Jessica Jarvis

Professional Blog

  • What Mazur Means for the Court of Protection 

    The High Court’s decision in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys LLP [2025] EWHC 2341 (KB) has landed with unusual force across the profession.  What began as a discrete costs appeal over a law firm’s use of an employee without a practising certificate has spiralled into a wider crisis of confidence about who, within a regulated Read more

  • No Training Contract? No Problem.

    Navigating the competitive legal field can be challenging, yet there’s hope! By utilizing the SRA’s Equivalent Means Route, aspiring solicitors can attain qualifications through documented real-world legal experience instead of traditional training contracts. This alternative pathway validates skills and paves the way for a successful legal career, demonstrating resilience and resourcefulness. Read more

  • Bargain Wills, Expensive Consequences: The Case for Regulation

    A man dies. His partner is left to grieve and discovers that the Will he made online for £19.99 includes a clause she had no idea existed. It names the Will-writing service’s parent company as professional executor and entitles them to 4% of the estate. The company demands nearly £10,000. The house she lived in, Read more

  • Navigating Direct Payments After Lumb: What Deputies Need to Know

    Lumb v NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB & Anor [2024] EWCOP 57 has become a lightning rod for scrutiny across Court of Protection practice. At its core, the case raised a deceptively simple question: can a professional deputy act as the recipient of direct payments (DPs) and charge P for related management, without express Read more

  • Offshore Trusts, UK Tax, and the Valesca Louwman Case: What You Need to Know

    Offshore trusts have long been a way for wealthy individuals – especially those who move between countries – to manage their money. But as governments crack down on tax avoidance, the rules around these structures have become far more complicated. One recent case, Valesca Louwman v HM Revenue & Customs ([2025] UKFTT 295 (TC)), shines Read more

  • The OPG’s 2025 Family Care Payments Guidance

    The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has released updated guidance on family care payments in March 2025, revising its expectations for deputies who authorise payments from P’s funds to family members providing informal care. The guidance aims to balance P’s best interests with transparency and fairness in remunerating family members. However, this new guidance Read more