Free will review offer launched by top legal firm
November 7th 2018A LEGAL company has launched a service which offers free will reviews for residents of West Cumbria. Staff at the Dovenby branch of Cartmell Shepherd are welcoming local residents to join them for a 30 minute consultation. They have decided to offer this service because many people unwittingly have wills which are out of date and no longer fit for purpose. The consequences can be seismic, with families potentially plunged…
Landlord stops leaseholder letting out flat on Airbnb
November 5th 2018Elizabeth Crouch Senior Solicitor A landlord has succeeded in legal action to prevent a leaseholder letting out his flat on short-term lets using websites such as Airbnb. The landlord was the freeholder of a building which had been converted into flats. Many of the flats had been sub-let by the leaseholders on assured shorthold tenancies, usually for a minimum of six months. One of the tenants started using his flat…
Call for evidence to combat late payments to small businesses
November 2nd 2018Mark Aspin, Director and Head of Dispute Resolution The government is urging businesses to highlight their experiences of late payment and put forward ideas to ensure earlier settlement, especially by large companies. One in four UK businesses say that late payments are a threat to their survival. Research by the Federation of Small Businesses suggests that prompt payments could add £2.5 billion to the UK economy and keep an extra…
Legal services sector in Cumbria ‘should be celebrated’ says leading lawyer
November 1st 2018ONE of Cumbria’s leading lawyers has labelled the county’s presence in an influential industry index as ‘outstanding’. Peter Stafford, the managing director of Cartmell Shepherd, said the verdict delivered this week by the Legal 500 underlines the quality of services across the county. A number of Cumbria businesses were named in the annual report, underlining the degree to which law firms in the county can offer a comprehensive package of…
‘Giveaway budget’ but no rise in inheritance tax allowances
October 30th 2018Deborah Flynn, Head of our Wills Probate & Inheritance Team considers recent budget results. Chancellor Philip Hammond surprised political commentators by producing what’s been described as a “giveaway budget” featuring tax cuts and increased public spending. While many people will welcome the increase in personal tax allowance and extra funds for services like the NHS, there was also some disappointment that there was no increase in inheritance tax allowances and the…
Woman subjected to sexual advances at work awarded £24,000
October 29th 2018Joanne Stronach, Head of Employment & HR considers a recent sexual harassment case in the Employment Tribunal. An employer who told a woman that sexual advances from a Spanish colleague were just cultural differences has been ordered to pay her £24,000 compensation. The woman, who has not been named, worked for Lincolns Care Ltd, supporting people with mental health and learning disabilities. While she was at work, a colleague, Juan…
Expert’s plea in light of ‘wicked’ Cumbria doctor’s Will abuse
October 26th 2018A LEGAL expert has spoken about the importance of ensuring wills are properly drafted after a doctor was jailed for defrauding a wealthy widow. David Tew today issued a ‘do it right’ plea following the case of Zholia Alemi, who was last week imprisoned for five years after faking the will of elderly Gillian Belham. Alemi had been asked to rule on the wellbeing of dementia sufferer Mrs Belham. But…
“Holly – you’re hired!”
October 22nd 2018A law firm has joined the country’s elite – by appointing a rising star as its first solicitor apprentice. The traineeships are usually the reserve of big city firms, but Cartmell Shepherd has stepped up and made history in Cumbria. The move to offer what is thought to be the county’s first solicitor apprenticeship was made by managing director, Peter Stafford, who told Holly Moxon “You’re hired.” Holly, 20, of…
Key steps for child arrangements if you’re getting divorced
October 22nd 2018By Laura Ousby Solicitor Couples face several new challenges when getting divorced but one of the most important is deciding what will happen to the children. Will they live with mum or dad…or both at different times? How much contact should each parent have? How much will each parent pay towards their children’s upkeep? These can be complicated issues but it’s crucial that couples make the right decisions if they’re…
Sisters allowed to correct error to benefit from family trust
October 15th 2018By Claire Wilson Associate Solicitor Two sisters have been allowed to correct an error in a family trust that would have prevented them from benefiting in the way intended when the document was drawn up. The sisters were aged 58 and 56. When their mother died in 2005, they had inherited equally her 50% share of the house that she and their father owned. For tax reasons, they created a…
