Celebrating the Success of our Solicitor Apprentices
September 16th 2025Cartmell Shepherd is delighted to announce that two of its Graduate Solicitor Apprentices, Ashley Shepard and Joseph Halvorsen, have successfully passed the first part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The SQE 1 is a demanding assessment taken over two days. Successfully completing this milestone means Ashley and Joseph can progress to SQE 2, the final hurdle before becoming fully qualified solicitors. Unlike the traditional Legal Practice Course (LPC) route…
Home-grown talent joins legal firm’s top-ranked agriculture team
September 11th 2025A Cumbrian legal firm has welcomed one of its newly qualified solicitors to its nationally recognised agriculture team. Sam Fawcett began his legal career with Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors two years ago and has joined the firm’s agriculture department after qualifying as a solicitor earlier this month. Raised on his family’s dairy farm at Blencow, near Penrith, Sam brings first-hand agricultural experience to the legal firm, which operates across Cumbria and…
Legal firm strengthens marketing team with strategic appointment
September 9th 2025A leading Cumbrian legal firm has reinforced its commitment to innovation and client service by appointing an experienced marketing professional to its growing team. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has welcomed Joe Sanders as its new Strategic and Digital Marketing Manager. Joe brings a wealth of expertise to the role, having built a strong track record over the past several years, including the last three as Marketing Manager at Cumbria Chamber of…
Most landlords ‘unaware they’re legally required to have an EPC’
September 8th 2025A new report by The Mortgage Works reveals a striking lack of awareness among UK landlords about energy efficiency rules – with 62% unaware that having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal requirement for rental properties. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. This widespread knowledge gap could undermine the government’s ambition to make the rental sector greener, with new minimum energy standards due…
Walking with Hope: Sister Carries Baton of Hope in Memory of Beloved Brother Gav
September 2nd 2025Terri Hope, Marketing Manager at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has been chosen as one of 57 individuals to carry the Baton of Hope during the Cumbrian leg of the 2025 national tour. “It’s an incredible honour to carry the Baton of Hope through my hometown of Penrith,” said Terri. “I’ll be walking in memory of my brother, Gav Hope, who we lost to suicide in May last year. Gav’s loss shattered…
Cumbrian legal firm shortlisted for national law award
August 28th 2025A Cumbrian legal firm has achieved national recognition after being named as a finalist in the British Wills and Probate Awards 2025. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors is shortlisted for the best Contentious Wills & Probate team (Boutique) at the awards which celebrate legal excellence across the country. Rebecca Armstrong, who is Head of Will and Inheritance Disputes at Cartmell Shepherd, said: “We’re delighted to be recognised for our specialist expertise in…
WhatsApp exchange created binding contract, High Court rules
August 27th 2025A High Court judge has ruled that a brief exchange of WhatsApp messages was enough to create a legally binding construction contract worth nearly £250,000 – even though one party never signed any formal agreement. Rob Winder Senior Associate Chartered Legal Executive and Head of Property Litigation in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. In Jaevee Homes Ltd v Fincham, Deputy High Court Judge Roger ter Haar KC found that all the…
Husband ‘tried to isolate wife from legal advice’ in £230m divorce
August 12th 2025A High Court judge has found that a wealthy husband deliberately tried to prevent his wife from accessing legal support during their divorce negotiations, contributing to what the court described as an unfair and coercive process. Liz Wilson, Senior Associate Solicitor in our Family team, reports on this recent case. In one of the largest divorce awards ever made by the English courts, Mr Justice Cobb ordered the husband to…
Prison officer who resigned over racism wins tribunal claim
July 29th 2025A prison officer who was racially abused and ostracised by colleagues at a high-security Kent prison has won his case for race discrimination, harassment and constructive unfair dismissal. Jennifer Cafferky, Associate Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. Uzo Mbonu, who was born in Nigeria and worked at HMP Swaleside from 2018 until his resignation in 2023, brought claims before the Employment Tribunal, alleging he was targeted, isolated,…
Cartmell Shepherd restructures Dispute Resolution team to highlight specialisms
July 29th 2025Leading law firm Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has announced three senior promotions this week, as part of a move to highlight specialisms within its Dispute Resolution team. Director and Head of Dispute Resolution Mark Aspin said: “Dispute Resolution encompasses a broad spectrum of legal work. While our team deals with the majority of ‘Civil Disputes’, we also employ recognised specialists in the areas of Will & Inheritance Disputes, Property Disputes, and Court of Protection,…
