For lawyers working in the family law and private practice areas, a new book will develop further understanding in helping to prevent the financial abuse of older clients.
Financial Abuse of Older Clients: Law, Practice and Prevention written by Ann Stanyer is described as being written in a practical, accessible style and offers comment and in-depth analysis aimed at helping solicitors and others be proactive when it comes to protecting their older clients.
The book covers issues such as defining financial abuse, who’s vulnerable to it, likely perpetrators and what forms financial abuse can take. It also goes into the typical actions taken by someone financially harming another, the kind of losses that might result and what should be done when it is discovered.
Ms Stanyer’s book includes case analysis and statistics from Court of Protection cases (2014-2016). The author is a partner in the private client department of the legal firm, Wedlake Bell, and has many years of experience of working with vulnerable clients. She says her reasons for writing the book are to increase awareness among professionals and policy-makers to prevent abuse of the elderly and vulnerable.
Useful chapters include Safeguarding Powers, which looks at where local authorities become involved in the protection of older people, and Investigation and Recovery of Assets, which provides guidance for attorneys and deputies about what they can do to achieve this.
Another book along the same lines is solicitor Justin Patten’s about to be published A Practical Guide to Elderly Law which focuses on the main legal and negotiation issues such as inheritance claims, will validity, trusts, the Court of Protection, mediation, other forms of negotiation and dealing with difficult executors.
Daniel Curran, Finders International managing director and founder, said: “Proper care of vulnerable people is an important issue for us, and books such as the two above will be useful resources for all family law practitioners and other professionals.
“Healthcare, wills and inheritance all need to be given careful consideration. At Finders International, we have worked on numerous cases where a statutory will application has been made or needs to be drawn up.
“A statutory will is often made for someone who doesn’t have the mental capacity to make a will for themselves – perhaps because they have Alzheimer’s or dementia, or they’ve been the victim of an accident or illness that has caused brain damage.
“Another factor to consider when it comes to vulnerable people is that those in receipt of adult social care often die intestate. We can help trace the next of kin for a client, as a statutory will can’t be made until there is knowledge of the rightful heirs to this person’s estate. We will do all we can to find the beneficiaries, and we are happy to meet any deadlines involved.”
Financial Abuse of Older Clients: Law Practice and Prevent by Ann Stanyer is published by Bloomsbury Professional and costs £60.