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With Power of Attorney the future is in your hands

16/08/2019 Filed Under: Powers of Attorney

On one afternoon recently, we had 2 calls from people who wanted to discuss “the accident that I had recently”.

Both put the phone down when our receptionist asked them if they realised that they were calling a firm of solicitors.

Nobody likes getting a cold call.

The cold callers hoped to take something off the hands of the person answering the phone – a personal injury claim – and in an unsolicited fashion. In this article, we hope to persuade you (gently) that, with Power of Attorney, the future is in your hands. (And you found this article; we did not hunt you down like a cold caller would).

Yes, a power of attorney involves an element of giving up powers and responsibilities to others but it allows that to happen in a planned and controlled way.

Did you know that one in fourteen of us will develop dementia at some point in the future?

This loss of capacity is likely to result in a person being hospitalised at some point.

Did you know that, without power of attorney, you cannot act for your husband, wife, mother, father, or anyone else, should they lose capacity?

[Read more…]

What is involved in being a lawyer?

21/05/2019 Filed Under: News

Comedian, Eddie Izzard, has described his stand-up routine “Death Star Canteen” as his “Hotel California”.

That may be because it has become so closely associated with him that he can “never leave” it behind.

Strangely, Lego has had an important part to play in popularising Izzard’s imaginary scenario, which takes place in the bowels of the Death Star. Darth Vader argues with a canteen assistant over various matters relating to the Jedi’s order of Penne all’Arrabbiata (caution: some sweary bits in Death Star Canteen).

It’s a revealing commentary on aspects of people’s jobs we might not otherwise consider.

On the one hand, here’s something of what Darth Vader does in his down time, when he’s not killing people or blowing things up.

On the other hand, the lowest-ranking workers – in the canteen, for example – are so out of touch with “management” that the assistant thinks Vader’s first name is “Jeff” and he does not even know that his workplace is within a “star”.

What is involved in different people’s jobs (including solicitors) was up for discussion at an Industry Insight Event in Elgin Academy on 15 May 2019. Coincidentally, Lego also played a part in the discussion, as we go on to explain below.

[Read more…]

How Your Will Can Help CLAN Cancer Support in March 2019

26/02/2019 Filed Under: News, Wills Executries & Trusts

As in previous years, Grigor & Young LLP will be running a promotion in March 2019 designed to encourage you to make a Will and help charity at the same time.

Would you be willing to support CLAN Cancer Support this March?

This year, we’ve chosen CLAN Cancer Support as our nominated charity.

CLAN is a well-established local charity that provides emotional and practical support to those affected by cancer across Moray, the north-east of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland.

Over the last 30 years, CLAN has developed specialist knowledge and understanding of how a diagnosis of cancer impacts not just the person diagnosed but also their wider circle of family and close friends.

Their range of person-centred services – delivered using qualified and experienced counsellors and therapists – offers a holistic approach for the general well-being of their clients.

[Read more…]

Choosing a solicitor by looking into their mind

11/02/2019 Filed Under: Choosing a Solicitor

It’s not easy to choose a solicitor. 

For anyone trying to select a solicitor for a piece of legal work – from buying a new house to claiming fair compensation for personal injury – a big problem is that all solicitors look much the same. 

You can’t see inside a solicitor’s head so what some of us do to try to give you at least an idea of what goes on in our minds as solicitors is produce educational and informative content.

It’s one way of making the lawyer brain more tangible. 

By content, we mean blog articles, practice-area pages, podcasts and even video. 

The purpose of the content is to give you a better understanding of the sorts of legal problems we can solve for you, how we will go about it and, along the way, an insight into the “personality” of Grigor & Young LLP.  [Read more…]

Presentation of cheque to Moray Foodbank

24/12/2018 Filed Under: Charitable Causes, News

As reported earlier this year, Grigor & Young LLP raised over £4,500 for Moray Foodbank through a Wills Promotion.

Moray Foodbank provides food parcels to people who lack the means to feed themselves properly. With the support of the local community, its aim is to provide a minimum of three days’ food to people in crisis. The food parcels include a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, together with tinned and dried food.

The firm recently presented a cheque to Mairi McCallum, project manager at Moray Foodbank.

The picture above shows (L to R), Elin Jones (Trainee Solicitor), Greg Robertson (G&Y Partner), Mairi and Rory Anderson (Trainee Solicitor).

Greg said: “We’re delighted we’ve been able to raise this money for Moray Foodbank. They help many families each year. We hope the money we have raised will allow them to help even more people in Moray over the coming months and especially around the Christmas period.”

Road traffic accidents (What to do when an accident occurs)

13/11/2018 Filed Under: Road Traffic Accidents

It is a sad but inevitable fact that every day of the week people find themselves involved in road traffic accidents.

The consequences can vary from minor scratches to car, driver or passenger to the complete destruction of your vehicle and serious personal injury.

At a time which can be physically and emotionally distressing, it is often difficult to remember what you need to do.

In this article, we will consider the things you need to have in mind in the aftermath of an accident so you can protect your position as fully as possible. There are a number of hyperlinks to other, related articles on this website, and on the Moray Claims website,which we hope you find useful.

[Read more…]

Grigor & Young LLP makes a commitment to the Living Wage

06/09/2018 Filed Under: Firm News

Grigor & Young LLP has become accredited as a Living Wage Employer.

The firm’s commitment to the Living Wage means that everyone working at G&Y will be paid a minimum hourly wage of £8.75, irrespective of whether they are direct employees or third-party contracted staff. This pay level compares to the statutory minimum rate for over 25s of £7.83 per hour which came into force in April 2018. [Read more…]

Reduce your risk of Whiplash Injury by doing the Head Rest Test

14/08/2018 Filed Under: Road Traffic Accidents

Taking a few extra seconds before any car journey could help to minimise the risk of injury to the driver and any passengers.

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) is urging vehicle travellers to “Do the Headrest Test” and protect themselves, by ensuring that their headrests are in the correct position.

This is APIL’s theme for Injury Prevention Day (15 August 2018), supported by motoring safety experts, Thatcham Research. APIL campaigns to improve safety standards and is a not-for-profit organisation. [Read more…]

Wills Promotion success results in donation to Moray Foodbank

28/06/2018 Filed Under: Charitable Causes, Firm News, Making a Will

In November 2017, Grigor & Young ran a promotion, agreeing to donate £100 from each fee for preparation of a Will to Moray Foodbank.

In 2016, Moray Foodbank’s charitable work allowed them to help in excess of 2,000 people in Moray.

This is an essential service in alleviating the effects of food poverty.

The Foodbank relies heavily on public donations of food. Anyone to whom assistance is provided gets a minimum of 3 days’ food.

We are very happy that the wills promotion during November 2017 attracted a high level of interest. The income generated has been converted into donations to provide a sum of money to assist Moray Foodbank. [Read more…]

Licensing The Macallan’s £140 million boost to the Moray economy

06/06/2018 Filed Under: Firm News, News

The Macallan Distillery recently opened the doors to its new £140 million home.

The impressive new distillery and visitor experience is set to deliver a boost to the local tourism industry in Moray – and to the Scotch whisky industry as a whole.

At Grigor & Young, we are proud to have been a part of the process.

We handled the licensing matters in relation to the visitor experience. We worked closely with the team at The Macallan to deliver our professional and specialist services. [Read more…]

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