On behalf of all the staff at Law Express we would like to wish you a very Happy New Year and if you haven’t already done so, spare a few moments to enter our prize draw to WIN an iPod Touch! which will be drawn at the end of March. Enter draw today >

Welcome to your January Legal point, where we have a number of helpful 2009 resolutions for you to consider.
As we look forward to 2009 with a degree of trepidation given the poor economic climate and an uncertain financial outlook, we anticipate an increased number of family-related calls in January which will be compounded by the problems of increased debt.
Post-Christmas family breakdown is not a new phenomenon but your team of friendly and approachable advisors at Law Express are here to help.

Business Resolutions A New Year brings new challenges to us all and if you’re running a business, here are some New Year resolutions for you to consider: Safeguard your staff: The current economic climate may be causing more gloom than usual during this post Christmas season. Workers may be under greater stress with worries of job losses for themselves or family members. Compassion and patience may be beneficial. Communicate with your workers: make sure your staff handbook is up to date and easily accessible. An electronic version is just as acceptable as a paper copy. Keep open all lines of communication with your workers if changes have to be made. Familiarise yourself with immigration rules (including document checking and status verification) and ensure you have adequate procedures in place. UK Border Agency helpline: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/contact/contactspage/contactcentres . Check your policies on social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo and consider limiting staff access to them during working hours. Don’t be tempted to use information about potential employees found on-line because it could leave you open to possible discrimination claims.

Personal Resolutions Forget business for a moment – what about you? We’ve got some New Year resolutions for you personally, other than the usual ‘going on a diet after too many mince pies’: Make a Will (or review your existing one). No one likes to think about this (and lawyers are the worst at it) but considering these things now could save money and family arguments. If you don’t want your money and property to go to your nearest relative you must make a Will. Assess your finances. If you are feeling overwhelmed it may help to get advice your situation with a debt helpline. Payplan and National Debtline are two we recommend – Links to both. www.direct.gov.uk www.payplan.com Own a property under a lease? Check the terms of your lease and ensure you are familiar with your obligations and those of your landlord. ‘Love thy neighbour’: try to avoid disputes by communicating with your neighbours if extensions and buildings works are planned, for example. Take particular care when any work involves boundaries – a frequent area of legal disputes.