PAYROLL SERVICES OF THE YEAR

When the pandemic hit in March 2020 our expertise and diligence allowed us to implement a system, with new tech, within days, to allow us to make full 80% Furlough payments from day 1 of the Corona Job Retention Scheme.

We managed the scheme throughout to ensure all clients and contractors received excellent communication and service levels during this difficult time.

“I was emailed by yourselves regarding Furlough payments. To enable it, all I had to do was a few clicks and I was done. Amazing! I wish all my online interactions were as easy.” – Contractor. “Other umbrella companies need to learn from you. Your response to furlough made a big difference to the most vulnerable people in employment, and it makes me feel far more valued. Thank you.” Emma, Teacher from the Midlands

Importantly our response to the Covid crisis also gave our agency clients time to focus on their immediate business needs.

The growth for People Group Services has been in our People PEO product.

Since its launch in 2018, we’ve seen our business shift to over 60% of the payroll products we provide being PEO.

We believe that the PEO model is the future of outsourced payroll. When we asked over 600 contractors if their net take home pay were the same would they prefer an umbrella or PAYE model: only 16% of people would stick with their umbrella product.

This is demonstrated by the improved client satisfaction we’ve experienced and the positive word of mouth for our brand.

Even in these unprecedented times, when businesses are struggling to survive, our innovative PEO product and strong reputation have seen growth. We’re operating predominantly in the Education and Healthcare sectors, both of which are experiencing severe staff shortages and budgetary issues. Hence, any efficiencies that can made or candidate loyalty that can be built, for our agency clients, drives growth for both them and, in turn, us.

Colin Russ Commercial Mediator

Colin David Russ t/a CDR +44 (0)7816 782 434 www.colindavidruss.com colin@colindavidruss.com

Rosebank, Wharf Lane, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire,SL8 5RU

Colin Russ is leading, independent commercial mediator in the UK. He is a Top Ranked Mediator in Band 1 of the Chambers UK Guide 2023 and is a Top Tier Mediator in the Legal 500 Guide 2023. Chambers writes: “Colin is an exceptional mediator, arguably the best» and Legal 500 writes: “The highly recommended Colin Russ is efficient, sensible, highly personable and most importantly, very effective”.

Originally qualified as a lawyer, Colin practiced as a commercial litigation lawyer for over 20 years, ultimately as Head of Litigation at the Birmingham office of global law firm DLA Piper. After his interest in the mediation process grew, Colin gained his Mediator Accreditation and left DLA (as it was then) to set up his mediation practice. Over the last 22 years Colin has built up a thriving, independent commercial mediation practice in the UK.

His clients include many of the UK’s leading law firms and he has considerable expertise in high value multi-party mediations, involving complex multi-issue disputes.

Highly focused on the quality of the mediation process and to ensure the mediation has the maximum chance of success, Colin guarantees not to accept another mediation appointment the day before or day after an existing mediation commitment. This ring-fenced approach to bookings ensures full preparation ahead of the mediation and allows time to be available the next day, should the mediation overrun.

Colin has mediated disputes across a broad range of subjects and has developed particular expertise in relation to disputes arising out of:

• Defective Cladding Claims

• Insolvency Issues

• Construction Disputes

• Professional Negligence

• Commercial Contracts

• Shareholder/Partnership Disputes

• Real Estate

• Intellectual Property

• Financial Services

With his background as Head of Litigation at DLA, Colin uses this knowledge and experience to maximise the chances of a successful resolution on the mediation day. When asked about this in a recent article for Lawyer Monthly, Colin answers:

“It is important to understand how everyone involved is seeing and feeling about the dispute. My background as a litigation lawyer enables me to understand the lawyer’s perspective and speak their language. Mediating for 22 years has helped me understand the way in which parties bring different motivations and interests to their dispute. It also means I can speak from firsthand experience about the risks and uncertainty of litigation and the benefits of achieving a certain outcome through negotiation at the mediation.

Understanding the way in which legal costs, CFAs, legal cost insurance and litigation funding works is also helpful, as these aspects are frequently an important dynamic in any negotiation. My familiarity with legal issues and litigation processes also helps me to read and understand the mediation statements and mediation bundle - which in many cases have grown over the years to more resemble trial bundles - far more quickly than would otherwise be the case.”

Colin is known for being one of the most technology-embracing mediators in the UK. He launched CDR Remote at the start of the COVID pandemic. This pioneering service enabled Colin to deliver effective mediation remotely using a secure video conferencing platform. Proving to be hugely popular with both law firms and their clients, even after in-person mediators were allowed again, Colin continues to run many of his mediations online each year.

Colin’s ability to embrace technology doesn’t just stop at online mediations, he also has his availability calendar in real-time on his website. This enables clients to check if he’s available and send a booking request via the website. Plus, he is completely transparent about his fees - clearly listing his rates on the website. Even though Colin has offered these additional services for many years, and they work well for both Colin and his clients, he remains one of only a small handful of meditators to do so.

Colin has been described as a ‘calming presence’ and having a ‘knack for building rapport’ with both lawyers and their clients during the mediation process. Colin believes the key essentials to being an effective mediator are preparation, managing the process and allowing room for emotion.

Proper preparation ahead of the mediation day ensures effective communication and enables Colin to question and challenge positions effectively and accurately as he is across all the details of the case. Equally, managing the process well is crucial to avoid losing the opportunity that mediation represents to achieve a successful resolution. Colin believes it is vital to not lose sight of the commercial outcome and to instil energy into the process when it is needed. Allowing emotion and managing this calmly means that the parties feel respected and listened to. This encourages them to acknowledge the flexibility that will be needed to get to a resolution.

In the recent article in Lawyer Monthly, Colin is quoted as saying: “I think it is important to recognise that, like everything in life, mediation is an evolving process and mediators need to be alive to this. It is not just the parties who need to be flexible in their approach; this is also a key requirement for mediators.”

PROPERTY ADVISERS OF THE YEAR - UK

Simon Quinton Smith Director

Quinton Edwards

01635 551441 www.quintonedwards.co.uk simon@quintons.co.uk

Bartholomew House, 38 London Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 1JX

Quinton Edwards offers specialist property advice to garden centres, nurseries and horticultural businesses and farm shops throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. This also includes pet and aquatic centres and other concessions, and associated businesses such as mushroom farms, vineyards, farm shops, soft fruit/top fruit and landscape companies.

We buy, sell and value garden centres, nurseries and horticultural businesses for proprietors, banks and financial institutions. We are favoured as valuers over many because wherever possible our valuations are based on comparable transactions which go back many years.

When one considers the value of both large garden centres and horticultural nurseries, there are in general relatively few purchasers for any one specific opportunity. Therefore, detailed knowledge of the industry is important in order to understand who could be interested.

Simon Quinton Smith was formerly Managing Director of a four garden centre group – two freehold and two leasehold in the south of England and thus has more detailed knowledge of the running of garden centres than any other Chartered Surveyor currently offering advice to the industry.

As an Expert Witness we provide detailed advice, generally on values, but on other areas where required.

Simon Quinton Smith has been the leading specialist in offering property and business advice to the horticultural industry for over 35 years. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a specialist panel valuer for the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation and other lending institutions as well as a Certified Expert Witness.

We are Associate Members of the Horticultural Trades Association, Garden Centre Association and Farm Shop Association.

To learn more about us, please visit our website at www. quintonedwards.co.uk

Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, LLC

917-438-9698 www.alvarezandmarsal.com gcapati@alvarezandmarsal.com

600 Madison Ave, 5th Floor

New York, NY 10022

ABOUT A&M

When Tony Alvarez and Bryan Marsal joined forces in 1983, it was with the intent of seamlessly linking operations, performance improvement and value creation to best help companies turn areas of stagnation into growth to achieve sustainable results. This ethos remains at the core of our firm.

We are the consulting firm known for asking tough questions, listening well, digging in and rolling up our sleeves. A global top ranked consulting firm by Vault recognized for challenging work, we are fact-driven and actionoriented. We move our clients forward, to where they need to be. We are A&M.

What we do

Uncover and implement the right solution, at the right time, in the right way.

A&M provides global leadership, problem solving and value creation for companies across industries and around the world. We work as advisers, interim leaders and partners who tell you what you need to know, not always what you want to hear.

How we help

Rapid diagnosis, exacting action, practical solutions and on-site leaders. Complex problems, shifting demands and tumultuous business environments make today’s high stakes even more dangerous. Our operational heritage helps us decipher your challenges, as our commitment to value creation identifies new opportunities. Always at the ready, we stand with you.

Paul Lanois Director Fieldfisher

+1 650 313 2361 www.fieldfisher.com paul.lanois@fieldfisher.com

2650 Birch Street, Suite 100, Palo Alto, CA 94306, USA

My practice focuses on advising companies on data privacy and cybersecurity matters drawing on my international experience, having lived and worked in the United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Hong Kong and the United States. I help companies – ranging from startups to large Fortune 500 multinationals across a range of industries – to develop data protection and privacy strategies for new products and services. I advise clients on complying with evolving global privacy and data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the ePrivacy Directive, as well as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) / California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) and similar data privacy laws passed in Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Utah.

In particular, I advise clients in relation to their cutting-edge B2B and B2C offerings, such as connected products and services (Internet of Things) including virtual reality, mobile apps (including augmented reality apps), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) as well as cloud-based integrations. I also advise on cybersecurity matters, including on data breaches and incident response, risk assessments, policy development and compliance with industry standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). I also coordinate large projects spanning privacy law requirements in a large number of countries to provide clients with a consolidated advice that is practical and actionable.

In 2018, I was selected for inclusion on the list of arbitrators developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the EU Commission and the Swiss Federal Administration as part of the Privacy Shield Framework Binding Arbitration Program. Before joining Fieldfisher, I was Vice President and senior legal counsel at a leading international bank, Credit Suisse, at its headquarters in Switzerland as well as its Hong Kong office. Before that, I worked on technology transactions at large international law firms in London (UK) and Luxembourg, and was an Associate Professor at the University of Cergy-Pontoise Law School in France.

I have written extensively on current developments in relation to cybersecurity, as well as American and European privacy law. For example, I was one of the lead authors of the Cloud Security Alliance’s guidance «Observations and Recommendations on Connected Vehicle Security» published in 2017 which covered vehicle security connectivity, possible attack vectors of concern, and recommendations for securing the connected vehicle environment. I was also one of the lead authors of the Cloud Security Alliance’s guide on «Future-proofing the Connected World: 13 Steps to Developing Secure IoT Products» published in 2016 and which provides a comprehensive guidance for product designers and developers. I currently co-chair the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Privacy Workforce Public Working Group’s Data Processing Ecosystem sub-group.

I frequently speak at conferences around the world and lead industry committees and organizations. For example, within the American Bar Association’s Science & Technology Law Section, I am a member of the Book Publishing Board and am the co-chair of the E-Privacy Law Committee. I am currently a member of the CIPP/US Exam Development Board at the International Association of

Privacy Professionals (IAPP). I was previously a member of the IAPP’s Education Advisory Board, European Advisory Board as well as the CIPT Exam Development Board. I am a member of the California Lawyers Association’s Privacy Law Section Executive Committee.

Recent industry recognition include:

• Selected as a winner of the 2022 California Legal Awards in the category of ‘Lawyers on the Fast Track (under 40)’ by The Recorder (2022);

• Listed in the ‘Sports/ Gaming/Entertainment Law Trailblazers’ by The National Law Journal (2021);

• Named in the Global Data Review (GDR) ‘40 under 40’ (2021);

• Named in the list of ‘2020 Most Influential People in Security’ by Security Magazine (2020);

DATA PRIVACY ADVISER OF THE YEAR - USA

• Won the ‘Rising Star Award’ from AIIM Association of Information Professionals (2019);

• Selected as ‘General Counsel of the Year’ by The American Lawyer / Legalweek at the Transatlantic Legal Awards (2018);

• Won the ‘Innovator Award’ from CompTIA Association of IT Professionals (2018);

• Listed in the list of ‘Top 10 30-Somethings’ by the Association of Corporate Counsel (2018);

• Won the ‘Advocacy Award’ from the Association of Corporate Counsel (2017);

• Named ‘Innovative Corporate Counsel’ by Law 360 (2016);

• Listed in the ‘Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Trailblazers’ by The National Law Journal (2016);

• Listed in the ‘GC Powerlist: France’ (inaugural issue) by The Legal 500 (2016).

I regularly teach courses on data privacy at the University of California (UC) College of the Law San Francisco (‘UC Law SF’, formerly known as ‘UC Hastings Law School’), as well as the Law Society of Ireland’s Certificate in Data Protection Practice program.

I am a Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) from (ISC)², the world’s largest non-profit association of cybersecurity professionals, and I am also a Payment Card Industry Professional (PCIP). In addition, I am a Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP) of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and am a Certified Information Privacy Professional, with concentrations in Asian law (CIPP/A), US law (CIPP/US), European law (CIPP/E) and Canadian law (CIPP/C). I am also a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) and a Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT). I also hold the Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) certification from ISACA.

I am fluent in both English and French. I also have an intermediate level of German.