Staff

Millions of employees now have the right to request flexible working to determine where and when they work. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment provides an update. The new rights are part of the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill, which came into effect on 6 April. Flexible working is a broad term and can relate to working hours or pattern including part-time, term-time, flexi-time, compressed hours, or adjusting start and finish…

The Housing Secretary Michael Gove says the Government will ban No-fault evictions before the next General Election, which must take place within the next 10 months. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team reports on this recent case. The Government first pledged to outlaw the process when it came to power in 2019. The Renters (Reform) Bill, which includes a ban on no-fault evictions, was introduced in Parliament last…

Cartmell Shepherd has announced it has promoted four members of its team as part of its ongoing commitment to developing the legal services it provides to its growing client base. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has rewarded staff members for their endeavour and high level of expertise within their legal specialism to support the company’s continued growth. Rebecca Armstrong has been promoted to the position of Senior Associate Solicitor, Selina Gonzalez and…

The number of ‘No Fault’ divorce applications has fallen significantly following the initial surge when the new system came into effect in 2022. Sarah Hinett, Paralegal in our Family Law Team reports. Government figures show that in July to September 2023, there were 27,290 divorce applications. That was down 12% compared with the same quarter in 2022, which was the second quarter following the start of the new divorce law. It’s thought…

A transgender worker has lost her claim that she was harassed when she was ‘deadnamed’ on the staff rota. Jennifer Cafferky Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. Deadnaming means using the name a transgender person was given at birth instead of the name they adopt after transitioning. The case involved Mandie Monroe, a trans woman who worked for Central Bedfordshire Council. On the application form for the…

I don’t know if there’s something in the River Tyne, but Cartmell Shepherd has experienced a significant increase in enquiries from people looking for legal advice about cohabitation. On more than one occasion recently, I`ve been stopped in various locations “for a quick chat” about someone`s “common law” rights. In less than a century, how we “do” romantic relationships has shifted massively. Gone are the days when the only acceptable…

Informal business arrangements often lead to legal disputes when disagreements arise, as in a recent case before the Court of Appeal. Mark Aspin Director and Head of Dispute Resolution reports on this recent case. It involved two couples who set up a property development company. One couple held a 51% stake (the Majority) and the other couple owned 49% (the Minority). All four served as directors. The company acquired a piece of land…

Separating couples will get early legal advice as part of the Government’s family court reforms, but the idea of introducing mandatory mediation has been scrapped. Joanne Grey Senior Associate Solicitor in our family law team reports on this recent case. A legal advice pilot will be launched to help families agree child arrangements quickly, addressing barriers to early resolution including a lack of understanding of the options available such as mediation, which will…

A right to manage company was entitled in the same way as a landlord to pursue a case in the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) against the lessee of a flat who was in breach of covenant. Rob Winder Senior Associate Chartered Legal Executive in our Dispute Resolution team reports on this recent case. That was the decision of the Court of Appeal in a case involving Eastpoint Block A RTM Co Ltd v Otubaga.…

This week is Update Your Will Week (4th–10thMarch), an annual campaign hosted by The Association of Lifetime Lawyers. It aims to raise awareness around the risks of not having an up to date Will and encourages people to update their Will to ensure their wishes are carried out when they die. Why is it important to have an up to date Will? Having an up to date, well-drafted Will is…