birmingham law society legal awards 2015 · stephens & george advertising sales - alison jones...

O n e R e g i o n I O n e P R o f e s s i o n I O n e V o i c e

AP

RIL

201

5

Birmingham

The BIRmInghAm LAw SocIeTy’S memBeRShIP mAgAzIne

foLLow uS on TwITTeRwww.twitter.com/bhamlawsociety

new RuLeS DRIVe PenSIon SemInAR SucceSS

VIce PReSIDenT of The LAw SocIeTy VISITS BLS

See PAge SIX foR moRe DeTAILS

BIRmInghAm LAw SocIeTy LegAL AwARDS 2015

APRIL - mAy 2015

LeARnIng & DeVeLoPmenT 24

VIce PReSIDenT of The LAw SocIeTy VISITS BLS

In PIcTuReS 10

Assistant editor - elizabeth [email protected]

graphic Designer -

Paul Blyth

Print

Stephens & george

Advertising Sales -Alison [email protected]: 01905 727907

Publisher -Pw media & Publishing Ltd2nd floor Richardson house, 21/24 new St, worcester. wR1 2DP.Tel: 01905 723011

The articles published in the Birmingham Bulletin represent the views of the contributor and are not necessarily the official views of the Birmingham Law Society, or of the editorial board. The magazine or members of the editorial board are in no way liable for such opinions. whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the contents of this publication are accurate, we cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or late changes. no article, advertisement or graphic, in whole in or print may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

conTenTS

President’s Reporteileen Schofield

04

guIDAnce fRom The eXPeRTS

foRenSIc AccouTIng 12

BSg chARITy SPeeD QuIzzIng

memBeRS’ newS 32

www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk | 3

editorial copy to:Birmingham Law Society, Suite 101, cheltenham house, Birmingham, B2 5BgTel: 0121 227 8700 DX 13100 Birmingham

Regulation ReportJayne willetts

21

DATeS foR youR DIARy

eVenTS 34


LegAL newS 22

focuS of The LegAL omBuDSmAn

ReguLATIon RePoRT 28

The LATeST fRom The PRo Bono commITTee

PRo Bono 29

wInneRS cRowneD AT BLS LegAL AwARDS

LegAL AwARDS 2015 06

Contents

The Bulletin needs you!Birmingham Law Society is inviting volunteers to become

Bulletin’s editor! Think you have what it takes to be one?

please contact [email protected].

APRIL 2015

PReSIDenT’S RePoRT 04

4 | www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

PReSIDenT’S RePoRT

I have been proud to sing the praises of the best sets of chambers in the

country and of our law firms from sole practitioners to global firms at all of

the events I have attended.

with that in mind, Birmingham can once again be proud of the plethora of

legal talent in Birmingham which was evidenced by the successful Legal

Awards last week. The Legal Awards are in their 14th year and get better

and better each year. for those of you who couldn’t attend it was a night

to remember not least for the fact that we booked the ‘singing waiters’

to entertain just before the awards started. The element of surprise was

a significant factor in their success; by the end of the act everyone was

singing and waving napkins and ready to celebrate the winners of the

awards. Joshua Rozenberg kept us in check for time and Brian moore

gave a fascinating speech about his life not only as a solicitor but also as

a rugby player and commentator. next year will be bigger and better and I

urge you to book your tables early as it will be a sell out!!

on the evening of the awards I was unexpectedly invited to give an interview

for the BBc and provide comment on the sad news of the death of Sally

Adey. This was a tragic loss and one which has shocked the country but

more especially her friends and former colleagues at Shakespeares. our

sincere condolences go out to Sally’s husband and children molly and

harry. on behalf of BLS I also extend our condolences to Shakespeares.

During the last month we have welcomed Jonathan Smithers to

Birmingham. Jonathan is the Vice President of The Law Society and he

was invited by the Property & Development committee to attend their

committee meeting. As a property lawyer Jonathan was able to give

greater insight into the TLS initiatives which are being rolled out nationally.

I have invited Andrew caplen to council this month who will enlighten us

on the ongoing initiatives and support we can expect from TLS.

A small group of lawyers met with businesses at the custard factory. The

take up from the businesses was fair given that we are in the early days of

this project. The range of enquires received included employment related

matters, corporate governance and contract disputes. The next clinic will

take place on 15 April 2015. we thought we would trial an appointment

based session this month so please do let me/the office know if you are

available and interested in attending the custard factory on the 15th April

from 11.00am until 2.00pm.

I have to admit (publically) to having a crush on Lord Igor Judge. now that’s

a revelation on which to end my year!! well no, not in that way I simply love

his brain, his articulation and his humility. I also attended the Birmingham

medico-Legal Society annual lecture. Lord Judge spoke for 50 minutes

on the human Rights Act, his insightful analysis of where we have come

from with the human Rights Act to where he thinks we are going as a

society and any possible British Bill of Rights was a masterclass lecture. I

felt deeply proud to be a lawyer in his presence, he realigned the balance

away from the current feeling that the whole world is against lawyers and

reminded us that lawyers will always have a fundamental importance in

preserving the order and democracy in this country.

going forward I have no doubt that Birmingham Law Society will continue

to support our members by promoting their interests both nationally and

internationally and by engaging with the leaders in our city to promote all

of our lawyers regionally. BLS will support lawyers in times of crisis and

times of celebration of our regional successes.

I would like to take this opportunity to pay a special note of thanks to all our

sponsors without whom we could not provide the scope of opportunities

to our members. your support as ever is invaluable and we look forward

to continuing our relationships with all of our sponsors for the forthcoming

year.

finally I would like to pay tribute to you the members for the support you

have given me this year, the good wishes and messages wishing me the

very best throughout the year and your participation in the many debates

on key issues affecting our members. Some of the issues will carry

forward into the next Presidential year but you can rest assured that the

officers and council will approach them with the same determination and

commitment as has been shown this year. n

President’s ReporteILeen SchofIeLD | PReSIDenT | BIRmInghAm LAw SocIeTy

As this is my last Bulletin, I wanted to express my deep honour at holding the office of President of Birmingham Law Society for 2014/2015. There have been so many opportunities to promote BLS and the spectrum of interests of all of our members, all of which I have taken on mindful of the fact that I am representing a group of dynamic, inspirational and diverse lawyers.


WINNERS CROWNED AT BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY LEGAL AWARDSEversheds has been named the best large law

firm in the West Midlands at the Birmingham

Law Society Legal Awards.

The Colmore Row firm was crowned Law Firm

of the Year (16 partners or more) at the annual

event at the International Convention Centre,

beating off competition from Cartwright King

Solicitors, Mills & Reeve, SGH Martineau,

Shoosmiths and Weightmans.

In the past 12 months, Eversheds has advised

on a number of high profile projects in the

Birmingham and the wider region, including

HS2, Paradise Circus, Grand Central, and the

sale of the NEC Group.

The judges said Eversheds has “set a very high

bar for both itself and its competitors, with an

unrivalled client and case portfolio”.

In the other two Law Firm of the Year categories,

Sydney Mitchell Solicitors won the award for

five to 15 partners for the third year running,

while Averta Employment Lawyers won sole

practitioner to four partners.

In the individual categories, awards were given

to Katie Willems of Higgs & Sons Solicitors

(Trainee Solicitor of the Year), Mark Hands of

Irwin Mitchell (Assistant/Associate Solicitor

of the Year), Natalie Moustache, Anthony

Collins Solicitors (Paralegal of the Year), Alison

Hancock, SGH Martineau (Chartered Legal

Executive of the Year), Tariq Sadiq, St Philips

Chambers (Barrister of the Year), Michael

Stephens, Kings Chambers (International

Lawyer of the Year), Derek Adamson, DWF

(Partner of the Year), and Ian Henery, Ian Henery

Solicitors Ltd (Corporate Social Responsibility/

Pro bono Lawyers of the Year).

A special Lifetime Achievement Award was

presented to Bernard Shepherd in recognition

of his contribution to the legal profession

during his 44-year career.

Bernard was admitted as a solicitor in 1971

and after a spell with with Lovsey Baughn and

Hayward he teamed up with Stephen Gateley,

running an office in Great Barr. Two years later the

firm Gateley Wareing was formed after a merger.

In 1983, Bernard set up his own practice in

Great Barr before returning to Gateley Wareing

in 2007. He later moved to Blakemores in 2011

and now works as a consultant for CBTC

Solicitors in West Bromwich.

Bernard is a past president of Birmingham

Law Society and is the current president of the

West Midlands Association of Law Societies.

Eileen Schofield, president of Birmingham Law

Society, said: “All of the winners, and indeed the

finalists, represent the very best that Birmingham

and the West Midlands’ legal sector has to offer,

from trainees just starting their professional

careers to experienced practitioners.

“As a sector, we should be immensely proud of

both the talent we have and the quality of legal

services that continue to be provided by the

region’s firms and individuals.

“This year’s winners are a credit to themselves,

their firms, the profession and the region.”

Now in its 14th year, more than 500 people

attended the Legal Awards ceremony at the ICC.

The evening was hosted by Joshua Rozenberg,

legal commentator and presenter of BBC Radio

4’s Law in Action programme, with England

rugby legend Brian Moore as the guest speaker.

The Legal Awards are sponsored by alldayPA

Legal, Arthur J Gallagher (patron sponsor),

Birmingham Airport, Birmingham City University,

Chiltern Railways, Hettle Andrews, Landmark

Information Group, No5 Chambers, Rathbones,

Severn Trent Searches, St Philips Chambers,

Turkish Airlines, the University of Law, University

of Wolverhampton and Wesleyan. n


Trainee Solicitor of the YearKatie Willems, Higgs & Sons Solicitors

Barrister of the YearTariq Sadiq, St Philips Chambers

Chartered Legal Executive of the YearAlison Hancock, SGH Martineau LLP

Paralegal of the YearNatalie Moustache, Anthony Collins Solicitors

Assistant/Associate Solicitor of the YearMark Hands, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors LLP

International Lawyer of the YearMichael Stephens, Kings Chambers

Partner of the YearDerek Adamson, DWF

Corporate Social Responsibility/Pro Bono Lawyer of the YearIan Henery, Ian Henery Solicitors Ltd

Law Firm of the Year (sole practitioners to 4 partners)Averta Employment Lawyers

Law Firm of the Year (5 to 15 partners)Sydney Mitchell LLP

Law Firm of the Year (16 plus partners)Eversheds LLP

Lifetime Achievement AwardBernard Shepherd

Law Firm of the Year (16 plus partners)Eversheds LLP

Barrister of the YearTariq Sadiq, St Philips Chambers

Law Firm of the Year (5 to 15 partners)Sydney Mitchell LLP

Law Firm of the Year (sole practitioners to 4 partners)Averta Employment Lawyers

Lifetime Achievement AwardBernard Shepherd


Birmingham Law Society was delighted to welcome Jonathan

Smithers, Vice President of the Law Society, to Birmingham on 18

March 2015. Jonathan takes up office as national president in July

and, as a property lawyer, was keen to engage with Birmingham

about some of the legal issues that are concerning the region’s

property practitioners. In a wide-ranging and lively discussion,

Jonathan explained the merits of the new online protocol, Veyo,

which is designed to provide greater transparency and speed to the

conveyancing process; the ways in which firms can address issues

surrounding mortgage fraud; and how the Law Society is working

with mortgage lenders and the Land Registry to refine and improve

current systems.

Eileen Schofield, President of the Birmingham Law Society said

“As the largest regional law society outside of London with 4000

members, it remains vital that we maintain an open and productive

dialogue with the national Law Society. Jonathan’s visit is a

testament to the good working relations we have and how we are

working together, in this instance, to improve working practices for

the property law industry.”

Clive Read, chair of the property and development committee added

“I am delighted that we have had the opportunity to engage with

Jonathan Smithers about some of the issues that matter to our

members. When there continues to be a plethora of changes, it

is important that Birmingham’s views continue to be heard at the

highest levels so that we can influence and affect change for the

benefit of property lawyers.” n

In PIcTuReS

Vice President of The Law Society Visits BLS

Birmingham Law Society Property and Development Committee welcomes Jonathan Smithers, Vice President of the Law Society, to Birmingham. People L to R (front) Eileen Schofield (President Birmingham Law Society), Clive Read (chair Birmingham Law Society Property & Development Committee), Jonathan Smithers (Vice President The Law Society), (L to R rear) Neil Stockall, Sarah Dwight, Anthony Verduyn, Roger Lloyd, Martin Allsopp, Bernard Shepherd, Denise Watkins, John Hughes and Geoff Wood.

Birmingham Law Society welcomes Jonathan Smithers, Vice President of the Law Society, to Birmingham. Left to right – Ravi Hothi (Law Society Midlands representative), Mary Kaye (Law Society Council representative for Birmingham & district and SGH Martineau), Eileen Schofield (President Birmingham Law Society and Eileen Schofield Associates), Clive Read (Chair Birmingham Law Society property & development committee and SGH Martineau), Jonathan Smithers (Vice President The Law Society) and John Hughes (Deputy Vice President Birmingham Law Society and Shakespeares).


foRenSIc AccounTIng

faced with a dispute or an event which affects the way a

company can trade going forward can mean choices for

management about how to mitigate a loss. claiming for the

“road not taken” can make all the difference to a loss of profit

claim.

we have seen an increase in clients wanting to include a “loss of

opportunity” element to their loss of profit claim; an evaluation

of the losses they say they have incurred because they were

unable to - or were prevented from - taking a particular course

of action, often as a result of a breach of contract, professional

negligence or fraudulent misrepresentation.

The courts have confirmed that a claim for loss of profit can

include loss of opportunity as well as loss actually incurred,

but what evidence will be sufficient? This is an area particularly

vulnerable to causation and a lack of quality evidence, and

one often combined with unrealistic client expectations. If not

challenged at the outset, it can undermine the whole claim and

the evidence of the expert.

The issues of causation and a link between the event or breach

and the losses arising are generally legal ones but, since the role

of the forensic accountant is to look at quantum, the validity of

the loss of opportunity claim and the amount claimed are linked.

The challenges arise in estimating or forecasting what would have

happened - this is more than a “but-for” scenario because it can

involve assuming an entirely different set of circumstances to

what actually happened. It is our experience that even if another

option was entirely possible and supported by evidence, clients

have a tendency to look at these lost opportunities through rose

tinted spectacles.

Potential pitfalls in formulating the loss of opportunity claim and

areas to be robustly challenged at an early stage include:

• Does the company actually have the capacity for the

losses being claimed?

• Timescale – does the idea that profits lost or costs incurred

will continue forever really stand up in a work where companies

have to adapt to changing market needs in any event?

• Could anything of the alternative position be salvaged and

at what cost?

• The use of hindsight – what was known when the breach

occurred and what happened afterwards?

• Sensitivity – what do alternative assumptions look like and

what is the likelihood of each scenario?

• Reliance on management evidence – often there is very little

to support the “alternative route” and we have to rely on

management evidence. They must be clear that they will

be giving evidence in court under oath and subject to

cross examination on anything that the expert relies on.

BDo’s forensic accounting team has significant and wide

ranging experience of loss of profit claims including loss of

opportunity elements. If you would like to speak to us on any

dispute resolution matter where a financial loss may arise,

please contact: helen hancock, Director, forensic Accounting

Services, [email protected], Tel: 0121 352 6238. n

Loss Claims: the Road not taken

“…Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.”


foRenSIc AccounTIng

Sara is Senior Partner of ey’s midlands practice and has

been a fIDS Partner since 2000.

She joined ey’s corporate finance team in 1987 as a

qualified accountant and now has over 20 years forensic

accounting experience. Sara became the first person in the uK firm with

a flexible working arrangement, which she went on to introduce and

support throughout the uK firm.

Sara particularly enjoys working with clients to develop strategies for

dispute management involving negotiated settlements, mediations and

arbitration and is a Practicing member of the Academy of experts and a

ceDR-accredited mediator. however, when matters cannot be settled,

she has provided expert witness evidence in the high court and in

arbitration proceedings (uK and international).

client feedback compliments Sara for her rigorous analysis, in depth

understanding of contractual issues and commercial acumen. Sara is

quick to recognise the team efforts which help her to deliver exceptional

client service and she is very proud of the quality, enthusiasm and

expertise of the team, some of whom are listed below.

outside of ey, Sara holds a number of other business roles. She is Vice chair

of cBI west midlands, a Trustee of the Library of Birmingham Development

Trust, chair of the midlands Two Percent club, a neD at St Basils and

Birmingham hippodrome.

Jonathan has been carrying out investigations for almost

20 years and heads the ey anti-bribery and corruption

team nationally. he is also responsible for the uK forensic

practice’s growth, a role in which the midlands takes a

lead with innovative solutions to our client’s problems.

In terms of sector experience it is perhaps easier to name the ones in

which he hasn’t worked, however Jonathan has particular strength in

utilities, financial services, manufacturing and automotive.

Jonathan works with lawyers to progress major regulatory actions,

investigations and forensic accounting issues and has given evidence

in person in the uK and uS courts. he regularly liaises with government

bodies and regulators including fcA, Sfo, uK police economic crime

Teams, and utilities regulators.

Some of Jonathan’s recent projects include:- Investigating a $100m+ multi-jurisdictional fraud which contributed

to the failure of an overseas bank. This included international asset

tracing, giving evidence in the uS and liaising with the fBI.

- working with a magic circle law firm to advise a bank on its

response to an fcA investigation related to PPI mis-selling.

- Assisting two major uK-headquartered banks to implement

a global Anti-Bribery and corruption frameworks.

- Appointments by utilities companies and their regulators

to address a wide range of forensic accounting issues.

outside of ey, Jonathan makes as good a job as he can of bringing up

his three children (all under 5!) and, when time permits, pursues his love

of music.

A recent highlight for the team has been the investment of £0.7m in a new

forensic technology facility outside of London, creating more than 50

new jobs. The lab, which is ey’s first dedicated forensics facility outside

of London, specialises in eDiscovery, including collecting, managing

and analysing data for legal disputes and regulatory investigations.

The hub is equipped to respond to changing trends in technology and

the growing demand for data collection from less

traditional sources, such as mobile phones, social

media and tablets. This investment has allowed us

to reduce our overall cost base meaning we can

provide forensic technology services to our local

clients on a competitive basis. n

eY’s Fraud services Headed By two Partners The ey fraud Investigation & Dispute Services (fIDS) team in the midlands is headed up by a two partner team, Sara fowler and Jonathan middup. Sara and Jonathan have worked alongside each other at ey since 2004 and have seen their team grow in size and expertise as they have supported clients internationally from their base in the midlands.

The team behind Sara and JonathanThe senior and experienced fIDS team in the midlands and the South has a wide range of experience in different sectors and industries.

Henry Pocock, Utilities- commercial and contractual disputes, transaction

disputes and professional negligence cases - Regulated energy and utility sectors

Hannah Griffin, Real Estate- commercial and contractual disputes, International

arbitrations, commercial litigation and ADR - Real estate sector and cases requiring business valuations

including shareholder disputes and compulsory purchase orders

Kathy Skevington, Regulatory Compliance and Investigations- Regulatory compliance and investigations, S166 Skilled Persons’

Review, competition, contractual compliance and disputes- works across a range of sectors specialising in

utilities, financial services and the public sector

Mark Whalley, Commercial and Transaction- forensic Accountant and former Litigation Solicitor- Advisory and expert witness services- commercial disputes and transaction related disputes

across a variety of jurisdictions and forums

Rob Sinclair, Anti-bribery/Anti-corruption- fraud, corruption and regulatory investigations, fraud

detection and anti-fraud/corruption measures - Assignments in the united States, europe, India, Africa,

central and far east Asia and the middle east.

foRenSIc AccounTIng

usually a cPo results in land and property being purchased, but your business

may also be materially impacted by relocation or, in extreme circumstances,

may be forced to close. At this point, a skilled forensic accountant can

provide support for your cPo claim. Such claims can include loss of profit

due to relocation or business interruption, and potentially extinguishment

of business. This process can at times be daunting for both claimants and

acquirers, and often results in lengthy and costly ongoing communications.

As part of the 2015 Budget, the government published a consultation

paper (“cP”), stating it wanted to make the system for cPos “clearer,

faster and fairer”, as much of the current legislation is out of date and not

reflective of case law. The cP sets out the following main changes which

will impact on the claim process or quantum of a claim following a cPo:

IMPRoVEd guIdanCE

Public accounting officers will be empowered to be more discretionary

with the level of initial award offered, as higher compensation amounts

can be rationalised against lower costs to complete, with negotiation

and dialogue with claimants encouraged.

IMPRoVEd dEVELoPMEnt and ConfIRMatIon PRoCESS

Streamlining government processes:

- Standardised timescales (specific to the type of case), with

performance against targets presented annually;

- The Secretary of State is to be given the power to delegate decisions

to an appropriate inspector in certain situations.

Reforming the high court challenge process, including:

- faster reconsideration of an order which has been challenged;

- Ability to quash a decision, allowing it to be retaken if the decision,

but not the order, is found to be legally flawed;

- The cP additionally asks for opinions on the method of challenge

and the timescales once a legal challenge has been raised.

IMPRoVEd IMPLEMEntatIon

Standardising timeframe between the granting of compulsory powers and

entry; and amendments to the way entry dates are communicated to give the

claimant more notice and surety on the date the possession will take place.

Allowing advance payments of compensation prior to possession, in

order to help claimants fund the costs of relocation, etc.

In the case of disputes over value or non-payment, the cP proposes to

accelerate the legal process for the claimant by:

- Introduction of a 21-day time limit for acquiring authorities to

request further information;

- Introduction of a review and decision-making body to resolve disputes

over quantum or non-payment.

Increasing interest on compensation amounts from the current 0.5%

below to 1.0% above base rate on a compound basis, with an absolute

floor of 1.0%.

unified approach in situations where an acquirer’s wish to purchase

only a portion of a claimant’s land causes a material Detriment to the

remainder of the landowner’s property.

consultation on these proposed changes is ongoing until 9 June 2015,

and implementation and the specific proposals adopted is likely to

depend on the results of the general election. however, it is likely that

some form of amendments to the current legislation will be implemented.

many of these proposals clarify areas of inconsistency, or seek to

make the process quicker, with less chance of delay or protracted

legal proceedings. These are positives for both the claimant and the

acquirer. however, with implementation of these proposals unlikely for

several years, the pitfalls and problems that the cP seeks to address will

continue to cause difficulties for all parties involved in cPos for some

time to come.

KPmg’s dispute advisory team has a range of experience assisting

clients, both acquirers and claimants, to articulate the value of losses

arising as a consequence of cPos. This can range from valuations of the

affected business to assessing loss of profits as a result of relocation.

we have acted for a number of acquiring authorities in relation to various

significant infrastructure projects in the uK and also regularly act for

claimants, giving us a perspective from both sides of the fence and

providing useful insights which we can share with our clients.

our work can include preparation of expert reports, meeting opposing

experts and negotiation support, as well as providing less formal advice

on a cPo prior to litigation. At all times we approach each situation

bearing in mind that the backstop is a quasi-litigation process. It is of

no benefit in the long term for parties involved in a dispute to adopt

unjustifiably extreme positions, and we aim to be robust and honest in

our advice about realistic quantum.

where input from surveyors or other relevant market-specific skilled

persons are required we can quickly and easily reach out within KPmg

to our pool of highly experienced and knowledgeable staff in order to

comprehensively assist you, and we are experienced at working alongside

your other external counsel, agents and surveyors as required. n

Jenny wilkinson

KPmg LLP

T: 0121 232 3373

e: [email protected]

Increased infrastructure projects and potential changes to compulsory purchase legislation: how can Forensic Accountants help?

The economy is strengthening, and an increasing number of public infrastructure projects are looming, such as hS2, and the billions to be spent on roads, flood defences and housing, as announced in the national Infrastructure Plan 2014. As a consequence, a rise in compulsory Purchase orders (cPos) is inevitable.


Damian Byrne

Investigations


foRenSIc AccounTIng

Some things never change. People commit frauds. companies dispute

the meanings of contracts. husbands and wives go their separate ways.

however, the nature of our work changes and serves as a barometer of

changing times. here are some of the trends that we are seeing:

PRofESSIonaL nEgLIgEnCE

we have seen an increase in claims against auditors, accountants,

insurance brokers and solicitors. Indeed, the scale of the increase has led

to grant Thornton’s head of Audit Services transferring to the forensic

team, to work on liability issues arising from claims against auditors.

many of us here are following the mg Rover matter, having had involvements

including giving evidence on behalf of the financial Reporting council. It was

15 years ago when Bmw famously sold mg Rover for £10. Birmingham has

changed enormously since mg Rover’s demise, but we are still seeing the

consequences. Incidentally, in case you were wondering, the cases against

solicitors featured claims involving the drafting of contracts!

InSuRanCE

After so long discussing the Insurance Bill we can, with Royal Assent

recently given, start talking about one of the last statutes under this

Parliament’s lifetime, the Insurance Act 2015. we wonder in particular

how this will impact on disclosure and warranties, and insurers’ abilities

to repudiate claims.

HS2

we have seen an increase in relocation claims. This area provides

significant scope for professionals in Birmingham to work together.

JaCkSon

finally, no commentary on current trends would be complete without reference

to the Jackson reforms. After much satellite litigation post mitchell (including

a sanctions dispute on a case where I gave evidence in Birmingham), we

have entered a climate where lawyers can perhaps breathe more easily on

relief from sanctions. we remain, however, aware of the pressures the courts

are under: one week-long trial in the high court that I was due to appear

at was postponed just before it was about to start. And, of course, we are

in no doubt now as to the increasing scrutiny of our costs! my colleague

harshad Bharakhada and I are increasingly spending time early in the case

management process and helping on costs budgets. n

Steve Thompson

Director, forensic and Investigation Services, grant Thornton

T: +44 (0)121 232 5155 e: [email protected]

the year under a forensic accountant’s microscopeAs forensic accountants, we often get called by lawyers to assist them and their clients in the accounting aspects of challenging issues.

The court of Appeal has

today handed down a

judgment which could result

in vulnerable members of the

public being denied access to

legal representation when they

are accused of wrongdoing.

In a deeply disappointing judgment

the court of Appeal rejected

legal challenges brought by the

Law Society and the criminal

Law Solicitors’ Association

(cLSA) and London criminal

courts Solicitors’ Association

(LccSA) over government

plans to reduce the number of

criminal legal aid contracts.

Law Society president Andrew

caplen said: ‘The Court of Appeal

decision is a devastating blow. We

remain concerned that vulnerable

people may not be able to obtain

legal representation if they are

accused of wrongdoing. This is

why we challenged government

plans to reduce criminal legal aid

contracts as they could affect

anyone accused of a crime and the

solicitors who provide high-quality

legal help, including 24-hour

coverage for police stations.

‘Without proper legal

representation there may be

miscarriages of justice. Criminal

legal aid solicitors are critical for

ensuring that anyone accused

of a crime has a fair trial.’

The Law Society of england

and wales believes that

government proposed cuts in

the number of contracts for

solicitor firms covering criminal

legal aid is unsustainable and

could leave some parts of the

country without solicitors to

provide essential services.

After twenty years without any

increases in legal aid fees the

government introduced cuts of

8.75 per cent in march last year.

A further 8.75 per cent cut in the

fees paid is planned for solicitors

working in police stations and

magistrates’ courts. The Law

Society awaits the outcome of the

government’s promised review

of the impact of last march’s

cuts and will robustly oppose

a further 8.75 per cent cut.

Andrew caplen added: ‘We are

now considering our position

and we will be looking to have

early discussions with the

new government on how to

ensure access to justice for the

most vulnerable in society.

‘We will do all we can to support

solicitors as they decide on their

responses to the government’s

criminal legal aid contract tender

process and we will continue

to fight for access to justice

using every means available.’

commenting on today’s ruling

Jonathan Black, president of

the London criminal courts

Solicitors’ Association said:

‘We’re gutted. It’s another terrible

blow for our criminal justice

system and access to justice.

‘Whilst the appeal court has

found the devastating carve-

up of solicitor representation is

technically legal, we and many

others believe it’s immoral.

We’ll do everything we can

to continue the fight.

‘It’s vital that legal aid becomes

couRT of APPeAL ReJecTS chALLenge To goVeRnmenT’S PLAn foR cRImInAL LegAL AID


fears that affluent retirees

will blow their pension

pots on Lamborghinis

appear to be unfounded

according to delegates who

attended a recent seminar

at higgs & Sons solicitors.

The Pension changes Seminar

held at the firm’s waterfront

headquarters on march 5,

looked at the changes which

are set to allow over-55s

unlimited access to their

retirement savings from

April. A questionnaire given

to delegates, asked whether

they would now be tempted

to use their pension funds to

buy luxury items such as a

Lamborghini; and the answer

according to the higgs’

attendees was a resounding, no.

“That particular question was

a slightly tongue in cheek

response to the comments

made by Pensions Minister

Steve Webb last year that

retirees would be free to spend

their money on Lamborghinis,”

explains Robert Leek, a

partner at higgs & Sons.

“Although the majority of people

(82 per cent) said they were

not set for a trip to the car

showroom, what the results

did show was that over 70 per

cent of respondents would be

seeking to review their pension

arrangements as a result of

the forthcoming changes.”

The pensions seminar saw

85 local business men and

women come along to hear

a presentation from higgs’

Lucy obrey, a partner

who specialises in wealth

preservation, and pensions

expert, John woolley from

London based consultancy,

Technical connection.

“The new rules coming into

force next month mean

significant changes for over 55s

who have built up large pension

funds,” comments Lucy.

“From April, people will have

the option of taking a number

of smaller lump sums, instead

of one single big lump sum,

and in each case, 25 per cent

of the sum will be tax-free.

This allows for much greater

freedom for those who built

up healthy pension pots to

spend however they wish.”

And though a Lamborghini

was not on the shopping

list for the majority of those

who were at the seminar, one

lucky attendee did get the

chance to sample what it is

like to own an Italian supercar

after winning a Lamborghini

experience day in a prize draw.

“The response from those

who attended the seminar

was extremely positive,”

concludes Robert Leek. n

LegAL newS


an election issue. We can’t stress

enough that additional cuts in

an already stretched system

aren’t necessary and we urge the

public to demand a re-think. As

for our own legal position, we’re

taking stock and considering our

next steps. We have incredible

support from the profession

and justice campaigners and

we have contingency plans.

Watch this space.’ n

See more at: http://www.

lawsociety.org.uk/news/

press-releases/court-of-

appeal-rejects-challenge-to-

government-plan-for-criminal-

legal-aid/#sthash.31V8Dz65.dpuf

course List: April - may 2015

course highlights

Please see our website for further seminars: www.birminghamlawsociety.co.ukTelephone: Liz Dziergas, Professional services executive on 0121 227 8701 email: [email protected]

developing your Coaching and Mentoring

Skills: getting the best out of your staff

date: wednesday, 15 April 2015

time: Registration: 8:30am, Seminar: 9.00 – 12.00

Venue: Sgh martineau, 1 colmore Square, Birmingham, B4 6AA

fee: members £99 + VAT non-members £115 + VAT

Speaker: Richard Bisiker

Who is this qualification for?

Practicing partners and managers who want to develop their

knowledge, skills to effectively coach or mentor to elicit best

performance throughout the organisation consistently.

Benefits: It is designed to develop your capability as a coach

or mentor to influence, develop and guide those around you.

using the tools learnt and practiced on the course you will

achieve engagement of staff, ownership and insight into personal

development and transformational change of those that you coach.

This is a short course designed for key people using performance

language and a quick fast system for getting results through people.

you will learn vital skills for creating alignment and agreement by

fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional, or risky

topics—at all levels of your organisation. By learning how to speak

and be heard, and encouraging others to do the same, you’ll begin to

surface the best ideas, and the highest-quality actions from others.

outcomes: by the end of this course you will be able to…

• Listening at new levels

• Ask powerful coaching questions

• Dialogue safely about any topic

• Eliciting values and goals

• Tools for change, reframing and redirection.

• Communicate to enhance interest, enthusiasm and engagement

• Be a model for self-directed change

• Explore a Self-Diagnostic Review

• Set compelling outcomes around accountability with those you coach

Speaker: Richard Bisiker is the Director of Personal Summits and

specialises in working with developing skills in engaging staff for best

performance; drawing attention to personal patterns of behaviour

and through coaching achieve new habits that gets results. Richard

has been coaching executives for 25 years and and is a mentor on

the Institute of Directors mentoring scheme with the university of

wolverhampton. As a private pilot he also enjoys travelling nationally to

see his clients and often makes analogies between flying and leadership!

Who should attend? managing Partners/ People

managers working within professional practices.

Marketing a family Law Practice

date: Thursday, 16th April 2015

time: 8.30 registration, 9.00 – 12.00 Seminar

Venue: St Philips chambers, 55 Temple Row, Birmingham, B2 5LS


CPd: 3 hours

Speaker: Keith harper

In April 2013, public funding for family Law services was significantly

reduced. ensuring that the family department has a robust

marketing strategy has never been so important. coupled with the

potential consequences of the Legal Services Act, the changes will

Date Time cPD hrs course Title Area Speakers fees £ members non members

08-Apr-15 9:00 - 5:00 7 Management Course stage one (MC1) Management Doug Robinson £170 + VAt £210 + VAt

15-Apr-15 8:30 - 12:00 3 Developing your Coaching and Mentoring skills: Management Mark Bisiker £99 + VAt £115 + VAt Getting the best out of your staff

16-Apr-15 8:30 - 12:00 3 Marketing a Family Law Practice Marketing Keith Harper £99 + VAt £115 + VAt

16-Apr-15 12:30 - 16:00 3 Developing your conveyancing business – Marketing Keith Harper £99 + VAt £115 + VAt marketing for the future

21-Apr-15 9:00 - 12:30 3 How to take on stress and win for Management Jill Roberts £55 + VAt £75 + VAt legal professionals

29-Apr-15 17:30 - 19:30 2 4 Difficult tUPe questions employment Martin Chitty £45 + VAt £55 + VAt nick Jew Richard santy Ranjit Dhinsa

14-May-15 8:30 - 12:00 3 new date *** Understanding neuro- Management Brett Maberley £99 + VAt £115 + VAt Communication: examples from the Court

15-May-15 12:30 - 17:00 5 Advocacy training May 2015 *** Limited spaces Management no5 Chambers - £20 + VAt £20 + VAt steven Reed QC

Learning & DevelopmentProfessional Services

BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY



threaten those firms, which do not plan effectively, and implement

well-thought out marketing and Business Development activities.

This course will give delegates the tools required to do this.

key areas covered are:

• The market and opportunity for privately funded work

• Positioning your practice: Who are your target clients?

what will they expect?

• Price vs. service and reputation: understanding the balance

• Referral sources: targeting key external sources, and internal

referrers (cross selling). Building business relationships

• Presentation and communication: advertising, literature,

web sites, PR, articles, seminars

• Creating a plan and making it happen

Speaker: Keith harper, B.Soc Sc. f.c.I.m. is managing Director

of harper Professional and our primary Programme Director,

delivering management and business skills training and advice

to our clients. he is an economics graduate of the university of

Birmingham, a fellow of the chartered Institute of marketing,

and a member of the Law Society Law management Section.

After many years in senior management roles in commerce

and industry, Keith became a Director of a large legal training

provider, now part of the BPP group. In this role, whilst

developing management development programmes for solicitors

and delivering public and in-house courses, he gained a real

insight into how to apply management ideas and techniques

to the legal profession. In order to focus more tightly on legal

management issues, Keith set up The harper Partnership in 1999,

which evolved in to harper Professional in January 2005.

Despite a busy professional life, Keith is an intermittent triathlete/

marathon runner, plays the clubs and pubs of Staffordshire in a rock

band, and spends a lot of time standing on the sidelines at various

football, netball, hockey, tennis, trampolining and dancing events

cheering his three daughters on (and offering constructive feedback!).

developing Your Conveyancing Business – Marketing for the future

date: Thursday, 16th April 2015


Venue: St Philips chambers, 55 Temple Row, Birmingham, B2 5LS

CPd: 3 hours

fees: members £99 + VAT non-members £115 + VAT

Speaker: Keith harper

Against the background of the worst recession since the war, and the

changing competitive environment developing in the wake of the Legal

Services Act, this course provides an overview of how to develop

and implement a marketing strategy to maximise the potential of

residential conveyancing work in your firm. now is the time to act!

key areas covered are:

• The market post-recession, and positioning your practice within

the changing environment – the options ands strategies available.

• Your changing clients – structuring your department, and the

service provided to meet their needs. Pricing and creating value

• Creating contact with potential clients, and maximising

returns from quotations

• Maximising the potential of the web, and making the most

of marketing communication

• Referral sources – building relevant and successful business relationships

• Creating a departmental marketing plan – making it happen

Speaker: Keith harper, B.Soc Sc. f.c.I.m., managing Director, harper

Professional (See “Developing your conveyancing Business” for bio)

How to take on Stress and Win for Legal Professionals

date: wednesday, 21 April 2015

time: 9:00 Registration and Light Breakfast, 9:30 - 12:30 Seminar

Venue: clarke willmott, 138 edmund Street,

Birmingham, west midlands B3 2eS

CPd: 3 hours cPD

fees: £55+ vat for members, £75 + vat for non-members

Speaker: Jill Roberts

take on Stress and Win? how is this determined and how is this

different for us all to find the best ways for us to make this happen.

Stress and working under pressure in a team and do managers always

understand the level of stress that new lawyers are under? especially

with increased workloads that are expected in the law sector currently.

These are real issues faced by new lawyers and established lawyers

to step up a gear and manage their newly qualified and appointed

staff. managing this correctly can achieve outstanding results however

not managing the stress and increased workload and the results

could most certainly be detrimental to clients and colleagues.

understand more about Stress and how this works scientifically in

the brain. why we get stressed and most importantly how to deal

with stress. Successful Professionals often incur an amount of stress

and some individuals may have A mechanism to -’ Take on Stress

and win!’ and some may not find this process so easy. This can be

managed alongside ‘mindfulness’ techniques. This workshop is about

training your mind to manage stress in the most success way for you!

Potential outcomes: Reacting to Stress in greater control,

gaining a greater sense of mental and physical well-being,

feeling of anxiousness reduced, Self confidence increases,

gaining an increased sense of fulfilment and purpose.

Speaker: Jill Roberts is an inspirational speaker, psychotherapist

and entrepreneur who believes everyone has a right to

speak and be heard. She inspires others to realise they

have a choice about the outcome in their lives.

As an intuitive therapist qualified in cBT, clinical hypnotherapy,

coaching and nLP, Jill has worked for more than 10 years with,

amongst others, adult survivors of sexual abuse. She has had the

privilege of sharing journeys as people heal from the trauma of

abuse. This gives her huge insight into the workings and defences

of the human mind, of multiple personality, self- sabotage and the

inner critical voice that is so powerful in hindering our chances of

success. Jill shares this experience so that others may become

aware of and overcome the obstacles that hold them back.

Attributed with a disregard for the conventional Jill’s expertise

in asking questions helps men and women find a different

path to the happiness and success they deserve.

As a speaker Jill is creative, funny and engaging and always

has insights and wisdom to share. her philosophy is that

laughter and being listened to are vital to life and happiness.


4 difficult tuPE Questions

date: wednesday, 29th April 2015


Venue: Dwf

CPd: 1.5 hours

fees: members £45 + VAT non-members £55 + VAT

Speaker: martin chitty (wragge Lawrence graham), nick Jew (DLA),

Richard Santy (mills & Reeve), Ranjit Dhinsa (hill hofstetter Ltd)

• When is there a transfer - Martin Chitty, Head of Employment

wragge Lawrence graham

• Who transfers - Nick Jew , employment Partner DLA

• What to tell staff and who to tell - Richard Santy,

employment Partner, mills & Reeve

• How much does it cost to get it wrong – Ranjit Dhinsa

employment Partner hill hofstetter Ltd

• Chair – Michael Hibbs, Employment Partner, Shakespeares

TuPe continues to present employers and employees with difficult

issues. corporate, property, insolvency and other legal disciplines

are affected by these questions and there have been lots of recent

cases. our four speakers are experts in their areas and will endeavour

to answer these four questions which are at the heart of all transfers.

This session will suit junior lawyers and also lawyers who specialise

ion other disciplines but come across TuPe issues from time to time.

new date *** understanding neuro-

Communication: Examples from the Court

date: Thursday, 14 may 2015

time: Registration: 8.30am, Seminar: 9:00 - 12:00

Venue: Shoosmiths, 2 colmore Square, 38 Queensway,

Birmingham, west midlands B4 6BJ

CPd: 3 hours


Speaker: Brett maberley

Taking you into the world of Neuro-‐Communication – a new approach

to communication, incorporating key elements from psychology and

neuro-science, built around established and proven approaches

to recognising your own and others natural human behaviours and

reactions. founded and developed by Brett mabberley, ceo of BLm

Interaction Ltd and also a psychological coach with a vast amount

of experience in this field - from working with children who have

suffered abuse and trauma, the rehabilitation of offenders in prison to

high profile clients, public figures and professional sports persons.

neuro-communication is a unique set of tools that can give you the

skills to break down communication beyond the basic conscious

level and maximise your potential both personally and professionally.

enabling you to lead effectively and make the most of any one-

to-one client facing scenario, neuro-communication shows you

how, by recognising key signs (both positive and negative), you can

quickly gauge whether your client is engaged, interested, unhappy

or dismissive of what you are verbally communicating. using various

techniques, this then allows you to change the direction of the

conversation to result in your chosen outcome. The session will focus

on 5 key elements of our programme: understanding the baseline; The

3 parts of our brain and the limbic system; non-verbal communication;

Linguistics and language patterns; Deception detection

even with a basic knowledge of neuro‐communication you will

understand your own non-verbal communication, e.g. expressions,

gestures, eye contact, use of personal space, posture and tonality. with

these skills you will be able to drastically affect both your own and the

observers behaviour. many of us rely on having effective communication

skills to build relationships, establish our professionalism as well as to

decipher who to trust and who to avoid. moving beyond simply building

rapport, neuro-communication provides essential keys to gaining a

rapid understanding and control of almost any situation. An essential

skill for anyone needing to quickly build trust and authority from client

meetings to public speaking, neuro-communication shows how to

build a solid presence and deliver confident,impactful messages.

Taking control of your conscious and unconscious communication

at an advanced level, neuro‐communication is currently available

exclusively through BLm Interaction Ltd, a specialist provider of high

level professional coaching and personal and professional development.

Kindly Sponsored by

advocacy training May 2015 *** Limited Spaces

date: Thursday 14th may 2015

time: 12.30pm - 5pm

CPd: 4 hoursfee: £20 + VAT

Birmingham Law Society is running an advocacy training program

for those lawyers who have limited experienced at attending District

Judge appointments in civil/commercial claims. The aim of this

training is to provide an introduction to advocacy in District Judge

appointments and to ensure that our local lawyers are meeting the

minimum standards of advocacy that are expected by the courts.

The program for Thursday’s advocacy training will consist of an

introduction to advocacy at no5 chambers where a you will participate in

an interactive workshop with Steven Reed Qc covering the basic elements

of good advocacy. This will then be followed by a tour of the Birmingham

District Registry and a meeting with one or two District Judges who will

discuss the “do’s and don’ts” of advocacy before District Judges.

we have limited spaces available for this event and so will

be operating a “first come, first serve” basis. This training is

specifically tailored to newly Qualified Practising Solicitors

and is unsuitable for student members at this time.

If you are interested in attending please book your place online.

full details of all our seminars are advertised on our website and regular emailers are sent out to our members. we are currently in the process of confirming further seminars,

debates and conferences; if you have any specific training requirements or would like to suggest future topics, please do email me at [email protected]

Please see our website for further seminars: www.birminghamlawsociety.co.ukTelephone: Liz Dziergas, Professional services executive on 0121 227 8701 email: [email protected]

FACTS & FIGURES

The Leo dealt with 8000 complaints last year with 39% being

resolved without a formal Leo decision. 20% of complaints

related to residential conveyancing; 17% to family work and

13% to wills & probate. The main causes of complaint were

failures to follow instructions; failures to advise and excessive

costs or inadequate costs information.

CLAIMS MANAGEMENT CoMPANIES (“CMCs”)

from 28 January 2015, the Leo began to accept complaints

about cmcs. In 2013/2014, under the previous complaints

handling arrangements, there were 8,700 complaints about

cmcs.

TIME LIMIT FoR BRINGING CoMPLAINTS

In July 2015, the european Directive on Alternative Dispute

Resolution (ADR) will come into force. The purpose of the

Directive is to ensure that all consumers in the eu have access

to an ADR Scheme to seek redress when they have experienced

problems with goods and services that they have purchased.

The Leo scheme rules have to be brought in line with this new

Directive. The main change will be to the time limit for bringing

complaints. At present, this is six months from the date of

receiving a final response from the legal services provider but,

from 9 July 2015, this will increase to 12 months.

Therefore, all final response letters sent on or after 9 July 2012

must include the 12 month time limit. Any final response letters

sent before 9 July 2012 should include the 6 month time limit.

A change to client care letters, terms and conditions and

complaints procedures will be necessary from 9 July 2015.

SUCCESSoR FIRMS

The question of whether successor firms were responsible for

dealing with complaints made against practices with which they

have merged or taken over was considered in Kerman & Co LLP

v Legal Ombudsman & Levy & Schroeder [2014] EWHC 3726

(Admin).

A sole practitioner had merged his practice with Kerman & co

(“K”). The court had to determine whether section 132 (2) of the

Legal Services Act 2007, concerning continuity of complaints,

allowed the Leo to treat the complaints against the sole

practitioner as a complaint against K.

K argued that section 132 was restricted to continuity of

complaints against private individuals not entities. In a robust

endorsement of consumer protection, the court held that a

complaint should not be left without a remedy just because

the respondent to the complainant, A, had ceased to exist and

another person had succeeded to A’s business in whole or in

part. As K had received the benefit of the business, it could not

be unfair for it to accept the burden of the complaint.

This decision emphasises that when firms are negotiating

takeovers and mergers, care and attention needs to be paid to

the complaints handling record of the target firm. Dealing with

your own firm’s complaints is bad enough but trying to deal with

a previous firm’s complaints where fee earners have left and files

are light on file notes can be quite another story.

NAMING & SHAMING

The Leo published for the first time in the public interest details

of decisions (14 in total) made against a barrister. In a scathing

press release, the Leo described him as a “risk to potential new

clients”.

THE FUTURE

Two areas to watch. first, the Leo is keen to extend its

jurisdiction to cover all unregulated service providers. Its

research has revealed the existence of a significant “alternative”

legal market in which services were being supplied by providers

beholden to no regulatory body or, in some cases, code of

conduct. The report estimated that some 130,000 service

providers in england and wales were operating outside the

regulated domain. Questions of funding and enforcement will

need to be raised if this plan is developed further.

Secondly, after publication of Leo decisions in the public

interest for the first time, the publication of more detailed

complaints handling data about firms is likely to be back on the

agenda coupled with its use by comparison sites. The present

arrangement is limited to the publication of decisions during

the last 12 months but this could be subject to pressure in the

future. n

Jayne Willetts is also a director

of Infolegal Ltd – providing the

Colpline practice advice helpline and

consultancy advice for law firms –

www.infolegal.co.uk

JAyne wILLeTTS | SoLIcIToR ADVocATe | JAyne wILLeTTS & co | SPecIALISTS In PRofeSSIonAL ReguLATIon

FoCUs on tHe LeGAL oMBUDsMAn

whilst the SRA frequently occupies space in this column, it is probably the Legal ombudsman (“Leo”) that firms have most contact with particularly if they are dealing with the general public on a regular basis so this month the focus is on the Leo.

ReguLATIon RePoRT



children usually cannot wait

to get away from school over

the summer, but at Bromsgrove

Summer Activity camps, the

opposite is true. In some of the

finest facilities any school in Britain

has to offer, children can make

new friends, improve skills and,

crucially, burn off energy in the

most productive and exciting ways.

The camps cater for all interests

and tastes, and are held for eight

weeks in the summer holidays.

They run from 8.30am until 5.45pm,

or 10.00am until 4.00pm for the

sports coaching camps. All staff are

qualified and experienced coaches

or teachers, many of them being

full time Bromsgrove School staff.

Activity camps include sessions

in arts and crafts, cookery, mad

science, and textiles as well as a

huge variety of fun sports including

tennis, swimming, martial arts,

basketball, dance, badminton

and more. These camps cost £40

per day or £130 per week, and

this price includes all materials

and a hot lunch. your children

are guaranteed to be active and

engaged in inspiring surroundings,

even if the weather is inclement. n

summer Activity Camps at Bromsgrove school

eDucATIon


children at Blue coat have met with considerable success so far this

year! from musical achievements to sporting triumphs and with some

inspiring learning along the way, the school has had a fantastic year.

11 year old Bronagh passed her latest music exam with a flourish. Bronagh

achieved a Distinction for her grade 8 violin exam, an extraordinary

achievement for such a young musician. She started learning the violin at

the age of 3 and has made impressive progress to achieve this standard

so early in her musical career.

The u11A netball squad, travelled down to Roedean School, Brighton for

the national IAPS championships. 38 teams had qualified from all around

the country, the girls did themselves great credit in the finals.

Blue coat children were on top form in the annual SATIPS (Support and

Training in Prep Schools) general Knowledge challenge, with a number

of outstanding individual results. Blue coat were awarded fourth place

nationally out of 84 schools.

Amidst these various successes, a great deal of focused learning has

been going on. from maths to media Studies and Physics to Philosophy,

the children have experienced a wide range of stimuli. And the strong

performance in this year’s grammar and Independent School 11+ exams

confirms that this broad, holistic education pays dividends.

Almost all ages benefited from a plethora of visits. handa’s Surprise thrilled

those in Buttons nursery, Transition and Reception, while year 2 learned

about The great fire of London. year 3 travelled to the Barber Institute,

and year 4 flexed their creative muscles at the Architect and Lego Day

before learning that history was anything but horrible as the Tudors arrived.

not to be outdone, year 5 dressed in Victorian garb to travel back to the

19th century, while year 6 spent a day sampling life as Ancient greeks.

without doubt, then, it has certainly been a year to remember!

If you have a child

who you feel would

thrive in this exciting

environment, please

do contact us: we

would be delighted to

show you round the

school. n

eDucATIon

success at the Blue Coat school!


memBeRS’ newS

on 4 march 2015 the

BSg organised their

first Speed Quizzing event at

chung ying central to raise

money for their chosen charity,

children’s university. The event

was sold out well in advance

of the evening and over 85

people attended to take part.

Syncing mobile phone devices

to the Speed Quiz app allowed

teams to use their mobile phones

as a buzzer to answer various

questions with little opportunity

to confer or research an answer!

The Irwin mitchell team followed

closely by cPS/weightmans

team scooped first and second

prizes respectively. The evening

raised over £760 in total and

hopefully will become a firm

fixture in the BSg calendar.

BSG ANNUAL GENERAL

MEETING AND ELECTIoN

oF 2015/2016 CoMMITTEE

The BSg Agm will take

place on monday 20 April at

6.30pm at weightmans LLP.

The following roles are available

to run and vote for by eligible

BSg members: chair; Vice-

chair; Treasurer; general

Secretary; cSR officer; BLS/

BTSS Liaison officer; Publicity

officer; events co-ordinator.

Please join us at the Agm

to see out this year’s

committee and welcome

the new committee in. n

BSg chARITy SPeeD QuIzzIng

An award winning lawyer

is speaking at the house

of commons in a pre-electing

debate on Poles in the uK.

James Dixon, a barrister at

no5 chambers, was one of

a number of speakers at the

debate organised by the All-

Party Parliamentary group

on Poland, British Polish

Law Association and Polish

Professionals in London, and

hosted by the Polish born mP for

Shrewsbury, Daniel Kawczynski.

As the discussions on

immigration continue to attract

headlines, the debate, being

held at Portcullis house on

monday, asks whether there is

a future for Poles in the uK?

‘There is’ is the resounding

answer from James. But, he

says, the question needs to be

carefully considered within the

context of eu migration and

eu citizens rights as a whole.

James is a member of the British

Polish Law Association and

has a general interest and good

working knowledge of eastern

europe, having worked in the

court of Justice of the european

union. his wife is hungarian

and he has an excellent grasp of

the language, is fluent in Italian

and german, as well as a good

working knowledge of french.

he will be joined on the

panel by Labour mP Andrew

Slaughter and Professor

Alan Sked, founder of the

uK Independence Party. n

PRe-eLecTIon DeBATe on PoLeS In The uK

Birmingham-based law firm

Anthony collins Solicitors has

welcomed a new senior associate,

James hall, who joins the firm

from meridian Private client.

James specialises in tax and

estate planning, helping clients to

effectively manage their estates

and protect their assets.

James will further enhance Anthony

collins Solicitors’ private client

offering by delivering a bespoke

service, helping clients to mitigate

their exposure to inheritance tax,

capital gains tax and to preserve

their wealth for future generations.

Peter hubbard, senior partner,

commented: “We’re extremely

pleased to welcome James on

board. He joins a longstanding and

market leading private client team

here at Anthony Collins Solicitors.

He will add real value to the team,

particularly to our tax planning work,

advising a variety of clients who

choose us to help them manage

their affairs effectively and, ultimately,

achieve their goals and ambitions.”

James said: “Anthony Collins

Solicitors has a strong private

client offering across the West

Midlands. I’m both proud and

excited to join a firm with such a

strong profile in private client work

and a commitment to making a

positive difference to the lives of

the people with whom we work.” n

AnThony coLLInS SoLIcIToRS STRengThenS PRIVATe cLIenT TeAm

Black country law firm

higgs & Sons has been

thanked for raising almost

£30,000 for The Prince’s Trust

over the last two years. As the

Black country firm’s nominated

charity for 2013 and 2014, staff

raised a staggering £27,106.50

through a variety of events,

fundraisers and partnerships.

Solicitor Joe cowles attended a

Prince’s Trust celebrate Success

event at Villa Park where he

received thanks and well-earned

certificates for the higgs team

members who contributed.

Sonia Kaur, corporate

Partnership manager for

The Prince’s Trust, said: “I

am overwhelmed by the

commitment Higgs & Sons has

shown to The Prince’s Trust for

two years now, you have all been

an absolute delight to work with

and I have thoroughly enjoyed

getting to know the team.

“Both years you have dramatically

influenced our work in Dudley

and have helped us support more

young people than ever before.

Having looked at our figures

there has been a 10% increase

which would not have been

possible without the commitment

of our corporate supporters

such as Higgs & Sons.”

The higgs corporate Social

Responsibility programme

is headed up by Tim Jones.

he said: “The success of our

CSR programme has been the

support from our people who

have demonstrated a clear

desire to help the community

in which they live and work

- community matters. n

PRInce’S TRuST ThAnKS hIggS & SonS foR huge conTRIBuTIon


mPW Media & Publishing

GET YOUR BUSINESS NOTICED

If you would like to advertise in THE BULLETIN

please contact Alison Jones on:

Tel: 01905 727907 [email protected]

expert witnesses

Translations

networking event 23 April 2015 6pm - 8pm The Botanist

charity Ride warwickshire 100 in aid of 26 April 2015 warwick RacecoursePrinces Trust and Action medical Research

Agm 28 April 2015 5pm - 8pm St Philips chambers

Strictly 9 to 5, no5 chambers charity event 5 June 2015 6pm onwards Aston Villa fc

notICE: Birmingham Law Society is looking for new members for our Private Client Committee! Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining!

eVenTS

To book please visit the website www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk If you have any enquires please email: [email protected] or call: 0121 227 8700

DATES FOR YOuR DIARY

Alistair ScottIndependent Clinical Nurse Specialist CAMHSDelivering cost savings in expert evidence

I am able to undertake court reports in Family Law proceedings, where there are questions relating to the mental health of children and adolescents. As a Mental Health Nurse I am trained in open and transparent communication. Often the issues involved are highly sensitive, complex and contentious. When writing court reports I use these communication skills to present information and opinion in a succinct and straightforward way.

As a nurse my fees are set 35% lower per hour than a Child Psychologist, and 40% lower than a Child Psychiatrist.

Alistair Scott RMN PO Box 16726, Birmingham, B30 9ETTel: 07935 341051 Email: [email protected]

www.expertwitnesscamhs.com

Situations Vacant

birmingham law society legal awards 2015 · stephens & george advertising sales - alison jones...

Documents