Choosing the right Attorney is so important!

It’s the start of a New Year and creating Lasting Powers of Attorney may be on your ‘To Do’ List – which is great, but have you thought about your attorney’s appointment carefully?

As has been widely reported the famous actress Margaret Wright (also known as Meg Wynn Owen) having appeared in ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ and ‘Love Actually’ was swindled out of her life savings by her friend, Brian Malam.

Mrs Wright appointed her friend, whom she had met on set, to look after her property and finances, which included paying her care home fees, but instead, he made Direct Debits to himself and spent the money on his business and alcohol.

This left Mrs Wright in a position of financial hardship and she was reduced to wearing the clothes of the former care home residents who had passed away. The staff even had to cut her hair!

Sadly, Mrs Wright passed away last year but Brian has been jailed for abusing his important position of trust and responsibility and committing fraud.

These stories are on the rise, especially where a professional has not been used to prepare the Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Careful consideration should be given when selecting attorneys, as they will have a great deal of responsibility if you no longer have the capacity. They should be trustworthy, have your best interests at heart, and be committed.

It is a good idea to give your chosen attorney(s) time to consider the role to ensure they are comfortable and know what is involved.

Your attorney can be a spouse, a partner, a civil partner, a family member, or a friend. You can also appoint a solicitor.

If you would like further information about Lasting Powers of Attorney and preparing the same then please contact us at enquiries@askewslegal.co or on 024 76 231000