News & insights York Solicitor Wins Top Law Society Award 3 minutes of reading - Written by Roche Legal Rachel Roche, of York based Roche Legal, is celebrating winning one the highest accolades for lawyers in England and Wales at the Law Society’s prestigious Excellence Awards. Rachel, who recently launched a cutting edge online Will writing and Lasting Power of Attorney programme she developed, collected the Law Society Sole Practitioner of the Year award at a glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London. Besides addressing the need to get more people writing their Wills, Rachel and her team at Roche Legal have also published a series of free pocket-sized booklets with the first two dealing with a relative’s death and looking after the elderly and six more are planned in the series which can also be downloaded as eBooks. Rachel Roche said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won the Law Society Sole Practitioner of the Year Award. To have been recognised with such a prestigious award is humbling and I want to pay tribute to the wonderful team here at Roche Legal who have worked so hard to make this possible. We are committed to delivering a unique and innovative service, keeping us at the forefront of our profession while providing an outstanding service to clients of all ages. We specialise in helping our clients with later life legal planning while also embracing new technology to help demystify the legal process and as we head towards our fifth anniversary we could not have wished for a better way to celebrate. “ Law Society president Christina Blacklaws said the Excellence Awards recognised firms and solicitors who went above and beyond in their efforts to support their clients. “Every year law firms and solicitors from every corner of England and Wales support their clients through major life events or particularly trying times:” she said. “This year we received a record number of nominations for the awards, which highlighted the exceptional dedication, thoughtfulness and skill solicitors bring to their job on a daily basis. Solicitors are here to help, and Rachel and the team have shown their commitment to clients through exemplary client service. Congratulations to Rachel and her team for this well-deserved recognition.” Roche Legal, whose staff are all trained Dementia Friends, recently opened a new office in Harrogate to join their York base. Note to editors: How Roche Legal can help: Wills Probate and Estate Administration Powers of Attorney Court of Protection matters Missing Persons Guardianship Applications Disputes Further Reading Court of Protection Revokes Lasting Power of Attorney In the recent case of Re AMH [2015] EWCOP 70, the Court of Protection revoked a daughter’s Lasting Power of Attorney for her mother due to concerns over her suitability. However, the same Court appointed her as a Deputy for her mother, allowing closer supervision of her actions. Don’t leave life-changing decisions to strangers A new report by SFE reveals that 86% of people in Yorkshire and the Humber have no control over crucial later-life decisions due to a lack of lasting power of attorney (LPA). While 39% have a will in place, only 7% have an LPA, leaving their wishes vulnerable in the event of illness or accident. Owning property jointly – what it means In England and Wales, property can be owned jointly as Joint Tenants or Tenants in Common. Joint Tenants have an indivisible share with a right of survivorship, while Tenants in Common have distinct shares and can leave their share to someone in their Will. View all insights Ready for clear, reliable legal advice? Contact us for straightforward advice that makes things easier, saves you money, and gives you peace of mind. Contact us