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…
Companies House announces mandatory identity verification
September 15th 2025Incoming Managing Director Joanne Stronach takes a look at Companies House identity verification and what this means for your business. From 18th November 2025, the government will introduce mandatory identity verification (IDV) for company directors, under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. This is part of a string of reforms aiming to enhance transparency within the UK’s corporate registers and tackle economic crime. Who needs to verify? Company…
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…
Managing director of Cumbrian law firm steps down after 10 years
August 6th 2025The managing director of one of Cumbria’s leading law firms has announced he is stepping down from his role next month. Peter Stafford will retire from Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors at the end of September after more than a decade leading the company. He will be replaced by Joanne Stronach, who is a director of Cartmell Shepherd and the firm’s Head of Employment and HR. Peter, who has been at Cartmell…
