In its Immigration White Paper published last year, the government announced plans to implement an earned settlement model, with the next step to put in place an aligned earned citizenship system. Andre Minnaar, head of our Immigration team explains the proposed changes and what they could mean to applicants applying for British citizenship. Proposed […]
On the 2 March, the home secretary, made a statement in parliament outlining changes to the UK immigration system effecting the UK asylum system. Andre Minnaar, head of our Immigration team explains the key points. 30 month period of protection for new claims: New asylum claims from 2 March 2026 will be granted a 30 […]
8 March is International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The annual event’s theme this year is ‘Give to Gain’. As a firm dedicated to fostering a workplace that is both diverse and inclusive, here we shine a light on two of our partners who epitomise […]
Entering into a commercial lease is often an exciting milestone for any business venture – whether moving into your first premises or expanding into a new space. However, agreeing terms with a landlord or agent without fully understanding the legal and financial implications can cause a significant risk to your business’ wellbeing. Commercial Property Partner, […]
A Personal Injury Trust is a legal arrangement that holds compensation funds separately from personal assets, ensuring they are not counted toward means-tested benefits (e.g., Universal Credit, care funding). The Trust is created when you sign a document called a ‘trust deed’ and its purpose is to protect compensation from being considered for means-testing when assessing eligibility […]
The problem Our client had come to the UK with an academic visitor visa, set to complete his PhD research as part of his role in the military. When his research could not be completed before the expiry of his visa, he assumed he could apply for an extension as an academic visitor. However, the […]
Hannah Davis, a Solicitor in our Private Client team, addresses some frequently asked questions about the legal process involved. What is a Grant of Probate A Grant of Probate is the legal document which confirms that the executors appointed in a person’s will have the authority to deal with their estate after they have died. […]
The residential property team of West Midlands law firm Sydney Mitchell has added to its strong team of residential conveyancing specialists as it predicts growth in instructions and the West Midlands housing market set to boom in 2026. Oliver Begley, a specialist residential conveyancer with more than 16 years of experience, is the latest to […]
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has announced the appointment of Roy Colabawalla as its new President.
The issue of pensions has become increasingly more important to parties who are divorcing or going through a civil partnership dissolution. Here we examine the ways in which pensions are dealt with by the courts in divorce/dissolution proceedings. Pension Offsetting This is the method whereby one spouse/partner will receive more available capital in return for not having any order […]