Susan Howarth

Summer lovin’ or summer stress? For many of us, it’s hard to imagine summertime conjuring up anything other than images of long sunny days, fun-packed family outings, lazy afternoons and picnics in the park. But...

Good News Despite being pushed back to Spring next year , the long-awaited Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2020, which introduces ‘no fault’ divorces into England and Wales for the first time, is due to come...

Is the end of the Covid cooker in sight? The last 18 months have really taken their toll on families, causing stress and dividing many, regardless of whether they’re living together or apart, nearby or far away. ...

The ‘unprecedented’ year As we head towards Christmas checking what we can and can’t do in our tiers and confirming our Christmas bubbles, we can’t help but look back at this strange and dark year. Who could have predicted it?...

Short term savings, long term pain Historically, many people have put off writing a will for fear of the costs involved but more recently the cheaper alternative option of the DIY will has emerged as a growing trend. These...

Divorce law shake-up Following more than 20 years of ‘consideration’, the UK has finally caught up with countries such as the US, Australia and Scotland by introducing the new legal concept of a ‘no-fault divorce’. Under the...

Life, but not as we know it We live in unprecedented times. Anxious times. Strange, dark and difficult times. Pandemic, social distancing, isolation, lockdown, ‘essentials only’, PPE, homeschool, furlough - these are the words we have come to...

The good times and the bad times Life is a funny old business, full of ups and downs and with many a curveball thrown in when you least expect it. You might be planning your wedding, buying your dream home or making a will to provide for your children....

Bargain Hunters Beware We all love a good bargain! Whether it’s hitting the sales, a steal on eBay or raiding the reduced section at your local supermarket, nothing beats that feel-good ‘win’! And there’s no doubt that the old...

Summer vibes or summer blues? It’s that time of year again – the kids have broken up from school, you’ve got 6 weeks to entertain them, a job to juggle and a holiday to cram in. So, are we all ‘party tummy’ at the prospect...

Death unites the soaps again… We all love a meaty storyline, but there sure is a morbid thread linking our favourite soaps at the moment. What with Dinah in EastEnders, Liz Dingle in Emmerdale and rumour of a popular character soon to croak in...

New Life Spring has finally sprung and it’s a lighter, warmer place full of new life - as we put those cold, grey drizzly winter months behind us, we find ourselves looking ahead with promise. Divorce can feel a bit like this. And if you’re...

Pampered pet In the wake of fashion industry icon Karl Lagerfield’s death , his beloved pet cat is reportedly set to inherit a significant chunk of the Chanel Creative Director’s £150million fortune . In an interview with French...

As another new year rolls round again, many of us are looking to make life changes, often following the festive indulgences. Diets and detox top this list but it might surprise you that divorce applications are up there too. January signifies a new year...

Whether it’s the KFC mutated chicken, the earth being flat or goldfish having a 3-second memory, we all love a good old urban myth – y’know, the kind of legend that spreads by word of mouth for its comedy or shock value. The legal world is...

4 out of 10 young adults still can’t afford to buy a house New research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has shown that 4 out of 10 young people cannot afford to buy one of the cheapest homes in their area with a 10% deposit, let...

Rare divorce case highlights the need for reform The final ruling in what’s been described as the most significant divorce case of the century has not only caused devastation and one party ‘unable to move forward...

Children come first For many of us, our kids are the apple of our eye, our pride and joy - and how we feel about them doesn’t change as they become adults and maybe go on to have families of their own. Our own personal...

Valentine’s Day: the final straw Every year, from 1st January onwards, we get Valentine’s Day coming at us from every direction. Wherever you look it’s Hallmark-heaven, with hearts, flowers, chocolates...

If you’ve seen the film, you’ll know the words: "Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get". How true that is - good or bad, none of us really know what’s around the corner. We...

Too young, too busy, too broke Regardless of whether you’re one of the Millennial, Generation Z or even Generation X brigade, these are just some of the reasons that over 50%* of people the UK don’t have a will. A staggering 68%* of this...

Business is booming According to the Institute for Family Business, we have over 4.7million family-owned businesses here in the UK and with new research by cloud accounting software provider FreeAgent revealing an estimated 1.4 million of these...

As we approach Easter, it’s got me thinking. At this time of year children are getting excited about the Easter Bunny and chocolate egg hunts, and some of the religious among us are preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, of His resurrection...

It’s that time of year again. January - the month named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions, and a time generally associated with rebirth, renewal and resolutions. And as we reflect on the previous 12 months, our attention turns to how...

“Brangelina” split throws co-parenting into the spotlight again Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their rainbow family once looked like the picture perfect family, with the world seemingly following every harmonious collaborative move they made. ...

Technology, the internet and online services have revolutionised the world as we know it and transformed the way we live on a daily basis – how we make friends, keep in touch with the world, find love, socialise, entertain ourselves, learn, shop, pay...

In years to come, we could be looking back on 2016 as a landmark moment, the year the legal sector’s recruitment landscape changed. The traditional route to law Historically, if you wanted to become a solicitor, the traditional route...

Bold Action After chancellor George Osborne yesterday pledged to continue taking ‘bold action’ on home ownership, The Law Society Gazette asked the question: could conveyancers be in for more stamp duty shocks when the government plans to...

Shock announcement In November 2015, the BBC reported on the curve ball that property investors were thrown in George Osborne’s Autumn Statement : Buy-to-let landlords and people buying second homes will soon have to pay more in stamp duty, the...

The Festive Pressure Cooker There’s no ‘bah humbug’ about it – it’s a well-known fact that, historically, the Christmas holiday and all its trimmings can create astronomical tension and unease in families. The continuous...

Divided Opinion In the US of A, where most things are arguably bigger, bolder and better, prenups are often the norm and simply considered to be sensible planning, much like an insurance policy. But across the pond, here in...

Because a pre-nup is much more than a Kanye West lyric!

It has recently been reported across the media a case which most people may find astonishing to read and accept: http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-31832392 This is a case where an ex-wife could look to receive a financial pay out after...

We lawyers and lawyer mediators are notorious for talking in lawyer speak, forgetting the vast majority of people want plain speak. How many know what mediation is? When I started to mediate I found:- Many clients thought I would...

According to the findings in March 2014 from the Office for National Statistics, “In 2011, 12% of adults living in households in England and Wales were living as part of a cohabiting couple”. This has increased from 9.8% in 2001. According to...

It has recently been reported that Pirates of the Carribean and Lord of the Rings actor Orlando Bloom has separated from his model wife, Miranda Kerr after a three-year marriage: ...

It has recently been reported that Clint Eastwood’s marriage has broken down after 17 years and his wife Dina Eastwood has filed for divorce this week. It appears that Dina has cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason why the...