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When it comes to drawing up your will, or setting up a trust, using a qualified lawyer who knows what they're talking about is the best way to ensure you get a legally sound result that actually reflects your wishes. It's a message that carries extra weight after a recent court case involving a businessman who scammed vulnerable pensioners in Runcorn and Widnes out of thousands of pounds in exchange for providing them with poor quality wills and trust deeds.

From April 13 2015, a new Criminal Courts Charge has been introduced in England and Wales. Announced by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling back in March, this charge of between £150 and £1200, depending on the type of case, is not means-tested.

Legal Aid used to help with the costs of professional advice for people who could not afford it, however in April 2013, the justice system in England and Wales changed dramatically.

According to the UK's largest insurer, Aviva, the number of whiplash injury claims made by motorists is expected to top 840,000 this year. This marks an increase of 9% compared with the figure for 2013/2014. In comments made to the BBC, Aviva said that the 'compensation culture' of the UK was to blame for the increase, with too many fraudulent or exaggerated claims still being made.

In a ruling announced in February this year, the Court of Appeal has said that children and protected parties in medical negligence and personal injury cases should not be publicly named unless anonymity is unnecessary or inappropriate.

Canter Levin & Berg Solicitors are pleased to announce that, following an inspection earlier this year, we have been re-awarded the Lexcel Legal Practice Quality Mark by the Law Society for the eleventh year running.

Millions of people who have faced delays on airline flights will now be able to claim compensation for these delays from the airlines involved, following two landmark rulings at the Supreme Court in London this week. Two airlines, Thomson and Jet2 had been appealing EU rule 261/2004 arguing that the length of time that compensation can be backdated to should only be 2 years and that technical faults that delayed a plane's departure were not the airline's fault.

A former Family Court Judge has become the latest senior legal figure to criticise the cuts to legal aid which came into effect in April 2013. Crispin Masterman, who was a designated family judge for Cardiff and Pontypridd, told BBC Wales that, in his opinion, children were being damaged when their parents represented themselves in legal proceedings through the family courts without the benefit of legal advice from a qualified Family Law Solicitor.

Canter Levin & Berg Solicitors are very pleased to announce that Sean Carty, one of our specialist Employment and Dispute Resolution Lawyers based at our Liverpool head office, has become an approved lawyer with The Football Association.

The UK is a nation of pet-owners, so it is perhaps unsurprising that for many separating couples, custody of the beloved family pet is an issue that comes second only to the custody of their children.