Cumbrian law firm team recognised as one of ‘best in the country’

Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors’ agriculture team has been ranked top in the Chambers UK Legal Guide 2025.

The guide lists the UK’s best law firms and solicitors.

The team was also recently recognised in The Legal 500 professional law rankings, retaining its Band 1 rating.

Director Mark Jackson was one of three team members praised in the Chambers Guide.

The guide highlighted the firm’s ‘long-standing expertise across agriculture and rural areas’ and its ‘efficient, knowledgeable and courteous’ lawyers.

Mr Jackson said: “To be recognised as one of the best rural property teams in the country is testament to the knowledge, expertise and dedication of the whole team.

“Many of our team are part of the rural community so are uniquely placed to understand the challenges our clients face on a daily basis.

“We’re proud to follow in the footsteps of Tim Cartmell and others who came before us at the firm and we are committed to developing the next generation of agricultural solicitors through our thriving trainee solicitor and apprenticeship programme.”

Head of department Jonathan Carroll and director Katherine Pretswell-Walker, who both started their careers as trainees at Cartmell Shepherd, were also mentioned in the Chambers Guide.

Jonathan Carroll, Kathryn Pretswell-Walker and Mark Jackson from Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors (Image: Supplied) Cartmell Shepherd’s agriculture department is one of the ‘biggest’ in the north of England, with 11 staff dedicated solely to rural property work.

The team has been ‘strengthened’ in the past six months following the firm’s acquisition of Nicholson Portnell Solicitors, which added the expertise of solicitor Simon Jewitt to the team.

Mr Jackson said: “I am very proud of the achievements of the team in the last few years and particularly the way in which our associate solicitors Bethan Griffiths, Emma Blamire and Holly Berwick have worked hard to become outstanding agricultural specialists.

“The team has been strengthened further this year with the addition of the very capable Sam Fawcett and Joseph Halvorsen as trainees, who I am sure will become the next generation of agricultural lawyers in time.”

Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors operates across Cumbria, Northumberland and nationally, with offices in Rosehill Carlisle, Carlisle city centre, Brampton, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Penrith and Cockermouth.