Brothers fail to overturn their mother’s will leaving estate to sister
November 20th 2019Three brothers have failed in their bid to overturn their mother’s will, which left nearly all her estate to their sister. The mother had originally made a will dividing her estate equally between her four children. However, her views changed after her health began to deteriorate in 2009 and her daughter came to live with her as her carer until she died in 2016. The brothers offered only limited help…
Trainee solicitor selected to represent Hospice at Home at the London Marathon
November 19th 2019Our second year trainee solicitor Andrew Campbell has been selected to represent the Hospice at Home at the London Marathon! Andrew has agreed to share his training journey as he prepares for the big day on 26th April 2020. Ever since I found out I would be competing in the London marathon I have experienced a range of different emotions. A sense of achievement to be raising money for such a…
Worker was discriminated against due to his ‘perceived religion’
November 18th 2019A Royal Mail worker was a victim of racial discrimination even though the comments made towards him were not specifically about his own religion. That was the ruling of the Employment Tribunal at a recent hearing involving Mr Shunmugaraja, who was a manager at the Royal Mail Cardiff depot. He described himself as a Hindu of British-Indian origin. One of his workers, Mr Brown, refused to complete various tasks, and…
Developer overturns covenant preventing offices becoming homes
November 14th 2019A developer has succeeded in overturning a restrictive covenant that would have prevented an office block being converted into homes. The block was next to other office buildings and close to several apartment blocks. The head lease was for a term of 150 years from 1985 and contained a covenant restricting its use to office premises. The local authority, which owned the building, was entitled to 15.5% of the net…
Legal firm’s newest recruit joins team after relocating from East Anglia
November 12th 2019ONE of the newest members of a top legal firm’s 100-strong team has spoken of his delight at joining the company. Nick Devlin, who along with wife Georgina has recently moved to Cumbria from East Anglia, says he had always hoped he would one day be a member of the Cartmell Shepherd family. He first got a taste of the business during a work placement week – and almost six…
Agricultural team has been officially ranked
November 8th 2019CARTMELL’S dedicated agriculture team has been officially ranked one of the two best in the North of England in a worldwide legal listing. Unrivalled industry insight and expertise held by the department saw them awarded the ‘top tier’ ranking in the Legal 500 alongside international firm Womble Bond Dickinson. Cartmell Shepherd directors Jonathan Carroll and Mark Jackson were named as leading individuals in their field while associate solicitor Katherine Pretswell-Walker…
Number of first-time home buyers reaches 12-year high
November 7th 2019The number of first-time home buyers has reached its highest level for 12 years. The latest mortgage data reveals that 35,010 people took their first step on the property ladder in August. That’s the highest monthly total since August 2007. The figures, from UK Finance, follow the Ministry of Housing’s own research revealing 87% of the public would prefer to buy rather than rent. It also found 57% of people…
Deputyship Fee Refunds
November 5th 2019The Office of the Public Guardian (“OPG”) have begun to offer deputyship fee refunds to those who were overcharged fees from the 1st of April 2008 to the 31st of March 2015. Why are the OPG offering refunds? A deputy is a person appointed by the Court of Protection to be legally responsible for someone who no longer has the ability to make decisions for themselves. Currently you must pay £365…
Landlords call for new housing court to speed up justice
November 4th 2019The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) is calling for a new housing court to speed up justice for landlords and tenants. The association says that under Civil Procedure Rules, repossession claims should only take about nine weeks, but official figures show they’re taking an average of more than 22 weeks. It believes that the government’s proposal to abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions will add to the number of cases going through…
Vegetarianism ‘not a protected belief’ under the Equality Act
November 1st 2019Vegetarianism is a “lifestyle choice” and not a philosophical belief capable of protection under equality legislation, the Employment Tribunal has ruled. The landmark judgment came in a case involving a waiter at the Fritton Arms hotel on Lord Somerleyton’s estate in Suffolk, George Conisbee worked for the hotel from April 2018 until his resignation in August the same year. He claimed he had been a victim of discrimination, arguing that…
