Worldwide Law Review November 2017

NOVEMBER 2017

Compulsory Use Licenses In Cases Of Pharmaceutical Patents We speak to Gheira Mori Sangama – IP Lawyer at OMC Abogados & Consultores

Efficient and Effective Representation We interviewed partner, Richard B. Andrade of Andrade & Associates to learn more about his own areas of expertise and those of the firm itself.

Welcome to the November edition of Worldwide Law Review, providing you with the latest news, comment and industry insight on the market.

In recent news, leading U.S. private equity firm, American Securities LLC has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell SeaStar Solutions (“SeaStar” or the “Company”) to Dometic Group (“Dometic”) for $875 million. Dometic is a global market leader in branded solutions for mobile living in the areas of Climate, Hygiene & Sanitation, and Food & Beverage. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017, and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Elsewhere in this issue, for those who are looking to pursue a career in law will know that training contracts and pupillages are the golden ticket – and final step on the road to qualifying as a solicitor. Leslie Bindman discusses how to obtain these and what to look out for.

Lastly, Conveyancing is the transfer of the legal title of a property from one person to another. A typical conveyancing transaction includes two vital indicators: the transfer of contracts and the completion, whereby the legal title passes. The system of conveyancing is constructed to safeguard that of the buyer.

Conveyancing fees in Spain, outlines the total payment made to a professional person or public bodies in exchange for advice or services. Wil Lamers tells us more.

We truly hope that you enjoy reading this insightful edition. ...

Jessica Daykin, Editor AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them.

The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements.

In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions.

Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.

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Contents.

4. News

- American Securities Announces Agreement to Sell SeaStar Solutions to Dometic Group

- McDonald Hopkins Welcomes Attorney Julie Micalizzi

7. Compulsory Use Licenses In Case Of Pharmaceutical Patents 11. Efficient and Effective Representation 15. Why Businesses Need To ‘Update Now’ For GDPR 17. Cyber Monday Equals Cyber Crime 19. E-Privacy Regulation Set To Take Many Small Business And Sole Traders Offline 21. Survey Results Show Shocking GDPR Compliance Details 23. Funding Your Friendship 25. Top 6 Myths About Personal Injury Lawyers in NJ 27. Job Discrimination in Texas Understanding Your Case 29. Conveyancing Fees In Spain Principal Areas To Consider 31. How To Get A Law Training Contract

11 Efficient and Effective Representation

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American Securities Announces Agreement to Sell SeaStar Solutions to Dometic Group American Securities LLC, a leading U.S. private equity firm, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell SeaStar Solutions (“SeaStar” or the “Company”) to Dometic Group (STO: DOM) (“Dometic”) for $875 million. Dometic is a global market leader in branded solutions for mobile living in the areas of Climate, Hygiene & Sanitation, and Food & Beverage. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017, and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

SeaStar is a leading, global provider of vessel control, fuel systems and system integration to the marine industry. The Company is the market leader in its key product areas with strong market shares. SeaStar today operates some of the strongest brands in the market, such as SeaStar, xtreme, MOELLER, Optimus, and Sierra. The Sierra aftermarket platform is the world’s largest independent marine aftermarket parts supplier. SeaStar is based in Litchfield, IL, operates 8 facilities, and employs approximately 1,250 people.

Based in New York with an office in Shanghai, American Securities is a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenues generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion and/or $50 million to $300 million of EBITDA. American Securities and its

affiliates have approximately $15 billion under management.

“We are proud of our commitment to research and development, which has allowed us to regularly launch new and innovative products,” said Yvan Cote, President and CEO of SeaStar. “During our nearly four-year partnership with American Securities, they have been a valuable resource in achieving our growth objectives. We look forward to our next chapter of growth with Dometic.”

Scott Wolff, a Managing Director of American Securities, commented, “We are proud to have supported Yvan and the talented SeaStar management team to drive organic growth and execute strategic acquisitions during our partnership.”

Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP acted as legal advisor, and RBC Capital Markets and Baird acted as financial advisors to SeaStar.

Purchase Seastar for $875 Million.

Dometic is a global market leader in branded solutions for mobile living in the areas of Climate, Hygiene & Sanitation, and Food & Beverage.

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McDonald Hopkins Welcomes Attorney Julie Micalizzi Attorney Julie A. Micalizzi has joined the Cleveland office of McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advisory and advocacy law firm, as an associate in the Intellectual Property Department.

Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Miami, and West Palm Beach. With more than 50 service and industry teams, the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges its clients face.

New attorney Julie Micalizzi earned her J.D., cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where she graduated with a double concentration in Patent Law and Health Law, each with honors.

While at Case Western, Micalizzi received two CALI Excellence Awards, the ABA/BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of IP and the Arthur E. Petersilge Award. She received a B.S., cum laude, in Biochemistry and Humanities from Villanova University, where she was a presidential scholar.

Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, Micalizzi served as a legal extern with Cleveland Clinic Innovations and Parker Hannifin, as well as a legal intern with the Milton A. Kramer Law Clinic, Health Clinic.

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OMC Abogados & Consultores

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Compulsory Use Licenses In Cases Of Pharmaceutical Patents Patents are exclusive rights granted by the state on a product or a process that usually offers a new way of doing something, or solves a technical problem.

In the patents field, there are the well-known pharmaceutical patents, which have become a fundamental part of Industrial Property, which in turn forms part of the Intellectual Property regime as these are obtained as the result of research that mostly derives from a laboratory, to be marketed later in an exclusive manner by the patent holder, enjoying the holder a monopoly right for a certain period of time (20 years), under a commercial name of registered trademark, allowing positioning itself in the addressed market.

However, nowadays, pharmaceutical patents have become an obstacle to the exercise of the health right and the access to medicines. This is because the patent holder will be the only one who can sell and commercialize such product, being able to place it on the market at a very high price and without the fear of a third party will have a similar product at a lower price.

This situation is affecting developing countries, where the disadvantage of granting a pharmaceutical patent is a monopolistic obstacle opposed to free competition.

Under these circumstances, in November 2001, the member governments of the World Trade Organization (WTO) adopted by agreement a statement concerning the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) and Public Health, known as the Doha Declaration.

This Declaration states that TRIPS does not prevent WTO member governments from taking measures to protect public health, reaffirming the right of the member states to make full use of the provisions of the TRIPS, which foresee flexibility to these exclusivity rights.

These exclusive rights that are granted to the holder of a pharmaceutical patent may be limited through compulsory licenses, which are regulated

in the TRIPS when one or more of the following assumptions occur: a) There is a national emergency b) There is an extreme urgency or its public use is necessary c) The product is not in the market.

Thus, the Compulsory Licenses allow the State to exploit a patented invention without the authorization of the holder and under the previously highlighted conditions or under the conditions that the member states are free to determine to grant such licenses with the purpose of putting the public interest to the exclusive rights of the private sector granted by the patent.

In Peru, both Andean Decision 486 and Legislative Decree No. 1075 also regulate Compulsory Licenses. However, despite the fact that since 2014, the associations of patients

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Author: Gheira Mori Sangama – IP Lawyer Law firm: OMC Abogados & Consultores Web Address: www.omcabogados.com.pe Address: Av. 28 de Julio # 562 Edificio “ E “ Miraflores.

Lima 18 – Peru Telephone: 511 628 1238 Fax: 511 628 1241

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OMC Abogados & Consultores

and social organizations of Peru have asked the State to issue a Supreme Decree declaring the public need of the compulsory license on the antiretroviral Atazanavir , used for the treatment of approximately 65 thousand people suffering from HIV in our country, the Peruvian State chose to sign an agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb , obtaining a reduction of 35% in the purchase of half a million tablets of the aforementioned antiretroviral . Nevertheless, this agreement has not solved the economic problem of the Ministry of Health since although it has been possible to obtain a discount for the acquisition of said antiretroviral, the granting of a compulsory license for reasons of public interest or noncommercial public use would have allowed the Peruvian State to acquire said product from other pharmaceutical companies at a lower price, by putting the products within the reach of citizens who are in need of said medicine.

One of the reasons the State did not resort to the use of compulsory licenses, is that although the Andean Regulations and the Legislative Decree cover said concept; in the mentioned rules, the specific guidelines for its application are not established. However, regarding this, it should be noted that even the TRIPS provides a scope of application of compulsory licenses, said rule does not specifically list the reasons to justify them, and that on the other hand, the Doha Declaration confirms that countries have the freedom to determine the reasons for the granting of compulsory licenses as well as to determine circumstances

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of extreme urgency, and that crisis affecting public health, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other epidemics can be considered situations of that nature.

A close case corresponding to a member country of the Andean Community is Colombia, this case was presented in 2013, with the so-called case imatinib or Glivec, which is a very advanced medicine for certain types of cancer. Since its very expensive price, the Colombian Ministry of Health decided to invoke the compulsory license to lower its price. In that situation, the pharmaceutical company Novartis strongly opposed, and as in Peru, the transnational company had the support of the Ministry of Commerce that faced its own Ministry of Health; however, against all odds, the Colombian Ministry of Health used the compulsory license and the imatinib lowered its price by 44%.

that patents may have on the public welfare, and it is fair in these situations that decisions such as those of the Andean Community, the Doha Agreements and the FTA itself with the United States, establish the possibility of declaring the compulsory license when the public interest is at stake.

1. Atazanavir is a retroviral used for the treatment of patients with HIV diagnosis.

2. Owner of the pharmaceutical patent ATAZANAVIR until 2019.

3. http://larepublica.pe/ politica/202597-licenciaobligatoria-hubierapermitido-75-de-ahorro-enatazanavir

Analyzing the case, and taking into account the purpose of compulsory licenses, we believe that the Peruvian State could have made a better management of it, since through this concept it could have guaranteed the access to medicines that are important for health in the country, and achieving savings of 75%; in addition to allowing the coexistence of all products on the market, and allowing the patent owner laboratory to have benefits as it would have received a fair payment for each generic product sold.

Therefore, we conclude that compulsory licenses have long been recognized as the most effective method to deal with the negative effects

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1704WL01

Efficient and Effective Representation

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Efficient and Effective Representation Andrade & Associates is a Laguna Hills based law firm serving all Southern California in business and civil litigation, with an emphasis on litigation involving all aspects of the construction industry, dispute resolution and Labor law disputes in the construction industry. We interviewed partner, Richard B. Andrade to learn more about his own areas of expertise and those of the firm itself.

Andrade & Associates has been practicing construction law since 1985, representing contractors, suppliers, sureties and owners in construction contracts, litigation and labor and employment issues throughout Southern California and US state-wide.

Contractors State-wide Legal Advisory Committee to the construction industry and is also a member of the Southern California Constructors Legal Advisory Committee.

Their qualified and experienced attorneys can help with the success of your construction project, from inception to completion and beyond, from drafting contracts for your specific needs including trade specific scope of work documents, to litigating claims for additional compensation and delay damages, differing site conditions, stop notices and mechanic’s liens and providing advice and representation on wage and hour and other labor law matters.

“I have specialised in the construction industry for over 30 years. I have extensive experience in all “The firm presently consists aspects of the California of attorney/engineers who Judicial System, the Federal are intimately familiar with System and the American construction in general and Arbitration Association. construction litigation. Members I served on the board of of our firm serve on the board directors for the Engineering of directors for the Engineering Contractors Association Contractors Associations and for twenty-eight (28) and we are an affiliate member I am an affiliate member of the Southern California of the Southern California Contractors Association, as Contractors Association, as well as the Associated General well as the Associated General Contractors of California. In Contractors of California. addition, the firm acted as counsel to the Engineering “I also am a member of the Contractors Association for Associated General Contractors twenty-eight (28) years. state-wide legal advisory committee to the construction “My practice focuses primarily industry, as well as a member on construction litigation (public of the Southern California and private), including ‘changed Constructors Legal Advisory

Firm founder and principal attorney Richard B. Andrade holds a California State Contractor’s License and has been actively involved in the construction industry.

Mr. Andrade is a member of the Associated General

Partner, Richard B. Andrade begins the interview, by revealing his own specific areas of legal expertise. It is worth noting here that he holds a California General Engineering Contractor License (A), Lic. No. 724820.

conditions’, change order and differing site condition claims, mechanic’s lien and stop notice litigation, labor law, including trust fund and the defense of Wage and Hour claims and general business litigation. I both counsel and represent project owners, general contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers.

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Committee. I hold a California State Contractors License and at one time was actively involved in the construction industry as an owner of a firm that over a 10year period, constructed more than 60 projects exceeding $50 million in value.”

Mr. Andrade’s goal in representing clients, is to achieve the optimum costbenefit result possible within the context of the facts, law and good legal representation.

He attempts to solve problems, not create them, to achieve ends rather than frustrate them and to do so in an aggressive yet ethical manner. Richard then explains more about the firm’s work, in his own words.

“With this combination of practical and legal experience, our legal team is uniquely situated to handle any construction contract or litigation issue that may arise.

Andrade & Associates is a small firm that is experienced in a big way. We have helped hundreds of clients in the construction industry, including construction companies, suppliers, insurance companies and sureties.

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Company: Andrade & Associates Name: Richard B. Andrade Email: randrade@aalaws.com Web Address: andradelaw.com Address: 23332 Mill Creek Drive, Suite 225 Laguna Hills, CA 92653 USA Telephone: (949) 553 1951

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“By maintaining specific expertise and focusing on specific areas of law, we can represent our clients in the most efficient and effective manner. Contact Andrade & Associates for a free initial consultation.

In addition, meetings after normal business hours can be arranged.”

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faced by companies in construction.

“Construction contracts underlie every aspect of such a project, from the siting and purchase of land to application of the final coat of paint. By taking special care in the negotiation, drafting and review of contracts, not only are a party’s interests Practice areas overview effectively represented, but The attorneys at Andrade & many potential disputes can be Associates, combine industry avoided. If disputes do arise, and legal skill and experience, a carefully worded contract to provide excellent advice and will protect the party’s rights representation to companies and help to ensure a fair involved in the construction resolution of the dispute. Our industry, throughout California. firm represents all the major Richard then tells us about players in the construction the firm’s expert lawyers and industry, including contractors, seasoned expertise in the suppliers, sureties and owners. construction industry.

“An unfortunate fact of doing “Our lawyers put their business, is that disputes knowledge and talents to will arise, regardless of how work in preparing well-drafted diligent one is in the drafting construction contracts, or performance of contracts. providing effective advocacy When a construction project in a variety of construction is ongoing, a problem in any litigation matters, including one area can slow down or construction claims for halt progress on the entire additional compensation and project. In the industry, every dealing with the labor and day spent resolving a problem employment issues regularly is money out of the pockets of basically every party involved in the project.

firm’s expertise in labor law, he tells us that the construction industry is heavily regulated, with employment-related laws and regulations at both the federal and state levels.

“In addition to common issues involving California’s Prevailing wage laws, overtime pay, meal and rest breaks and expense reimbursement, the employment lawyer in the construction field must also be prepared to deal with Davis-Bacon and related acts regarding prevailing wages and prime contracts.

“The construction industry can also be heavily unionised and charges of unfair labor practices, must sometimes be handled or litigated with the National Labour Relations Board (NLRB), and in the courts. Our labor law attorneys assist companies throughout the Southern California region, with a focus on our clients in the construction industry. We regularly provide advice and counsel and legal representation, in a wide variety of matters, such as wage and hour, unfair labor practices, trust fund litigation, equal employment opportunity and OSHA standards.

“As attorneys, we understand the importance of protecting your legal rights. As contractors and construction firm owners, we understand the value of a solution that achieves the optimum cost-benefit result, in any situation. We are here to solve problems, not create them and do so in an aggressive, yet ethical manner.”

“In Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties and throughout the State of California, construction companies trust the knowledgeable, skilled and experienced attorneys at Andrade & Associates to handle their construction contracts and litigation matters. If you need help with The construction industry is a Construction related issue or labour-intensive and presents litigation matter, or a labor and many facets of labor law that employment issue, contact companies must deal with Andrade & Associates for regularly, Richard adds. On the immediate assistance.”

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, Richard B. Andrade profile His professional activities include: • State Bar of California; • American Trial Lawyers Association; • American Bar Association, construction and labour law section; • Management committee member, public contract law; • Orange County Bar Association including construction and real property sections; • Associated General Contractors of California, legal advisory committee; • Southern California Contractors Association, legal advisory committee and; • Engineering Contractors Association Legal Counsel.

Awards received by Mr. Andrade include: • Top Attorneys in California 2016; • Lifetime Achievement Award, Top 25 Construction Attorneys in United States (Strathmores | 75,000 members); • Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide Professional of the Year 2015, Construction and Labour Law; • Voted Southern California Top Lawyers for 2014; • Voted as Top Rated Lawyers in Labour & Employment Law 2014; • Voted 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013 & 2014 Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation; • Recognised as AV Preeminent Rating for 30 years (highest rating possible); • Voted 2009 South Bay’s Favourite Attorneys as determined by readers; • Martindale Hubell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (1996) and; • Who’s Who in California (1997).

His educational accomplishments are impressive: • California Western School of Law, J.D. cum laude 1977; • Law Review: Candidate, 1975 – 1976; • San Diego State University, B.S. 1973 and; • Business Administration with an emphasis on information systems management.

His bar admissions are as follows: • California, 1977; • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1977; • U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1977; • U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1977; • U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1977; • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1977 and; • U.S. Supreme Court, 1995.

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Why Businesses Need To ‘Update Now’ For GDPR

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Why Businesses Need To ‘Update Now’ For GDPR The new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be introduced on 25 May 2018. The regulation will be an overhaul of the UK’s current Data Protection Act (1998).

The new data protection laws will apply to businesses and public sector organisations of all sizes, and the regulation enforces new guidelines for data handling that both data processors and data controllers must abide by.

The Purpose of GDPR As we find ourselves in a new age of technology, companies are now able to store more Personally Identifiable Information (PII) data than ever before. This means that there is a greater need for customers’ personal information to stay protected, and this is what the General Data Protection Regulation aims to achieve.

Along with companies now being able to store more data comes a rise in cyber crime activity, as cyber criminals become more advanced in their efforts to target companies. Recently, well known organisations have found themselves victims of cyber security attacks, such as the WannaCry ransomware which affected NHS England as well as hundreds of other companies globally.

In total, there were 50 cyber incidents reported to the ICO across different industries

between the period of AprilJune 2016, compared to 119 between January-March 2017 (a 138 per cent increase).

• • •

Encryption (58 per cent) Analytics and reporting (49 per cent) Test data management (47 per cent)

Investing in Cyber Security E-learning and training provider Virtual College say that in order to be compliant for GDPR, businesses need to ensure that their technology and software is updated to protect stored data from cyber security threats.

Peter Hilliard, Head of Marketing at Virtual College commented, “There will be several key changes between the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR that you need to be aware of. You need to start thinking about some of these changes now so that your business can be ready when the law changes. Virtual College have developed a free overview course that explains the changes that you need to be aware of as a risk owner.”

A study with IT professionals in 200 businesses by CA Technologies revealed that to meet with the GDPR deadline next May, almost nine in ten (88 per cent) of businesses stated that they need to invest in new technologies and services. Plans for investment in technology included the following areas:

Businesses spent on average £4,590 in the last financial year on investment into cyber security, according to the government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2017.

Predominantly, sectors which deal with finance, insurance and information or utilities sectors spent the highest amount. Education, health or social care sectors typically spent a relatively low amount in comparison, despite cyber security been considered a high priority.

Some of the UK’s leading IT companies have provided answers below to key questions surrounding how businesses should prepare for GDPR. If a business has not updated technology correctly or is still using outdated software, what are the potential cyber security risks?

“This is a big problem as you are opening yourself up to hackers and the potential of an attack. Even simply ignoring an update is creating a risk,” says Harshini Carey, Regional

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Director at KMD Neupart UK. “Technology has a shelf life, needs constant updates and maintenance, and failing to keep technology up to date results in vulnerabilities and being exposed to hacks, malware infections or ransomware attacks to mention a few,” commented Austen Clark, Managing Director at Clark IT. What processes can a business put in place to be ‘GDPR ready’?

“Employees need to be sufficiently trained to take the proper precautions, be it with surveys, educational videos, or one-on-one meetings. The truth is that in order to become – and stay – compliant with the GDPR, organisations will have to establish the right processes that will ensure continual compliance. Information and data security need to be a part of every aspect of a company, its very foundation, for it to have a chance of succeeding,” said Harshini Carey, Regional Director at KMD Neupart UK. “In order to prepare, small businesses should avoid the unnecessary usage of multiple disparate data systems, as they will need to account for the data they are holding by proving it is relevant to their business

, including the legal justification (including consent) for doing so. They must also have in place the ability to manage and respond to customers’ Subject Access Requests in a timely and efficient manner. Finally, SMEs must re-examine their cybersecurity systems to make sure they are up to date and capable of protecting any data they are storing,” commented Phil Beckett, Managing Director of Global Disputes and Investigations at Alvarez and Marsal.

How can a business know the right amount of money to invest in IT and cyber security?

“There is no right answer to this, but taking this seriously is important - how much value do you place on your reputation?

We read news of a breach to a business, and the stigma of being unsecure stays with the victim, confidence and integrity is damaged and can be more damaging than the initial financial loss.

“Almost all software has a lifecycle. Software engineers are tasked to manage and maintain this during its lifespan.

When it reaches the end of its useful life these engineers move on to the ‘new’ software leaving the older unsupported software vulnerable to future attacks – this is what happened to the NHS. “Many actions cost nothing, like changing your password, locking your phone, educating yourself. Other steps have minimal cost, like install a malware and antivirus package, or ensuring your router and firewall are secure and up to date,” commented Austen Clark, Managing Director at Clark IT.

The new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be introduced on 25 May 2018.

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Cyber Monday Equals Cyber Crime

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Cyber Monday Equals Cyber Crime

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, LegalShield Cautions Shoppers and Businesses to Be Aware of Increased Cyber Breach and ID Theft Attempts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

LegalShield, one of North America’s leading providers of affordable legal plans and the IDShield identity theft solution for individuals, families and small businesses, wants to help make your holiday season as happy and stress-free as possible, starting with Black Friday.

A pioneer in the democratization of affordable access to legal protection, LegalShield is one of North America’s leading providers of legal safeguards and protection against identity theft solutions for individuals, families and small businesses.

The 45-year-old company has more than 1,693,000 members, including individuals, families and businesses, that are covered by its legal and identity theft memberships. IDShield provides identity theft protection to one million individuals.

LegalShield and IDShield serve more than 141,000 businesses.

Both legal and identity theft plans start as low as $20 per month.

LegalShield’s legal plans provide access to attorneys with an average of 19 years of experience in areas such as family matters, estate planning, financial and business issues, consumer protection, tax, real estate, benefits disputes and auto/driving issues. Unlike other legal plans or do-it-yourself websites, LegalShield has dedicated law firms in 50 states and four provinces in Canada

that members can call for help without having to worry about high hourly rates.

IDShield provides identity monitoring and restoration services and is the only identity theft protection company armed with a team of licensed private investigators on call to restore a member’s identity.

Retailers are a vulnerable target for data breach during the holidays, especially online. In 2013, Target reported a major cyber breach during the Black Friday weekend, compromising approximately 110 million credit card and debit card accounts.

Also, according to a 2016 Verizon investigation, denial-ofservice attacks on sites, perhaps helped along by breaches at the point-of-sale and in unsecure web apps, are among the most frequent and disabling security incidents.

“Cybersecurity must be top of mind for both individuals and businesses during the holiday season. Criminals look for every opportunity to breach data systems, such as public Wi-Fi and unsecured networks,” explained Jeff Bell, LegalShield CEO. “As we’ve seen with Equifax, Target and numerous national retailers, a credit breach can be devastating. As consumer preferences increasingly move to online and mobile shopping for the holidays, our hope is that both individual and heads of household sign up for ID protection.”

“The IDShield identity theft solution for individuals and families, leads the identity theft protection service industry with the most robust set of consumer protection features on the market today,” continued Bell.

“It is the only protection product that includes full restoration services—handled by dedicated licensed private investigators trained in helping people recover from a hack or another form of ID theft. The IDShield app puts these key features in the palm of your hands.”

In addition to the threats of credit card breach and identity theft, Black Friday shoppers should be wary of other potential legal issues that may come up, such as warranty disputes, property damage, and sustaining injuries in a store. LegalShield’s provider law firms are prepared to answer questions and provide guidance and representation for LegalShield members in such situations.

“While the holidays should be a season of joy and giving, we must still be vigilant of ‘Grinches.’ With LegalShield, consumers will be able to fully enjoy their holidays without the stress that would definitely arise from ID theft or a legal problem.

We are here to assist members with other legal issues, too,” continued Bell.

NOVEMBER 2017 Page 17

E-Privacy Regulation Set To Take Many Small Business And Sole Traders Offline

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E-Privacy Regulation Set To Take Many Small Business And Sole Traders Offline SIINDA calls for urgent review of E-privacy regulation Article 15.

SIINDA is the Search and Information Industry Association, based in Europe with members from across the world. SIINDA is one of the leading non-profit associations in both the print and digital advertising space. SIINDA provides informative conferences on new technology, advertising and media, data protection and EU legislative directives and much more. SIINDA provides consulting services for companies in the realm of digital transitions, product innovation, market entry into the EU and USA and much more.

EU institutional and national representatives to mitigate this risk and secure the long-term future of directories which are useful for the whole of society, and especially for SMBs and sole traders, so that they can go on playing their role and are not threatened leaving only non-EU players with the management of contact information.

“While the draft E-privacy regulation tackles some very important privacy protection issues in the electronic communications sector and ensure it’s better equipped for the online world it’s ill-advised when it comes to article 15,” Recently, the organisation has says Kimberli Lewis, General called for an urgent review of Manager at SIINDA. “No the E-privacy regulation which provision has been made for threatens to jeopardise the the millions of self-employed livelihoods of small businesses freelancers in directories who and sole traders across Europe often don’t have a trackable and which will see a shift in the internet site and use directory applicable rules for subscribers’ listings as a way of being found inclusion in business directories by users in search engines. as they will now have to get Similarly, an independent users’ consent to be listed and working plumber should have this would apply for every search the same rights as a ‘plumber function. With no clear distinction limited’ who is registered as a between private individuals legal person.” and those acting in a business capacity SME’s run the risk of SIINDA believes that when being delisted by default and it comes to managing users’ kicked out of any online listings. inclusion in directory services this should be the responsibility SIINDA and its members are of electronic communication raising awareness among all networks and services rather

than directory providers who have no contact with subscribers or end-users because data protection rules make it almost impossible.

“Most recent EU figures show that in 2015, SMEs generated €3.9 trillion in value added and employed 90 million people and accounted for two thirds of EU 28 employment – they are the backbone of the economy. Article 15 is in fact jeopardising these businesses rather than helping them,” explains Stéphanie VERILHAC, EU Affairs Manager at SIINDA. “The communication and directory services markets across Europe are not only separate and distinct but there are great numbers of them making it a very competitive sector. Under the new ruling Article 15 requires each of these to obtain data for all end-users and subscribers for its own service effectively creating the impossible situation that requires those end users and subscribers to give their data to dozens of different directory services,” she adds.

SIINDA also highlights the following further concerns and recommendations to Article 15: •

All users, who do not want to be found in directories should have an easy to use

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right to object a listing free of charge whenever they want. The users also should have the right to update, complete, correct or delete their data.

•

The proposal restricts and eliminates a fair and easy accessible competition in the directory market and prevents new business models and the market entrance for new players.

•

All providers of electronic communication networks and services should have the obligation to make their users or subscribers data available for all directory providers in an immediate, non-discriminatory and fair manner and at a costoriented price.

•

The proposal has given no consideration to existing legacy databases for which opt-out systems work without any user complaints.

•

The proposal should neither apply to information that has already been made public and is re-used under PSI directive terms nor to the information that is directly provided by the end-users themselves.

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Survey Results Show Shocking GDPR Compliance Details

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Survey Results Show Shocking GDPR Compliance Details Only 18% of large UK and multi-national organisations are ‘highly confident’ that they will achieve GDPR compliance by the 25th May 2018 deadline, according to new survey.

A recent General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR) readiness survey undertaken by the leading specialist law firm, Technology Law Alliance, shows that only 18% of UK and multi-national organisations are ‘highly confident’ that they will meet the deadline next May, for compliance with the new GDPR. Jagvinder Kang, Co-founder and Director of Technology Law Alliance, comments: “On the face of it, this seems to be a shocking figure, but it can be understood if you consider the challenges which organisations are facing.”

The survey results showed that the biggest challenges which organisations face, are dealing with the large number of systems on which data is stored and processed, and the lack of internal resource and know-how about GDPR. Kang explains: “Large organisations have complex systems and interactions with large numbers of databases.

Although some organisations may have thought that Cloud Computing would simplify IT conceptually, it can give rise to problems from a data protection

perspective.” He continues: “Cloud technology creates geographical data protection issues with regard to where the data is stored, coupled with issues about the interactions between different databases.

Furthermore, it can exacerbate the problem of ‘shadow IT’, where individuals within large organisations procure IT without the authorisation of their IT departments - thus creating additional ‘data silos’ that are parallel to the organisations’ own official systems.”

With regard to the lack of internal resource and knowhow, Kang comments: “In organisations, individuals not only have to do their ‘day jobs,’ but also have to find time to deal with the tasks associated with compliance activities.

Such tasks need to be clearly explained as well, taking into account that there can be complexities about how best to implement GDPR compliance at an organisational level.”

With the ‘high confidence’ figure for GDPR compliance by 25th May 2018 being at such a low level, one would assume that this would have the attention of the Boards of the respective

organisations. However, only 51% of organisations indicated that regular Board level reporting was being undertaken in respect of GDPR readiness.

Kang notes: “This figure is alarming, especially as the survey responses showed that 78% of organisations regarded GDPR compliance as more important than other compliance programmes.”

In terms of what organisations are actually doing to prepare for GDPR, 89% of respondents indicated that their organisations were involved in some form of data mapping or data flow activity. However, only 41% had a detailed GDPR compliance plan in place. The discrepancy between these figures is a concern, as Kang cautions: “Organisations need to be wary about just undertaking resource-intensive work on data mapping, without thinking about what they are going to do with the output of it, and how the activity is going to move them to compliance. Unfortunately, too many organisations are treating the data mapping as an end in itself, when in reality it’s just the start of what could be a very long journey.”

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Software tools can assist with GDPR compliance and knowhow, and Technology Law Alliance has developed its own GDPR software compliance tool, ‘Asimuth’, from their spin off company, Asimuth Limited (www.asimuth.com). Kang explains: “The feedback which we have received is that a lot of organisations are anxious about the perceived scale of the task, and some don’t know how to progress or continue with GDPR compliance - so we have developed Asimuth to help them with that – not only for initial compliance up to 25th May 2018, but also for ongoing compliance beyond that date.”

Although the survey results revealed that there are clear challenges which GDPR compliance is imposing on organisations, over threequarters of organisations saw GDPR compliance as a positive initiative. Organisations cited reasons such as: helping them focus more clearly on the way in which data is used internally; becoming more transparent with individuals with regard to use of their data; and improving security within their organisations. These positive benefits accord with the messages which the Information Commissioner’s Office (or ICO) is advocating, for organisations to embrace GDPR compliance.

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Survey Results Show Shocking GDPR Compliance Details: 18% Percent of large UK and Multi-national Organisations are ‘highly confident’ they will achieve GDPR compliance by the 25th May 2018 deadline according to survey.

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Funding Your Friendship

Funding Your Friendship WORLDWIDE LAW REVIEW

, London start-up Seedlegals launches new product to help close friends and family funding rounds online in minutes SeedLegals, the new online service that makes it quick and simple to close startup funding rounds, launches a new Friends & Family product today, helping UK founders to easily close their first round of funding in minutes.

The Friends and Family package includes tutorials, expert assistance and a simple way to legally complete the round and issue shares to new investors. By using the SeedLegals platform, founders can reduce the time and cost of closing their round by 80% compared to using a law firm.

SeedLegals is the world’s first fully automated instant legal service for start-ups, allowing founders and investors to complete the entire legal process for a funding round online, up to 80% faster1, and for a fraction of the cost of a law firm. Since launching in March 2017, SeedLegals has already won Best Fintech Startup at the UKTN Awards, Innovator of the Year finalist at the Amazon Growing Business Awards 2017, been shortlisted for the Best New Entrant to the Angel Ecosystem 2017 by UK Business Angels Association and named one of the Top 100 Disruptive Brands of 2017 in Marketing Week.

SeedLegals’ platform is the world’s first instantly available, online way for start-ups to create all the legal documents needed to complete an early stage investment. The new Friends & Family product provides a start-up’s early investors with everything they need to protect their investment and reliably access SEIS benefits, essential for early-stage UK funding rounds.

Anthony Rose, co-founder and CEO at SeedLegals said “Navigating the legal process required to close a funding round can be the biggest hurdle for start-ups, but more than this, the costs can consume a large chunk of the initial investment which is damaging to growth, especially at such an early stage.”

Co-founded by Anthony Rose and Laurent Laffy; Rose is a serial founder and product visionary known for his work launching BBC iPlayer and has founded and co-founded multiple companies including Beamly and 6Tribes. Laffy is a serial investor and VC with a portfolio of over 40 early stage investments including Graze and Secret Escapes.

He co-led London-based VC Arts Alliance for over 11 years following a career in private equity spanning JP Morgan, Bain & Company and UBS Warburg. Laffy was also the founding investor in Lastminute.com.

“Having been through the funding process ourselves many times, my business partner and I wanted to create a service that radically transforms the process for founders and investors.

SeedLegals takes a complex subject and simplifies it, combining workflow, tutorials and machine-generated documents in a modern user interface. We’ve built an on-demand platform that anticipates a founder’s needs, fully supported by a team of experts every step of the way.”

The step-by-step workflow created by SeedLegals prompts founders to generate the documents needed at every step. From investment agreements to cap tables, share certificates and more; every document is created, shared, negotiated and signed on the platform. The message is clear – when doing your next funding round, there’s a new simple way to do it.

SeedLegals’ platform, backed by an exceptional team of founders, lawyers, investors and software engineers, promises the highest levels of efficiency, accuracy and customer support. In the five months since launch, SeedLegals has become the largest closer of funding rounds in the UK and has also been recognised with a Best Fintech Startup win at the UKTN Awards for their work helping entrepreneurs to reliably get the funding they need to build a team and realise their vision.

Carlos Espinal, Managing Partner of Seedcamp said “Speed and cost-efficiency are critical to the early steps of company formation and can be a major, and at times insurmountable, hurdle to overcome. This new product addition from SeedLegals will be hugely beneficial not just for founders but for the wider community and bring more, innovative young businesses to light.”

NOVEMBER 2017 Page 23

Top 6 Myths About Personal Injury Lawyers in NJ

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Top 6 Myths About Personal Injury Lawyers in NJ Howard Sobel, renowned New Jersey Lawyer, talks us through and debunks the myths about the profession.

Embarking on a personal injury, NJ claim; will appear discouraging, particularly given the amount of information out there concerning the method. You may not apprehend wherever to start or what legal choices are out there to you. Rather than making an attempt to file your approach on your own, it’s best to hire a personal injury lawyer who will effectively navigate you through the method and make sure you receive most compensation for your injuries. First, let’s debunk certain myths about personal injury lawyer in NJ. Perhaps there’s no profession more misunderstood than that of an attorney. They fill an important role in our society and as people in NJ; however as a result of the topic matter of lawsuits is usually terribly personal, it’s vital to decide on the correct lawyer. Here are some myths you shouldn’t believe about personal injury lawyer NJ. Myths About Personal Injury Lawyers • Personal Injury Lawyers Take Advantage of Their Clients Some individuals believe that injury lawyers exaggerate their clients’ possibilities of success, and also to the size of the

possible settlement. This can be really rare with personal injury lawyers, and for a very smart reason.

Personal injury lawyers generally work on a contingency basis, in order that they only get paid if and only they reach a settlement for the consumer.

The attorney thus has an interest in taking up only those cases with a reasonable probability of success.

Exaggerating the doubtless size of a settlement, meanwhile, is just a direction for disappointment and a foul name. Lawyers deem their name so as to induce a lot of work. Referrals from happy clients are a significant supply of recent clients. It doesn’t pay to mislead clients.

• Personal Injury Claims Are Generally Frivolous This is one in all the largest myths. Individuals usually believe we tend to board a society that’s trigger happy when it involves lawsuits; however, almost all claims are brought by those, who have suffered sensible injuries in accidents caused by the negligence of others. If these lawsuits were mostly impractical, personal injury attorneys wouldn’t risk their livelihoods by accepting cases on a fee basis.

• Injury Lawyers Are Overly specifically what proportion you Aggressive in Finding Clients may receive isn’t being honest.

All lawyers tend to persuade together. This can be comprehensible, and partially even. Certain examples tend to cause all lawyers to be painted with an identical brush. There’s no denying that excessively aggressive advertising is offputting and may hurt the name of the community.

What the majority don’t notice is that different jurisdictions have different rules for lawyers. (Each state/province has its own law society that sets its own rules.)

Some law societies have terribly fewer restrictions on however lawyers will solicit clients, while others are a lot of stricter.

• Your Lawyer Can Tell You How Much Compensation You Will Receive Your lawyer will be able to provide you with a general estimate or plan of what proportion your case could be valued; however, it might be not possible for any lawyer to inform you what you may receive through proceedings or negotiations. Each case is exclusive, with its own set of circumstances; therefore what a lawyer was able to deliver the goods for one consumer can dissent from what you may be able to receive. Any attorney who claims to be able to tell you

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• You Have To Go To The Court For Settling Your Case According to a study, a surprising fact was discovered that approx 60% of personal injury cases never go to a trial, only 2% of local suits are tried before the courts. The reason trial does not opt because; they are usually expensive and risky so that the decisions in the favor of both the parties to negotiate or sometimes even hire a mediator to help in arranging these meetings.

• You Can Take Time Deciding Whether or Not You Want To Sue All states have a certain statute of limitations, providing accident victims a chance throughout that they’re ready to build a claim.

Once it expires, you’ll forever lose this opportunity, therefore it’s necessary to not take time creating this important call, particularly if you’re facing heavy medical expenses and can’t risk receiving compensation.

• Types Of Compensation For Personal Injuries In a personal injury case, if you’ve got suffered an injury, property harm, or the other reasonably loss because the litigator you will obtain

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compensation from whoever caused or contributed to those losses. The legal term for this sort of compensation is “damages.”

The two basic classes of damages awarded in personal injury claims they are offsetting and relative.

There are many alternative kinds of indemnification however broadly; they’re counteracted into general or special damages. indemnification obtain to reimburse or compensate a victim for the hurt they need to be suffered, and these sorts of damages are obtainable in most injury cases -- as well as car accident, medical malpractice, and slip and fall cases.

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Compensatory damages also are awarded in decease cases; however, the damages obtainable in these cases are usually distinctive and not usually found elsewhere.

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Punitive damages, on the opposite hand, is solely awarded during a little variety of cases. Punitively is by no means tied to the sort of hurt that has been suffered however they are awarded to penalize the offender sure as shooting kinds of despicable behavior. Each relative and indemnification is awarded onto the victim or litigator.

NOVEMBER 2017 Page 25

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Job Discrimination in Texas: Understanding Your Case

Job Discrimination in Texas: Understanding Your Case Jamesh Scherr talks us through how to choose the perfect attorney in El Paso and how they will help you fight your case.

After having struggled with an employer or company over discrimination issues, you may feel quite frustrated and confused. Though you want to be able to hire the best discrimination attorney available, you are not sure how to find him or her.

1) References: Talk with friends, family and coworkers in El Paso. They may have had employment disputes in the past and may be able to recommend a good job attorney for you. You will most likely find yourself comfortable with these lawyers since they have been recommended by people whose opinion you value. It is also a good idea to contact your New York Bar Association. They may have a referral system you can use to find the attorney best suited for your specific case.

2) Law Firm Websites: After you get the names of a few job attorneys in El Paso, do your research. Visit their websites and take note of the cases they have handled and any other organizations they may belong to. It also may be important to call and ask them questions.

This will give you a clearer idea

of what you can expect when you meet with them and if their practice is compatible with your case.

3) Know their experience: When you meet with job discrimination attorneys in El Paso, ask about their experience and if they have any previous clients you may be able to call for a reference. Also, ask about the fees and additional costs they may charge should you choose to hire them.

On the job injury: work place Injury: o Falls are a common occupational hazard for construction workers, resulting in broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and even death.

o More than a million workers suffer back injuries, accounting for one out of every five manual materials handling work-related injuries or illnesses. Back injuries result from carrying, holding, lifting, lowering or placing loads. o Slips and falls are not compensable under workers’ compensation unless a hazardous condition at the time caused the fall. These can cause broken bones and head injuries. o Injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident are compensable if the employee was engaged in work-related business. However, employees are not compensated for injuries sustained commuting to and from work, except in special circumstances.

Job discrimination at work place in El Paso:

o Causes include defective equipment, unsafe work conditions and carelessness by the team head or the boss.

1. Race, Color, or Natural Origin Discrimination

o Repetitive motion injuries result from performing the same movement over and over again for an extended period of time, resulting in bursitis, carpal tunnel, and tendonitis. These are the most commonly reported workplace injury.

Fail or refuse to hire or discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual’s race, color, or origin.

Employers may also not publish notices or advertisements

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, for employment indicating a preference or prohibition of a certain race or ethnicity.

2. Relationship Discrimination Employers are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of an employee’s sex in the payment of wages. Employees of different sexes may not be denied equal compensation for performing substantially equal work in the same establishment. However, Relationship discrimination does not only apply to wages. Some other examples of Relationship discrimination include: 3. Age Discrimination Refusing to hire or discharge an employee; Offering different compensation, terms, or conditions of employment; and Limiting, segregating, or classifying an employee in a way that would adversely affect their employment opportunities.

Employers and employment agencies may not fail or refuse to refer an individual for employment on the basis of age.

are not allowed to ask...It’s unlawful for the employer to make inquiries about someone’s health, about their disability, about their age, whether they’re married and have children, those type of things are illegal for an employer to ask a potential employee.

2. Failing to hire an individual because of his or her race, color, gender, religion, national origin, birthplace, age, disabilities, or marital status is considered discrimination and against laws.

3. Employees who have experienced unfair discrimination may be entitled to back pay, compensation for pain and suffering, and restoration of employment position if they were fired or reassigned.

4. Employers who are found guilty of workplace discrimination may also have to pay punitive damages for their illegal.

5. A lot of times, courts look to whether or not employers have effective anti-discrimination policies in their workplace when they’re deciding the reasonableness of punitive damages.”

4. Disability Discrimination •

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Denying an aid, benefit, or service that is provided to other employees; Providing different aids, benefits, or services unless necessary; Denying the opportunity to participate as a member for a planning or advisory board.

6. If you have a disability or a handicap, you can’t be harassed or discriminated against, also prevents you from being harassed or discriminated against if you’re perceived to have a handicap or disability even when you don’t.

On the job injury in El Paso should be consulted to an experienced Job discrimination Rights you should know on attorneys in El Paso, on job your work place: accidents can happen in every work environment, including 1. When an individual is applying office buildings. If you are injured for a job or going to a job on-the-job, it is very important interview, there are certain types to consult with us as soon as of questions that employers possible after an accident.

NOVEMBER 2017 Page 27

Conveyancing Fees In Spain: Principal Areas To Consider

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Conveyancing Fees In Spain: Principal Areas To Consider Conveyancing is the transfer of the legal title of a property from one person to another. A typical conveyancing transaction includes two vital indicators: the transfer of contracts and the completion, whereby the legal title passes. The system of conveyancing is constructed to safeguard that of the buyer. Conveyancing fees in Spain, outlines the total payment made to a professional person or public bodies in exchange for advice or services. Wil Lamers tells us more.

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Conveyancing fees in Spain are dependent on whether you employ a foreign or Spanish lawyer and on the sale price of the property. Supplementary examples of conveyancing fees in Spain are associated with the taxes and legal fees relating to the sale and purchase of the property. The costs and taxes on selling a Spanish property can be in the range of 10-15% of the sale price, in total.

The following is a reminder of the principal areas to consider for conveyancing fees in Spain 1. Estate Agency Fee: The seller covers the estate agency fee. The relevant percentage of the fee needs to be individually negotiated in each case. The fee is established by the nature and location of the property.

2. Energy Performance Certificate: Spanish property owners are legally required to have a relevant Energy Performance Certificate. The energy performance certificate forms a paltry part of the conveyancing fees in Spain.

procedure that the seller pays all outstanding community charges up to the date of completion. The charge for the provision of this certificate ranges from 50-100 Euros.

6. Capital Gains Tax: A seller of a Spanish property might 3. Tax Retention on a Spanish potentially face a responsibility property transfer: The buyer to account for any profit in has to retain 3% of the declared Spain or in their home country. sale price and pay this to the Spanish Tax Authority when 7. Legal Fees: Expert purchasing a property from a independent legal non-Spanish resident owner. representation is imperative when selling a Spanish 4. Plus Valia Tax: A transferral property. The cost depends of a Spanish property interest on the value of the transaction necessities that the local town and its complexity. Legal hall is entitled to charge Plus fees form a large part of the Valia Tax, which is calculated conveyancing fees in Spain. by reference to the rateable value of the property and the 8. Bank Charges: Bank period of ownership. charges in Spanish property 5. Community Administrator transactions can be high.

Certification: It is standard Certain Spanish banks may

even charge to receive funds and to transfer funds following completion.

9. Mortgage Redemption Charges: If the property is owned subject to a mortgage, then prior to agreeing to a sale, the terms of redemption of the mortgage must be established with the bank.

10. Notary Costs: It is often the case that the buyer pays the Notary fee. However, sellers need to be aware that this is an area of possible negotiation.

The expense of the Notary fee is contingent on the value and complexity of the transaction.

11. Property Registry: The buyer generally always bears the Property Registration cost, The Property Registration cost is usually around 0.5-0.75%.

NOVEMBER 2017 Page 29

How To Get A Law Training Contract

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How To Get A Law Training Contract Those looking to pursue a career in law will know that training contracts and pupillages are the golden ticket – and final step on the road to qualifying as a solicitor. Leslie Bindman discusses how to obtain these and what to look out for.

This period of recognised training helps you put your knowledge into a real-life context, and over two years you have the chance to learn about the law firm’s different departments, including contentious and non-contentious practice areas, and get training from an expert in the field.

With a training contract in place, you can pass the Professional Skills Course (PSC). You’ll need to have gained experience in client care and professional standards, financial and business skills and advocacy and communication skills.

With major opportunities for development at stake, you’ll need to find the law firm that’s right for you. LawCareers.Net has a great training contract search, so it’s worth beginning your search then.

North East, recently welcoming two apprentices and providing a Law Training Contract to one staff member.

Tapping into his years’ of experience, senior partner Leslie Bindman — who has been practicing for 41 years — has shared some advice on how to pip the competition to the post for that vital training contract…

Be selective – and know why you’ve picked the firm You don’t want to limit yourself by only applying to one firm, but a scattergun approach won’t show your interest in an individual firm. Make your choice wisely, and make sure you include some reasons why you applied to that firm in particular.

Be considered, complimentary and honest.

Make sure you meet the firm’s criteria and show it in the application

Once you’ve made a list of firms you’d like to work with, you need to be able to stand out from the You’re wasting your time – and crowd. How do you do that when the firm’s – if they need you there’s so much competition? to have grades you haven’t achieved, or don’t meet other With over 40 years’ of criteria. Only apply for positions experience, Bindman & Co you are eligible for, and your solicitors know what makes 100 percent more likely to a great applicant. They have succeed. When it comes to the heavily invested in the training application, answer exactly what of future solicitors and legal you’re asked – if you need to professionals in their native give two examples, give two.

The devil’s in the detail, and you need to be able to follow briefs and instructions to the letter.

Get as much industry experience as possible It’s an obvious one, but that’s because it’s so important. You need to show your dedication to the job and the industry, and having undertaken work experience is a great way to do this. Summer and winter breaks are a great time to do this – shadow a solicitor for a week, or answer the telephones in a firm – it all helps.

Show you’re a worker Law’s an intensive course, so law firms are always impressed if candidates have managed to have a job whilst studying.

It shows you’re a hard worker, stand on your own two feet, and can handle different types of responsibility.

Give it some personality The law firm has to work with you for two years – if not longer if they offer you a position – so you need to makes sure you’re likeable. Find ways to showcase your personal interests and personality. Be yourself too, you want them to like you for you, and you need to be comfortable while you work there.

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