Solicitor Bella O’Keeffe gains coveted STEP qualification

Bella O’Keeffe Solicitor at leading law firm Ware & Kay Solicitors has been admitted to full membership of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (known as STEP for short), a professional body who recognise the highest achievements in STEP qualifications globally and is committed to helping people manage their affairs. Bella is now holding an internationally recognised qualification that demonstrates her practical and detailed understanding of the law and the procedures involved in trust and probate procedure, tax and accounting.  She is entitled to use the designation STEP to showcase her specialist expertise and give her clients the confidence and peace of mind of knowing that she has reached the exacting standards which are required by this body.   Bella, who juggled her full-time role as a Solicitor to study for the exam over…

Employee, worker or self-employed? Comparing status and rights

The statutory definitions of the three categories of employment status have long been criticised as being unclear, and over the years a body of case law interpreting these definitions has grown up. Despite this, it remains difficult to set out a definitive list of criteria to allow employers or employees to determine whether an individual’s status is that of employee, worker or self-employed. The Supreme Court in Aslam v Uber [2021] recently gave useful guidance on the approach that should be taken, particularly with vulnerable workers, emphasising that it is the actual arrangements on the ground that matter and not what the contract says. ‘To add to the confusion, the definitions of employee and worker vary depending on the various rights,’ says Gillian Reid, a Solicitor in the employment law team with Ware & Kay. ‘The…

Ian Fisher retires after over half a century with Ware & Kay

Ian Fisher has retired after a distinguished service of over 50 years with leading law firm Ware & Kay, with offices in York, Wetherby and Malton.  Ian joined the Wills & Probate department when the firm was known as Newbald Kay & Sons on 7th July 1969 at its office in Lendal, York and remained in this department until his retirement, becoming Ware & Kay’s longest-serving employee. Throughout his career, Ian has worked tirelessly for his clients and assisted many generations of families.  He is well respected and hugely knowledgeable in the field of Wills & Probate, Estate Administration, Inheritance Tax Planning and later life care through the use of Lasting Powers of Attorney. Ian Fisher commented: “Ware & Kay has been a significant factor throughout my life.  When I first started work secretaries took…

Martin House Make a Will during the month of May 2021

Leave your legacy to help us continue ours. If, like many other people you have been putting off writing your Will, this is your chance to put that right. Ware & Kay Solicitors has teamed up with Martin House to give you the opportunity to have your basic Will written for free Legacies are vitally important to Martin House. In fact, they make up more than a quarter of our entire voluntary income, meaning the cost of caring for one in four of our children is covered by gifts left in Wills. Over half of UK adults have not made a Will. It's not always easy to think about what might happen when we die. But making a Will is an important step to ensuring the people and things you care about are taken care of after you're gone. Your…

David Hyams features in the Yorkshire Post (Property People)

David Hyams is director of commercial property at Ware & Kay Solicitors, based in the York office. What are the prospects for the property sector in Yorkshire and Humber? In the mid to long term, I am positive about the prospects for the property sector as the region has so much to offer.  We are obviously facing challenging times at the moment, particularly in the hospitality sector, but once we have got through to the other side, I am confident that there will be a release of pent-up demand and we shall soon be back on our feet again. What is the best project you have been involved in? In recent times it was acting for a landlord on the grant of a lease of 15,000 sq ft office unit to a large regional accountancy practice.  It was a…

Andrew Little features in the Yorkshire Post (Property People)

Andrew Little, Commercial Property Solicitor at Pearsons & Ward in Malton features in the Yorkshire Post (Property People). What are the prospects for the property sector in Yorkshire and Humber? Transactions involving light industrial units continue to go from strength to strength. Difficulties remain for those who own or let high street premises, but there are signs of this sector improving and the recent rollout of the government’s new Use Classes should allow more freedom for high street premises to adapt to changing consumer habits, without requirement planning permission. What is the best project you have been involved in? I acted on the granting of approximately 200 mineral leases to the owners of the York Potash Mine, based near my hometown of Whitby. The mine has recently received the funding necessary to become a major long-term employer…

Commercial Property Team at Ware & Kay strengthened with new appointment

Yorkshire Law firm Ware & Kay has appointed Gemma Foster, an experienced Commercial Property Solicitor to its rapidly expanding Commercial Department.  Her appointment is a further addition to the firm’s expertise in this sector. Gemma will specialise in all aspects of commercial property matters.  This will include acting for clients who wish to buy and sell commercial properties and businesses, the preparation and negotiation of commercial leases and the sale and acquisition of unincorporated businesses. Originally from Driffield, Gemma arrives at Ware & Kay with over 10 years’ experience in Commercial Property Law.  She studied at the York College of Law before qualifying as a Solicitor in 2010 and starting her career in Hull. Gemma is a strong legal professional with a Law Degree from Lancaster University.  With a breadth of experience across the full…

Coronavirus: time to check your Will?

The horrendous death rates of the coronavirus pandemic have brought one’s own mortality into sharp relief, leading many of us to consider getting our affairs in order in case the worst should happen. The first step in this regard is to make a Will to ensure your property and belongings are distributed according to your wishes when you pass away. If you die without leaving a valid Will it means you have died ‘intestate’ and the law decides who gets what, regardless of need and your relationship. Leaving a Will is particularly important if you are from a farming family as you may also want to ensure the continued success of your business. For example, you may want to pass the farm to a specific child who has continued working on the farm while their siblings have moved…

Where will our children live if we separate?

Following separation parents usually want to minimise any disruption to their children, ensuring that they soon settle into a new routine - whether that is in the existing family home, or following a move to a new home.  Where your children will live may be an obvious or straightforward decision, for example if one parent works abroad or has a job which makes it difficult to accommodate childcare.  For other families, the decision can be complex especially if parents feel strongly that the children should continue to reside with them. If you find yourself in this scenario and fear that an agreement will never be reached, then it is wise to obtain early expert legal advice on the best way forward.  Robert Bellhouse at Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby has a wealth of experience…

Arrangements for children after a same sex divorce or separation

Following the introduction of civil partnerships in 2005 and same sex marriages in 2014, there has been an increase in families and then relationship breakdown between same sex parents.  Finding agreement over issues relating to children can be tricky in any relationship breakdown. When a same sex couple separate it can raise several unique additional questions regarding arrangements for children and each person’s legal rights when children may be adopted, the parents may benefit from surrogacy or sperm donation, or one partner may have children from a previous relationship. Robert Bellhouse, a Solicitor in the family law team with Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby looks at some of the steps and considerations same sex couples need to bear in mind in relation to agreeing future arrangements for children.  Reaching agreement together In any family…