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National Conference 2026

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

The case study synopsis is below. To read the full case study, please click here

To make things more fun, please read the full case study in advance of the conference and jot down how you would approach this scenario and your key considerations. You can then compare your notes with the experts.

The Best is Yet to Come

Eleanor Rigby was born in 1966, is 60, and is a consultant solicitor working part time in London. She currently lives with her partner Debbie, who is 40 and unemployed.

Eleanor married Edward Adams in 1994 and retained her surname. Their daughter, Victoria, was born in 1996 with severe disabilities. Edward became her primary carer while Eleanor advanced her legal career. Edward disappeared in 2010; Eleanor claimed on his life insurance in 2017 and placed the proceeds in a trust for Victoria. In 2018, Victoria moved into supported living, funded by the trust.

Eleanor is considering a civil partnership with Debbie and has discussed this with Harry, her father’s son from a previous marriage.

Maria, now approaching 90 is reviewing her affairs. She is concerned about Debbie’s influence on Eleanor and wants to ensure that compensation money intended for Victoria remains protected. Maria and George had agreed not to change their wills to treat all children equally, but Maria is now questioning whether she can redirect her share to Victoria’s trust. She also reveals she has cancer and, while she has both types of LPAs in place naming Eleanor and Harry, she wishes to discuss making a living will.

Our Speakers

LPAs and care planning

Interaction between advance decisions and health and welfare LPAs
Should Maria be updating her LPA as well as making an advance decision – when were the existing LPAs made, and do they need to be reviewed?
Do Eleanor and Harry need to know about the potential conflict? What if Maria doesn’t want to tell them?
Paying for care – lifetime gifts and deliberate deprivation
Asset protection from care fees – annuity?
Other considerations – Eleanor’s relationship and potential predatory influence – will this affect her role as an attorney?
Decision making for Victoria – anything in place? (could be post conference topic)

Wills and estate planning

Mutual wills
IHT – RNRB on rental properties
Estate planning – George’s and Maria’s compensation payments – Victoria’s trust now or on death / other options
Concerns about Eleanor’s predatory relationship – undue influence – reason for redirecting funds?

Forfeiture and assisted dying

Spotting the signs – Maria mentions helping George end his suffering
Impact on assets passing by will and by survivorship
Impact on the compensation payment now due to the estate
Applications for relief from forfeiture – can Eleanor simply agree to vary or is she potentially complicit if she helped Maria administer George’s estate?

Infected Blood Scandal

How the scheme operates
Infected person claims – paying and planning options when person deceased
Affected person claims – payment and planning options when still alive – trust?
Impact on planning options if proposed changes to secondary transfers come into force

Wellbeing for legal professionals

Building supportive working environments at different life stages
Why we need to look after our own mental health so we can be our best selves for our clients
Attrition rate of women in senior leadership roles – caring responsibilities across generations
Trauma informed practice – recognising and navigating trauma-based responses

Tackling end of life conversations

Advance planning
Understanding the dying process
Understanding death anxiety as a barrier to effective planning and preparation
Starting with values and meaning, not decisions or paperwork
Helping families navigate complex and challenging dynamics
The impact of having, or not having, these conversations on family and care decisions