Hanne & Co are committed to supporting the provision of free legal advice and are keen to show solidarity with Law Centres in London that are subject significant cuts in their funding.

Hanne & Co Solicitors 2012 team include: Caroline Little (Care), Grianne Fahey (Family), Lorna West (Crime), Harry Dronfield (Employment and Trustee of Lambeth Law Centre), Amy Walker (Family) and Jenny Ricketts (Trainee), Michael Herford (Trainee) and Alice Mathams (Paralegal).

Wish us luck!

You can read more about Hanne & Co’s other charitable involvement here. The firm’s nominated charity is Wandsworth Bereavement.

After The South London Junior Lawyers Division’s successful launch party in October 2011, The South London JLD committee has been working hard to provide members with yet another interesting and enjoyable evening.

The evening’s seminar will comprise of two talks on topics that affect junior lawyers in the profession’s current climate.

The first talk, by Bernard Pressman of Lamb Chambers, will address an area that an increasing number of junior lawyers are being called upon to undertake. “Successful Advocacy Skills” will aim to provide an insight into what skills are needed to be a successful advocate. Bernard Pressman is an experienced advocate appearing in both the High Court and County Court. His practice covers a wide range of personal injury, commercial and professional negligence work.

The second talk of the evening will be given by The South London Junior Lawyers Division’s sponsor, Wesleyan. Guest speaker, Jon Parker will be giving a talk on the “Top Five Financial Tips for Lawyers”. The seminar will examine 5 key aspects of effective financial planning and will look at: efficient debt management, mortgages and buying your first property, adequately protecting yourself, understanding your employee benefits and, making the most of available funds.

The event will take place at 6.30pm at The London South Bank University 103 Borough Road City of London SE1 0AA

Space is limited so please be sure to book your place promptly.

If you would like to attend please confirm by email as soon as possible to: – events@southlondonjld.co.uk

Committee members of The South London JLD include: Harry Dronfield (Chair and solicitor in Hanne & Co’s Employment Department), Tom Ghannad (National Representative and trainee solicitor in Hanne & Co’s Wills and Probate department), Elinor Feeny (Events Coordinator and solicitor in Hanne & Co’s Family Department) and Lydia Pilati (Events Coordinator and solicitor in Hanne & Co’s Wills and Probate Department).

More information on the South London Junior Lawyers Division can be found at: www.southlondonjld.co.uk

Hanne & Co’s team of licensed conveyancers and solicitors advise and assist buyers, sellers and developers across the country all year round. We frequently represent buyers and sellers in the Clapham area where we have been established for over 100 years.

We are also pleased to announce the latest addition to our team, Tim Mendes da Costa. Tim is the latest solicitor to join our conveyancing team and is able to advise and assist on a variety of matters. You can read more about our conveyancing team here.

With the New Year, however, comes new legislation. As you may be aware, times are increasingly difficult for first time buyers and we believe that every penny counts.

At present, first time buyers do not pay Stamp Duty on purchases of up to £250,000. However, at midnight on 23rd March 2012, this is due to change and first time buyers are set to lose a very valuable Stamp Duty relief.

From 24th March 2012, first time buyers will pay 1% on the purchase price of their property falling above £125,000 up to £250,000 and 3% thereafter up to £500,000. This means that if you are purchasing a property in April 2012 for £249,000, you will pay £2490 in stamp duty.

Hanne & Co have over 100 years experience in a variety of conveyancing matters, from residential purchases and sales to complex commercial leases and collective enfranchisement. We are able to exchange and complete property purchases quickly and appreciate all the concerns which you may have as a first time buyer.

In the event that you are a first time buyer and you hope to purchase a property above £125,000 in 2012, you must ensure that you complete on your purchase before midnight on 23rd March 2012.

Our conveyancing team have a wide range of clients and can advise you every step of the way and in particular, in relation to any Stamp Duty issues which may arise from your purchase.

We do not act for your estate agent and we are always looking to ensure that, as first time buyers, you avoid the many pitfalls of purchasing your first property. Our conveyancing solicitors will deal with your purchase as quickly as possible and frequently, we are able to complete on property purchases within 2 months.

Less than 2 months now remain before first time buyers lose their current Stamp Duty relief. You should therefore contact one of our conveyancers as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

You can read more about our property department here and please do feel free to contact us with any enquiries you may have.

The first is Clare Paget, solicitor in the Criminal Department, who has attained her High Court Rights (Criminal) accreditation. Clare has practiced Criminal Law at Hanne & Co since her qualification in 1999.

The second is David Taylor, partner in the Employment Department, who has attained his Higher Court Rights (Civil) accreditation. David has had many years experience in the lower courts but now can practise in the High Court and above.

These successes show the firm’s commitment to increasing the expertise of our solicitors so that this may benefit our clients. It also shows our commitment to the continuing education of our solicitors so that they maintain the very highest standards of current practice and law.

If you would like to instruct Clare Paget in relation to any criminal law matter then please ring on 0207 228 0017 or e-mail her at clarep@hanne.co.uk.

If you would like to instruct David Taylor in relation to any employment or commercial dispute then ring on the number above or e-mail at dxt@hanne.co.uk.

In an interactive session, students were given an overview of the law, told how the law influences and affects our society and were given examples of how the law has changed and modernised as time has progressed.

The subjects covered in the talk included law and culture, international law, civil disobedience and civil rights. The seminar then focussed on Michael’s area of expertise – crime!

Students took part in a role play demonstrating the process from arrest to court. Students took on roles of the client, police and witnesses. The role of the police custody sergeant being aptly played by Mr Lang, the class teacher!

Michael then hosted a question and answer session in which students asked law related questions and queries about the law and high profile cases past and present. Michael was put on the spot and asked his opinion on many poignant issues such as “How can lawyers represent someone when they know they are guilty?” This then fuelled further passionate debate between class mates.

Michael was thrilled to have the opportunity to engage with the students and pass on his zeal for the law to the next generation and is looking forward to conducting similar sessions in other local schools.

Mr Lang praised Michael’s knowledge of the subject as “excellent” and asked for a closer bond between Hanne & Co and the school. Hanne & Co looks forward to building ties with other educational institutions.
If you are looking for legal advice and representation on criminal law then please contact one of our criminal solicitors here at Hanne & Co. We also have established departments in Family Law, Child Care Law, Conveyancing, Employment Law, Wills & Probate and Housing Law.

Hanne & Co, nominated for the lawcareers.net Best Recruiter award this year, take on approximately 6 trainee solicitors each year. Discussing the issue of termination, David Taylor told the Gazette that trainee solicitors should be granted the same rights as apprentices, whose contracts cannot be terminated except in exceptional circumstances.

David Taylor heads the Employment Law Department at Hanne & Co as well as being chair of the Law Society Membership Board. Our employment law team are always willing to advise young professionals as well as employers as to their rights and responsibilities.

Harry Dronfield, solicitor at Hanne & Co, is currently offering local businesses, a free business health check. If your business seeks employment law advice, Hanne & Co’s employment law team are able to assist. Contact us on 020 72280017 or email info@hanne.co.uk

All hands were on deck to ensure that everything was ship-shape for the evening with guests enjoying hearty fare followed by toasts and a speech from the Chief Executive of the Law Society, Des Hudson. After dinner, guests were free to navigate their way around the ship including the sick bay, gun decks and Admiral’s bridge.

Hanne & Co have a long standing involvement with the SLLS and have provided three former presidents. Michael Burdett, former Hanne & Co Partner and Criminal Law Solicitor, served as President in 1985/86. Professor Sara Chandler held the office from 2003 to 2004 and David Taylor (Employment Law Partner and Notary Public) was President in 2004/2005 and again in 2005/2006. David was also the Honorary Secretary from 2006 -2010 and is currently serving as the SLLS’s Council member at the Law Society.

Hanne and Co solicitors have also been instrumental in setting up the Junior Lawyer’s Division of the SLLS this year with Harry Dronfield (Employment Law Solicitor) taking the helm.

Not wishing to go overboard but the event can be said to have been a rip-roaring success and a great way to celebrate the SLLS’s Golden Jubilee!

L-R: Peter Grimble (Accounts), Amy Walker (Family Law), Harry Dronfield (Employment Law)

The wife was part of a lottery syndicate that won £1 million in 1999. She received £500,000 as her share of the win and used a substantial proportion of this to purchase a property which ostensibly became the marital home, albeit for a short period of time.

Mr Justice Mostyn rejected the wife’s claim that the parties had been de facto separated since 1996 and therefore, the lottery win had been post separation. He also refuted her claim of not having won the lottery and that the money used to purchase the property had been loaned by a friend who had been part of the syndicate.

The judge addressed the question of whether lottery wins are to be regarded as matrimonial or non-matrimonial property, a subject that has arisen in several Australian cases, but less so in the courts of England and Wales. Mr Justice Mostyn held that the initial lottery prize was non-matrimonial property on the basis that the wife was unilaterally paying the lottery without her husband’s knowledge, but by purchasing the marital home she converted the non-matrimonial assets into matrimonial property. However, given that the prize money was used to fund the purchase and given the short period of time in which the husband lived there, the judge did not consider that there should be equal division, but held that a share of 15-20% to the husband would be fair. This would award him between £72,000 and £96,000 on the basis that the property was worth £480,150. Applying both the sharing and needs principles originating from the landmark cases of Miller and McFarlane [2006] 2 AC 618, the judge granted the husband a lump sum award of £85,000.

It is easy to have some sympathy for the husband in this case. The lottery win came at a time when he and his wife were living together and continued to do so for a number of years before their divorce. Nevertheless, the award of £85,000 is some consolation and adds weight to the argument that marriage itself can be a bit of a lottery!

If you need advice or representation on any financial claims within family law proceedings then the divorce and family law solicitors here at Hanne & Co can help. Please call us on 020 7228 0017 or email at info@hanne.co.uk