Recognition for two Cartmell Shepherd solicitors
July 21st 2026Two members of the Wills, Probate and Inheritance team at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors have been promoted, rewarding them for the high level of expertise they bring to the team. Claire Wilson, who heads up the West Cumbrian office in Cockermouth is now Head of Trusts, while Robert Hudson, who is based at Rosehill, Carlisle, has become Head of Agricultural Wills and Probate. Claire has been a solicitor for 18 years…
Internal company messages ‘can be protected by legal advice privilege’
July 14th 2026A company’s internal messages can be covered by legal advice privilege, even if no lawyer is involved, the High Court has found in a decision addressing a long-running uncertainty in English law. Mark Aspin Director and Head of Dispute Resolution reports on this recent case. The ruling came in Aabar Holdings S.À.R.L. v Glencore plc & Ors, where the court was asked to decide whether privilege applies only to communications between lawyers and…
Network Rail worker ‘unfairly dismissed after years of workplace bullying’
July 7th 2026An employment tribunal has ruled that a Network Rail employee was unfairly dismissed after years of workplace bullying and racial harassment which managers failed to deal with properly. Jennifer Cafferky, Associate Solicitor in our Employment Team, reports on this recent case. The tribunal heard that Parm Singh Bassi had worked for the company for 24 years before his dismissal. The case centred on a long-running breakdown in workplace relationships at a…
Renters’ Rights Act is just the start there are more reforms to come
July 2nd 2026The Renters’ Rights Act came into force across England on 1 May 2026, marking the most significant overhaul of private renting in decades. While the changes have already been widely publicised, the government has made clear that this legislation is only the first stage of a broader reform programme, with further measures expected over the coming years. Hayley Howells, Apprentice Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. The…
Pension Inheritance Tax Changes: Why 2026 is the year to review your estate planning
June 26th 2026From 6 April 2027, the Government intends to bring most unused pension funds and death benefits within the scope of Inheritance Tax (IHT). This represents one of the most significant changes to estate planning in recent years and may affect many individuals who have viewed pensions as one of the most tax-efficient ways to pass wealth to future generations. Amy Shaw, Legal Assistant in our Wills, Probate & Inheritance Team…
Success for Cumbrian legal experts
June 23rd 2026One of Cartmell Shepherd’s Apprentice Solicitors is celebrating the next step in his legal career. Joseph Halvorsen has completed his Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQEs) and been admitted to the national roll of solicitors. Meanwhile, his colleague Carolina Brianezi- Melchior has finished stage one of her SQEs as well as receiving the joint highest score for her MA Law degree cohort nationally at the University of Law. Joseph has qualified into…
Nestlé worker ‘unfairly dismissed’ after refusing to admit vaping
June 10th 2026An employment tribunal has ruled that a Nestlé employee was unfairly dismissed after being accused of vaping in workplace toilets, despite accepting that the company had reasonable grounds to believe the misconduct had taken place. Jennifer Cafferky, Associate Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. The case involved a long-serving technical operator who was dismissed for gross misconduct after a factory fire alarm was triggered in October 2023.…
Court clarifies ‘parental responsibility’ for fathers named on birth certificates
June 4th 2026The Court of Appeal has ruled that a man wrongly named as a child’s father on a birth certificate does not automatically gain parental responsibility if he is not the child’s biological father. Amy Fallows Senior Associate Solicitor & Head of our Family Law team provides an update. In an important judgment dealing with three separate family law appeals, senior judges said the legal meaning of “father” under the Children Act 1989 is…
Nuffield Health trainer awarded £148k after raising MOD safety concerns
May 27th 2026A Nuffield Health employee has been awarded £148,000 after an employment tribunal found she suffered detriment and was constructively dismissed following concerns she raised about Ministry of Defence fitness testing procedures. Jennifer Cafferky, Associate Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. The tribunal heard that the claimant, a personal trainer, raised concerns in June 2022 about the way a pre-joining fitness test had been conducted. She believed that…
Councils to receive £41m to help enforce Renters’ Rights Act
May 18th 2026Councils across England are to receive £41 million in new funding to help enforce the Renters’ Rights Act, which came into effect on 1 May. Rob Winder Senior Associate Chartered Legal Executive and Head of Property Litigation in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. The funding is intended to support local authorities in carrying out new legal duties, including overseeing a ban on “no-fault” evictions and tackling rogue landlords. Ministers said the…
