Director ordered to pay £20,000 after breaching his duties
May 13th 2019By Mark Aspin Director A director has been ordered to pay £20,000 for breaching his legal duties shortly before his company went into liquidation. The director had run a freight-forwarding company from 2011 until its voluntary liquidation in 2015. He had been the sole shareholder. His father had previously been a co-director of the company and continued to work for it. The company operated from the father’s home. The director…
How the Hague Convention can help if your ex-partner abducts your child
April 29th 2019By Laura Ousby Solicitor Disputes between parents over who their children should live and spend time with are among the most common causes of ongoing tension between couples after they separate. Most families manage to work out reasonable compromises over such issues but unfortunately, amicable agreements are not always possible and in some extreme cases, can lead to one parent abducting their children and taking them to another country. This…
Husband and wife lose £40,000 deposit in failed company purchase
April 24th 2019By Mark Aspin Director & Head of Dispute Resolution A husband and wife who tried to buy a business have lost their £40,000 deposit after the High Court ruled they could not claim a refund when the deal fell through. The couple wanted to buy a waste collection company. They were introduced to the sole shareholder and a tentative agreement was made that they would buy the business for £210,000.…
Try before you buy – the importance of getting a horse vetted
April 18th 2019By Laura Bright Solicitor Finding the right horse can be difficult, and when you finally do, it can be ever so tempting to rush into purchasing him/her without carrying out the necessary checks. It is unlikely you would buy a car without an MOT so why treat purchasing a horse any differently? In order to protect yourself you should have the horse vetted by your own vet or an independent…
Prestigious recognition for our dedicated team who ‘go beyond the extra mile’ for clients …
April 12th 2019Our team of dedicated solicitors who ‘go beyond the extra mile’ for their clients is flying the flag for Cumbria as finalists in the prestigious Northern Law Awards. Our private client department is now in the running to be named 2019 private client team of the year at a ceremony in Newcastle in June. Deborah Flynn, Director and Head of Department, said being shortlisted was fitting recognition of the extraordinary…
No-deal brexit and family law
April 9th 2019By Laura Ousby Solicitor Family law may not immediately spring to mind when considering the impact of Brexit. Most of the news coverage focuses on the value of the pound, businesses, the NHS, interest rates and house prices. A no-deal Brexit will, however, affect the current family legal system as we know it. The government have made a number of provisions affecting family law that are expected to come into force…
Asda loses appeal over equal pay for women workers
April 4th 2019Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR explains. The Court of Appeal has upheld a tribunal ruling that female workers in Asda stores were employed under terms and conditions that were comparable to men working in the company’s distribution depots. It’s an important decision as it could allow thousands of women working for major retailers and numerous other businesses to bring equal pay claims. Asda has 630 retail stores and…
Homeowner awarded £500,000 after architect fails to deliver ‘wow factor’
April 1st 2019A City banker has successfully sued his architect after a home cinema designed to float above an indoor swimming pool failed to deliver a “wow factor”. Philip Freeborn was a successful banker and owned a luxurious home. He hired architect Daniel Marca to redesign his pool-house. They agreed on a cinema screen that would appear in a glass box on legs above the pool. However, the end result was not…
Key points to consider when negotiating your divorce settlement
March 27th 2019When negotiating a divorce financial settlement, both the sides should be realistic of their monetary demands. One of the major tasks a couple face when they divorce is to decide on a fair financial settlement: how much should each partner get once their joint matrimonial assets are divided up? Negotiating a divorce financial settlement The courts will always try to ensure that both partners are treated fairly and will insist…
Joanne Stronach considers recent case; 88-year-old becomes oldest person to win age discrimination claim
March 15th 2019Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR considers the case of E Jolly, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. An 88-year-old woman who was dismissed from her job with the NHS has become the oldest person in the UK to win an age discrimination claim. Eileen Jolly told the Employment Tribunal that she felt “humiliated and degraded” by the way she was treated by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. Mrs…
