Should You Outsource or Hire? New Guide Helps Employers Decide
October 6th 2025With changes to employment law and increased payroll costs, many UK businesses are asking: Should we hire in-house or outsource? As a proud member of the UK200Group, we are delighted to share this new guide “Outsourcing for Employers” – which walks you through the costs and considerations of both approaches. We explore: Key changes to employment rights and sick pay The hidden costs of hiring (from recruitment to training) How outsourcing…
Director’s ‘sincere belief’ no defence to breach of duty, rules Court of Appeal
September 30th 2025The Court of Appeal has ruled that a company director cannot avoid liability for breaching duties by arguing that they acted sincerely in what they thought was the best interests of the business. Lewis Jackson, Trainee Solicitor working in our Business Services team, reports on this recent case: The case, Saxon Woods Investments Ltd v Costa, concerned a shareholders’ agreement which required the parties to “work together in good faith…
Home-grown talent joins legal firm’s top-ranked agriculture team
September 11th 2025A Cumbrian legal firm has welcomed one of its newly qualified solicitors to its nationally recognised agriculture team. Sam Fawcett began his legal career with Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors two years ago and has joined the firm’s agriculture department after qualifying as a solicitor earlier this month. Raised on his family’s dairy farm at Blencow, near Penrith, Sam brings first-hand agricultural experience to the legal firm, which operates across Cumbria and…
Most landlords ‘unaware they’re legally required to have an EPC’
September 8th 2025A new report by The Mortgage Works reveals a striking lack of awareness among UK landlords about energy efficiency rules – with 62% unaware that having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal requirement for rental properties. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. This widespread knowledge gap could undermine the government’s ambition to make the rental sector greener, with new minimum energy standards due…
WhatsApp exchange created binding contract, High Court rules
August 27th 2025A High Court judge has ruled that a brief exchange of WhatsApp messages was enough to create a legally binding construction contract worth nearly £250,000 – even though one party never signed any formal agreement. Rob Winder Senior Associate Chartered Legal Executive and Head of Property Litigation in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. In Jaevee Homes Ltd v Fincham, Deputy High Court Judge Roger ter Haar KC found that all the…
Prison officer who resigned over racism wins tribunal claim
July 29th 2025A prison officer who was racially abused and ostracised by colleagues at a high-security Kent prison has won his case for race discrimination, harassment and constructive unfair dismissal. Jennifer Cafferky, Associate Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. Uzo Mbonu, who was born in Nigeria and worked at HMP Swaleside from 2018 until his resignation in 2023, brought claims before the Employment Tribunal, alleging he was targeted, isolated,…
Cartmell Shepherd restructures Dispute Resolution team to highlight specialisms
July 29th 2025Leading law firm Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has announced three senior promotions this week, as part of a move to highlight specialisms within its Dispute Resolution team. Director and Head of Dispute Resolution Mark Aspin said: “Dispute Resolution encompasses a broad spectrum of legal work. While our team deals with the majority of ‘Civil Disputes’, we also employ recognised specialists in the areas of Will & Inheritance Disputes, Property Disputes, and Court of Protection,…
Landlords urged to turn to High Court to combat eviction delays
July 28th 2025Landlords facing long delays in evicting tenants are being urged to consider High Court enforcement as a quicker alternative to the overstretched County Court system. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) says landlords in parts of England and Wales are waiting more than a year in some cases to recover possession of their properties, even after being granted…
Lidl worker wins age discrimination case over redundancy scoring
July 18th 2025An employment tribunal has ruled that Lidl unfairly dismissed a senior construction consultant and discriminated against him because of his age after marking him down in a redundancy process for not having a degree. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment reports on this recent case. Mr Wayne Norman, who was over 60 at the time of his dismissal in 2023, was one of three senior construction consultants competing for a…
Directors ordered to pay £1m for defending hopeless insolvency petition
July 16th 2025Two company directors have been ordered to personally pay the costs of a creditors’ petition to wind up their firm, after the High Court found they pursued a speculative and self-interested defence they did not believe in. Carly Davies, our Debt Control Manager, reports on this recent case. Mrs Justice Joanna Smith ruled that Paul Hilton and Matthew Welsh, directors of MPB Developments Ltd, were the “real parties” behind the company’s failed…
