News & insights Roche Legal Shortlisted For Another Top Award 3 minutes of reading - Written by Roche Legal York based Roche Legal has been shortlisted in the prestigious Law Society Excellence Awards 2019, the highest accolade for law firms in England and Wales. Roche Legal is shortlisted in the Excellence in Private Client Practice category with the winners announced at the Grosvenor House in London on October 23, 2019. The Law Society Excellence Awards have been celebrating the hard work and inspirational achievements of solicitors, legal teams and firms of all sizes across England and Wales for the past 12 years. Founder Rachel Roche received the Law Society Sole Practitioner of the Year at the 2018 Excellence Awards and Roche Legal has collected the Socially Responsible Business of the Year at the York Press Business Award, the Raising the Bar Community Award and was last week short listed for the Yorkshire Legal Awards in the Private Client category. Roche Legal are committed to embracing new technology to deliver an outstanding service to clients, including the development and launch of a cutting-edge online Will writing and Lasting Power of Attorney programme. Roche Legal is currently developing “Solicitor Check”, an online programme that will be accessible to the public to help clarify the types of legal advice on offer, following the shake-up in regulation of the profession by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Besides addressing the need to get more people writing their Wills, Rachel and her team have also published a series of free pocket-sized booklets with the first two packed with information about dealing with a relative’s death and looking after the elderly. Six more are planned in the series which can also be downloaded as eBooks. The books are supplemented by over 30 downloadable fact sheets on the Roche Legal website covering a wide range of legal issues. Roche Legal are also campaigning to highlight the controversial planned increases in probate fees which turn them into a “tax on grief” and have been supported by local MP’s who have raised on-going concerns in the House of Commons. Rachel Roche said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for the Law Society Excellence awards and our continued success is a tribute to the wonderful team here at Roche Legal who have worked so hard to make this possible. To be shortlisted after the Law Society received a record-breaking number of nominations submitted this year makes it even more special.” Law Society president Simon Davis said: “There are more than 140,000 solicitors in England and Wales – to be shortlisted for an Excellence Award is to be recognised as among the very best of the profession. “The firms and solicitors shortlisted should be commended for going above and beyond to support their clients, often navigating tricky and sometimes contentious areas of the law. With the justice system so under strain, we should take this opportunity to celebrate the incredible work solicitors do day-in and day-out – and to recognise the immense contribution they make to our society.” Roche Legal has recently opened a new office in Harrogate in addition to their York base. Rachel and the Roche Legal team can be contacted at their York office on 01904 866139 or at Harrogate on 01423 449778. Note to editors: Rachel is available for interview and can be contacted on 01904 866139 or through Chris Jones Media on 07774 772820/ 07738 005133. How Roche Legal can help: Wills Probate and Estate Administration Powers of Attorney Court of Protection matters Missing Persons Guardianship Applications Disputes Further Reading When is the value of your home disregarded for nursing home fees? The Walford, R v Worcestershire County Council (2014) decision resulted in a daughter successfully having her mother’s home value disregarded in calculating residential care home fees. The court ruled that the property could not be considered in the means assessment because it was her “home,” taking into account both physical and emotional attachment. Our promise to you when writing your Will excerpt in 2 sentences from below: There has been much written about the adequacy of Will writing services around the UK in the last 12 months. As a firm of solicitors authorised and regulated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority you can be confident that we will prepare a Will for you which is both in accordance with your wishes and legally sound. Our promise to you: We will at all times act in your best interests We will provide a proper standard of service We will, at all times, behave in a way which maintains your trust Appointing us as your executors: In some instances, our clients wish to appoint us to act as their executors and trustees – this is usually in circumstances where there is no obvious family member to take on that role or the person making the Will would prefer to appoint someone independent. If you decide to instruct us to act for you in this role we will always: Explain the options available to you Ensure that you understand that executors do not have to be professionals; that there may be a family member or a beneficiary under the Will; and that non-professional executors can choose to instruct a solicitor to act for them if this proves necessary and will be indemnified out of the estate for the solicitors’ fee Document the advice given concerning the appointment of executors and your decisions Ultimately, the decision is yours as to the content of your Will and who you chose to be your executors. We will always discuss the options available to you so that you can make an informed decision. There has been much discussion about the adequacy of Will writing services recently. As a regulated firm of solicitors, we ensure your Will is both legally sound and aligned with your wishes, and we offer options for appointing executors to suit your needs. A helping hand with Probate Dealing with the death of a loved one is challenging enough without the added stress of legal formalities. While executors or next of kin can apply for the Grant of Administration themselves, using a solicitor can smooth the process, reduce family disputes, and provide clear guidance on practical steps. 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