Are your Trustees equipped to deal with the duties and responsibilities placed on them?

Trusts can offer great flexibility. They allow property to be ring-fenced; placing it in the hands of trustees who have wide powers to deal with it for the benefit of the named beneficiaries. They can be used to mitigate tax and to protect assets from third parties who might have claims over it. In most cases such trusts function perfectly, with the trustees fulfilling their obligations to the satisfaction of the beneficiaries in whose benefit they act.

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that an employer's unambiguous notice of termination can rarely be withdrawn. An employee will be able to take the notice at face value, unless the employer can show that it did not intend to terminate the contract. The decision highlights the serious consequences for employers of proceeding on the basis of a misunderstanding with employees.