Wife awarded £13m in divorce case as judge criticises husband
March 30th 2026A woman has been awarded just over £13m following a long-running financial dispute with her former husband, a businessman, after a 20-year relationship. Sarah Tweedie, Associate Solicitor in our Family Law team, reports on this recent case. Mr Justin Warshaw KC, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge in the Family Court, ruled that the settlement should leave the wife with around 43% of the couple’s total wealth, worth more…
Security officer called ‘mummy’ by colleagues awarded £69k compensation
March 23rd 2026A female security officer who was repeatedly called “mummy” by male colleagues and subjected to sexist and racist behaviour at work has been awarded almost £69,000 in compensation by an employment tribunal. Jennifer Cafferky, Associate Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. The tribunal found that the woman, identified only as CL, was harassed on grounds of sex and age while working as a security officer for Mitie…
Is your Will still right for you?
March 4th 2026This Update Your Will Week (2nd – 8th March 2026), we are proud to support The Association of Lifetime Lawyers in highlighting the importance of not only making a Will, but also reviewing and updating it whenever personal circumstances change. A Will is far more than just a legal document. It captures your wishes, protects your loved ones, and safeguards the legacy you want to leave behind. Modern families are…
New appointment strengthens Cartmell Shepherd’s Wills, Probate and Inheritance team
February 11th 2026Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has expanded its Wills, Probate and Inheritance Department with the appointment of a new Associate Solicitor. James Clark has joined the company’s Penrith office, bringing his expertise from the health and community sectors. James trained and worked for respected legal firms in Carlisle and Hexham before joining Cartmell Shepherd. In advance of training in law with the Open University and completing a Masters at Northumbria University, James…
Homeowners on ‘fleecehold’ estates to get protection against unfair charges
February 9th 2026Homeowners on what have become known as ‘fleecehold’ estates are to get more protection against excessive charges for the upkeep of roads, green spaces and other shared communal areas. Ashley Shepard, Solicitor Apprentice in our conveyancing team, provides an update. The government says the current system is unfair and can put people at risk of losing access to their home for a debt as low as £100 or see a lease imposed on…
Government announces major uplift to Inheritance Tax Threshold
January 23rd 2026Emma Pringle, Senior Associate Solicitor at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors provides an update on the government’s inheritance tax (IHT) reforms and their impact on succession planning for farmers. After 14 months of campaigning and protests across the country, the government has watered down its proposals to tax inherited farmland. The new £1 million threshold on IHT relief will be increased to £2.5 million when the changes come into force in April…
Father wins appeal against order allowing his son to be relocated to Cornwall
January 16th 2026A father has successfully appealed a decision that would have allowed his three-year-old son to move to Cornwall, after a High Court judge found the mother’s relocation plan lacked the evidence needed for such a significant change. Sarah Tweedie, Associate Solicitor in our Family Law team, reports on this recent case. Recorder Williams overturned the earlier ruling made in March 2025, concluding that the district judge had been wrong to…
Divorce dispute over husband’s alleged ‘sham £1.6m loan’ to be reheard
January 7th 2026A divorce case in which the husband allegedly arranged a ‘sham £1.6m loan’ as a way of thwarting the wife’s financial remedy claim is to be reheard. Liz Wilson, Senior Associate Solicitor in our Family team, reports on this recent case. The husband said the money had been advanced by his brother’s company and used in part to help buy the family home in London. He argued that the debt reduced the…
Cartmell Shepherd makes senior appointment in Wills, Probate and Inheritance team
November 24th 2025AN EXPERIENCED solicitor has joined Cartmell Shepherd’s Wills, Probate and Inheritance department. Emma Pringle joins the firm’s Hexham office as Senior Associate, bringing nearly two decades of experience and a specialist knowledge of rural estate management. Emma previously worked for respected law firms in Manchester and Newcastle and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the global professional body for experts in inheritance and succession…
Judge criticises parents who secretly monitored children’s movements
October 24th 2025A judge has criticised a father and mother who secretly used tracking equipment to monitor the movements of their children, who were involved in care proceedings. Sarah Tweedie, Associate Solicitor in our Family Law team, reports on this recent case. His Honour Judge Sharpe, sitting in the Family Court, found that devices had been concealed in toys and a bag given to the children by their parents while they were…
