Each year a small team from Gepp Solicitors put on their walking shoes and volunteer as stewards at the annual Essex Food and Farming Day. This fantastic event is organised by the Essex Agricultural Society and attracts around 3,000 school children from...
Gepp and Sons News
When we decided to look at how we might rebrand our firm of solicitors to both celebrate our 250th anniversary and bring our current brand up to date, we invited a number of East Anglian firms to talk to us. The team from Yellobelly stood out from the...
From the office to the court and not the Court you are thinking of! On Wednesday the firm’s netball team, Legal Eagles, played Finches in their second friendly netball match. Legal Eagles put in 100% effort throughout the whole game by working as a...
That’s it for another year, the marquee has been taken down and the flags packed away until the next event. Gepp Solicitors are proud to host a marquee with the Country Landowners and Business Association (CLA) at the annual Essex Young Farmers Show...
The Friends of Essex Churches Trusts annual Gepp Lecture will take place at St Christopher’s Church , Willingale, CM5 0SJ on Wednesday 16th May 2018. We are delighted that this years lecture will be given by Lord Petre. 18th Barron Petre will be...
St Michaels Church Of England Junior School Win Rotary Club Choir Competition Gepp & Sons were recently proud sponsors of the first Chelmsford and District Primary Schools Choir Competition presented by the Chelmsford Phoenix Rotary Club....
At Gepp and Son we know more than most that the City of Chelmsford is a great place to live and work. We have been looking after our clients in the Chelmsford area for 250 years. In a recent article published by The Sunday Times they reported that...
In early December we were approached to see whether we would be able to provide judges for the English Speaking Union Churchill Public Speaking Competition first round events that were to be held at King Edward VII Grammar School and New Hall School in...
During December the partners and staff of Gepp & Sons completed a series of fundraising activities, in aid of the Columbus School and College. Everything from baking and quizzes, raffles and singing helped raise what is looking like our biggest monthly...
The staff at Gepp & Sons Solicitors in Chelmsford are going to be dishing out some Festive Cheer on Wednesday 20 th December as their Christmas Choir performs carols and well known Christmas jingles in High Chelmer Shopping Centre all in the name of...
This year has been a particularly rewarding one for Gepp & Sons Solicitors LLP because we were nominated in two categories in the LawNet Awards 2017. Our New Business Team was nominated for the Team of the Year award for their salesmanship,...
What are you doing on the 27 th August? If you have nothing planned then why not treat yourself to a great day out at the Essex Dog Day . Gepp and Sons have been actively involved with this fantastic event since its conception and are delighted to...
Over the last few months, staff at Gepp & Sons have been raising money for their chosen charity of the year, Columbus School and College , a local school which caters for children and young people aged between 3 and 19 with profound and multiple...
A number of Gepp and Sons staff lead by Partner, David Springett took part in the 5k colour run on Saturday in Colchester. The event was to raise money for Headway a fantastic charity who provides expert care and support for...
The Essex Schools Showcase for the Arts launched this week in and around the High Chelmer shopping precinct in Chelmsford. The showcase is a celebration of visual and performance arts exhibited and displayed by students from fourteen local schools with...
Gepp & Sons are delighted that the Rt Hon Sir Ian Burnett has been appointed as the new Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the most senior judicial position in the Country. Sir Ian Burnett has been a regular supporter and Chairman of the panel of...
With the sun beating down and the temperature reaching a not so cool 27°, Gepp & Sons teamed up with a number of other local firms and business to walk for Charity. The Chelmsford Legal Walk is a 9km sponsored walk that sets off from New London...
Pictured below are the lucky winners of the Gepp & Sons Young Farmers Show prize draw being presented with their Poly pin of locally brewed golden ale from Round Tower Brewery. Mr & Mrs Beckett received their prize just in time for a sunny weekend...
Whilst everybody in Essex enjoyed the spectacular weather on Saturday, a team of 12 members of Gepp & Sons were stocking up on bacon sandwiches and hot tea before setting off to climb the hills of the stunning 950-metre high Helvellyn mountain range in...
Thousands of primary school children from across the county were out in full force at yesterday’s Essex Food and Farming day held at Writtle College. The event, now in it’s 10th year, is organised by the Essex Agricultural Society with whom Gepp...
We are just about finished with the clearing up from Sundays Essex Young Farmers Show. According to the Young Farmers website it was their busiest show ever... At some stages throughout the day it was standing room only in our marquee - all seats taken by...
Gepp & Sons are proud to have supported the Friends of Essex Churches Trust’s Annual General Meeting for many years. This year’s AGM will be held at St Mary’s Church, Saffron Walden on Wednesday 17 th May, and followed by the fifth...
Gepp & Sons are very pleased to announce that we will once again be attending the Essex Country Show on Sunday 21 st May 2017 at Boyton Hall, and it’s safe to say we’re excited. As a home-grown Essex law firm, we are proud to have worked...
Yesterday 70 of the county’s farmers and land owners braved a very blustery ‘ Dengie Peninsula’ to attend the CLA’s annual AGM. Gepp and Sons were delighted to sponsor the event which was held at the Stow Maries Aerodrome ,...
The case is a cautionary tale - the Defendant who was ordered to pay £24,500 in parking tickets when she was taken to court by a private parking company for failure to pay. Would you know the difference between a parking charge notice and a penalty charge notice? Do you know when you have to pay, and when you might be able to appeal?
The Supreme Court has today ruled unanimously in favour of Isle of Wight Council for issuing a fine of £120.00 to a father who took his child away on holiday during school term.
A woman in Scotland had refused to pay a private car parking company £18,500-worth in private parking notices issued to her for parking at Dundee's Waterfront. She argued that they were unenforceable.
Last Friday staff and clients at Gepp & Sons found the time to pile on the pounds in aid of Red Nose Day. Helping to keep everyone’s sugar levels up, cakes large and small were baked and donated by staff on what is always the busiest day of the...
Government plans will be revealed this summer that will impose sanctions on both landlords and employers who knowingly house or employ those who do not have permission to live and work in the UK. A Migration white paper will be prepared over the next few...
Yesterday I attended Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford to address visiting students from Beauchamps High School on the art of revising for that all important job interview. They spend weeks if not months revising for their exams but so little time...
Gepp & Sons are proud to have taken a modern approach to law since 1768. While our website (and the Internet, for that matter) has only existed for a tiny fraction of that time, we always make sure we roll with the times. That’s why we decided it...
The Issue Following Budget 2015, the rules for the taxation of dividends and interest were changed fairly dramatically. Here we look at the effect the changes have on a deceased's estate for income tax purposes but, first, let's review the changes...
The least serious cases of TV licence fee evasion will no longer result in a fine. Guidance issued by the Government allows magistrates to impose non-financial penalties on those who have failed to pay their TV licence fees, as long as they do not commit...
As a homegrown firm, supporting the local community is at the heart of what we do. Having been based in Essex since 1768, we have established a deep connection with the community and we believe it’s important for businesses to do their bit. The Gepp & Sons team are committed to Corporate Social Responsibility, and we are very proud of the team’s efforts to do their bit for charity. In this weeks blog, we run through some of the CSR and charity activities we’ve been getting up to and the important causes behind them.
A Woman who lost her long term partner has won a legal battle which is likely to improve pension rights for unmarried couples in the public sector Denise Brewster, following a legal fight, has won her case at the UK's highest court. Ms Brewster has been...
When I say everyone... Those of us who do not have the luxury of such a glamorous wardrobe were fined for being all 'bah-humbug' - helping to push the funds raised to a fantastic £186.00!!! So far across...
14th October 2016 marked the 25th anniversary of the substantive implementation of the Children Act 1989 which was introduced on 14 October 1991. The Association of Lawyers for Children (the ALC) has noted the anniversary, stating: "The introductory...
The first steps towards preparing the UK for a post-Brexit future were announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond in his Autumn Budget statement, with a focus on lower income households and business tax avoidance. The new Chancellor announced a reduced growth...
Over the Christmas period we know that every parent's top priority is to spend time with children and this can be difficult for parents who are separating When parents initially split each family is very different. One parent often moves out and many...
When Emma Morano was born, Umberto I was still reigning over Italy, Fiat had only just been established and Milan Football Club was still a few weeks off creation. On her 117th birthday, Emma will have celebrated life over three centuries. The oldest of...
‘This House would abolish the doctrine of Joint Enterprise’ This is the motion for this year's Gepp & Sons Schools Legal Debate 2016, which will be held at Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford from 6:30pm on Wednesday 9th November 2016. ...
The High Court has today rejected Theresa May's statement that the government can use its own prerogative powers to invoke Article 50 without Parliamentary approval. In the biggest challenge to Brexit yet, the Court found that the government does not...
The UK’s decision to withdraw from the European Union will have far reaching consequences for those who own and farm agricultural land. Few other sectors will be as heavily affected by the forthcoming changes. Edward Worthy, Partner and Head of Rural...
It is important to find the right solicitor to suit your individual case. If you have young children, it is essential you choose a solicitor who is a family specialist, familiar with the family courts and with dealing with child arrangements applications. If...
Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce from Brad Pitt on Monday 19 August 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple met in 2005 on the film set of Mr & Mrs Smith and married in 2014. The alleged reason Angelina has decided to initiate divorce...
Under proposed new laws, company bosses could be prosecuted for failing to stop their employees committing fraud. Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to tackle corporate crime. The government propose to extend the existing legislation by making employers...
Pakistan international bowler Saeed Ajmal passed on his top tips to youngsters on the Lord’s Taverners Wicketz Programme which was hosted at Felsted School near Great Dunmow last week. Off-spinner Ajmal, who played 35 tests and...
The coroner looking into the death of a young soldier at Deepcut army barracks has said that the barracks failed in its duty of care to young recruits. However, Coroner Brian Barker QC said there was no evidence Pte Cheryl James, 18, was unlawfully killed. ...
This evening will see the fourth annual Gepp Lecture organised by The Friends of Essex Churches Trus t. The lecture will be given by Lieutenant General Sir Barney White-Spunner KCB, CBE, former Commander of The Field Army and former...
The chancellor's 2016 Budget was a concerted attack on the buy-to-let market. Whilst most of the headline news was already announced in 2015 the actual legislation wasn't available until Budget day. The first change will be noticed when purchasing a...
Since the introduction in 2013 of fees of up to £1,200, tribunals saw an immediate decline in successful claims heard at tribunal. The Ministry of Justice published figures which show that only 6% of around 21,500 cases were successful at the end of...
Mark Constantine, founder of cosmetics company Lush, has employed a rather novel tactic in order to give the online retail giant, Amazon, a taste of its own medicine. Not satisfied with recently winning a High Court battle against Amazon over its...
This December sees the ten year anniversary of the first Civil Partnership for gay people take place in the UK. Since 2005 almost 140,000 people have entered into a civil partnership. The law has moved on since 2005 giving same sex couples the choice...
With a gathering of almost 70 prestigious law firms the competition was high at this year’s LawNet awards. A very pleased Steven Payne , Managing Partner of Gepp & Sons collected the coveted award for the ‘Most Active Law...
This year's debate took place at Anglia Ruskin University. Gepp & Sons were delighted to welcome a host of distinguished members of our community including the Deputy Mayor of Chelmsford, the Lord Lieutenant Lord Petre, the High Sheriff...
There are only seven more days to go before the annual ‘ Gepp & Sons Schools Legal Debate ’. On Wednesday the 18th eight schools from across the county of Essex will be going head to head at Anglia Ruskin University ,...
In a recent article published by the CLA, Natural England is currently working on a number of stretches of the England Coast Path in the eastern region. In Essex, Natural England has begun to investigate coastal access around Mersea Island, and between...
The Supreme Court is hearing two appeals in cases where convictions were gained under the doctrine of Joint Enterprise, which allows several people to be charged with the same offence, even though they may have played very different roles. Ameen Jogee and...
David Cameron has stated that the current Sunday trading hours do not work and has backed changes to the rules, despite opposition from many of is own MPs. Sunday trading laws currently do not allow large shops to open longer than six hours. The Prime...
‘The Only Way Is Tudors’ As promised, David Starkey most certainly did take us all on a white knuckle ride through Tudor Essex last Friday evening. Focussing on three dynasties, the De Vere, Petre and Marney families, David spoke with passion...
Last year more than 180,000 complaints were received by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) regarding “cold calls.” The most common cold calls regard payment protection insurance (PPI) and accident claims, but the scope of such...
Staff at Gepp & Sons relaxed their usual smart image last week to help raise money for Jeans for Genes day. All monies raised by the many thousands of participating businesses around the country help fund a range of initiatives that...
According to a report published by the BBC more than 30,000 alleged crimes linked to schools were reported to police in 2014. This is equivalent to 160 allegations per school day. Theft, burglary or robbery were the most common offence, with...
Property prices in Greater London are now 9.7 per cent more expensive this August compared to this time last year. Usually the holiday month of August shows a slight down turn in activity with many would be buyers and sellers being away....
Businesses have until 1st October to get ready for new consumer rights and dispute resolution procedures Consumers have new rights from October, including a 30-day period to claim a full refund on faulty goods and, for the first time, protections on...
The European Court of Justice has ruled that time spent travelling to and from first and last appointments by workers without a fixed office should be regarded as working time. The ruling is the latest in a series through European and UK courts reinforcing...
Managing Partner Steven Payne was on duty this Bank Holiday as he judged ‘Best in Show’ at the Essex Dog Day . The event set in the glorious grounds of Crix the Georgian mansion at Hatfield Peverel hosted thousands of...
Lambeth Council has become the UK's first council to ban the use of nitrous oxide as a recreational drug. Also known as ‘laughing gas’, nitrous oxide has been linked to 17 fatalities between 2006 and 2012. According to The Global Drug...
Recent figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) report a 30% increase in home-owners remortgaging in to new deals ahead of any possible rise in interest rates. During June 31,600 households changed their mortgage deals, compared to 24,300...
Reports that an extramarital dating site has been hacked recently may have given its customers more than the usual worry that accompanies news of cyber-crime. Following on the heels of many other high profile hacking cases, such as Sony in the United...
Budding young artists from Schools from across the county displayed ‘the best of the best’ at this week’s Show Case for the Arts. For a number of years Gepp and Sons have been pleased to support this and other art projects helping the youth...
A team of six Gepp & Sons employees participated in this year's LawNet Challenge to climb Scafell Pike Mountain in the stunning Lake District National Park. The apparently innocuous hills and peaks were quite deceptive and proved to be a challenge...
The amount of money paid to informants who inform on those who avoid tax has increased by 50% to a record high of £605,000. According to an article recently published in the Daily Telegraph 250 people a day are tipping off the authorities,...
This years lecture will be given by Dr Rowan Williams (Lord Williams of Oystermouth), Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, on ‘HOW BUILDINGS TELL A STORY’. Refreshments will be served from 7.45 pm. All are welcome. No charge is made for...
Partner Michael Callaghan led a team of Gepps finest lawyers beating a number of prestigious barristers chambers as well as many other regional law firms. Will it be third time luck next year?...
The pace of modern life is such that families spend little time together, one occasion when they do is Christmas. Many couples experience additional stress, be it emotional and/or financial, so much so matters often come to a head and boil over. Before...
With lower interest rates and purchaser initiatives such as the Help to Buy scheme, first-time buyers found houses and flats more affordable in the last year, despite rising prices An estimated 326,500 people purchased their first home last year - a rise of...
As of December 4th 2014 there will be a major shake-up in the way Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is calculated. Further details of the changes hot from the Chancellor's Autumn Statement can be found here ...
The article went on to report that a decade of shifts could age the brain by more than six years. Apparently there was some recovery after people stopped working antisocial shifts, but it took five years to return to normal. The above is not legal advice;...
The event is open to sixth form college students offering them a fun and educational insight into the legal system as well as giving them the opportunity to put their mooting skills to the test. The event involves 8 teams who debate a specified legal...
When the changes come into effect, the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations will give consumers the right to unwind contracts, claim a discount or raise a claim for damages against businesses who have subjected them to misleading or...
Over the last three years this event has raised just under £150,000 for PARC a wonderful Braintree based children's charity. PARC (Play and Resource Centre) provides a safe environment for disabled children in which to play. Over 480 Essex families...
Gepp & Sons are pleased to welcome new Partner, Darren Goodey, to the firm. Darren, who joins the firm in September, previously worked for fifteen years with a large private sector organisation in London as their in-house legal advisor,...
A high percentage of couples are choosing to cohabit rather than enter into formal marriage or a civil partnerships. Furthermore, a rising proportion of these couples are also choosing to start their families outside marriage. Unfortunately cohabiting...
A leaked document seen by the BBC has revealed that after four years of negotiation, the entertainment industry bodies have come to an agreement with internet service providers (ISPs) as to how they should tackle illegal downloading of copyrighted material...
In this case, Lock v British Gas Trading Ltd, Mr Lock was an energy sales consultant whose commission accounted for approximately 60% of his salary. He decided to bring a claim to the Employment Tribunal on discovering that, following a period of...
US billionaire Donald Sterling looks set to lose his Los Angeles Clippers basketball team over racist remarks recorded by his ex-mistress and Richard Scudamore has been hauled over the carpet by the Premier League for sexist banter in emails that were...
Thursday the 15th of May saw the second 'Gepp Lecture' at the Friends of Essex Churches Trusts Annual General Meeting. Held in the C12 St Andrews Church , Hatfield Peverel, The lecture was in remembrance of the late Thomas Gepp -...
The UK’s probate sector has enhanced its performance over the last year, turning around thousands of client applications in just seven working days. Latest reports suggest the Probate Service has significantly improved its efficiency, issuing 161,000...
This year's lecture will be held this evening (Thursday 15th May) and presented by the Rt Revd Graeme Knowles CVO, formerly Bishop of Sodor and Man and Dean of St Paul's. The annual General Meeting will commence at 7.15pm followed by refreshments at...
If the claim is successful, the staff may be eligible to claim back six years' worth of pay from Asda. The proceedings will establish if pay discrepancies exist within Asda's equal value jobs. The case is due to be heard within the next two months...
International estate agents Knight Frank has issued figures demonstrating that during the two years to June 2013, 69% of such new build homes were bought by non-British buyers. Further, almost half of the buyers were not resident in the UK and thus...
Historically, the ‘last straw’ doctrine has been used by employees to assert that an apparently trivial event has resulted in a serious erosion of the employer/employee relationship when viewed in light of the previous behaviour of that...
In Sunlife the Court of Appeal ruled that they were satisfied with the trial judge’s method of valuing the demised premises for dilapidations purposes. The case centred on a dispute over leases of a 1970s Soho office block, which were...
From 1st January 2014 new libel laws will protect people expressing opinions from being sued. The law will be brought up to date as the law of defamation was considered to be old fashioned and out of touch. The Defamation Act 2013 will reverse the...
The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has announced that a law enabling people to ascertain whether their partner has a history of domestic violence, will be expanded across all of England and Wales from March 2014. The initiative is affectionately named by the...
What is the connection between these items of cultural heritage? Sculptures by Barbara Hepworth in Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens Works by Corot and Degas at the National Gallery and the Courtauld Gallery Handwritten lyrics by John Lennon at the...
Recently Dyson, the UK appliance company famous for its bagless vacuum cleaners, started legal proceedings against one of its competitors, Bosch, alleging that Bosch has unlawfully obtained secret technology and intellectual property from it. A high court...
A recent court decision that has received a lot of press attention is the ruling that the Kraft-owned branded Cadbury has won a trademark battle with Nestlé and has been allowed to trademark Pantone 2685C (the creamy purple used with Cadburys Dairy...
Ms Young has argued that forensic evidence establishes that her former husband had assets of £700m two years after declaring himself bankrupt. Her barrister informed the court that Mr. Young had access to large sums that were “secreted in...