Hampshire Legal December 2021

HampshireLegal THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE HAMPSHIRE LAW SOCIETY | DECEMBER 2021

Season’s Greetings Plus ■ New HILS President elected ■ CPD Programme 2022 ■ Have a proper break this Christmas

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PUBLISHER Benham Publishing Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com ACCOUNTS DIRECTOR Joanne Casey

Contents 05

SALES DIRECTOR Karen Hall

07 HLS Contacts

STUDIO MANAGER Lee Finney MEDIA No. 1784

08 CPD Programme

PUBLISHED December 2021 © Benham Publishing Ltd.

2022

LEGAL NOTICE © Benham Publishing.

None of the editorial or photographs may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publishers. Benham Publishing would like to point out that all editorial comment and articles are the responsibility of the originators and may or may not reflect the opinions of Benham Media. No responsibility can be accepted for any inaccuracies that may occur, correct at time of going to press. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

DISCLAIMER The Hampshire Incorporated Law Society welcomes all persons eligible for membership regardless of sex, race, religion, age or sexual orientation.

All views expressed in this publication are the views of the individual writers and not the society unless specifically stated to be otherwise. All statements as to the law are for discussion between members and should not be relied upon as an accurate statement of the law, are of a general nature and do not constitute advice in any particular case or circumstance.

10 Happenings

in Hampshire

14 Have a proper break 08 14

15 Your new Law

Society Council Member

Conference

COVER INFORMATION Photo by Vika Fleisher on Unsplash.

18th February 2022

this Christmas

20 A very different Bar

Members of the public should not seek to rely on anything published in this magazine in court but seek qualified Legal Advice.

Copy Deadlines

05 President’s Review

15

23 The South

Hampshire Junior Lawyers Division (SHJLD)

For the March 2022 edition

Advertising Anyone wishing to advertise in Hampshire Legal please contact Catherine McCarthy before the copy deadline. 0151 236 4141 catherine@benhampublishing.com Editorial Anyone wishing to submit editorial for publication in Hampshire Legal please contact Nicola Jennings before the copy deadline. administration@hampshirelawsociety.co.uk

26 Book Review Follow us on social media @hampshirelawsoc https://www.linkedin.com/company/hampshireincorporated-law-society/ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 3

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INTRODUCTION

President’s Review DECEMBER 2021

Mo Aldridge

I

am both honoured and a little nervous to now be at the head of Hampshire Law Society. Previous Presidents have done such an excellent job I hope to be able to replicate and build on that good work.

I must start by thanking my predecessor, James Gleisner. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic James was not able to undertake many of the duties of the President as all events and meetings were cancelled.

Nevertheless, James continued to support the society and gave his all in very difficult times and we are extremely grateful.

Each President has their own focus and plan and my objective is to re-engage with the junior lawyers, newly qualifieds and universities. We want to have a major push on connecting with people early on in their journey, whether it is when doing their law degree, at a jobs fair, as trainees or as junior or newly qualified lawyers. This endeavour will involve all of us, we all know someone who is interested in a career in law, is considering their options, is a trainee or has just qualified and we can all engage with them and steer them towards Hampshire Law Society so that our members can help each other. We are strongest when we work together.

I want to continue the hard work that was completed by myself, James Gleisner (past President), Tom Mitchell (Vice-President) and Ian Robinson (Hon. Sec) with the execution of our Business Development Plan. We want to be able to progress in each of the areas so we can move forward and meet our goals.

2020 and 2021 have proven that we all need to be adaptive and HILS is no different, the legal landscape is ever-changing and always was thus. However, the pandemic has put into stark contrast the variety of methods of practising in law, the different ways we need to engage with our membership, the range of courses and educational seminars, lectures and webinars we need to consider, the social and networking events we should put on and the help and support we can offer our members.

All the time we have to be mindful that the society needs to grow and be representative of its membership, we can only do this with your help and engagement.

Part of my role as President is to attend some of our neighbouring local law society and Southern Area Association events and dinners. This is important both to learn from them and share what ideas are working and also to maintain relationships within the profession across borders.

Another area we really want to strengthen is the concept of HILS as a hub for legal jobs within Hampshire. We want to create a ‘jobs board’ which will contain details of all work experience, placement opportunities, summer jobs, training contracts, SQE opportunities and legal jobs from NQ’s to Partner level and all accounts and administration opportunities within the legal arena. To do this we again need your help. We need corporate members to let us know when they have vacancies and opportunities, we need individuals to encourage their employers to sign up to HILS and become involved. So much of the success of HILS depends on our membership.

2022 doesn’t promise anything at present, it is a blank canvas for us to make what we can of it. Let’s make it a good one! ■

Mo Aldridge

President Hampshire Law Society

HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 5

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HLS CONTACTS

Hampshire Law Society Contacts The following is an up-to-date list of committee members’ names and addresses and the sub committees to which they belong

President Mo Aldridge Jasper Vincent 44 Queensway, Southampton SO14 3GT Tel: 023 8063 3225 maldridge@jaspervincent.com Vice President Tom Mitchell Trethowans Botleigh Grange Business Park, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2AF DX 154120 Southampton 48 Tel: 02380 820465 tom.mitchell@trethowans.com Deputy Vice President TBA Honorary Secretary Ian Robinson Churchers Solicitors 13-18 Kings Terrace, Portsmouth PO5 3AL DX 2205 Portsmouth Tel: 0239 288 2001 Fax: 0239 286 2831 irobinson@churchers.co.uk Honorary Treasurer Tom Mitchell Trethowans Botleigh Grange Business Park, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2AF DX 154120 Southampton 48 Tel: 02380 820465 tom.mitchell@trethowans.com

Law Society Council Member Adrienne Edgerley Harris Shentons Star Lane House Staple Gardens Winchester SO23 9AD adrienneedgerleyharris@gmail.com

Contentious Russell Evans russell.david@yahoo.co.uk Kevin Richardson

Administrator Nicola Jennings Tel: 023 8044 7022 administration@hampshirelawsociety.co.uk

PR (inc Social) Mo Aldridge (Chair) maldridge@jaspervincent.com Sarah Hallett

Complaints Tom Mitchell tom.mitchell@trethowans.com

Regulatory Adrienne Edgerley Harris (Chair) adrienneedgerleyharris@gmail.com Ian Robinson

Education & Training Tom Mitchell Membership Sarah Coates Sarah Huck

Non Contentious Matthew Robbins

Follow us on Twitter @hampshirelawsoc Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/ company/hampshireincorporated-law-society/

Immediate Past President James Gleisner HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 7

CPD – TRAINING

CPD Programme 2022 W

e have successfully moved our CPD programme online and offered access to other free CPD from our providers, clients and local chambers etc. This has proved popular with many of you and is something we plan to continue to offer certainly in the short term.

There are a number of other things in the pipeline including some more general legal updates and one day conferences (which will be face to face). If you can help in any way with speakers, topic suggestions or venue space, this all keeps out costs down and provides the opportunity to reduce our delegate rates.

RESIDENTIAL LEASEHOLD UPDATE Date: Tuesday 18 January 2022 Time: 1500-1630 Ian Quayle, lecturer for 16 years for CLT amongst others and will be presenting the following webinar which will review current issues concerning conveyancers including:

and he lectures nationwide to a wide audience. Richard has a reputation for delivering practical advice in an entertaining and engaging way. Conveyancing continues to undergo major changes and the course will aim to look at the most important changes and their effect on the conveyancer.

SDLT PART 2 Date: Tuesday 5 April 2022 Time: 1500-1630 Paul Clark has been a commercial property solicitor for over 40 years. He is an expert on many aspects of commercial property law and is a popular and engaging speaker.

CONVEYANCING PART 2 Date: Tuesday 10 May 2022 Time: 1500-1630

■ Developments with land registration generally and restrictions in particular.

■ Problem clauses in residential leases – ground rent, repair, service charge and forfeiture.

■ Dealing with difficult landlords.

■ Service Charge management – tips and traps.

■ Ideas for dealing with defective leases.

■ An examination of recent relevant case law.

Richard Snape is a consultant with Davitt Jones Bould. He is a renowned speaker on all aspects of Real Estate Law and he lectures nationwide to a wide audience. Richard has a reputation for delivering practical advice in an entertaining and engaging way. Conveyancing continues to undergo major changes and the course will aim to look at the most important changes and their effect on the conveyancer.

Extensive notes will be provided and there will be an opportunity for delegate questions.

PROBATE LECTURE

MONEY & CHILDREN Date: Tuesday 1 February 2022 Time: 1500-1630 HHJ Simmonds, former solicitor and member of the children panel – appointed as a DJ in 2010 as a DJ of the principal registry of the family division and transferred to the western circuit in November 2015. At the PRFD he undertook all forms of family work to include complex children and money.

■ Maintenance after Waggott ■ Private Law after H-N CONVEYANCING UPDATE Date: Tuesday 1 March 2022 Time: 1500-1630 Richard Snape is a consultant with Davitt Jones Bould. He is a renowned speaker on all aspects of Real Estate Law 8 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL

Date: Tuesday 17 May 2022 Time: 1500-1630 Kerry Morgan-Gould. Kerry is a Partner and Head of the Trusts & Estates Team at Ashfords LLP. Kerry has been qualified for 12 years. She advises private individuals, charities and trustees in relation to all matters arising out of contentious Wills, Trusts and Estates. In addition, Kerry also advises clients in relation to contentious Court of Protection matters.

LEGAL UPDATE: CHILDREN, MONEY & FAMILY LAW IN GENERAL Date: Tuesday 7 June 2022 Time: 1500-1630 HHJ Simmonds, former solicitor and member of the children panel – appointed as a DJ in 2010 as a DJ of the principal registry of the family division and transferred to the western circuit in November 2015. At the PRFD he undertook all forms of family work to include complex children and money.

CPD – TRAINING

PROPERTY LECTURE

FEES & BOOKING

Date: Tuesday 5 July 2022 Time: 1500-1630

1.5 hour lecture: £35.00 (Non-Member: £50.00).

Edward Denehan is recommended by Chambers and Partners (2015 Ed.) for Real Estate Litigation. “He is a very robust advocate, who has a good way of speaking in layman’s terms and is able to get his message across.” “He is pretty impressive when he is on his feet.” He is also recommended for Property Litigation in the Legal 500 and has been for many years. The 2014 Edition describes him as having “An impressive understanding of restrictive covenants affecting land”.

VENUE Unless otherwise notified all lectures take place on Zoom from 1500-1630. The link will be provided in the days prior to the event. Handouts will be emailed prior to each lecture.

The programme will be updated once additional information received distributed via email and in the quarterly magazine.

You can find more detail on each lecture on our website:

www.hampshirelawsociety.co.uk

Register at administration@hampshirelawsociety.co.uk, book online or download the booking form from our website.

TERMS & CONDITIONS ■ All applications will receive a written confirmation of booking.

■ Payment can be made securely online or is required with the registration form. No places can be reserved without payment.

■ Booking is subject to availability of places.

■ Delegates may be substituted at any time with an appropriate additional payment for any non-members.

■ HILS accepts no responsibility for the views or opinions as expressed by the speakers, chairman or any other persons at the event.

■ HILS reserves the right to alter the venue, programme and the speakers at any time.

■ Claiming the member rate remains the responsibility of the claimant however HILS will ensure that you are charged the appropriate fee once membership status checked.

Your membership also entitles you to attend online seminars run by some of our neighbouring law societies.

Check the website for details.

What a year – thank you to all who have supported LLST

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his year, we have been so happy to host in-person events again. In July, the Hampshire legal community raised £12,000 for local frontline free legal advice services at the Southampton Legal Walk. The event raised funds for services including Citizens Advice in Southampton, Winchester District, Test Valley and the New Forest, to name but a few. This was part of a series of our annual Regional Legal Walks, which together raised nearly £85,000 for legal advice agencies in their local areas.

What can you do to help?

As well as joining our events, there are many ways you can help London Legal Support Trust to support your local advice agencies.

What an incredible achievement and testament to the dedication of legal professionals.

This additional funding has boosted morale for charities that support people facing increasing hardships on a daily basis, such as unemployment, homelessness, and domestic violence. All of which have seen an increase since the start of the pandemic.

Monthly giving A regular donation helps LLST, and the charities we support, to plan what funds are expected and how they can be utilised to continue vital services.

LLST is now planning for 2022 with the return of the London Legal Walk back in the Summer sunshine, lots of challenge events and of course, Regional Legal Walks. The Southampton Legal Walk will return in September so please do sign up to our newsletters (via this short form) and keep an eye on our events webpage with more information soon and we would love to see you there – look out for our launch emails in January.

Promote payroll giving in your firm Payroll giving is an easy, tax-efficient, way to give. Donors can choose multiple charities to give to every month, and the rest is taken care of.

Donations are made from pre-tax income, so a gift goes further. More information can be found here.

For more information see our website here or email Nicola Hewitt at Nicola@llst.org.uk.

Please sign up to receive regular emails about LLST’s events and activities (link HERE) or email signups@llst.org.uk and please get involved in as many events as possible to fundraise for frontline free legal advice agencies in London and the South East.

Thank you once again for your support this year and we look forward to seeing you in 2022! ■ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 9

HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE

Matthew James

Hampshire solicitor welcome new partner to meet rising demand for buying and selling homes

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ward winning law firm, Churchers Solicitors, has promoted solicitor Matthew James to Partner covering the requirements of the local residents from Gosport to Lee on the Solent. Matthew qualified as a solicitor in 1993, gaining over 27 years experience in property law before joining Churchers in March 2021.

Matthew started out as a conveyancing solicitor at Starbuck and Mack before moving to Jasper Vincent specialising in residential conveyancing (sales, purchases, remortgages, transfers of title and equity release mortgages).

Matthew James, said, “I am thrilled to have been promoted to Partner at Churchers. My experience in this area over the years puts me in a great place to be able to support my clients in buying their dream home, plus I love sharing my experience and skills with the growing conveyancing team. I always want the client to have the most seamless experience possible so they will always be at the heart of everything I do.”

Churchers Solicitors, Managing Partner, Ian Robinson, said, “Matthew James brings a raft of knowledge and experience to our buying and selling a home team and we couldn’t be more delighted to have him as Partner in the Lee-on-the-Solent office.

We have seen a real increase in clients buying and selling property and the team will keep on growing to support this demand. I know that clients, and estate agents alike, will benefit from a Partner of his calibre in the area and we can’t wait to help more people get moving.” ■

Trethowans trainees

Dutton Gregory Quiz

O

n 25th November Dutton Gregory Solicitors hosted a charity quiz and curry night in support of the Romsey Opportunity Group, a charity that provides support for children with additional needs and their families. 14 teams battled it out over the course of the evening with questions ranging from Love Island to Charles Dickens and everything in-between before the team from Martin & Co took home the win and victory bottles of fizz.

Jon Whettingsteel, quiz master for the evening said, “the night was a great success, with everyone enjoying being able to get together in person again, as well as raising funds and awareness for a really special charity that has provided support for a number of families, including mine.

The night raised around £1,000 which will make a massive difference for a small charity who receive no government funding, and are entirely reliant on donations and fundraising. This money will go a massive way to helping some special little people.”

Dutton Gregory are hoping to make this an annual charity event and aim to make next year’s even bigger and better.

More information about the Romsey Opportunity Group is at: www.romseyopgroup.org.uk. ■

Ellie Stanton joins the Corporate and Commercial team at Trethowans. Prior to joining Trethowans Ellie studied history at University of Southampton, then gained a Graduate Diploma in Law, before completing the Legal Practice Course with Masters (LLM) in 2020 at the University of Law, achieving a distinction.

Hannah McMullen, who joins Trethowans’ Private Client team for her first seat, joined Trethowans as a Secretary in 2018, before progressing to Legal Assistant and now Trainee Solicitor. Hannah studied a Bachelor of Laws at University of East Anglia, achieving a distinction.

Richard Thomas joins the Agriculture and Rural Property team at Trethowans. Prior to Richard’s training contract, he completed a 9-year career in the Armed Forces before embarking on the GDL and LPC with Bournemouth University, where he qualified with a distinction in both courses. ■

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HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE

Leading Hampshire law Phillips firm wins top award P

hillips Solicitors are thrilled to have been named Medium Law Firm of the Year in the 2021 Law Society Excellence Awards, the most prestigious awards ceremony for solicitors in England and Wales.

The Law Society is the professional body for solicitors which drives excellence in the profession and safeguards the rule of law.

Phillips Director Max Hope, based at the firm’s Town Gate offices, in London Street, Basingstoke, said that it is a great honour for the firm to be recognised by The Law Society, for providing outstanding legal services.

He said: “We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all our clients and referrers for placing their trust in us to deliver the level of service they have rightly come to expect.”

“This award would not have been possible without that trust and the very positive feedback that our clients kindly passed on to The Law Society in support of our nomination.”

Phillips Director Jack Gardener said: “The award is a huge achievement for our firm which shows that we are doing the right things and going in the right direction with our ambitious growth plans, and the unrivalled way we invest in our community. Most importantly, this is an award that recognises the hard work and dedication of every member of our team.”

This year the awards ceremony took place virtually and was hosted by comedian Jo Caulfield, who highlighted a number of the initiatives Phillips have implemented for the wellbeing of their staff, including its pioneering policy of offering funding and support for IVF treatment. Phillips were also praised for their financial stability whilst navigating the challenges of the pandemic. ■

Dutton Gregory Book P

artner and Family Law Specialist of Dutton Gregory Solicitors in Winchester and Southampton, Jonathan Whettingsteel, is delighted to announce the completion and publishing of his first legal handbook Entitled ‘A Practical Guide to Internal and External Child Relocation’ Jonathan says its purpose is to be the (hopefully) ‘go to guide’ on child relocation.

It’s taken around 6 months to put together this book, which draws together statute, case law and procedural guidance to provide an easily navigable guide on the law around relocation.

I wanted to write about this area as it is something I have seen becoming more and more common in practice, and believe as the world begins to open up again is going to

continue to be a more disputed topic.

It was a lot tougher than I expected, and there were a lot of weekends and evenings spent wading through Judgements, but I’m very proud of completing something that I hope will provide a useful guide to practitioners to refer to.

The book will be released later this month and is available to pre-order from Law Brief Publishing at: www.lawbriefpublishing.com/product/ internatandexternalchildrelocation/. ■

HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 11

HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE

Trethowans’ expansion continues with two new partners in Southampton and Winchester Mike Watson with Lucy Spollin and Elizabeth Ryall

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mortgages and re-mortgages, lease extensions, development work, deeds of grant and high net-worth homes.

Elizabeth Ryall will head up the firm’s commercial recoveries team in Southampton while Lucy Spollin will lead the residential property team in Winchester.

She says, “This is a really exciting move for me. Trethowans is a true leader in its field, and I’m delighted to be helping the firm grow its residential property services in Hampshire. Moving home can be extremely stressful but we’re here to help make that process as easy and streamlined for our clients as possible.”

wo new partners have joined law firm Trethowans, wellknown for its services throughout Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire.

Elizabeth joins the firm with over 15 years’ experience in debt recovery working for both commercial and private clients in a variety of sectors, such as vehicle finance, utilities and property.

Elizabeth commented, “My initial impressions of Trethowans are fantastic, I’ve met some immensely talented and smart colleagues and been enthused by the supportive and collegiate approach. I’m really excited to contribute to such a dynamic and friendly firm.”

Lucy boasts over 15 years’ experience in the property sector specialising in the sale and purchase of residential property,

Mike Watson, Managing Partner at Trethowans, added: “We’re extremely happy that Elizabeth and Lucy have chosen to join Trethowans and to help us grow our existing services, I welcome them both to the team and wish them every success.”

Trethowans was recently named in The Times Best Law Firms 2022. It has been offering legal services to businesses and individuals in the south for over 150 years with offices in Southampton, Salisbury, Poole, Bournemouth and Winchester. ■

Trethowans named in The Times Best Law Firms 2022 T

rethowans has been named in The Times Best Law Firms 2022, a list of the top 200 law firms in England and Wales that the newspaper compiles annually.

The Times Best Law Firms 2022 is put together by Statista, an international market research company.

Every year it surveys solicitors in England and Wales, asking for their recommendations on the best law firms in 26 categories covering business, public and private client services. Respondents can vote only once and are not allowed to choose their own law firm.

Trethowans’ Managing Partner, Mike Watson, said: “Statista surveyed nearly 5,000 lawyers, so for our firm to be regarded so highly by our peers and celebrated in such a prestigious,

12 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL

nationally recognised listing is an outstanding achievement.

“This is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team at Trethowans, who have all pulled together during these challenging times to ensure our clients receive a firstclass service of exceptional quality. I’d like to congratulate our amazing team and thank them for all their hard work.”

Last month, Trethowans was also recognised in the Legal 500 – a research and ranking publication renowned throughout the legal industry. It was commended for its services across a wide range of sectors including corporate and commercial, employment and tax.

To view the Times Best Law Firms 2022, visit: www.thetimes.co.uk/bestlawfirms. ■

HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE

Hannah Snellgrove

Local Olympic hopeful gets sponsorship from Moore Barlow Hannah Snellgrove, an ILCA 6 class racer, receives support and financial backing from law firm Moore Barlow

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hree-time national dinghy sailing champion, Hannah Snellgrove, dreams of competing for Team GB at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and her chances have been boosted by a new sponsorship deal with south-east law firm Moore Barlow.

The Lymington-based Olympic hopeful has secured funding equivalent to the cost of buying a new ILCA 6 racing dinghy*, the class of boat she will compete in should she make it to Paris, every year.

Hannah said: “I am so grateful for the support from Moore Barlow. My journey with the sport has not always been a smooth ride and now, knowing I have this funding secured, I am one step closer to realising my dreams. This sponsorship gives me the security I need to focus on my training and being the best sailor I can be.”

Ed Whittington, managing partner of Moore Barlow, added: “Hannah has an amazing character, she is incredibly driven and determined, yet very humble. She has worked so hard to be where she is, and just by talking to her you can see the passion she has for her sport which is so inspiring for those around her.

“Hannah’s spirit resonates strongly with the culture we have created at Moore Barlow and she embodies the traits we look for in our people. We hope by our sponsorship we will play a

small part in helping her to reach her full potential – I can’t wait to see her competing for a medal in 2024.”

Learning to sail at Salterns Sailing Club in Lymington when she was just seven, Snellgrove went on to compete in multiple championships, including the ISAF Sailing World Cup, Laser Radial Women’s World and European Championships and UK National Championships, but was forced to retire in 2015 having lost her Team GB funding.

However, after a fateful trip to Miami, where she met former Olympic World Champion John Bertrand, who dominated the world of Laser and Finn sailing during the 70s and 80s, her ambitions were reignited.

Snellgrove crowdfunded her way back into the British Sailing Team in 2018, recently winning silver at Kieler Woche, the largest sailing event in the world.

With six offices in the South east region, Moore Barlow has a wide geographical footprint and reach – but at the same time, is keen to support the local communities it serves and local initiatives. Moore Barlow’s sponsorship is an example of this, given Hannah’s ties to the local community in Lymington.

Moore Barlow also sponsors the annual Silicon Cup Regatta out of Port Solent. ■ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 13

WELL-BEING

Have a proper break this Christmas M

any of us will take time off over Christmas but it can be very difficult to switch off, especially when technology has made it so easy for us to stay connected.

Research from Sabine Sonnentag, professor of organizational psychology at the University of Mannheim in Germany shows that disengaging from work makes us more resilient in the face of stress and more productive and engaged at work. Having some time off will reenergise you.

Here are our tips to make your break as relaxing as possible.

Prepare Discuss your workload with colleagues; if the office is open whilst you are off find out who will be covering your work – it might be best to pass your work over to several people. Let clients know as early as possible that you are taking some time off and who they should ask for in your absence.

Set expectations Use the last day or two before your holiday to clear the decks, put ongoing work into a holding pattern, and update clients on the progress of their matter. Let people know whether you can be contacted, and under what circumstances – don’t say you will be checking email if you don’t want to, or will be unable to.

We suggest leaving your work phone and laptop in a drawer at home so the temptation isn’t there. It’s not a break if you are mentally still in the office, and you will be better at your job if you return to work refreshed and well rested.

Checking email If you must check email whilst on annual leave, disable email notifications so you don’t pick up your phone every few minutes,

14 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL

and don’t carry your work phone around with you. You could ask a colleague to forward anything really urgent to your personal email address so you don’t need to look at all the other emails, or set certain times aside to check your inbox.

Out of office Set an out of office and voicemail while you are on holiday – if you are worried about an avalanche of emails on your return ask for important emails to be resent after you get back, or you might want to say you will be back a day or two later than you actually are to give you time to catch up.

Returning to work You might want to book in something in the first week back in January to look forward to, a yoga class or lunch with a colleague for example. Try to focus on what you love about your job and congratulate yourself for what you achieve during those first few days back. If the holiday blues don’t dissipate after a few days it might be time to think about your work life and whether it is making you unhappy. Perhaps you need to make some changes, or even look for a new role.

LawCare provides emotional support to anyone working the legal profession. Our support service offers a safe place to talk without judgement. We’re here to help, with helpline calls, emails and webchats answered in confidence by trained staff and volunteers who have firsthand experience of working in the law. We also have a network of peer supporters. Call the helpline on 0800 279 6888 or visit www.lawcare.org.uk. ■

ARTICLE

Your new Law Society Council Member

Adrienne Edgerley Harris

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drienne Edgerley Harris, solicitor at Shentons Solicitors in Winchester, has been elected as the representative for solicitors in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (the “South” constituency seat) on The Law Society (TLS) Council.

Adrienne says “it is a great privilege to represent the solicitors in this large geographical area. Thank you to all those who voted for me in the recent election. I want to ensure your voice is heard at Chancery Lane – to represent you – so please contact me.”

Our new Council Member is alive to the challenges that practitioners face. She lists a few: ■ the cost and difficulty in obtaining professional insurance indemnity cover; ■ the continual changes and complex & costly requirements of the SRA ■ a perceived dislocation in focus between the Law Society and regional practice ■ the challenges to being able to retire from practice, notably getting insurance ■ the lack of access to legal aid, its poor funding and the dearth of new solicitors willing to practice in the area, particularly in criminal defence She is keen to hear from you about any concerns – listed above or not – that you have.

The Law Society has noted that it is not seen as relevant to its members. Adrienne is already discussing with its President, I. Stephanie Boyce and the Membership Engagement Team at TLS, how to bridge this gap.

Adrienne says, “I recognise that, as busy practitioners, we can be time poor. This means that we are not always able to attend face to face meetings. So, even if the social aspects of meeting are not always possible – particularly with the continuing impact of Covid-19 – we can still communicate virtually and you will have a “voice” that way.

“If you have any views on the recently published SRA consultation on the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (the proposal is to abolish it from the end of September 2022) please let me know.

You can email me on aedgerleyharris@shentons.co.uk.”

Adrienne took over this role at TLS AGM In October 2021, when Nicholas Gurney-Champion and Razi Shah (north of the area) stepped down after many years of unstinting work on behalf of local solicitors.

She has a wide experience of different forms of legal practice: she trained at the Hampshire County Council, became a partner with Slater and Gibbons Winchester, was on the Legal Aid Board Appeal Panel, became the first woman solicitor on the Committee of Hampshire Incorporated Law Society (HILS) and later was elected its President. Adrienne worked for the Legal Aid Board – many of you will have met her during an audit or from her work setting up the Criminal Defence Service – then took the role of Head of Regulatory Policy at the Law Society, moving to a regulatory role with the SRA and then to becoming COLP in a large high street practice. She has now returned to her Winchester roots as the Practice Manager for Shentons Solicitors. ■

HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 15

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Climate Warming brings More Rainfall Numerous reports in recent years confirm what climate specialists have known for decades and governments are now recognising – climate change is here and is unstoppable. At the top end of current predictions, the Earth could warm at an average of 3°C above preindustrial levels by 2100, having potentially catastrophic effects on low lying communities and large conurbations worldwide when combined with a global sea level rise of up to 2 metres with ice cap melting.

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Understanding the Impact on Homebuyers As our climate changes and we experience more frequent short bouts of heavy rainfall it is important for homebuyers to be aware of risks that may affect the insurability, and value of their new home.

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HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 17

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A legal aid solution that works as hard as you do I

f your firm provides legal aid services, you already know how important it is to be accurate and efficient in how you manage your matters and invoicing. There’s no time or room for error or for case management systems that cost a lot of money and yet slow you down.

That’s why leading global legaltech provider Clio has introduced its new legal aid matter management and billing feature for England and Wales. Designed for – and with the assistance of – UK lawyers, it makes Criminal Controlled, Civil Controlled, and Civil Certificated legal aid work and billing quicker, accurate, and cost effective.

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InfoTrack triumphs with wins for Product of the Year for eCOS and Supplier of the Year

I

nfoTrack has won two awards at the 2021 British Legal Technology awards. Taking the win for Product of the Year for their eCOS client onboarding solution, the award recognises innovative new products and solutions which deliver vision, differentiation, practicality, and importance to help evolve technology for the legal sector. eCOS is a powerful digital onboarding solution, supplying everything firms need to enable streamlined paperless client onboarding from one consumer-inspired portal. Providing access to bank-grade ID and source of funds verification tools, client care letters, onboarding questionnaires, and licensed Law Society TA forms, firms are benefitting from obtaining key information faster.

Amy Church, Managing Partner at Lucas & Wyllys says, “Sending client care with eCOS is a breeze. We can open a file and send client care packs out in under 10 minutes, then our clients can complete the paperwork straight away. A process which used to take on average 2 weeks, can be completed within a couple of hours. The process also ensures that no questions or documents have been missed, reducing the need for further communication and delays.”

Mike Leeman, Managing Partner at Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors adds, “Clients are verifying identity digitally, which just goes to show it is a product and technology which is very easy to use and accessible to all.”

18 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL

InfoTrack was also crowned Supplier of the Year, recognising demonstrated excellence in legal technology and client focused services. This award honours the suppliers which are helping reshape the future of the legal industry. Providing a single platform to complete all conveyancing tasks – from onboarding to AP1 – InfoTrack is pioneering the technology that helps law firms manage their conveyancing workflow.

Clive Meredith, Practice Manager at Wollen Michelmore LLP says, “[InfoTrack] saves a huge amount of time and it has given us a scalable solution for growth. We’ve been really impressed with the software. However, it’s not just the software we’ve been impressed with. InfoTrack’s customer service is without doubt the best we’ve received from any third-party software supplier.

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Auction Update The Benefits of Open & Competitive Bidding

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he sale of a property in Gosport on behalf of executors, in our November auction, brought home the very real advantages of open and competitive bidding.

Accordingly, the house was offered in the November catalogue with a Guide Price of £150,000 and with a (confidential) Reserve of £149,000.

We were initially approached to inspect the house by a wellknown and highly experienced local estate agent, on behalf of a local solicitor’s practice, who were in turn acting for the executors.

Working as Joint Auctioneers with the local estate agent, we were able to generate good levels of viewings and legal pack downloads in the run up to the auction, but nothing that would put us on notice of the way the bidding would unfurl on auction day.

The house had been purchased by a couple in the early 1950’s and it had been their home ever since. Sadly, the second of the couple had recently passed away. As would be expected the house required significant upgrading and refurbishment, but had also, sadly, suffered some significant structural movement to the rear elevation. The works required were going to be an expensive fix!

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ARTICLE

A very different Bar Conference An appreciation of the Bar Conference 2021 held between 17th to 20th November 2021 by Phillip Taylor MBE, reviews editor of “The Barrister”, and Elizabeth Robson Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers

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e certainly do live in different times – and this Bar Conference of 2021 was, historically, the first annual Bar Conference conducted online, as well as in person.

This, of course, will come as no surprise to the Bar. It was as good an indication as ever, that the Bar (after hundreds of years) remains as resilient as ever, even in the face of the Covid menace which persists in every aspect of life.

Saturday, 20th November 2021 found one hundred or so people at the Connaught Rooms in Central London for this special Conference with a difference. As a hybrid affair, it proceeded partly online and partly in person. In spirit it reflected in a sense, what many of us have been doing as barristers and mediators for the past eighteen months – being resilient and being resourceful.

The Weekday Sessions Online These go back a couple of days to Wednesday 17th November when Derek Sweeting QC opened the online part of the Conference. Lord Burnett of Maldon, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales began with his vision of justice in 2022, offering us an overview of his priorities for next year. He was followed by a return performance from Baroness Hale who had addressed us pre-pandemic and came back to us for more, with an exploration of the state of the Rule of Law. Lady Hale was joined by another stalwart of our events, Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws QC, Professor Philippe Sands QC of Matrix Chambers and Sophie in‘t Veld MEP from the European Parliament. We were also very lucky throughout to have excellent sponsorship from LexisNexis, Vector Professions Finance, Mitigo Cybersecurity, and Currencies Direct, plus our exhibitors: Advanced; Charles Cameron & Associates; ICLR; Advocate/FRU – and Complete. The exhibitor stands were well patronised on the Saturday, and it was great to see so many familiar faces, as well as new ones after the enforced absence of almost two years.

Overall, the main theme of this memorable hybrid gathering was “Recovery, Growth and Transformation”. On the Saturday, the Chair of the Bar, Derek Sweeting QC elaborated on “what the future of justice looks like in a world changed by the pandemic”. A rapt audience was then encouraged to consider “the transformations that are needed or expected to take place throughout the justice system and within the profession”.

Interestingly, Derek’s opening speech on the Saturday began with a reflection on his role as a tank commander in Germany, which explained why he settled on a career in law after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

“Respect for the Rule of Law has stalled” Derek’s noteworthy narrative was followed by his rather sombre statement that “respect for the Rule of Law has stalled” whilst we, as lawyers who toil in the front line, continue our struggle to protect the law as a precious asset while being fully aware of the challenge of upholding it. This point popped up persistently throughout these hybrid sessions which, by the way, worked almost seamlessly – better in fact, than some of us had thought possible.

For those attending in person and those watching online, the main topics included the role of technology; access to the 20 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL

Bar; working practices; and barristers’ individual and collective business development and management. The outcome of our deliberations was the opportunity to chat about the way ahead and the need to identify how the Bar and Young Bar, as well as the wider legal sector, would be able to “flourish at a time of change of opportunity”.

“We are all in the same storm… but not in the same boat” We were also fortunate to hear from Joanne Kane, chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee. Few of us listening to her lively talk will probably never forget our early years of practice and the problems many of us faced at the beginning of our professional lives. “We are all in the same storm, but not in the same boat,” she said, continuing her theme that many junior practitioners continue to face pre-existing challenges, including inadequate remuneration (of which, more later), and inequality of opportunity, as well as obstacles to individual wellbeing, as “we are all in this together” as someone once said within recent memory.

Designed specifically for the Young Bar, there had been practical sessions during the week to provide guidance on how to be an effective junior and a persuasive advocate, in what is such a different world for many of us. It was Joanne who added that “there is work to be done by all in the profession to improve diversity, address working conditions, and to safeguard the future of the profession”. On behalf of the young Bar, Joanne provided us with a valuable contribution on issues facing all practitioners, young and just a bit older.

Promptly afterwards, who should turn up but the Lord Chancellor, Dominic Raab MP in the form of a video clip. His dissertation, intending to be reassuring, was frankly, a statement of the obvious for most of us. What would have been more effective (and more courageous) might have been a “Q &A” session when the issues he didn’t want to discuss could have been raised. We intend to raise them anyway, as we now await the delayed report on the future of criminal legal aid levels from the Bellamy Report which should be with us by the time you read this article. As usual, legal aid was one of the elephants in the room throughout Saturday and will continue to be so, together with the court estate and all that is that is wrong with HMCTS. The two further sessions that followed included “the picture of justice for the next five years” – and yes, you guessed it: IT and all things online, starring the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, who put up a spirited defence of his anticipatory vision of an online future.

Joining Geoffrey were Penelope Gibbs from Transform Justice, HHJ Sally Cahill QC, President of the Council of Her Majesty’s Circuit Judges, and genial Clive Coleman, the ex-BBC man in the “Joshua Rosenberg slot”. This important session focused on modernising the system to improve the changing needs of the court user. The panelists were impressive, always returning to the “political” problem of legal aid which always neuters what the judiciary would like to say. This, however, didn’t stop the other contributors – and it would have been better to have had a longer time for questions in these sessions. However, we overran a bit, straying into what we know as “barristers time” as we do like to talk, do we not.

ARTICLE

Diversity This session pre-lunch was chaired by David Lammy MP, a rather subdued Shadow Justice Secretary. Uncharacteristically quiet he was, although the more voluble panelists were first class: Barbara Mills QC, HHJ Emma Nott from Reading Crown Court (with splendid slides) Chinwe Odimba-Chapman from Clifford Chance, and Grace Ononiwu from the CPS. This was an important session for everyone because of the issues thrown up by the massive problems relating to fair and equitable distribution of work. Diversity, together with legal aid, will doubtless continue to be among the most difficult and pressing subjects for the Bar, along with all the other issues which determine who is – and who isn’t – destined to succeed at the Bar. It was not too depressing a session, but the issues it raised will remain collectively a “work in progress” matter for all practitioners.

Following lunch and further visits to the exhibitors, the afternoon sessions were dominated by two fascinating panel discussions on the subjects of Twitter and legal journalism. The Conference would not be complete of course, without a visit from famous/ notorious mystery man, ‘The Secret Barrister’, although Crime Girl was not present. Joanne Kane reprised her earlier role as the SB’s spokesperson and did an excellent job, ably chaired by PR man Keith Hardie, and Tweeter extraordinaire, Sean Jones QC of 11 KBW. Where Sean gets the time to tweet was beyond many of us, but his advice was sanguine.

The panel, including the elusive SB, shared their world-weary

views on the global phenomenon of Twitter: the do’s and don’ts of using this social media outlet (LinkedIn clearly was not a runner for social media barristers, which was a bit surprising).

The point of this session was whether social media has a role to play in increasing public awareness of the justice system “and building a professional brand”. Well – yes, it does for many of us, but perhaps not quite yet for all of us.

“Making Headlines” and the need for skeletons As we delegates were aware, the ladies and gentlemen of the press were much in evidence, presumably slaving away on their computers, following our every move as hybrids. These distinguished legal reptiles (sorry!) included the ever-excellent Jonathan Ames (“The Brief” from “The Times” as legal editor); Lizzie Dearden from “The Independent”; the courageous Tristan Kirk (Evening Standard) and Jess Glass from the High Court.

And what a great session it was. But just remember the golden rule that there is no such thing as “off the record”. If you say something to a journalist, he/she will use it. Also, journalists need to be told about important cases, so make sure you send them your “skeletons” if you want coverage!

See You in 2022 This was indeed a very different Conference this year, one which, fortunately didn’t bore the striped pants off anyone, even Jonathan Ames. So, I will close with a resoundingly loud thankyou to everyone who attended, hybrid or not. It was so nice to be back together again after an enforced two-year absence. ■

LEAP celebrate further technology innovation

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his month LEAP celebrated over 800 law firms accessing the InfoTrack integration from within the legal practice productivity solution. That is nearly a third of the law firms that use LEAP software.

Traditionally it’s been conveyancing firms that have benefited from the two-way integration between systems. However, thanks to the ongoing development and progressive innovation of the InfoTrack team, law firms across all areas of law are now generating efficiencies due to this partnership and therefore becoming more adaptive, agile, and streamlined. John Espley, CEO of LEAP UK outlines the benefits of this new integration.

InfoTrack integration features and benefits now available in LEAP include: The power of eSignatures For busy legal practices, significant time is lost waiting for the approval and agreement of legal documents. By utilising eSignature technology across your practice client signatures can be easily obtained in minutes not days.

The use of electronic signatures grew five-fold in 2020 and via a simple, smart application available to LEAP users, law firms can easily obtain electronic signatures from clients on any legal document they wish. Using drag and drop functionality firms can select where initials, dates or signatures are required on a specific document and send to the client for completion from directly within the electronic matter via secure email link, this enables the recipient to review and sign the documents with ease, significantly speeding up transaction times. In fact, 67% of documents that are signed via InfoTrack’s eSignature technology available in LEAP are returned within 12 hours.

Streamlined client onboarding With client expectations more demanding than ever law firms are considering alternatives to traditional client onboarding methods. However, there is a fine balance between providing a good client experience whilst implementing processes that drive efficiency and meeting compliance requirements.

Onboarding new clients can be a fragmented practise for law firms, sourcing and collating information and taking payments across multiple systems can take up considerable administrative time and effort and increase the length of time of a transaction.

Firms using LEAP and the InfoTrack integration are being provided a digital solution for tackling the key onboarding processes within a single, unified platform.

Remote client identity and source of funds verification Client verification is a crucial piece of the due diligence process for law firms with the need to validate ID, documents and funds electronically becoming essential. Typically, solicitors relied on physical documents and in-person meetings that delayed the client onboarding process and transaction times, but this is no longer the case. Now your clients can verify their identity from anywhere in the world! And with a digital tool that captures real-time data from clients’ bank accounts law firms can verify the source of funds and mitigate the risks associated with fraud, protecting all parties.

Through the ongoing development that is being done between LEAP and InfoTrack law firms can now access a suite of technology that delivers bank-grade, electronic client verification directly from their case management software with all results and documentation collated and returned. ■ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 21

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JUNIOR LAWYERS DIVISION

The South Hampshire Junior Lawyers Division (SHJLD) M

any junior lawyers across the country are finally returning to social and business events, having been restricted from networking, in-person team bonding, and new experiences.

The SHJLD have many more exciting events planned. To stay updated, you can request to be added to the SHJLD newsletter by emailing committee.shjld@gmail.com , or you can follow us on the following social media accounts:

The South Hampshire Junior Lawyers Division (SHJLD) Committee hosting their first in-person event of the new committee year with social drinks and nibbles at The Stables in Southampton on 7 December 2021,where they welcomed returning members and members who joined the SHJLD for the first time.

https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1657895107811227/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-southhampshire-junior-lawyers-division/mycompany/ @theSHJLD @theSHJLD

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HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 23

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Poppy’s second chance at love P

oppy’s owner first contacted her local rehoming centre and said she needed to hand Poppy, a four year old Chihuahua cross, over to us as she had sadly recently been given a diagnosis that she had a terminal illness. She was advised to apply for a free Canine Care Card and nominate a Dog Guardian; someone she trusts to sign over the care of Poppy to Dogs Trust should she need it. She’d then be able to spend the most time possible with Poppy and feel reassured that she’d be given the best possible care at Dogs Trust when they could no longer be together.

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Quill and Legl partner to deliver online payments to UK-based law firms ■ Quill’s comprehensive accounts and practice management software now tightly integrates with leading client lifecycle management and payments tool provider, Legl.

■ Combined Quill-Legl users can use new online payments functionality directly from the money management module within their existing Quill system.

■ Quill users can offer clients an easy and secure way to pay – thereby reducing average payment times from six weeks to sixteen hours or less.

■ Integration is suitable for receiving funds on both account and bill payments.

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uill, the leading supplier of legal accounts software and outsourced cashiering services in the UK, is pleased to announce a significant new integration and partnership with client lifecycle management and payments tool provider Legl to enable Quill’s circa 10,000 law firm users to send secure payment requests and get paid faster from clients.

About the Quill-Legl integration With a focus on delivering tangible efficiency to law firms, the integration brings together the expansive legal accounts, case and document management functionality in Quill with Legl’s online payments portal – all from the ‘Money’ module within the familiar Quill software environment.

“This new functionality not only makes life more convenient for law firms but also vastly improves the overall client experience,” explained Quill’s Managing Director, Julian Bryan.

“It’s a win-win for both law firms and their clients. Friction-free payments at inception or conclusion of a matter are quicker for the law firm to request and more convenient for the client to make. This means work can commence even sooner and less time needs to be allocated to credit control.”

How Legl works Online payments allow firms to rethink and modernise cash collection. Through Legl, law practices can embed a firmbranded payment checkout on their websites, signature blocks, invoices or accompanying engagement letters – supported by best-in-class safety standards throughout.

Unlike other solutions in the market, the Legl platform is designed specifically for legal payments, with security, legal account rules and faster reconciliation at the heart of its product.

Benefits to law firms Legal practices that have switched to online payments cited lower billing cycles, improved client experience, reduced risks of financial fraud, enhanced Know Your Client (KYC) procedures and streamlined operations.

“Our data shows the average Quill software user currently gets paid from clients six weeks after the initial invoice being sent out. In comparison, the average client payment time for Legl customers is typically sixteen hours or less,” said Bryan.

“Anything to shorten this lock-up of money from unpaid bills radically transforms firm cash flow.”

Digital transformation in the legal sector “This integration and partnership is a significant step towards our strategy of improving the digital client experience within the legal sector,” explained Legl’s CEO, Julia Salasky.

“We begin by looking at where law firm clients are with regard to payments, plus what they want from a good law firm experience.

Digital payments help businesses stay competitive and give a modern experience to their clients. It’s low-hanging fruit – easy to get started whilst reaping instant, dramatic results.”

How to get started Law firms interested in Quill and Legl are advised to visit https://legl.com/integrations-quill/, watch an online demo, call 0161 236 2910 or email sales@quill.co.uk. ■ ABOUT QUILL Quill helps law firms streamline and run law practices better by providing simple and easy-to-use practice management and legal accounts software, as well as outsourced legal cashiering, digital postroom, payroll and typing services.

At the heart of our company values is a total commitment to continual service and software development, and maintaining exceptionally high standards of client support and training, which is why Quill is the first choice for many small-to-medium-sized law firms.

Quill is privately owned, staunchly independent and long established since 1978. In its early days, they were just a handful of entrepreneurs and developers selling programmable calculators. Today, Quill is a 100-strong team centred on offices in Manchester and Liverpool.

ABOUT LEGL Legl provides flexible workflows for law firms to support all aspects of client lifecycle management. Our modular solutions deliver streamlined client onboarding, fast, automated client due diligence, efficient payment and reconciliation tools, and ongoing AML monitoring. All of this is underpinned by seamless integrations with case/practice management systems, and indepth insights and audit trails to help firms better understand their clients and comply with regulation.

We’re on a mission to help law firms quickly and effortlessly digitise their client management processes. Firms have seen unprecedented change in their operating practices, with the combination of new compliance regulation, increasing demand for digital legal services and the shift to remote working as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic creating both new pressures and huge opportunities for the modern law firm. Today, Legl serves over 150 mid-market UK law firms, and has supported the delivery of legal services to over 100,000 clients nationwide. Visit www.legl.com for more details.

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BOOK REVIEW

Housing Possession Duty Desk ‘The practical guide that is so much more’ – an essential purchase for post-pandemic Britain Housing Possession Duty Desk – A Practical Guide By Simon Mullings and Sue James. An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister” and Mediator.

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ousing repossession is quite obviously one of the prime causes of homelessness, the human consequences of which are not only horrific, but also – ironically enough – very expensive, particularly for local authorities in ways that are too numerous and complex to be listed here.

Housing law, predictably, is a continually evolving discipline which, for advisers in this area, has become increasingly complex. Fortunately, the Legal Action Group (LAG), the access to justice charity, has come to the rescue – particularly of those threatened with repossession – with clear and authoritative texts on the subject, the best known of which is ‘Defending Possession Proceedings’, which has become the definitive guide to this area of law.

But for those who provide beleaguered tenants or mortgagees with timely and pertinent advice – under strained circumstances and in a large hurry (like 20 minutes before a hearing) – LAG has produced a new title: ‘Housing Possession Duty Desk’, supported by Therium Access.

This new and certainly indispensable guide is aimed at ‘those on the frontline of defending possession proceedings’, namely duty advisers, whether new or experienced, who are ‘faced with the challenge of keeping a roof over peoples’ heads,’ usually at the very door of the court.

The publication of this book is undeniably timely in the time of pandemic and its aftermath, when threats of repossession are reaching record levels. Writing in the foreword, Knowles J points out that ‘there are many, many thousands of possession cases,’ adding that ‘It is too easy to create a conveyor belt, to base assumptions on inferences.’

‘In a fairer system’, write authors Sue James and Simon Mullings, ‘this book might not need to exist.’ In the meantime, tenants and borrowers need help, which is amply provided with erudition and precision in this book, which – in the words of Knowles J – is so much more than a practical guide.

Rather, it is an essential reference, not only for duty advisers, but barristers, solicitors, legal professionals and indeed anyone representing a tenant or mortgagee facing repossession in these difficult times. ■ Legal Action Group – The access to justice charity www.lag.org.uk

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Simple Contract Law Stripping English Law of Complexity

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n his new book, WatsonGandy has bravely done a complete about-turn on traditional dusty textbooks, writing an illustrated guide to English contract law that is fun to read, entertaining and succinct.

Synopsis of Simple Contract Law: A brief introduction to English Contract Law:

This book provides an essential introduction to English contract law. Written by practising barrister and law professor, Mark WatsonGandy, whose infectious enthusiasm for the subject permeates the text, the book simply explains all the core concepts and leading cases and what the most common terms and conditions actually do. Whether you are a law student, businessman or an international lawyer, you will find “Simple Contract Law” to be an easy-to-read, concise, and informative first guide into the subject. Enlivened by the colourful back stories to the case law and with witty illustrations by Gordon Collett, this book is a welcome antidote to stale traditional contract law textbooks.

“People don’t realise quite how important English contract law is for us all. English contract law has long been the preferred choice of law for international contracts – often even where the parties or transaction has no connection to the UK. The UK legal services industry is worth £60 billion to the UK economy; the UK legal services market is the largest in Europe and second only globally to the USA. Three quarters of those using London’s commercial courts during litigation come from outside of the UK” explains the author. “I wanted to write something which would cut through the complexity, to give an accessible overview of the law. A quick and easy-to-read guide like this is long overdue.”

Simple Contract Law: A brief introduction to English Contract Law is available now for £9.95 on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kbb6Q4. ■ Professor Mark Watson-Gandy K.S.G is a practising barrister at Three Stone Chambers in Lincoln’s Inn and has appeared in high-profile cases in the UK and abroad. He is a Visiting Professor at the University of Westminster and at the University of Lorraine in France. He was made a Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great in recognition of his work as a barrister and law professor in 2007. In 2020, he was appointed as one of the UK Ministry of Justice’s “Legal Services are Great Champions” to promote English legal services internationally.

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Embark on a new adventure.

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