The Legal 500

111 QUEENS ROAD, WEYBRIDGE, KT13 9UW, ENGLAND
Tel:
Work 01932 858833
Fax:
Fax 01932 857249
DX:
30914 WEYBRIDGE
Web:
www.crellinscarter.co.uk
Email:

This Surrey-based firm is a niche private client practice with a national reputation for matrimonial work for discerning individuals. It offers all private client services, including conveyancing and advice on wills, trusts and probate. A full range of company and commercial services are offered, including property, employment and business law.

The firm: Established as Crellins in 1969 in Kingsway, London WC2, it grew rapidly through acquisition and organic expansion and had a number of regional offices in Surrey and Middlesex, as well as a West End office by 1980. Crellins merged with Bryan Carter in 2007 to form Crellins Carter. It now operates from a single modern office in Weybridge, offering efficient services to upmarket private clients and to small- and medium-sized businesses and companies.

The firm aims to form a close relationship with its clients and to retain them for many years. In general it succeeds in this aim. The quality of its services is comparable with its competitors in the City of London; they are, however, supplied at a more reasonable cost, particularly for private clients.

Types of work undertaken: All aspects of divorce and separation are handled, including arrangements for the welfare of children and a fair division of family assets, including the matrimonial home. The firm has experience of pre-nuptial agreements, business valuations and offshore cases. It emphasises negotiation and agreement rather than conflict and confrontation. It also advises on family protection, domestic violence, injunctions, wardship, adoption and care proceedings for children. This department also specialises in cohabitee disputes, Children Act applications, TLATA cases and Living Together Agreements.

Domestic conveyancing is a specialism, offering sympathetic but realistic guidance and advice.

Private and commercial leases and tenancy matters are handled for both landlords and tenants, varying from medium-term leases of commercial premises to shorter-term leases and domestic leases for the letting of houses or flats and short-term tenancy agreements. Rent reviews, renewals, claims for dilapidation, proceedings for possession and rent arrears are dealt with on a regular basis.

Commercial conveyancing includes all types of freehold and leasehold property transactions, and guidance on development and option dealing at all levels. In additon the firm also specialises in all property aspects of telecommunications, which includes granting of leases, lease renewals assignments as well as specialised advice on the telecommunications code. The firm has a strong reputation for alcohol licensing providing specialist knowledge for all types of licensing act 2003.

All aspects of wills, trusts and probate are dealt with, including tax liability, as well as powers of attorney and Court of Protection orders granted to administer the affairs of those who can no longer manage their own affairs.

All types of civil litigation are dealt with on a regular basis for both commercial and private clients.

Company and commercial advice ranges from incorporating a company and managing and administering its affairs to taxation, service contracts and liabilities of directors. Takeovers and amalgamations are handled, as well as negotiation of contracts for supply of goods and services. Employment law is a specialism.

Breakdown of work %
Matrimonial/family 55
Commercial 10
Probate/trusts/wills and private client work 10
Domestic conveyancing 25

Number of UK partners 3
Number of other UK fee-earners 3

Above material supplied by Crellins Carter.

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • HOUSING

    In Nzinga Maswaku v Westminster City Council [2012] EWCA Civ 669 the Court of Appeal clarified that in offering a homeless person with alternative temporary accommodation the local authority is obliged to point that if the offer is refused it has discharged its Part VII duties under the Housing Act 1996.
    - 11KBW
  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW
  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW
  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW
  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW
  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW
  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW
  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue: