‘A naturalist who wanted to rewild the family farm has lost a 15-year legal battle with his brother after a judge ruled he cannot prevent the sale.’

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Section 4 Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975: Standstill Agreements – Becket Chambers

Posted December 10th, 2019 in news, stay of proceedings, time limits, trusts, wills by sally

‘Earlier this year the conflicting authorities of Bhusate v Patel [2019] EWHC 470 (Ch) and Cowan v Foreman and others [2019] EWHC 349 (Fam) cast doubt on the use of standstill agreements in respect of claims intended to be brought under section 2 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (“the Act”). Following the determination of the appeal in the latter case that uncertainty has to a large extent been resolved.’

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Becket Chambers, 4th December 2019

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

International charitable trusts and IHT exemption – Wilberforce Chambers

Posted November 26th, 2019 in charities, inheritance tax, news, trusts by sally

‘The Supreme Court, in the recent decision of Routier v Revenue and Customs Commissioners (No 2) [2019] UKSC 43, [2019] 3 WLR 757, has provided valuable guidance as to the scope of s. 23 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (which exempts gifts to charities from IHT). The case is a welcome decision for private clients and their estate planners wishing to support international charitable causes while simultaneously benefitting from reduced liability to inheritance tax.’

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Wilberforce Chambers, 8th November 2019

Source: www.wilberforce.co.uk

Disqualifying a church pastor from charity trusteeship: Phelps – Law & Religion UK

Posted October 14th, 2019 in appeals, charities, disqualification, news, trusts by tracey

‘The First-tier Tribunal (Charity) has dismissed the disqualification appeal from a former church pastor who was banned from being a charity trustee for ten years after the Charity Commission concluded, inter alia, that he had used charitable funds for foreign trips that did not appear to be for charitable purposes.’

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Law & Religion UK, 14th October 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Bleak Choses? Trusting in equity – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted October 10th, 2019 in assignment, equity, news, third parties, trusts, warranties by tracey

‘For many common lawyers – certainly me – trusts and equity seem exotic things. At one point, I supposed the closest I would get to equity in action was by reading Bleak House, which in length and majesty even rivals some of the equity textbooks. But in this (as many other things) I was proved wrong. One cannot properly understand the law of assignment – a bedrock of the commercial construction lawyer’s practice – without comprehending equitable assignment. And it is at the outer fringes of assignment where one may bump – or even lapse – into trusts.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 9th October 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Out of time Inheritance Act claim – use of standstill agreements and hope for late claims? – No. 5 Chambers

Posted August 29th, 2019 in appeals, news, time limits, trusts, wills by sally

‘In a decision handed down on 30th July 2019, the Court of Appeal have overturned a controversial first instance decision. Mostyn J had refused permission to bring a claim under s4 Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The substance of the claim under the Act related to whether a beneficial interest under a discretionary trust, rather than outright provision, failed to make reasonable provision for a spouse. The first instance decision created a stir because, among other findings, Mostyn J made obiter comments that it was not appropriate for parties to enter into ‘stand still agreements’ as an attempt to extend the 6-month time limit for bringing claims under the Act whilst negotiations were underway.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 7th August 2019

Source: www.no5.com

Akcil & Ors v Koza Ltd & Anor [2019] UKSC 40 – Hardwick Chambers

‘The first respondent (“Koza Ltd”) was a private company incorporated in England in March 2014. Koza Ltd was a wholly owned subsidiary of the sixth appellant (“Koza Altin”), a publicly listed company incorporated in Turkey and part of a group of Turkish companies known as the Koza Ipek Group (“the Group”). The Group was formerly controlled by the second respondent (“Mr Ipek”).’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 22nd August 2019

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Firm right to withhold privileged information, High Court rules – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 24th, 2019 in disclosure, law firms, news, privilege, trusts by tracey

‘The High Court has backed international firm Taylor Wessing over its refusal to disclose privileged information to the beneficiary of a Bahamian trust. Taylor Wessing was acting for the trustee of the Glennfinnan Settlement when a beneficiary of the trust requested personal data about parties to litigation in the Bahamas.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Trusts and divorce: the ‘Chinese tigers’ saga continues – Family Law

Posted February 6th, 2019 in charities, divorce, news, trusts by tracey

‘Edward Floyd, a partner at Penningtons Manches in London, writes that there has been a fascinating twist in the tale of the long running, bitterly contested litigation, Quan v Bray (dubbed the “Chinese tigers” case) after the wife’s financial claims on divorce came before Mr Justice Mostyn in December 2018. The case has spanned six years and legal fees of £7 million have been incurred, attracting widespread tabloid interest.’

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Family Law, 6th February 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

The status of allotments – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 29th, 2019 in charities, Charity Commission, local government, news, trusts by sally

‘The recent decision of the Upper Tribunal in Densham v Charity Commission [2018] UKUT 0402, in which the Charity Commission made detailed legal submissions, will be of interest to all trust law practitioners as well as those working with local authorities.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th January 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Quan v Bray: Joint lives maintenance orders and deferred capital claims in financial remedy proceeding – Family Law

Posted January 25th, 2019 in financial provision, news, periodical payments, trusts by tracey

‘Antonia Barker, senior associate at Vardags, who acted for the wife in this case, comments on Quan v Bray, which involved long-running financial remedy proceedings in which the court made findings of gross litigation misconduct and that the husband had earning capacity that could be inferred.’

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Family Law, 25th January 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Homeless family ‘can’t use £500,000 trust fund’ – BBC News

‘A woman awarded £500,000 after being left with severe physical and mental disabilities is homeless after her mother was barred from buying them a home with the money.’

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BBC News, 14th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Residential Nil Rate Band: A Path through the Maze – Radcliffe Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2018 in inheritance tax, news, trusts, wills by sally

‘In late 2015, the Government introduced an additional nil rate band for inheritance tax purposes applying where a deceased person’s interest in their residence is “closely inherited” by their children and other descendants, known as the residential nil rate band (“RNRB”). The objective was to meet the criticism that the estates of persons, who are by no means wealthy, were being dragged into the inheritance tax net by virtue only of the historic rise in residential property prices.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 5th December 2018

Source: www.radcliffechambers.com

Financial Remedies and Divorce Update, September 2018 – Family Law Week

‘Rose-Marie Drury, Senior Associate, Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during August 2018.’

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Family Law Week, 6th September 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Court of Appeal hands down judgment in British Airways pension scheme litigation – Radcliffe Chambers

Posted August 6th, 2018 in airlines, news, pensions, trusts by sally

‘The appeal concerned whether the Scheme had been effectively amended to include a trustee power to award discretionary pension increases and whether the subsequent exercise of that power was valid.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 5th July 2018

Source: www.radcliffechambers.com

Bennett v Bennett & Others [2018] EWHC 1931 (Ch) – Tanfield Chambers

Posted August 6th, 2018 in contracts, estoppel, news, sale of land, trusts by sally

‘Tanfield barristers Marc Glover and Chloe Sheridan successfully represented the Claimants in a High Court dispute over East Thurrock United Football Club. In a judgment handed down on 25th July 2018, the Court dismissed the defendant’s and additional parties’ claims to a share in the land used by the Football Club, claimed to be worth £10 million.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 6th August 2018

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk