When court action becomes necessary in divorce cases
January 27th 2020Court action is generally considered to be a last resort in divorce cases. It’s much better to reach an amicable agreement over how you should divide the marital assets and reach a financial settlement. If that proves difficult, your solicitor is likely to suggest that you try mediation, arbitration or collaborative law services to overcome any problems. Sometimes, however, court action becomes unavoidable. This could be for several reasons. For…
Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors secures Law Society’s conveyancing quality mark
January 21st 2020Cartmell Shepherd in Cumbria and Northumberland has once again secured membership to the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme – the mark of excellence for the home buying process. This is the 8th year in a row that Cartmell Shepherd has achieved CQS accreditation. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society in order to continue to hold CQS status, which marks the firm out as continuing to meet…
Royal Mail employee unfairly dismissed after manager’s false report
January 20th 2020A Royal Mail employee has won her case of unfair dismissal in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court. Ms Kamaljeet Jhuti joined the Marketreach unit of Royal Mail in October 2013 on a trial basis as a media specialist. She quickly raised concerns about potential regulatory breaches in the processes. She made the comments under the company’s whistle blower policy, in which her comments were…
Footballers in tax avoidance scheme lose negligence claim
January 14th 2020Wealthy professional footballers who took part in a failed tax avoidance scheme have lost their claims of breach of contract and professional negligence against two banks. The case centred on schemes advertised as vehicles through which taxpayers could contribute funds to limited liability partnerships for investing in films, offsetting their share of the partnership losses against other taxable income. The investors were professional footballers who became clients of an independent…
Nurse wins discrimination claim but loses over harassment
January 7th 2020A mental health nurse who was subjected to abuse by patients has won a claim of indirect race discrimination by his employer. However, his claim for harassment was rejected by the Employment Tribunal. Colleridge Bessong, from Africa, worked for Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust (2019) at a secure residential unit. In 2017 he was seriously assaulted by a patient who also racially abused him. The patient had a history of…
New legal recruit loving life in the north-east
January 3rd 2020LIFE in the north-east is proving just the ticket for solicitor Alice Whittome who has just landed her dream job. Alice, a Newcastle United season ticket holder, has joined leading legal firm Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors as a private client solicitor in Haltwhistle. Alice is now preparing for her first Christmas as a homeowner with fiance Robbie, a trainee GP at Hexham General Hospital, and their two miniature dachshunds Evie and…
Chronic fatigue sufferer wins unfair dismissal claim
December 23rd 2019An occupational therapist who lost her job after years of suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome has won her claim of discrimination and unfair dismissal. Ms D Ward had worked for Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust since 2000. The trust operated a sickness and absence management policy under which employees faced disciplinary action if they had more than three absences from work in a 12-month period. In 2009, Ward…
Winter Solstice Wild Swimming Adventure Attracts Cumbria Legal Executive
December 19th 2019WILD swimming meets the Winter Solstice in the English Lake District this weekend and Laura Clarke wouldn’t miss it for the world. Laura, whose outdoor adventures include trekking to Everest Base Camp, loves nothing more than an early morning dip in the tranquil waters of the Lake District. “There’s just you and the water surrounded by amazing scenery at the first light of day,” said Laura. “It takes your mind…
Tenants win enfranchisement appeal over freehold of flats
December 18th 2019A group of tenants have won their appeal to exercise the right of collective enfranchisement and acquire the freehold of their flats. The properties were owned by Grosvenor (Mayfair) Estate and held on a long lease by K Group Holdings Inc (2019). The issue arose after Aldford House Freehold Ltd, the nominee purchaser for 17 lessees, served an initial notice claiming to exercise the right of collective enfranchisement on the…
Ryanair discriminated against flight attendant over brain tumour
December 16th 2019The Employment Tribunal has ruled that the airline Ryanair discriminated against a flight attendant when she returned to work after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. Margita Dworak had worked for Ryanair from 2004-2018 and was a senior flight attendant at the time she resigned. In 2015, she began to experience severe headaches. These lasted for years and in 2017 she visited a specialist in Poland. She was later hospitalised…
