Member Article

Region's only paralegal firm opens first office

THE region’s only paralegal partnership has moved into its first office.

Late Life Planning North provides a range of legal and financial services which include will writing, lasting power of attorney documentation, equity release, low-cost probate, pre-paid funeral plans, long-term care planning and lifetime asset protection trusts.

The company was founded by Peter Hamilton Collins and Marilyn Anne Mason in 2016 and moved into its first office in Teapot Studios in Hoults Yard recently.

Peter explained: “Paralegals are common in the United States, but rare in the UK. We can execute many services offered by a solicitor, but at a fraction of the cost. While our team can deal with a wide range of services, we also work closely with a team of trusted barristers, solicitors, trust corporations and other professionals to provide further services.”

Peter and Marilyn launched the company while still working for respected Lowes Financial Management.

“I’d been with Lowes for more than 37 years and had more than 400 clients across the UK and beyond. The company was kind enough to allow us to set up my own business while still working with them,” said Peter.

“Late Life Planning was doing well and we were working from my home office. About six months ago Lowes approached me and asked Late Life Planning would become their official estate planner and of course I said yes.

“Business increased considerably and I realised we needed far more space and asked mu=y co-paralegal Grant Reynolds to look for a new office. Hoults Yard is close to where he lives and we were impressed by the facilities and friendliness of the place, so signed up straight away,” he added.

Peter is a Chartered Financial Planner, a Fellow of the Institute of Paralegals and a Member of the Society of Will Writers. Born in Gosforth, he left school and travelled to Australia as part of a band in the late 1960s. He returned to the UK three years later to become a suit salesman on the Kings Road in London. In the mid 1970s came back to Tyneside where he bought a sandwich bar next to the Theatre Royal in Newcastle. The sandwich bar became a boutique wine shop and Peter then opened Newcastle’s first Greek after buying the shop next door. Peter then joined Lowes in 1984.

“I learned so much at Lowes – I wasn’t ready to retire so that’s why I set up Late Life Planning, I didn’t want to waste all that experience. Potential clients can rest assured – you will have an advisor with three decades of experience on wills, taxation, paralegal work, trusts and more than 35 years of sitting in front of thousands of people who need advice – that’s very different to most High Street lawyers or will writers,” he said.

“We take a professional, holistic approach to advising clients. Marilyn, Grant and I talk to people at length to understand what they really want, and then advise on a suitable solution. We’re the only paralegal practice in the region, as far as I know, possibly the only one in England,” he added.

Hoults Yard is owned and run by business centre operator HyHubs, which also runs Haylofts in Haymarket and Hypoint in Gateshead.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hoults Yard .