No-fault eviction ban and more renter rights revived by government
October 31st 2024The government has revived plans to ban no-fault evictions and provide renters with greater protection and security. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. The Renters’ Rights Bill will ban Section 21 evictions for new and existing tenancies, extend Awaab’s Law into the private rented sector and end blanket bans for those on benefits or with children. Ministers say banning Section 21 will reassure tenants they…
Agriculture team at Cumbrian legal firm ranked one of the best in the country
October 31st 2024THE agriculture team at a Cumbrian law firm has been ranked as one of the best in the country for the fifth consecutive year. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors’ agriculture team received top ranking in the prestigious Chambers UK Legal Guide 2025 which lists the UK’s best law firms and solicitors. The industry recognition comes less than a month after the department retained its Band 1 rating in The Legal 500 professional…
Judge settles complex case involving two siblings and their stepfather
October 28th 2024A High Court judge has settled a complex case relating to a stepfather’s parental responsibility for two siblings. Sarah Tweedie, Associate Solicitor in our Family Law team, reports on this recent case. The children were referred to in court as D, aged 14, and K, aged 10. They had the same mother but different fathers. The two fathers played little part in their children’s lives. The mother started a relationship…
Costcutter wins contract dispute over convenience stores’ debts
October 24th 2024The Costcutter Supermarkets Group has won a contract dispute with two convenience store operators over whether a limitation clause meant they did not have to pay for goods received. Stephanie Johnson, Senior Associate Solicitor, reports on this recent case. The issue arose when Costcutter sought to enforce debts owed by the store operators. The stores argued that the limitation clause in their trading agreements capped their liability, effectively nullifying their…
Husband in divorce case jailed for failing to reveal pension details
October 21st 2024The husband in divorce proceedings has been jailed for 19 days for failing to provide details of his pension. Shannon Bateson, Associate Solicitor in our family law team reports on this recent case. The husband, referred to as “H”, was found in contempt of court after repeatedly ignoring orders to submit Form E and the Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) of his pension. These documents are critical in determining the financial settlement.…
New pledge to crack down on late payments to small businesses
October 16th 2024The government has pledged to support small businesses and the self-employed by tackling what it calls “the scourge of late payments”. Rob Winder Senior Associate Chartered Legal Executive in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. Delays to payment of invoices cost small businesses £22,000 a year on average and lead to 50,000 closures a year. The government is now consulting on tough new laws designed to hold larger firms to account. In…
Law firm strengthens specialist legal team with key appointments
October 15th 2024One of the North’s leading legal firms has expanded its specialist Wills, Probate and Inheritance team by taking on several new recruits. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has made five appointments to the team which is regarded as one of the largest and strongest Private Client departments in the region. The new recruits take the number of members in the department to 41, comprising 14 solicitors, 12 paralegals and 15 support staff.…
Court rules on sale of £42m home and luxury yacht in divorce case
October 14th 2024A high net worth divorce case has resulted in a ruling for the sale of a £42 million family home and a €35.5 million luxury yacht. Amy Fallows Senior Associate Solicitor & Head of our Family Law team reports on this case. The case centred on competing applications from the husband and wife, who have three children. The husband sought to terminate the wife’s home rights under the Family Law Act 1996, with…
Mother ordered to return child to home country under Hague Convention
October 9th 2024A mother who “gambled” that she would get away with absconding with her daughter to England has been told she must return the child to her own country under the Hague Convention. Sarah Tweedie, Associate Solicitor in our Family Law team reports. The case concerned a Romanian couple and their 9-year-old daughter. The mother brought the girl to England without the father’s agreement in 2023. She accepted that she was habitually resident…
Minority shareholder has partial success in unfair treatment claim
October 2nd 2024A minority shareholder has lost his claim that he was treated unfairly when trying to sell his shares back to the company. Rob Winder Senior Associate Chartered Legal Executive in our Dispute Resolution team reports on this recent case. However, he had a partial success in that the court agreed that his shares may have been undervalued by the company’s auditor. The case revolves around Stuart Wells, a former director and 14.3% shareholder…
