The increasing ease with which people can move abroad to live and work has led to a rise in relationships between individuals of different nationalities.

We live, we are told, in an age of independence, when individuals possess more ability to take control of their lives than any previous era in history.

There are few words in the English language which generate such a response as 'recession'.

The only way to ensure that your wishes are adhered to - whether you're married or not - is by having a will. It might not surprise anyone that I firmly recommend them but the countless difficulties experienced in cases on which I have advised where no will was present, make all too clear how the time spent putting in place a clear plan for your assets, is very well spent providing peace of mind for you and your family.

Britain's financial climate is every bit as chilly as the inclement wintry weather at the moment. Politicians, bankers and business titans are struggling hard to maintain confidence in the economy as evidence mounts of a possible return to recession.

The business of dividing up someone's assets after they've died is never a pleasant one but is usually relatively straightforward.