The last year has seen demand for business legal services from a law firm in the region increase by a third.

Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, who have offices in both Haltwhistle and Brampton as well as a number of other branches across Cumbria and Northumberland, have seen requests for work from businesses increase over the last 12 months.

The company's Business Services team currently has a total of 21 people across Corporate and Commercial, Commercial Property, Employment, Dispute Resolution and HR and Agribusiness.

"The rise in transactions for both new and existing clients is testament to the breadth and quality of service we offer our clients," said Sam Lyon, Head of Corporate and Commercial for Cartmell Shepherd.

“Cartmell Shepherd is continually investing in its Business Services team through recruitment and training, and in its infrastructure including a new IT system, which enabled us to make a seamless transition to home working during the pandemic.

“The past 12 months has been a challenging time for many businesses, and we’re pleased we’ve been able to help clients navigate this difficult period with expert, practical legal advice.”

“It’s essential to offer practical, commercial legal support for businesses. What sets us apart are the conversations we have with clients, which allow us to fully understand the issues they are experiencing so we can work with them to find the best solutions.”

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the legal firm has still been able to help with a number of large transactions across its various teams.

These include the sale of a manufacturing company by the Corporate and Commercial team, while its Commercial Property team has helped complete a number of deals including the purchase of a commercial investment building worth £9.5 million.