Can an employee be forced to have the COVID19 vaccine?
February 1st 2021The widespread administration of the vaccine in the UK is good news for many employers to help working life slowly return to normal in time. But what if one of your employees refuses to have it? The big question being considered by Joanne Stronach Head of Employment Law and HR is – can an employer require its employees to have the COVID19 vaccine? The quick answer is that the Government…
Woman written out of father’s Will wins right to inherit his estate
January 28th 2021A woman has won the right to inherit her father’s estate after a “DIY Will” supposedly signed on his deathbed was ruled invalid. Rebecca Armstrong Solicitor in our specialist Will Claims team reports on this recent case. Terri Tibbles had been the sole beneficiary of a Will her father William wrote a year before he died. In a letter of wishes attached to that Will, Mr Tibbles said that Terri’s…
Working hard in Cumbria to try and get more financial support for SMEs
January 27th 2021We are deeply concerned about the plight of the smaller businesses across the UK including the c. 3m self-employed directors of limited companies, who are not eligible for the government’s existing grants, and have therefore been excluded from the financial support measures thus far during COVID-19. And this is one of the reasons that we are working ‘behind the scenes’ to try and influence the government to look at introducing more support…
Legal team completes fell walking charity challenge
January 26th 2021A TEAM of colleagues from a leading legal firm have successfully completed a fell walking charity challenge. Staff from Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors hiked up a total of 50 Lake District fells between them to raise money for Hospice at Home West Cumbria, which provides palliative and end of life care. The challenge was part of the charity’s 50 Faces for Hospice campaign in which supporters pledged to raise £500 each…
Will Your Business Qualify for Covid-19 Business Interruption Insurance?
January 21st 2021Mark Aspin Director and Head of Dispute Resolution provides an update. Since last May, we’ve been following the proceedings launched by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to add some clarity to the availability of “Business Interruption” (BI) insurance as a result of business closures as a result of the pandemic. Last September the High Court came to its conclusions, and as the national press has now reported the Supreme Court…
Sign Here Please
January 18th 2021A Q&A published by the Law Society’s Company Law Committee covers the practicalities of using electronic signatures in a business context. Sam Lyon, Head of Corporate and Commercial reports. Electronic signatures can take different forms, from simply typing in your name or pasting a scanned image of your physical (or “wet”) signature, to clicking a button to confirm agreement where your identity has been sufficiently verified. The Q&A covers a…
Business evictions ban extended until March due to Covid
January 14th 2021The government has extended the ban on business evictions until the end of March because of the continuing Covid pandemic. Stephanie Johnson Associate Solicitor provides an update. There will also be a review of commercial landlord and tenant legislation, to address concerns that the current framework does not reflect the current economic conditions. This final extension to protections from the threat of eviction will give landlords and tenants 3 months…
Government plans crackdown on ‘unfair’ employment clauses
January 11th 2021The government is considering a crackdown on what it describes as unfair employment contracts that restrict worker freedom. Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR reports. The measures could include banning the use of exclusivity clauses, which prevent workers from taking on additional work with other employers. This would apply to workers whose guaranteed weekly income is below the Lower Earnings Limit, currently £120 a week. The change would put…
How do I get to see my children?
January 9th 2021Most parents don’t need a court order setting out the arrangements for them to see their children. We would recommend that any separating parents try to agree the arrangements before the separation and tell the children together what is going to happen.
The importance of giving back to the community
January 7th 2021At Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors we have always encouraged our teams to give back to the communities they serve. It’s at the very heart of what we do. The pandemic has underlined the importance of helping each other and being part of a community. Our support and involvement with charities, online events and organisations has been even more vital during these difficult times. We are fortunate across Cumbria and Northumberland to…
