Business Law

The government is introducing a series of changes to increase the flexibility and capacity of the employment tribunal system during the Covid-19 pandemic. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment & HR provides an update. The new measures will also allow tribunals to deal with increasing caseloads, following the abolition of employment tribunal fees in July 2017. It means there will be more remote hearings so tribunals can hear more…

A TRIO of expert lawyers from a leading law firm which operates across Cumbria and Northumberland have been highlighted for praise in UK professional rankings. Three members of Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors’ Agriculture and Estates team have received the accolade from the Legal 500 which analyses the capabilities of law firms across the world. Cartmell Shepherd’s director and head of agriculture Jonathan Carroll and director Mark Jackson have both been highlighted…

The government is extending the temporary measures it introduced to protect businesses from insolvency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mark Aspin Director & Head of Dispute Resolution provides an update. The measures are contained in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act and were due to expire on 30th September 2020. They will now continue until the end of the year and in some cases, into next year. They include: companies and…

We are experiencing probably the toughest year most of us have known in our business lives. Thankfully, there has been support available to help us through the crisis.  On 24th September Rishi announced further measures of support including: a new job support scheme; an extension to the self-employment income support scheme; an extension to the repayment period for bounce back loans; the extension of the 5% VAT rate for the…

As Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors are proud members of the UK200Group we are able to share with you the following comments from several members of the UK200Group on the Winter Economy Plan: SMEs and the Winter Economy Plan – the UK200Group Verdict  The UK200Group is the UK’s leading professional services group of independent quality assured chartered accountancy and law firms. The aim of the UK200Group is to help members help their clients. They…

An employer must honour payments set out in a settlement agreement with an employee even though he breached a confidentiality clause. By Claire Davies Director That was the decision of the High Court in a case involving Duchy Farm Kennels Ltd and Graham William Steels. Mr Steels had brought claims against Duchy in the Employment Tribunal. A settlement agreement was negotiated in which Duchy agreed to pay Steels £15,000 by…

Sam Lyon, Head of Corporate and Commercial, notes that insolvency experts are expecting a large rise in the number of companies going out of business towards the end of the year. He would urge anyone who is concerned about the future of their own business, a customer or supplier to seek advice as early as possible. Doing so will give them more options about their next step and allow them…

A HIGHLY experienced legal expert who has been working at the heart of the Cumbria business community for 16 years has landed a top job with a leading law firm. Sam Lyon, 39, has joined Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors as Head of Corporate and Commercial. Sam, who has senior experience at both Burnetts and Cumberland Building Society, is looking forward to working with businesses of all shapes and sizes, including SMEs…

COLLABORATION continues to be key for Cumbrian businesses – and a popular webinar returns this week, looking at how redundancy impacts on mental health. As the furlough scheme winds down further and more businesses look to restructure and potentially make redundancies NXT.V’s latest webinar discusses the impact on mental health for both employers and employees. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors’ Head of Employment Law and HR Joanne Stronach is among this week’s…

The government has issued guidance on employment rights for people who have to go into quarantine when returning to the UK from abroad. By Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment & HR Currently, people returning must self-isolate for 14 days unless they’re travelling from a country with a quarantine exemption. The list changes regularly so it’s best to check before travelling and before returning. The guidance, issued by the…