DDLS 125 Online Edition

D&DLS Bulletin

Contents

6 - Education committee meeting

6 - Our First Chat and Chill 18th March 2026

6 - Land

Derby & District Law Society April / May 2026

Editorial

So much to read about in this packed edition of the Bulletin. This year that the Awards Dinner, the Quiz and the final of our School Debate Competition all fall within the same edition.

The dinner was a huge success and hopefully the new elements of the magician, 360 photo booth and the fun gaming tables were enjoyed by all. Thanks for the feedback that I have already received but if you have any other thoughts or comments just e-mail them to me. Also, if anyone would like the photos (formal and/or the 360 booth ones) from the night and not yet received them just let me know.

I’ve included in this Bulletin a short introduction to each of our sponsors from the evening. They play a vital role in judging the awards and presenting them, and we are especially

grateful to those who continue to support us year after year. A huge thank you to all of them.

I’ve also highlighted the suppliers who helped make the event such a success. It was genuinely a pleasure working with each of them—their professionalism made everything run seamlessly and significantly eased the workload. If you’re planning an event, I would highly recommend any or all of them.

Our first Chat and Chill at Rask coffee shop on Friargate was well attended and we will be organising these informal gatherings on a quarterly basis. Look out for details on our LinkedIn page.

On that note I am sorry to say that I have just cancelled the fun darts evening that was due to take place on 23rd April due to lack of interest from members. Please have a think and let me know what events you would like DDLS to organise? The best way that you can get the most out of your membership is to come and meet us at an event.

Our next event is a Wellness Evening on 14th May from 6-8.30pm at Headway Friargate Derby. Tickets for members are £7 each which is tremendous value as it includes a sound bath, Pilates, massage, sessions with a mental health first aider and a life coach and a bar-b-que. The link to buy tickets is on our LinkedIn page but just email me for any details.

Another date for your diary is the Derby Legal Walk – 11th June 2026 – meet at the Museum of Making at 5.30pm. We had about 50 walkers last year so let’s see if we can get even more people (and dogs) along. The first drink at the Flower Pot for those completing the walk is on us!!

I hope to see you at an event soon.

Take care. Julia Saunders admin@derbylaw.net

Officers and Committee Members for 2026

Officers

President*

Lucy Tissington lucy.tissington@familylawgroup. co.uk

Immediate Past President*

Tina Attenborough Attenborough Law, Derby tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Vice-President*

Rachel Maxwell Rachel.maxwell@smithpartnership. co.uk

Deputy Vice-President*

Debra Morris Affinity Law debra@affinitylaw.co.uk

Honorary Secretary*

Fiona Apthorpe Geldards LLP, Derby Fiona.Apthorpe@geldards.com

(* = Ex-Officio)

Public Relations Officer (+) Vacant

Derby Junior Lawyers

Katie Morris katie@affinitylaw.co.uk

Henna Aietan henna.aietan@familylawgroup.co.uk

Amelia Sutcliffe amelia.sutcliffe@ smithpartnership. co.uk

Constituency Council Representative, Derbyshire (+) Shama Gupta shama.gupta@freeths.co.uk

(+) attend Committee by invitation

Other Committee Members

Julie Skill, Elliot Mather LLP Chesterfield julie.skill@elliotmather.co.uk

Felicity Coats felicity.coats@elliotmather.co.uk

Diana Copestake dianaohalloran@aol.com

David Hardy david.hardy1630@gmail.com

Oliver Maxwell

Smith Partnership

Oliver.Maxwell@smithpartnership. co.uk

Martin Salt Martin@killingworthandparrott.co.uk

Claire Twells claire.twells@smithpartnership. co.uk

Stephen Parrott Killingworth and Parrott stephenp@killingworthandparrott. co.uk

Nosheen Tassaddiq nosheen.tassaddiq@flintbishop. co.uk

Catriona Smedley catriona.smedley@familylawgroup. co.uk

Treasurer*

Ben Lawson Elliot Mather LLP ben.lawson@elliotmather.co.uk

Claire Rudkin Flint Bishop, Derby claire.rudkin@flintbishop.co.uk

Manesha Ruparel MR@AandCo.co.uk

John Ellis John.ellis@smithpartnership.co.uk

Administrator / Bulletin Editor Julia Saunders, Email: admin@derbylaw.net

Sub-Committees (Secretary in italics)

Criminal Litigation Felicity Coats felicity.coats@elliotmather.co.uk

Andrew Oldroyd

Education & Training Sue Jennings, & all Sub-Committee Secretaries

Employment and Business Law Sue Jennings

Tina Attenborough tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manesha Ruparel mr@aandco.co.uk

Tina Attenborough tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Sue Jennings sue.jennings@geldards.com

Family Law FionaApthorpe

David Guthrie dg@aflp.co.uk

Fiona Apthorpe Fiona.Apthorpe@geldards.com

Fiona Lazenby fiona.lazenby@knightsplc.com

Julie Skill Julie.Skill@elliotmather.co.uk

Kelly Mower kellym@eglegal.co.uk

Liz Guyler lizguyler@eglegal.co.uk

Lucy Tissington lucy.tissington@familylawgroup. co.uk

Manesha Ruparel MR@AandCo.co.uk

Melanie Bridgen melanie.bridgen@nelsonslaw. co.uk

Nick Herbert nh@aflp.co.uk

Ruth Jones ruth.jones@smithpartnership. co.uk

Sole Practitioners’ Group (SPG) Tina Attenborough tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Last updated 15.04.26

Pipings from the President

I cannot believe this is my last bulletin before the end of my presidency. The time has really flown.

I have had a brilliant last few months and the events run by DDLS have been going from strength to strength. The quiz was a huge success. We had such positive feedback and thanks to Julia for all her hard work. My family were able to come along and came a respectable 4th. Family Law Group had 3 teams and we had a wonderful time. As this event was so well attended and people enjoyed it so much we have arranged a Bingo event at the same place, Derby Rugby Club, on 23rd September and we hope lots of people will want to attend.

In terms of the Derby Junior Lawyers I am pleased to hear that Henna Aietan has become the Deputy Vice President for DJL and her hard work with the EDI committee shows that her selection will be a great success for the committee

Unfortunately, we had to postpone the Central Technology training but this has been re-scheduled 12th May and is set to be a very informative presentation.

The judging event for the DDLS awards was a great event and worked so well. It was also great to see the judges in person at the dinner. The judging of the awards was impartial and based on the submissions alone. I can say that the standard of the nominations was so high. The judges were all very impressed. We had many of the sponsors and also Nottingham, Birmingham and Northampton present at the meeting

We had the final of the Schools Debating Competition, which I judged this alongside Joel Klaff and Sir Richard FitzHerbert, High Sheriff of Derbyshire. This was a great event and the teams were so close. Once again thanks to Julia for her hard work with this event. She has even been asked to judge Littleover School’s full debate final as they appreciate the work she does for the debating competition.

We then had a great ‘Coffee and Catch Up’ session at Rask Derby and this went so well. We had lots of familiar faces there plus some new faces and we were able to have a great get together over a coffee from DDLS. We intend to run this 4 times a year so please look out for the next event.

I now need to mention the dinner. I loved the event. I have to be honest and say I was so pleased when my speech was over but I loved the event. The 360 degree photos were so much fun, the

magician, David Fox, was incredible and so many people said how much they loved the casino tables. I have been blown away by the positive feedback about the dinner and I am so happy with how it went. It was amazing to see the sponsors, and the nominees and the winners. What a brilliant evening.

We were also able to raise money at the dinner from the Heads and Tails game and the raffle. This went to my charity of the year, Positive Social. We raised £1900 at the dinner. Thanks to Cat, Becca and my little sidekicks Xander and Bella for raising so much money, and of course the generosity of the people who attended the dinner. This takes the grand total up to £3,000 which I am so happy about.

We now have an exciting year ahead. It is not long until Rachel Maxwell takes the lead. She will do an amazing job. I wish her every success and I am very excited to see how it all goes.

Once again, thank you all for your support and encouragement during my year.

Lucy Tissington President, 2025-26

Education committee meeting 11th February 2026

Again another really useful meeting

We are able to discuss:

• The various providers of the SQE and the success of each

• We discussed what happened on the University courses if the first attempt at the SQE was not a success

• What people are calling the SQE route within their firms and are they taking a similar pattern to the TC route

• We discussed the concern we had about the talent pool shrinking and that the SQE route may not have the desired effect they were hoping for when they changed

• There is still one more intake for the LPC

Whist I am off on maternity leave this committee will still continue and Alan Grant from Elliot Mather will be chairing this meeting and hopefully this will go from strength to strength, Jonathaon Corbishley will take over my place in the committee.

Please get in touch if you would like to join this committee. Alan.grant@ elliotmather.co.uk

The next meeting will be on Teams on 28 April 1pm

Lucy Tissington Education Committee

Our First Chat and Chill 18th March 2026

We had our first Chat and Chill at lunchtime at Rask coffee shop on Friargate. DDLS treated everyone to their first drink and it was lovely to see so many people catching up and enjoying the sun. We will be running these informal lunch drinks every quarter so look out on LinkedIn for the next date.

Land Registry Course 10th February 2026

Thank you to Donna Ridgway Nindi Sethi and Michelle Crouch from HM Land Registry for coming to Derby and keeping our conveyancers up to date. Thank you so much to Chris Huntingford and Nelsons for hosting the session and well to Rachel Maxwell for organizing.

Derby City School Debate Competition 2026

The competition this year was won by a team from Littleover Community School, who have taken part in the competition every year since it started almost 10 years ago. They narrowly beat a team from Heanor Gate Spencer Academy, by persuading the judges against the motion that “Assisted dying should be legalized in the UK” . There were some stand out speeches and once again it was incredible to see how the children listened and applied comments given in previous heats and produced well researched and mature speeches. All the finalists were confident enough to try some counter arguments which involves them going “off script” .

Topics included climate change, tourism and space exploration and the children (who range between 11-15 years of age) approached all the topics with enthusiasm and maturity. This year I was particularly impressed by the amount of teamwork and support that was apparent within each team.

Congratulations to all the pupils from all the schools who took part and to the staff who supported and encouraged them and without whom the competition could not

run. Many of the schools involve not only the children who are speaking but others behind the scenes who are researching, writing and in some cases sixth form students who are mentoring the younger children. Many

schools now have debate clubs and I have been into 4 schools this year to deliver a session on speaking in public to more than 100 children.

The final was judged by Joel Klaff – Senior Law Lecturer at Derby University, Lucy Tissington - President of DDLS and Sir Richard Fitzherbert – High Sheriff of Derbyshire. Lucy mentioned how well the teams were working together. Joel commented that the teams arguments were “clearly thought through, practiced and structured” and Sir Richard noted how important it is for children to keep communicating and listening. Well done everyone.

The competition has, as ever, been organized by the Derby and District Law Society and The University of Derby Law School. The project is a great example of organizations working well together and what can be acheived with lots of time but very little financial input.

A massive THANK YOU to Joel at the University of Derby, members of DDLS who helped judge the competition, and everyone who gave up their time to make this project such a fantastic success.

Julia Saunders

DDLS Annual Quiz 25th February 2026

Well done to all those teams and firms that took part in the annual DDLS Quiz. Thank you to Derby Rugby Club for hosting us again. Hopefully everyone who attended enjoyed themselves as ever the difficulty is getting the level of questions right to suit the various demographics that I am pleased to say the annual quiz attracts. The final scoresheet revealed many teams mid table with the winners scoring an amazing 101 out of 119.

The night was won by Timbuck 4 from Derby City Council. They managed to just pip the Reasonable Doubts from KCH Garden Square and Three Wills and a Divorce from Alexander & Co in the last few rounds. Well done all. The chocolate orange bonus rounds were won by one of the teams from KCH who managed to get their heads round the castles, countries, flags and movie locations.

Thank you for supporting DDLS and the social events. I hope that you all had an entertaining evening. Special thanks to my husband Graeme for overseeing the spreadsheet on the night.

The top six teams are listed below -

Situations Vacant: Mid Mercia Citizens Advice

Salary: £29,867 – £34,132 with funded pathway to Legal Aid housing supervisor status if needed

Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday Contract: Fixed term to 31 August 2028 (possible extension subject to funding)

Location: Derby City office, with regular homeworking (typically 1–2 days per week after induction)

Closing date: Rolling recruitment – we will interview as we receive suitable applications and appoint as soon as we find the right candidate

Citizens Advice Mid Mercia is a local charity and part of the national Citizens Advice network, delivering free, independent and confidential advice across South Derbyshire, Derby City, East Staffordshire and Tamworth. Our 60+ staff and volunteers work from four main offices and community venues to help people resolve their problems, uphold their rights and improve their lives.

Our specialist Telephone Advice Service is commissioned by the Legal Aid Agency to provide remote housing and debt advice to people eligible for Legal Aid. The service plays a key role in preventing homelessness, tackling poor housing conditions and helping people manage problem debt.

Our CORE values guide how we work every day: Communicate, Ownership, Respect and Effective.

As Telephone Advice Supervisor (Housing), you will combine specialist housing casework with day-to-day supervision of a small team of housing caseworkers and administrators.

You will:

• Lead and supervise a small, purposedriven team, providing day-to-day guidance, feedback and support.

• Ensure telephone advice and casework meet high quality standards, Legal Aid requirements and performance targets, with accurate recording and timelogging.

• Work in a fast-paced but supportive environment, prioritising competing demands and responding to emergencies.

• Communicate clearly and empathetically with clients who may be in crisis, as well as with courts, advisers and partner agencies.

• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion and contribute to accessible, clientfocused services.

• Maintain and develop your specialist legal knowledge and supervisory skills through ongoing training and professional development.

You will work closely with our Legal Services Manager and colleagues across our legal and advice services, contributing to service development and sharing good practice.

We know not everyone will meet every criterion, and we are particularly keen to hear from strong housing caseworkers who are ready to step up into a supervisory role.

Essential

• Substantial, recent experience managing a housing law caseload (e.g. possession, homelessness, disrepair, antisocial behaviour or unlawful eviction), at least 200 hours over 2 of the last 3 years.

• Ability to support and guide colleagues, providing constructive feedback and helping them to develop.

• Strong organisational skills, able to manage your own caseload, meet deadlines and work under pressure when required.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Ability to work professionally and empathetically with clients in crisis or with challenging personal circumstances.

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and to delivering accessible services.

• Commitment to ongoing professional development and keeping up to date with law and practice.

• Manage your own specialist housing caseload under a Legal Aid contract (for example possession, homelessness, disrepair, antisocial behaviour, unlawful eviction).

Desirable

• Formal Legal Aid housing supervisor status or being close to meeting supervisor criteria

• Experience of telephone-based advice or remote service delivery.

• Previous experience in a formal supervisory or mentoring role.

**If you do not yet meet the Legal Aid supervisor criteria but have strong housing experience and leadership potential, we will support you to gain supervisor status, including funded training and supervision**

Salary

£29,867 – £34,132 per year, depending on experience.

• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata).

• Up to 5% employer pension contribution.

• Office-based induction with regular homeworking (typically 1–2 days per week) once established in the role.

• Funded and supported Legal Aid supervisor training (if required) and ongoing CPD and learning opportunities.

• Being part of a supportive, valuesdriven charity with a strong reputation in legal advice and social welfare law.

• A realistic, manageable caseload within a team that supports each other.

A criminal record will not necessarily prevent you from taking up this role. We welcome applications from people with disabilities and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace.

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from people with lived experience of the issues our clients face.

For an informal, confidential conversation about the role, please contact: Alison Winfield, Legal Services Manager –07976 823930

To apply, please visit our website and complete the application form, or submit your CV with a supporting statement explaining how you meet the person specification:

www.citizensadvicemidmercia.org.uk/ work-with-us

DDLS Annual Awards Dinner 2026

Photography by Chris Morgan

the High Sheriff and Lord Lieutenant, Judges, Magistrates and Presidents from neighbouring local law societies at the Annual Awards Dinner on 20th March 2026. Lucy delivered a welcome speech detailing something of her legal career in Derby and her experiences and enjoyment of her year as President.

We were entertained throughout the evening by David Fox and his magic tricks. I am still trying to work out how he got my playing card into a lemon!! After the awards

Dom , was once again encouraging guests onto the dance floor. Thank you to everyone who got up to dance and enter the enjoyable spirit of the evening.

We were pleased to welcome our award sponsors, Family Law Group, Groundsure, Insight Consultancy, DNA Legal, Skill Base First Aid, X-Press Legal and 36 Family together with Jess Green from next year’s Gold Patron, Martello. Thank you all for your support.

The President’s charity this year is Positive

grateful to all the local businesses below who generously donated raffle prizes. Thanks to the efforts of Catriona Smedley and Rebecca Mahoney who sold raffle tickets on the night and of course to everyone who bought the tickets. A fabulous £1,900 was raised.

The Awards Dinner continues to go from strength to strength and we hope that everyone enjoyed the night. On which please note your diaries for Friday 9th April 2027 for next year’s event.

With thanks for Raffle prizes:

Afternoon tea voucher for two

One Hour Life Coach Session

Derby Uncovered Voucher £50

Play Session Voucher 2 adults/ 2 children

Will Writing Service for a couple

Career Coaching Session

Framed Derby County Signatures

Afternoon tea for two voucher

£40 voucher

Lunch for two voucher

Meal voucher £30

Huub Goodie Bag (backpack/goggles)

One hour LinkedIn Coaching (£250)

Signed Derby County Shirt

2 x Champagne Breakfast voucher for two

Voucher for Seven Restaurant £50

Hayes

Beshlie Life Coach

Derby Uncovered

Ashbourne Play Village

Derby Legal Assistance

Conley Career Coaching

Derby County Football Club

Peacock Lounge

Omomo Korean Street Food Restaurant

Swarkestone Nursery

Coopers Arms

Huub

Status Social

Derby County Football Club

Morley Hayes

St Mary’s Chambers

Voucher Apple Tree Teahouse Ockbrook

£50 Goodie Bag (including MOT)

The Last Chocolate Bar in the World – children’s book x 3

5 x gym day passes

Prosecco x 3 and Chocolates x 2

ELEVEN hair gift set

Two Zumba classes

Aerial or Pole class

Eden Tyres

Derby City Council

Beasley

Pole Dancing

DDLS Awards 2026

Commercial Lawyer of The Year

Oliver Maxwell – Smith Partnership pictured with Celia Candebat from sponsor Groundsure

Junior Lawyer of the Year

Abbey Marshall – Affinity Law pictured with Ben Wheeler of sponsor X-Press Legal

Lawyer of the Year

Muctar Johal – Smith Partnership pictured with Inzar Haq of sponsor Insight Consultancy

Lifetime Achievement Award

Graham Dean & David Hardy pictured with Paul Infield of sponsor 36 Family

President’s Award

Ruth Dawson and Kaye Howells sponsored with Lucy and Charlie Ingram of sponsor DNA Legal. Sadly Kaye could not be with us on the night.

Unsung Hero Award

Derbyshire Law Centre Support Team (represented by Sharon Challands and Nikki Tugby) pictured with Tracey Dangerfield of sponsor Skill Base First Aid

Congratulations to those shortlisted...

A few words from/about our Dinner and Award Sponsors

Dinner Sponsor - Family Law Group Family Law Group loved attending the dinner.  The food, entertainment and atmosphere were brilliant.  It was wonderful to see the amazing local talent with Derby and District.  We loved being able to network with local solicitors, businesses and counsel.  We are so pleased we were able to be involved and to sponsor the event.

Award Sponsor – 36 Family I just wanted to say thanks very much for such a lovely evening. We all had a great time! – Danny Chapman – senior clerkdanny@36family.co.uk

Award Sponsor – X-Press Legal X-Press Legal Services is the leading independent provider of conveyancing data in England and Wales. With 27 locally owned offices, we deliver regulated property searches and reports, quotation management tools, compliance and insurance products, plus other essential services that streamline the conveyancing process from start to finish.

We are always delighted to be involved with the Derby & District Law Society Awards Dinner. As a sponsor of the ‘Young Lawyer of the Year’ category, we were incredibly impressed by the quality of nominees, a very bright future ahead for the profession.

Contact: Ben Wheeler - Central.1363@ xpresslegal.uk

Award Sponsor – Groundsure Giving customers confidence and clarity, in land and property transactions.

Contact: celia.candebat@groundsure.com

Award Sponsor – Insight Consultancy

Insight Consultancy is a full-service digital design and marketing agency with over 16 years of experience supporting legal professionals and firms. We help law practices grow through tailored strategies spanning website design, secure hosting and maintenance, digital marketing, and brand development. Our focus is on serving

Our Dinner Suppliers

A word about the people and companies who helped make our Awards Dinner such a success. They were all a pleasure to work with and I would recommend them wholeheartedly if you are planning any events.

Pro Discos & Entertainment is a Granthambased DJ and event entertainment provider, specialising in corporate events, weddings and private functions across Grantham and surrounding areas.

Alongside professional DJ services, I also provide live stage and event production, delivering high-quality sound and lighting with a seamless, well-managed experience for both organisers and guests. My services also include fully hosted children’s entertainment and school discos, reflecting my ability to engage audiences of all ages.

Known for a personable and professional approach, I focus on creating the right atmosphere for every event, from formal awards dinners through to high-energy celebrations, ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

Bookings & enquiries:

Phone: 07946334805

Email: info@prodiscosandentertainment.co.uk

WhatsApp: https://wa.me/7946334805

Website:  https://prodiscosandentertainment. co.uk

All-in fun casino hire is a mobile entertainment company operating in and around the midlands area. We specialise in bringing professional grade casino tables and gaming staff to all types of events. We have a variety of games to choose from including Blackjack, Roulette and 3 card poker.

Our professional and friendly croupiers will provide your guests with fun money which can then be transferred for gaming chips at the casino tables - all the fun and thrill of a real casino and zero the risk!

For all enquiries please contact Lauren Millett on 07783365657. Info@allinfuncasinohire.com

3Sixty Views provides a fun and interactive 360 Photo Booth experience, perfect for corporate events, awards dinners, weddings, and celebrations of all kinds. We offer a professional setup, custom overlays, music

small to mid-sized legal practices, offering a personalised, compliant-led approach that aligns with regulatory standards while ensuring each firm’s specific commercial and client engagement goals are met.

Contact: grainne@insightconsultancy.co.uk

Award Sponsor – Skill Base First Aid

Empower your team with First Aid and Mental Health skills they’ll actually use:

• Free Mental Health Awareness training

• 20% off any course at your workplace (use code DDLS26)

• £250 off Instructor qualifications (use code DDLSINSTRUCTOR)

• Visit  skillbasefirstaid.com to build your team’s confidence.

Award Sponsor – DNA Legal

Helping you find the truth.

Contact: charliei@dna-worldwide.co.uk

Thank you all for your support of DDLS

choices, and instant sharing, creating memorable video content for guests to enjoy and keep. Our aim is to deliver a friendly, reliable service that adds something special to every event.

Contact details: 3Sixty Views 07415 724554 info@3sixtyviews.co.uk

David Fox is a member of the Magic Circle and has over two decades of experience entertaining at all sorts of special events. Notable appearances include: the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, and the centenary celebrations of Westminster Abbey’s Choir School.

David’s website can be found here:  www. davidfoxmagicianmidlands.co.uk Telephone: 07946 686 258

Chris Morgan photography made in Derbyshire – (if anyone would like the photos from the night and has not received them please do let Julia know.)

www.cmorganphotosderbyshire.co.uk/portfolio/

Adviser conversations linked to higher charitable giving in Wills, new research shows

• Research reveals 60% of clients include a charitable gift after discussing it with a professional adviser

• Awareness of Inheritance Tax (IHT) incentives of legacy giving remains low, even among higher value estates

• People are writing Wills earlier, with Gen X-ers most commonly doing so in their 40s and Baby boomers in their 60s

Professional advisers are playing a critical role in shaping clients’ decisions to include charitable gifts in their Wills, according to new consumer research from Remember A Charity.

The study shows that among individuals with a Will who have discussed leaving a charitable gift with a professional adviser, 60% have gone on to include one. This compares with just 20% of those who have not had such a conversation, underlining the significance advisers can play.

The findings are based on research carried out by independent agency

OKO, which surveyed more than 2,000 UK charity supporters aged 40+ as part of Remember A Charity’s long-running consumer benchmarking study1. The study tracks long-term growth in the proportion of people choosing to include charitable gifts in Wills, which rose from 14% in 2010 to 22% in the latest annual survey (November 2025).

While legacy giving is increasingly common amongst those with Wills, it is younger generations, those with higher levels of assts and those who are aware of the tax incentives, who are most likely to leave a gift. (Gifts to charity are exempt from IHT and donations of 10% or more reduce the rate of IHT from 40% to 36%).

Despite this, awareness of the IHT benefits associated with charitable giving remains relatively low – at 42%. Even among individuals with assets of £1 million or more, 30% are unaware that leaving a charitable gift in their Will can reduce inheritance tax.

While tax incentives can support decision-making, they are rarely the primary motivation. Instead, individuals are typically driven by personal values and a desire to support causes they care about, after providing for family and friends.

People are writing Wills earlier

The research shows that the average age of making a first Will is 50, but that this is shifting over time. Generation X is most likely to write a Will in their 40s, Baby Boomers in their 60s and Silent Generation in their 70s. This reflects a broader shift towards earlier financial planning, even as traditional life milestones such as home ownership, marriage and children are occurring later.

Younger Will-makers are more likely to include a gift, with 35% of those aged 40–59 having done so, compared with 32% of those aged 60–69 and 30% of those aged 70+.

Continues over page...

Adviser conversations linked to higher charitable giving in Wills

Over one third (35%) of those who have not yet included a charitable gift say they would consider doing so. (See chart below)

Professional advice and changing behaviours

Professional advisers continue to play a central role in Willwriting, with 66% of those with a Will using a solicitor and 18% a professional Will writer. At the same time, approaches are evolving, particularly among younger clients: 28% of Gen X respondents say they would make a Will online or have already done so, compared with around 10% of Boomers and Silent Generation respondents.

Demand for financial advice is also increasing. The proportion of people seeking financial advice has risen from 42% in 2021 to 53% in 2025, with younger and wealthier individuals and those supporting multiple charities most likely to seek guidance. Those aged under 55 with assets over £250k are the most engaged with professional wealth advice.

Wills as evolving documents

The study reinforces that Wills are not static and often change over time. While 49% of respondents have never updated their Will, more than half (53%) expect they will need to do so in future.

Life events such as bereavement, changes in family relationships, inheritance and retirement are key triggers for reviewing a Will, creating important opportunities for advisers to revisit clients’ intentions and ensure their plans remain aligned with their wishes.

Long-term trend and adviser opportunity

Jeremy Rix, Managing Director of the independent research agency OKO, says:

“People like to feel like that they’re exerting some control in uncertain times by planning ahead. Given an easier process and a wider range of options available, making a Will is one practical way they can do this.”

Lucinda Frostick, Director of Remember A Charity, says:

“Professional advisers play a vital role in helping clients navigate complex decisions around their estates and finances. This research highlights just how influential those conversations can be, particularly when it comes to charitable giving.”

Remember A Charity offers a free Campaign Supporter scheme and a wide range of resources for solicitors and Will-writers on legacy giving2, with a dedicated hub3 for wealth advisers.

A summary report4 is published on the consortium’s website, with a full report available for Remember A Charity members.

1The tracking study, which follows Prochaska’s Stages of Change

model, shows forward movement over 15 years from donors’ active rejection of leaving a gift in their Will and lack of awareness through to awareness, contemplation, preparation and action (leaving a gift). The Stages of Change model features six levels: rejection of leaving a gift in their Will; pre-contemplation unaware – those who have never thought about it and are not sure if they would consider it, precontemplation aware – those who have thought about it and given it low consideration; contemplation - those who know about it and would consider leaving a gift; preparation – those who intend to give; and action - those who have already included a gift in their Will.

NB. A small number of respondents don’t fall into any group (i.e. those who say they’re not sure if they’ve thought about and wouldn’t consider leaving a gift in their Will, plus those who haven’t thought about it but say they would consider leaving a gift and/or intend to do so) and are excluded from the analysis and results from the other groups prorated to 100%.

2https://www.rememberacharity.org.uk/about-us/for-solicitors-willwriters/

3 https://www.rememberacharity.org.uk/about-us/for-wealthadvisers/

4 https://www.rememberacharity.org.uk/about-us/latest-news/ study-reveals-move-towards-earlier-will-writing/

Emerging drug trends in the UK: Testing for new substances in the family courts

There were 5,565 deaths related to drug poisoning registered in England and Wales in 2024, the highest number since records began in 1993 and a 2.1% increase compared with 2023 ( Office for National Statistics, 2024 ). 1

Concerns about rising drug-related harm have also been highlighted by the National Crime Agency, 2 which has warned that the UK has “one of the highest rates of drug deaths in Europe.” Its DirectorGeneral, Graeme Biggar , said “there has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs.”

What drugs are now commonly being used?

The spike in deaths is partly caused by novel psychoactive substances (NPS), a catch-all term for a diverse range of synthetic drugs which are on the rise across the UK. These include opioids, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, stimulants and hallucinogens that are designed to mimic the effects of traditional illicit drugs and often significantly more potent.

Nitazenes are just one example of these. They are often mixed with party drugs or street drugs such as cocaine, synthetic cannabis or heroin, the latter of which has become both much scarcer and more expensive in the UK due to a crackdown in opium production in Afghanistan 3

The high potency of nitazenes, reportedly up to 500 times stronger than heroin, together with their low manufacture cost and ability to evade detection using standard analytical methods, have contributed to a significant rise in the use of NPS. In some cases, consumers knowingly switch to these substances, while others may unknowingly obtain drugs that have been adulterated with, or replaced by, NPSs.

In October 2024, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities4 reported that nitazenes were responsible for 195 deaths in the UK in 2024, four times higher than in 2023.  The number could potentially be significantly higher than is reported, due to the ever-evolving nature of these types of drugs and the lack of knowledge some drug users have regarding the combinations of substances they are taking.

The recent detection of synthetic cannabinoids in electronic cigarettes (vape pens) marketed as containing THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, also highlights a concerning trend in the adulteration or substitution of THC products with synthetic cannabinoids, resulting in consumers unknowingly ingesting novel substances.

Many toxicology labs cannot test for novel drugs

Because the types of NPS on the market change so frequently, there is generally a lag between identification, classification and establishing accredited methods to analyse them. This can mean that many labs are still testing for a particular compound when drug use trends have moved on to something else. Notably, the ONS has stated that the proportion of drug-related deaths about which it, “holds no information on the specific substances involved,” has been, “increasing over time.” 5

In family court proceedings where drug use is a concern and testing is required, these information gaps can present significant challenges. The lag between the emergence of new substances and their inclusion in standard testing panels means that some drugs being used by a parent or guardian may go undetected, and therefore unreported. Novel substances also present difficulties for local authorities and the courts, as it may be unclear which drugs should be the subject of testing. In many cases, the individual using the substance may themselves be unaware of exactly what they have taken.

How can FTS help with testing for novel or illicit drugs?

FTS has one of the most comprehensive accredited drug panels in the UK forensic toxicology market and can test for:

• 43+ compounds tested as standard

• 15 stimulants/hallucinogens

• 2000+ additional compounds including novel psychoactive substances, regularly updated

• Synthetic cannabinoids (spice); FTS is the only company in the UK testing for the synthetic cannabinoid ADB Butinaca, currently one of the most used in the UK

• Pregabalin and Gabapentin, highly addictive and often overlooked prescription drugs

• FTS is also one of the only providers testing for MDPHP, the active ingredient in the drug more commonly known as ‘Monkey Dust’, which has been responsible for several deaths in Stoke on Trent and around the Midlands

Supported by a programme of continual development to address evolving drug use patterns in the UK, it is the only laboratory in this sector able to reliably detect novel substances as they emerge and reappear on the illicit market.

How to instruct FTS to test for novel drugs:

Through the use of FTS’s drug panel, relevant and emerging compounds can be reliably detected, reducing the risk of public funds being spent on testing for outdated synthetic substances. More importantly, it helps ensure that novel drug misuse is not overlooked and that children are protected from unnecessary risk.

In circumstances where drug use is suspected to be a safeguarding issue, particularly NPS use, or where it is unknown what substances may be being used, FTS is able to screen for 2000+ compounds alongside the requested routine panel, which is accredited to ISO/ IEC 17025 and Lab 51. Depending on the compounds detected, FTS

may be able to provide additional information regarding use/exposure patterns through further analytical method development.

By providing accurate, comprehensive forensic toxicology and expert interpretation, FTS helps ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of children and their families. These services are Legal Aid Authority (LAA) compliant, and we offer a LAA Indemnity Guarantee should there be any shortfall in reimbursement.

FTS experts provide reports within 8 days from the sample arriving at our lab. We can also provide expert witnesses for court appearances.

For information on how FTS can support your testing for novel drugs, including nitazenes or monkey dust, contact us on 01924 480272 or email expert@forensic-testing.co.uk

References

Joshi, A. (2024) UK has one of the highest rates of drug deaths in Europe as National Crime Agency warns about rise of synthetic opioids. Sky News, 15 August. Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/uk-has-oneof-the-highest-rates-of-drug-deaths-in-europe-as-national-crimeagency-warns-about-rise-of-synthetic-opioids-13197427 (Accessed: 11 March 2026).

Office for National Statistics (2024) Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales: 2023 registrations. Available at https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/ birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/ deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2023registrations (Accessed: 11 March 2026).

Office for National Statistics (2025) Deaths related to drug poisoning by selected substances, England and Wales. Available at: https://www. ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/ deaths/datasets/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoningbyselectedsubstances (Accessed: 11 March 2026).

Office for National Statistics (2025) Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales: 2024 registrations. Available at: https://www.ons.gov. uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/ bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2024registrations (Accessed: 11 March 2026).

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) Afghanistan’s opium production falls to record lows amid drought and sustained ban enforcement. Available at: https://www.unodc.org/coafg/en/ stories/2025/afghanistans-opium-production-falls-to-record-lowsamid-drought-and-sustained-ban-enforcement.html (Accessed: 11 March 2026).

Citations

1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/ birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/ deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2023registrations

2 https://news.sky.com/story/uk-has-one-of-the-highest-rates-ofdrug-deaths-in-europe-as-national-crime-agency-warns-aboutrise-of-synthetic-opioids-13197427

3 https://www.unodc.org/coafg/en/stories/2025/afghanistans-opiumproduction-falls-to-record-lows-amid-drought-and-sustained-banenforcement.html

4 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/ birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/ deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoningbyselectedsubstances

5 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/ birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/ deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2024registrations

Working with Expert Witnesses in Construction

Working with expert witnesses... is a new monthly article series. The series takes a look at the role of expert witnesses in a range of sectors from the perspective of the legal and other professionals who work with them. If you are interested in being featured in the series, you can contact us at policy@ewi.org.uk

The first article in the series is by Richard Black1 and Jennifer Fitzmaurice2 from Eversheds Sutherland3 on their experience of working with expert witnesses in the construction industry.

Why is expert evidence so important in the construction industry?

Expert evidence is crucial in the construction industry due to the technical, specialist, and often complex nature of disputes that arise in this sector and which go beyond the legal expertise of lawyers, arbitrators and judges.

It is common for claims to hinge on expert evidence, including as to design, defects, delay and quantum.

We will often seek expert input very early on in a matter, in order to properly understand the merits of our client’s claim or defence and advise the appropriate next steps or strategy accordingly.

Selecting the right expert is therefore of paramount importance on almost every construction dispute.

What qualities do you look for when appointing an expert?

A great expert witness combines technical expertise with integrity, clarity and fairness.

The first quality we look for is expertise – do they have extensive, hands-on experience of the particular issue in the dispute? Is this experience recent and on real projects, as opposed to perhaps more ‘career’ experts who, whilst being credible, may lack experience of the latest position or recent changes.

In some cases, where we are carrying out an early evaluation of a matter, our clients may be looking for practical advice as to how to rectify the issue, as well as support for the potential dispute. In these cases, practical and industry experience is particularly important.

Where formal proceedings are inevitable, it is important that the expert can properly and clearly communicate this experience and expertise in a way that makes it easy for a tribunal to understand.

Finally, remaining calm and credible under inevitable pressure during hearings or under cross-examination is extremely important.

When selecting an expert, we typically research their appropriate expertise, review their CVs,

interview them and also seek referees where available. It is extremely helpful when experts can provide referees from past cases that they have worked on. We will also obtain feedback from other lawyers, both inside and outside of Eversheds, if they have used the expert previously.

How much weight do you put on hearing experience?

If the matter we are working on goes to trial, we would expect our expert to attend and observe any evidential areas which are relevant to their report (subject to any restrictions imposed by the relevant tribunal)

Prior experience giving evidence before a court or tribunal is helpful, but not essential.

In cases involving delay and quantum claims, which are the most common form of construction dispute, we would expect the lead expert to have trial experience.

However, it is common for construction disputes to raise very specific technical issues. In these cases, we regularly prioritise technical expertise over trial experience.

A significant number of cases settle before a hearing takes place, and it is often the technical experience of an expert that can help achieve an early settlement by unlocking the technical issues between the parties.

In all cases, we recommend that experts attend cross-examination training prior to hearings taking place, as this can often fill the gap in trial experience, or act as a refresher for more experienced experts.

What are the main duties of an expert witness?

Part 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules governs the use of expert witnesses in civil litigation. For example:

• Provide independent and impartial evidence

• Base opinions on facts, analysis and professional judgment

• Clearly state when an issue is outside their expertise

• Include in their report any material facts which could affect their conclusions

• Comply with any tribunal directions and deadlines.

Similar duties are often imported into international arbitration proceedings, whether by order of the Tribunal, and/or through incorporation of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Protocol for the Use of Party-Appointed Expert Witnesses in International Arbitration.

In any event, ensuring credibility of the expert is key to ensuring that any opinion is given sufficient weight by a Court or Tribunal. This means, as a matter of practice, presenting evidence in a neutral and balanced way.

Can you provide any tips on how experts can make an instructing solicitor’s role easier during a dispute?

More often than not, the best practices are relatively simple:

• Understand and address the issues in dispute, and adopt a reporting structure which reflects the issues in dispute.

• Keep reports clear and succinct, avoiding too much technical jargon or, where technical jargon is unavoidable, provide clear explanations and definitions. Include crossreferences to any documents relied upon.

• Comply with agreed deadlines, whether set for internal purposes or by the Court or Tribunal.

• Provide reliable cost estimates and regular cost updates. This is particularly important in court proceedings which are subject to cost budgeting.

Working well with the other side’s expert is also extremely helpful, with a willingness to identify areas of agreement and disagreement in order to ultimately narrow the issues in dispute.

Experts who understand that their role is giving technical evidence rather than trying to determine the dispute underpins this approach, and can really help us to advise our clients better on the merits of their position.

Are there any common pitfalls for experts to avoid when instructed on a dispute?

There are a few mistakes that experts regularly make, which can and do fundamentally affect their credibility:

• Appearing biased towards the instructing party.

• Making assumptions or overstating conclusions without adequate evidence.

• Giving opinions which are outside of the expert’s scope or expertise, including determinations of facts or opinions of law (which are for the Court or Tribunal).

Ultimately, impartiality and accuracy are key – and credibility once lost is quite difficult to recover.

1https://www.eversheds-sutherland.com/en/ global/people/black-richard

2https://www.eversheds-sutherland.com/en/ global/people/fitzmaurice-jennifer

3https://www.eversheds-sutherland.com/en/ global

The Tribulations of a Business Valuer

Why is everyone getting divorce? An exaggeration, I know, but there’s certainly a lot of it about. And do I know it?

As a human being, I have only pleasurable memories of marriage. I married Gillian, a farmer’s daughter, in 1969, and we had 52 years of happy companionship until she died four years ago. She was wonderful. And how I miss her! It is very sad that others don’t share such happy experiences, and find it necessary to bring their marriage to an end.

Of course, as a forensic accountant I feel entirely different, because divorce is very good for business – too good, in fact. As you will see from my website – www.chrismakin.co.uk – I offer a wide range of services. As a mediator I have handled anything from expensive Italian sports cars which burst into flames to collisions on the high seas, and as an expert determiner (a form of arbitration), as well as many disputes over purchase and sale of companies I have handled such issues as dilapidation claims in department stores to the amount of rent payable to a farmer for a wind turbine. And as an expert witness I have had the whole range of civil cases such as contractual failings, diversion of trade, unfair prejudice; and crime cases such as international fraud and Ponzi schemes down to proceeds of crime.

Forensic accountants have to be versatile!

Yet what do I get these days? Endless requests for me to value the family company for divorce, so that the parties can achieve a clean break. Typically, the husband wants to keep the family business so the wife takes the house and they square things off from savings and pensions. It’s easy to establish the value of the house, if only on Zoopla, but what is the business worth? That’s my job, along with advising on tax liabilities if shares are to change hands, and whether there is any spare cash which could be taken from the business to facilitate a clean break.

And there is a lot of valuation work about. I seem to be getting several requests a week; I have twelve cases waiting for me to write the expert report as we speak, and in recent weeks I have turned down six such cases because I simply can’t promise to write the report in a reasonable time.

Once the expert report is written – and that can be a major undertaking, where I have to know the business in some detail – and when I have answered any Questions of the Expert (to be raised within 28 days of service of my report, the questions to be raised only once, and only for the purposes of clarification) my involvement is usually ended. I did have to give oral evidence at a hearing in Carlisle some weeks ago, but it was an exceptional business.

And yet, you never know. I am currently being sued for professional negligence for a valuation report I prepared more than six years ago. It was a most unusual case: five separate companies owned in various proportions by husband and wife, properties and assets in some companies used by other companies in their trade, and so on. But what made it particularly difficult were two things: husband and wife’s property valuers who couldn’t

agree the values, and a husband who was particularly difficult at giving me the evidence I needed. In fact, my report was delivered to the court many months late, and I had to include in the report a chapter saying that this was due to the husband’s delays.

Perhaps this is why he chose to sue me. Who knows? But the outcome was that a claim form was issued to me, one day before the six-year limitation expired!

And I have to say that the claim is rubbish. The main claim is that I failed to advise on the legal and the tax consequences of a settlement devised by counsel for both parties and agreed by the judge, some months after my retained had ended. In fact, I knew nothing of the settlement until I saw the particulars of claim just a couple of months ago.

Apparently what happened is that the two barristers got together and agreed which assets should be taken over by which spouse, and the judge agreed. It turns out they got it wrong; for example, they decided that certain properties should be passed from one party to the other, but that property was not owned by the giving party but by one of the companies. And so on. So, without my knowledge, three learned lawyers agreed a restructuring, and it was my fault that it was legally ineffective (why should a chartered accountant have given legal advice?) and inefficient taxwise (I was never asked) that the husband (allegedly) received in assets far less than his wife. And all that happened many months after I had been on the case.

I am insured at Lloyds of London, with cover well in excess of the amount being demanded, and with no excess. And I am being defended by Clyde & Co who are doing an excellent job. This case will not cost me a penny whichever way it goes. But it’s a nuisance, and a blow to my professional pride even though I know that the whole affair is a nonsense. This is only the second claim I have ever received. The first was forty years ago, and it went nowhere. So I have a completely clean record. But I could well do without it.

Moaning over. Back to the numerous family businesses I need to value for divorce. And oh for a nice clean fatal accident or fraud case!

Biog: Chris Makin has practised as a forensic accountant and expert witness for 30 years, latterly as Head of Litigation Support at a national firm. He has given expert evidence about 100 times. He also performs expert determinations.

Chris is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants where he has served on the Forensic Committee, and as an ethical counsellor; he is a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a fellow of the Academy of Experts where he serves on the Investigations Committee, and a mediator accredited by the Chartered Arbitrators. He practises as a mediator, from his home in West Yorkshire and his rooms at 3 Gray’s Inn Square, London WC1R 5AH, telephone 020 7430 0333. He has mediated 100+ cases so far, on a huge range of subjects, with a settlement rate to date of 80%. For more see his website with videos: www.chrismakin.co.uk chris@chrismakin.co.uk

Law Society welcomes Fair Work Agency but employment tribunal delays remain a concern

The Law Society of England and Wales welcomes the launch of the Fair Work Agency today (7 April) designed to support both workers and employers.

However, the Law Society remains concerned about the ongoing and significant backlog of the employment tribunal system and how the new agency will be equipped to tackle it.

As a single, centralised hub, the Fair Work Agency brings together existing labour market enforcement bodies under one roof improving consistency and efficiency.

While the agency’s stronger powers and clearer guidance are positive steps forward, seamless coordination between the agency

and existing tribunals is key to ensure timely access to justice.

Recent figures show that the employment tribunal caseload has hit a record high with the number of outstanding cases continuing to rise month on month.*

It is important to understand what level of funding, staffing and operational resource is planned for the Fair Work Agency. It must be able to meet its enforcement objectives effectively from the outset and over time to bring down the unacceptable backlog that affects so many people trapped in employment tribunals.

Law Society vice president of England and Wales, Brett Dixon, said: “The new Fair Work Agency can strengthen compliance across the labour market and provide greater clarity for both workers and employers.

“However, people trapped in employment

tribunals continue to face significant and damaging delays. The agency must coordinate closely with them, so employment rights are a level playing field for everyone.

“Clear information on funding, staffing and operational capacity will also be essential to ensure the Fair Work Agency can meet its objectives to support all workers and employers alike. It is instrumental for the UK economy in an increasingly competitive world.”

Read more about the Fair Work Agency here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ fair-work-agency

*There were 523,000 open cases at the end of December last year, up from 467,000 the previous year, an increase of 11%. See the latest Employment Tribunal statistics.