Staff

An employer must honour payments set out in a settlement agreement with an employee even though he breached a confidentiality clause. By Claire Davies Director That was the decision of the High Court in a case involving Duchy Farm Kennels Ltd and Graham William Steels. Mr Steels had brought claims against Duchy in the Employment Tribunal. A settlement agreement was negotiated in which Duchy agreed to pay Steels £15,000 by…

COLLEAGUES from Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors have marked World Alzheimer’s Month by donating almost £900 to support people living with dementia. Colleagues from across the law firm’s Cumbria and Northumberland offices clocked up a total of 420 miles to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. The five-strong team took part in the charity’s Run for Dementia, campaign which challenged participants to complete either 50 or 100 miles in 30 days. The…

A landowner has succeeded in getting a restrictive covenant modified to enable him to build a second house on a small plot. By Jonathan Carroll Director and Head of Agriculture Mr Neil Sheppard owned a detached house on a 1980s housing estate. He bought the property in 2010, subject to restrictions on the title imposed by a conveyance in 1985, made between the developer and the original buyer. The restrictions…

Sam Lyon, Head of Corporate and Commercial, notes that insolvency experts are expecting a large rise in the number of companies going out of business towards the end of the year. He would urge anyone who is concerned about the future of their own business, a customer or supplier to seek advice as early as possible. Doing so will give them more options about their next step and allow them…

A HIGHLY experienced legal expert who has been working at the heart of the Cumbria business community for 16 years has landed a top job with a leading law firm. Sam Lyon, 39, has joined Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors as Head of Corporate and Commercial. Sam, who has senior experience at both Burnetts and Cumberland Building Society, is looking forward to working with businesses of all shapes and sizes, including SMEs…

COLLABORATION continues to be key for Cumbrian businesses – and a popular webinar returns this week, looking at how redundancy impacts on mental health. As the furlough scheme winds down further and more businesses look to restructure and potentially make redundancies NXT.V’s latest webinar discusses the impact on mental health for both employers and employees. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors’ Head of Employment Law and HR Joanne Stronach is among this week’s…

The government has issued guidance on employment rights for people who have to go into quarantine when returning to the UK from abroad. By Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment & HR Currently, people returning must self-isolate for 14 days unless they’re travelling from a country with a quarantine exemption. The list changes regularly so it’s best to check before travelling and before returning. The guidance, issued by the…

The High Court has settled a dispute between a couple who were separating and needed to value the shares in their company. By Mark Aspin Director & Head of Dispute Resolution The case involved Solent Garage Services Ltd and its two directors, Claire Lewis and Philip Clarke. The couple had established the garage while living together and bringing up their three children. They were equal shareholders. Their relationship broke down…

The government has announced that landlords will have to give six months’ notice if they wish to evict tenants who are struggling to pay their rent during the Covid-19 pandemic. Natalie Tatton Solicitor in our Dispute Resolution Team provides an update. It has also extended the ban on evictions until 21st September. The six-month notice rule will apply in all cases except those involving serious issues such as anti-social behaviour and…

Thinking it over with Carol Fish Director & Head of Serious and Catastrophic Injury… A RISE in accident claims involving cyclists has been the downside of a welcome increase in the amount of people taking to two wheels during the Covid pandemic. Across the board, we’ve seen an overall decline in general claims relating to various types of accidents, which busts the myth that we have a compensation culture. We…