Overlawyered in the UK

[John Gear]

http://www.samefacts.com/2013/01/blogging/the-mystery-of-posts-with-a-long-tail/

1. • • Daniel says:

       January 28, 2013 at 7:53 am

       Exactly.

       Here in sunny Jersey (Channel Islands) a benevolent, and wealthy, citizen (and he truly was both) left a large property to the States of Jersey (island’s government) to be used “for the benefit of aged, infirm and needy residents of the island”

       In a States meeting the Minister in charge of property said that this meant that persons benefitting form the bequest would have to be aged AND needy AND infirm. I said, with respect, I have studied linguistics, and what you have just said is utter nonsense. Commas, in lists such as this, denote additon: aged people, infirm people and needy people can all benefit from the bequest.

       Oh no, he said, that is the LEGAL advice we have received. So there you have it, lawyers are . . .

       It matters a lot, because said building lies next to the new Town Park in our capital, and it would make a fantastic cmmunity centre linking out to the park, which has been designed for this to happen.

       BUT some . . . lawyer is making this well nigh impossible.

       Hopefully, with the passage of time the people in charge change, the legal advice quietly gets forgotten (or it changes 180 degrees) and we can all get on with it.