Archive for category: News

Adams Harrison strives to provide our best service to all clients and client feedback is a measure of how we are doing.

Clients are sent a feedback questionnaire at the end of a matter and we are pleased that so many take the time to complete and return the questionnaire.

We have analysed feedback received in the 12 months to 30^th June 2026 and the statistics can be seen below:

Analysis of client questionnaire feedback – July 2025 to June 2026

96% of clients were “very satisfied” with our overall service to them

92% of clients deemed their interaction with our reception staff and other staff to be “very good”

86% of clients said they found the information and advice they were given “very easy” to understand

94% of clients said they were kept up to date “very well” on progress

99% of clients said that the personal manner of their lawyer was “very good”

84% of clients said they would be “certain” to recommend us to others and 14% “likely to”

 

With the consent of our clients, we also publish real testimonials on our website, and you can see these at the top of each web page for each area of work.

Adams Harrison are proud to announce that we have once again been accredited with Lexcel, the Law Society of England and Wales’ legal practice quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management.

Lexcel is designed specifically for legal practices and recognises firms that demonstrate strong systems, clear procedures and a consistent commitment to high standards across key areas including:

• client care,
• risk management,
• people management,
• structure and strategy,
• financial management,
• information management, and
• file and case management.

Holding Lexcel accreditation provides reassurance to our clients that Adams Harrison continues to operate efficiently, ethically and with a strong focus on delivering a reliable, high-quality service. The annual assessment process, which takes 3 days, reviews the firm’s policies, procedures and files, and includes interviews with members of the team to ensure that the standard remains embedded in day-to-day practice.

Adams Harrison has held the Lexcel accreditation since 1999 and remains proud to be among the firms that have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to legal excellence. Our continued accreditation reflects the hard work of everyone across the firm and our ongoing dedication to client care, compliance, staff development, risk management and sound practice management.

We are delighted to have achieved Lexcel accreditation for another year and remain committed to maintaining the standards that our clients, colleagues and community can trust.

The Partners at Adams Harrison are delighted to announce that Briony Dodson and Caitlin Longland have both qualified as solicitors after successfully completing all of their professional training with the firm.

Briony Dodson will be remaining in the Dispute Resolution department where she undertook her training and will concentrate mainly on Employment Law. You can find out more about Briony from her website profile here: Adams Harrison Solicitors: Team Member Details

Caitlin Longland will be remaining in the Private Client department where she started work as a legal secretary and then undertook most of her training. You can find out more about Caitlin from her website profile here: Adams Harrison Solicitors: Team Member Details.

For many years, Inheritance Tax (IHT) was considered a concern reserved for the very affluent. That perception is increasingly outdated. With residential property values having risen significantly across the UK over the past two decades, a growing number of estates including those of ordinary middle-income families now fall within the scope of IHT.

Understanding how tax works and what planning options exist is something every adult should consider as part of making your Will. Your Will is your most powerful IHT tax planning tool. Most people think of a Will simply as a document that sets out who gets what when they die. This is true; however, a well drafted Will can do considerably more than that. For many families it is the single most effective Inheritance Tax planning tool available, and yet it is frequently overlooked.

If you would like assistance in preparing a Will, or if you would like tailored advice on IHT planning, please contact any of our three offices. Our experienced Wills, Trusts & Probate team will be pleased to guide you through your options and help you put effective plans in place for the future.

– Saffron Walden: 01799 523 441
– Sawston: 01223 832 939
– Haverhill: 01440 702 485

For the millions of cohabiting couples in England and Wales, the assumption that a surviving partner will “automatically inherit” is not just risky — it is legally incorrect. Despite the rise of long‑term cohabitation, the law has not kept pace with modern family structures, and the rules of intestacy (which apply where one passes away without a valid Will) still exclude unmarried partners entirely.

This article explains how the law works, why cohabiting couples are particularly vulnerable, and what steps can be taken to avoid serious financial and personal consequences.

1. The Myth of the “Common Law Partner”

A significant number of people still believe that living together for a certain number of years creates rights similar to marriage. It doesn’t. In England and Wales, “common law marriage” has no legal recognition and unmarried partners receive nothing under intestacy rules, even if you have lived together for decades, raised children, or own a home together, you are treated as legal strangers under intestacy law.

We are not encouraging you to have a civil union or marry your partner if you do not wish to, we instead wish merely to highlight what steps can be taken so that your testamentary wishes reflect your current familial circumstances.

2. How the Intestacy Rules Work

When someone dies without a Will, their estate follows a strict hierarchy governed by statute The law does not consider personal relationships, financial dependence, or emotional ties at all.

The estate passes in the following order:
Spouse or civil partner → children → parents → siblings → extended family → the Crown. Unmarried partners do not appear anywhere on this list.

Although one may deem that a Will is not necessary where they are married and intend to leave everything to their partner and then to their children, steps should still be taken to produce a Will to reflect these wishes – this will be covered in more detail in a later blog post.

This means that if an unmarried person (which may include those couples who have married via religious ceremonies only) dies intestate:

• Their partner inherits nothing owned solely by the deceased — not the home, not savings, not personal possessions.
• Children, parents, or even distant relatives may inherit instead, irrespective of how close the deceased was with these relatives.
• If no relatives exist, everything passes to the Crown.

3. Financial Hardship & Emotional Impact

The consequences can be severe and immediate. Situations frequently include:

• Loss of the family home
• No access to savings or pensions
• Eviction by legal beneficiaries
• Costly legal claims to secure any support

Many unmarried partners only discover this legal gap after suffering a bereavement, compounding an already devastating situation. By taking action now and drafting a Will, couples will have taken the steps to safeguard themselves and each other in bereavement.

Conclusion

Unmarried partners in England and Wales have no rights under the rules of intestacy, regardless of how long they have lived together or how intertwined their lives may be. Without a valid Will, surviving partners may face losing their home, assets, or financial security.

The solution is simple but essential: make a Will, review ownership structures, and ensure your wishes are documented. It is the only way to protect the person you share your life with.

If you wish to create a Will and would like our assistance in doing so, you are welcome to contacting one of our three offices whose details are below:

• Saffron Walden: 01799 523 441
• Sawston: 01223 832 939
• Haverhill: 01440 702 485