A Northumberland lawyer has returned to his training ground as a result of a recent business merger.

Simon Jewitt, who began his legal journey 21 years ago with Cumbrian-based firm Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, has taken his career full circle as he now works for the same company once again.

In 2007, Jewitt seized the opportunity to return to his native Tyne Valley, joining Hexham firm, Nicholson Portnell.

Since then, he has climbed up the ranks, achieving the position of partner.

Playing a vital role in driving Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors' acquisition of Nicholson Portnell, Mr Jewitt said: "Having worked at both firms, I have first hand experience of the high quality of legal services they provide to their clients and combining the specialisms of both companies was the perfect fit.

“Similarly to Nicholson Portnell, Cartmell Shepherd prioritises the wellbeing of its staff and actively promotes career progression, so we are delighted to come together with a great company which shares our values.

“There's some members of staff still there from when I trained all those years ago, and it's amazing to be working with such great people who complement our team so well.

“Clients of Nicholson Portnell will benefit from a more expansive range of legal knowledge and skills available from the expert team of solicitors at Cartmell Shepherd, who bring extra specialisms in areas such as Agricultural Law, Employment Law, Business Services, Private Client, Family Law and Dispute Resolution, including Will and Inheritance Disputes.

“Both sets of clients will benefit from the merger and our team at Hexham will be able to provide assistance across Cartmell Shepherd’s operations, particularly at its other Tyne Valley office in Haltwhistle.”

Upon completing his Law degree at Northumbria University, Mr Jewitt began his training at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors in 2003.

Gaining experience across multiple company divisions, he eventually worked under Tim Cartmell, an agricultural lawyer who has since retired.

Mr Jewitt reminisced on his time at Cartmell Shepherd. He said: "I absolutely loved my time training at Cartmell Shepherd, and I’m so grateful I was able to gain experience in so many specialist areas of law which gave me a great foundation for my future career.

"The training I received at Cartmell Shepherd was excellent and it was always clear how much they valued their staff and clients, so I’m fully aware that they share the same ethos and values as Nicholson Portnell."

Moving forward, Mr Jewitt is enthusiastic about Nicholson Portnell's development post merger.

"I am proud of the role I have played in growing Nicholson Portnell’s reputation across the Tyne Valley and the wider North East, and we are all really looking forward to working with the team at Cartmell Shepherd to enhance and increase this even further," said Mr Jewitt.

Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors acquired Nicholson Portnell in April, complementing its base in Haltwhistle.

The firm also has five offices across Cumbria, including two offices in Carlisle, Brampton, Penrith and Cockermouth.