Our personal solicitors work with people in happy times and in tougher circumstances, guiding our customers through the maze of legislation that applies. We’ve put together a selection of some of the questions we are often asked, and if there’s something that’s not covered, please don’t hesitate to call us – our personal solicitors team is on hand to help.
For more information on how our personal solicitors can help you, please call us now on 01473 611211
What are the main types of personal law that you offer at Barker Gotelee?
At Barker Gotelee our personal solicitors help customers through many different situations, including:
- Accident Claims – with experience in all sizes of claims, our personal solicitors can help you to make sure you get the maximum level of compensation for your injury or loss.
- Court of Protection – helping with applications for the appointment of a deputy, Statutory Wills, approval of lifetime gifts, and registrations of powers of attorney.
- Dispute Resolution – our personal solicitors will work with you to find practical and cost effective answers through negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation.
- Elderly Client Services – from guiding you through minimising inheritance tax, protecting assets from care fees assessments, to helping you with wills and succession planning, powers of attorney, moving in with children, benefits entitlement and the implications of care home contracts.
- Employment Law – if you have been treated badly at work, our personal solicitors can support you in bringing or defending a claim in either an employment tribunal or court.
- Family Breakdown – offering alternative negotiation processes, such as mediation, as well as litigation, we can help you with divorce and the ending of civil partnerships, financial settlements when relationships end, helping make arrangements for children and safeguarding money and property when people move in together or marry.
- Farming and Agriculture – our personal solicitors are well regarded for their knowledge of agricultural and taxation law and EU legislation and policies. We provide a broad range of services, including advice on old style agricultural tenancies, succession claims, notices to quit, associated tax planning arrangements, family partnership disputes and diversification projects including renewable energy schemes and sales of land for development.
- Mediation – professionally helping you to take control of life by discussing with your former spouse or partner what financial settlement you are each to have or what the arrangements for your children should be, without the need for litigation.
- Moving Home – our team of personal conveyancing solicitors can help you with buying and selling a home to live in or as an investment, transferring property between co-owners on relationship breakdown, transferring property to mitigate inheritance tax, equity release schemes, lifetime mortgages and new and replacement mortgages.
- Powers of Attorney – our personal solicitors will work with you to enable you to plan for the future and appoint others to make decisions for you, whether in relation to financial matters or personal welfare issues.
- Probate – helping you to administer financial affairs after someone has died, including identifying and collecting in assets, settling debts, taxes and other liabilities and distributing the balance to beneficiaries. We are particularly experienced in dealing with tax issues and complex estates, for example, those involving family businesses and partnerships or property abroad.
- Traffic Offences – offering you advice and representation in both the Magistrate and Crown Courts, for all traffic offences including paperwork irregularities such as insurance or MOT deficiencies, speeding, drink-driving, careless driving and dangerous driving.
- Wills, Trusts & Tax – providing expert advice on wills, estate planning and asset protection, by discussing your circumstances and listening to your wishes and concerns to establish the most appropriate and tax-efficient plans for you.
Is there a specific type of personal law that you specialise in more than others?
Our team of personal solicitors is made up of professionals from each area of personal law, so we can act for you whatever your circumstances.
While you’re based in Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, do you act for people further afield?
While we have many clients in Suffolk, we carry out legal work nationwide, and our team of personal solicitors based in Ipswich can work with you no matter where in the country you are living or working.
And while generally our clients come to see us at our offices in Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, in some circumstances, our personal solicitors can visit clients. In these cases we do not usually charge you for our travelling time or expenses.
Our marriage is breaking down and we’re looking to divorce. Do I need personal solicitors or can I do it myself?
You can act for yourself during a divorce, but it is probably a good idea to meet with personal solicitors to ensure you understand the entire process.
While some couples start the process amicably, it is sometimes found that, as the process unfolds, so relationships and preconceived ideas break down further.
Even if you and your spouse both agree about the terms of the divorce, there are a number of documents which need to be seen by the court in order for them to grant a divorce. It greatly helps to have the assistance of a personal solicitor to ensure these documents are prepared thoroughly, to avoid delays in the process, as well as ensuring clarity for you both.
We’re buying our first home – do you offer a conveyancing service?
Whether you are a first time buyer or you are buying and selling a house, our team of personal solicitors in Martlesham Heath deal with conveyancing throughout the UK.
Before contracts are exchanged we will deal with all documentation for you, including the contract, property information and fittings & contents forms, stamp duty, land tax return and mortgage report. We also liaise with the other party’s personal conveyancing solicitors to ensure that all questions are answered and the process keeps moving forward. We will also apply for the searches and prepare a report to send to you together with the contract.
At exchange of contracts we will ensure that a completion date is agreed with all parties.
After exchange of contracts, we will apply to your mortgage company for your settlement figure for your sale or, if you purchasing, arrange for them to send the monies in time for completion. We will deal with the estate agents and also arrange the transfer deed.
On completion we will deal with the transfer of all monies for you, leaving you to concentrate on the big move.
I’ve got a young family and am happily married. Do I really need a will?
Your will is not just about the money and possessions that you leave behind. Writing a will professionally with personal solicitors also means that you can stipulate who will look after your dependants, who will administer your estate, as well as your funeral wishes and whether you have any specific thoughts regarding organ donation and the like.
Providing peace of mind, you can rest assured that your will is being administered by the executors of your choice, that your estate is protected from the cost of care or for children from a previous relationship, and that it is being administered tax efficiently with the minimum of complications.
How do you charge for your personal legal services?
For many of our services, we offer fixed fees, allowing you to be sure of the budget you need ahead of any work we do. Sometimes a fixed fee is not appropriate and in these cases we will give you an estimate.
Personal Solicitors Ipswich, Suffolk – click here for more information on our legal services for individuals.
