HampshireLegal THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE HAMPSHIRE LAW SOCIETY
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MARCH 2021
Look to the future Plus ■ Employment Alert – COVID-19 Spring Response ■ Gender-Equality and Economic Recovery ■ COVID exhaustion and the legal profession
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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
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SALES DIRECTOR Karen Hall STUDIO MANAGER Lee Finney MEDIA No. 1781
Hampshire
PUBLISHED March 2021 © Benham Publishing Ltd. 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.
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For the June 2021 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 Alison Plenderleith before the copy deadline. bdo@hampshirelawsociety.co.uk
on law firms
– COVID-19 Spring Response
16 Gender-Equality and 24
Economic Recovery
18 SHJLD 19 LSB sets out options
for ensuring the ongoing competence of lawyers
COVER INFORMATION Photo by Maksim Goncharenok from Pexels.
14th May 2021
13 Closure of the SIF 14 The effect of COVID-19 15 Employment Alert
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 08 CPD Programme 2021 10 Happenings in
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24 COVID exhaustion and the legal profession
25 Legal professionals seeking help is on the rise
27 Property: moving
through lockdown
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INTRODUCTION
President’s Review MARCH 2021
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ho would have thought that this time last year the whole picture of how we work as lawyers would have changed. Most, if not all of us, have been working from home in some form and in some way. In a year of adaptation and consolidation it has been encouraging to see how most have navigated their way through and kept the legal industry strong and thriving in Hampshire. At Hampshire Law Society we have also had to look at adapting our offering to our members. Providing training by virtual means and looking at holding social events, such as the quiz, via similar methods has taken place and will continue to do so this year. I envisage that it will be a mix of methods once things begin to go back to some form of normal.
With recent announcements from the Government it seems that there is finally some light at the end of what has felt like a never ending tunnel. Whether this happens by the 21 June date or further towards the end of the year is yet to be seen but there is some sense of relief in knowing that the end is getting closer. Given how the industry locally has made it’s way through so far, I have no doubt that when things are back to “normal” that the Hampshire legal sector will not only be as strong as before but will grow further. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible towards the end of the year. ■
James Gleisner
President Hampshire Law Society
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HLS
Please join us online for the
Law Society & Index’s Great Virtual Easter Quiz A joint venture between Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight
Thursday 18th March 2021 at 7pm General Knowledge with rounds for everyone! Entry is FREE, donations for South West and London Legal Support Trusts, would be greatly appreciated though. Teams can be made up of up to 5 members. 50 places are available for this quiz on a first-come-first-served basis. Raising Funds for Legal Support Trusts We are looking to raise funds for the South West Legal Support Trust and London Legal Support Trusts, supporting free legal advice charities. Advice agencies help in preventing homelessness, resolving debt problems, gaining care for the elderly and disabled, and fighting exploitation for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Please donate what you can. Suggested donation £5 per head! Contact: leanne.lolley@indexpi.co.uk
The Vine Centre seeks volunteer with legal background to be Trustee
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he Vine Centre (Charity number 1095915) is seeking an enthusiastic volunteer with a legal background, whose skills, experience, and attributes will complement those of the current Trustees.
Following a governance review and a skills audit, Trustees are looking to appoint an enthusiastic volunteer to join the Board of Trustees. The Board meets 4-6 times a year, depending on current events.
Based in Aldershot, The Vine Centre (www.thevinecentre. org.uk) provides a broad range of services to the most vulnerable and isolated members of our community.
This is a non-remunerated, voluntary role, but reasonable travel expenses will be met. A full induction will be provided.
The Charity has been fortunate to thrive during 2020, while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is ever evolving to the meet the needs of the community. Who knows what 2021 will bring!
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For further information or an informal chat, please contact Malcolm Bellwood (Chair) malcolm.bellwood@ thevinecentre.org.uk or Lesley Herniman (CEO) lesley. herniman@thevinecentre.org.uk. ■
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 James Gleisner Trethowans Botleigh Grange Business Park, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2AF DX 154120 Southampton 48 Tel: 02380 820465 Email: james.gleisner@trethowans.com Deputy President Mo Aldridge Jasper Vincent 44 Queensway, Southampton SO14 3GT Tel: 023 8063 3225 Email: maldridge@jaspervincent.com Deputy Vice President Tom Mitchell Trethowans Botleigh Grange Business Park, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2AF DX 154120 Southampton 48 Tel: 02380 820465 Email: tom.mitchell@trethowans.com Honorary Secretary Ian Robinson Churchers Solicitors 13-18 Kings Terrace, Portsmouth PO5 3AL DX 2205 Portsmouth Tel: 0239 288 2001 Fax: 0239 286 2831 Email: 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 Email: tom.mitchell@trethowans.com Immediate Past President Joe Robertson Email: jrobertson2006@hotmail.co.uk
Business Development Officer Alison Plenderleith Tel: 07429 523183 Email: bdo@hampshirelawsociety.co.uk Law Society Council Members Nick Gurney-Champion (Hampshire & Isle of Wight) Biscoes 67 Union Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 2LN Tel: 01983 615615 Email: ngc@biscoes-law.co.uk Razi Shah (North Hampshire) Appleby Shaw Trinity House, 15a Trinity Place, Windsor SL4 3AS DX 3830 Windsor Tel: 01753 860606 Fax: 01753 860620 Email: rshah@applebyshaw.com Administrator Nicola Jennings Tel: 023 8044 7022 Fax: 023 8044 7022 Email: administration@ hampshirelawsociety.co.uk Complaints Mo Aldridge maldridge@jaspervincent.com
Contentious Russell Evans russell.david@yahoo.co.uk Kevin Richardson Joe Robertson Non Contentious Matthew Robbins Nick Gurney-Champion Alex O’Sullivan PR (inc Social) Mo Aldridge (Chair) maldridge@jaspervincent.com Jonathan Rees Sarah Hallett Regulatory Adrienne Edgerley Harris (Chair) Adrienneedgerleyharris@gmail.com Ian Robinson
Follow us on Twitter @hampshirelawsoc Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/ company/hampshireincorporated-law-society/
Education & Training Anthony Harris (Chair) ajharris@clara.co.uk Anastasia Ttofis Tom Mitchell Membership Sarah Coates James Gleisner Sarah Huck
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CPD – TRAINING
Hampshire Law Society CPD Programme 2021 MARCH Tuesday 16 March 2021 1500-1630 Conveyancing Update Richard Snape is a consultant with Davitt Jones Bould. He is a renowned speaker on all aspects of Real Estate Law. As a specialist speaker to property lawyers and property professionals, 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. Tuesday 23 March 2021 1100-1200 Searches – Commercial Property Ian Quayle has been a lecturer for 16 years for CLT amongst others. Tuesday 30 March 1500-1630 Family Law Update – Part 1 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. APRIL Tuesday 20 April 2021 1500-1630 Probate Update – Part 1 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. Bullet points to follow. MAY Tuesday 11 May 2021 1500-1630 Trust matters Professor Lesley King is Private Client Practice Head at the College of Law, Bloomsbury. Bullet points to follow.
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Tuesday 18 May 2021 1500-1630 Family Law update – Part 2 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. JUNE Tuesday 15 June 2021 1500-1630 Conveyancing Update 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. Tuesday 22 June 2021 1500-1630 Property Lecture 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…’. Tuesday 29 June 1500-1630 Probate – Part 2 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. Bullet points to follow. FREE CPD WEBINARS Watch this space for free webinars coming in 2021. These are available to members only and will include: ■ SRA account rules ■ Property Auctions
■ Insolvency ■ Flood risk
CPD – TRAINING
If you would like to offer a free webinar to members of Hampshire Law Society please get in touch with Alison at bdo@hampshirelawsociety.co.uk. Full details will be emailed out in due course. FURTHER INFORMATION Unless otherwise notified all lectures take place on Zoom from 1500-1630. 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:
■ 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 member rates remains the responsibility of the claimant however HILS will ensure that you are charged the appropriate fee once membership status checked Your membership entitles you to attend online seminars run by some of our neighbouring law societies. ■
www.hampshirelawsociety.co.uk Pricing 1.5 hour lecture: £35.00 (Non Member £50.00) All lectures will take place via Zoom for the foreseeable future. The link will be provided in the days prior to the event. Handouts will be emailed prior to each lecture 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
Put that spring in your step and raise vital funds!
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ake on 10km and help raise vital funds to ensure people have fair access to justice in our community!
Join us on Monday 5 July to fundraise for your local advice agencies including Citizens Advice Services in Southampton, Winchester District, Test Valley, the New Forest and more! With the hope we can gather together in the not-too-distant future, the Southampton Legal Walk will raise money for free legal advice charities and organisations within Hampshire. The funds that local advice agencies receive from the event are vital in enabling them to assist the most vulnerable people who are in desperate need of good quality, free legal advice.
Access to legal advice is vital for vulnerable people in your local area to overcome poverty and distress caused by legal issues. To get involved in the event, there is no sign-up fee, and no minimum fundraising target, so it couldn’t be easier to take part. Join in individually, or with your firm or organisation and enjoy a great summer walk, all to raise money for a meaningful cause! Last year the Southampton virtual legal walk raised £4,000 – an incredible amount in an uncertain year. Let’s build on that for 2021 – your support is desperately needed by so many. Simply sign up your team at: https://rebrand.ly/ SouthamptonLW21 or email the friendly team for more information at signups@llst.org.uk. We look forward to walking with you in July! ■
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HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE
Sousa Law are delighted to introduce the newest members of the team G
iuseppe has been practicing as a Family Law Solicitor since 2013 and has recently relocated from Cambridgeshire to Southampton. He is an experienced solicitor and advocate in all areas of family law, particularly complex children matters. Giuseppe is a great asset to our team, is fluent in his native Italian language and also helps with his family tradition of wine making! Giuseppe joins Catherine Sousa and Nicole Biggs to complete the Sousa Law team of Solicitors. Nicole joined Sousa Law in summer 2020 and has been qualified as a Family Law Solicitor for over 15 years and is also a qualified counsellor and hypnotherapist. Nicole is able to bring a more holistic approach to working with her clients to support their emotional needs alongside the excellent legal advice she provides. Nicole’s positive energy shines through from the minute you meet her! Catherine Sousa continues to head up the firm and in addition to her role advising clients as a solicitor is also qualified and can
Sarah Huck
Sousa Law are excited Giuseppe Pingerna & Nicole Biggs to have such a strong team of solicitors and support staff enabling them to continue to offer clear and detailed advice in all areas of Family Law, offering a whole range of services and support. ■
Sarah Huck moves to Capsticks’ growing regulatory team
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t the beginning of January 2021 Sarah Huck joined Capsticks’ rapidly expanding regulatory team as a solicitor based out of their Winchester office. Capsticks is a leading UK law firm providing specialist legal advice to the health, housing, regulatory and social care sectors. Prior to joining Capsticks, Sarah was based with leading UK Top 150 law firm, Trethowans LLP where she completed her training contract, qualifying in 2018 into the Insurance and Regulatory team. In her previous role Sarah dealt with a wide variety of cases in both civil and criminal arenas, acting frequently for defendant clients in Regulatory action or prosecutions. She also has an in-depth working knowledge of data protection laws. Now at Capsticks, she acts for the regulators of health professions. On her move to Capsticks, Sarah said “I was initially a little nervous about moving in the middle of a global pandemic and I was sad to be leaving Trethowans, but this has absolutely been the right move. The firm has been really dynamic and proactive in how it has approached the challenges we have all been facing with Covid-19. I have felt very welcomed and settled in really quickly, though I have still only met my colleagues virtually and look forward to meeting them in person in the near future! I’m delighted to bring to acting for professional regulators, the benefit of my experience in defending individual professional 10 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL
offer services for Family Mediation, Collaborative Law, HFLS (www.hfls. co.uk) and Arbitration (Children Scheme).
registrants and I am really excited to be focussing my practise, working in an area I know I really enjoy”. The ongoing expansion of Capsticks’ national regulatory team means their clients, as well as the sector in general, can continue to rely on their outstanding guidance and support. ■
Missing Wills Marguerite Dorren Ingleby North View, Chapel Lane, Sway, Lymington. No DOB or DOD however bought with her late husband Arnold Ingleby who died in 1975. Julie Ann Gardner 61 Abbeyfield Drive, Fareham. Possible DOB 25/04/1936. DOD 19/12/2019. Klaus Peter Stuebs & Pauline Brenda Stuebs 1 St Davids Road, Clanfield, Waterlooville PO8 0NL. Klaus: DOB 21/06/1938 & DOD 06/01/2021. Pauline: DOB 30/01/1944 & DOD 210/01/2021.
HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE
Jacqueline Kendal
Simon Arneaud
Phillips Solicitors continues to go from strength to strength L
eading Hampshire law firm Phillips Solicitors continues to expand with the appointment of a top City of London employment barrister and a highly experienced dispute resolution lawyer. Prior to joining Phillips, Jacqueline Kendal worked for a number of leading City firms, and most recently Rosling King LLP, where she headed up their Employment Law team. She brings with her a wealth of experience in all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment work and enjoys a loyal client following, acting for a wide range of private and public companies and individuals. Jacqueline will prove to be a great asset to the existing Employment Law team at the Basingstoke firm, with her extensive experience in working closely with clients to protect their business interests, minimising the risk of employment disputes, managing internal disciplinary processes and grievances, assisting with drafting and implementing workplace policies and procedures, and advising on complex TUPE matters. Having qualified as a barrister in 2004, Jacqueline has had an impressive career defending high profile company clients from employee claims and handling contractual disputes with senior executives. She has represented clients in the Court of Appeal, the High Court, the Employment Tribunal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal, and the County Courts. Hailing originally from South Africa, Jacqueline was brought up in Hampshire, and says she is looking forward to getting to know the Hampshire business community and the wide range of clients Phillips serves. On her move to Phillips Jacqueline said: “This is the perfect time to be joining Phillips as it pushes ahead of the regional competition. Since 2018 it has seen the benefits of strengthening its existing management with Jack Gardener and Max Hope joining and taking the firm on an exciting period of growth, making strategic hires and accomplishing the merger last year with Brain Chase Coles. I am delighted to be part of such a vibrant and dedicated team as the firm looks set to grow further.”
Phillips director Max Hope said: “We are delighted to have Jacqueline onboard, bringing her expertise, energy and enthusiasm for helping clients. This takes our Employment Law team to the next level, building on the foundations that Gill Brown and Jack Gardener have laid. Jacqueline is a great example of our policy to only make high-calibre hires, often with a strong Hampshire connection, as we build our future as Hampshire’s leading county firm.” The firm has also strengthened its Disputes Resolution team with the appointment of Associate Solicitor Simon Arneaud. Simon, who has extensive local knowledge having worked in Basingstoke for the past six years, has practised as a litigator since qualifying as a solicitor in 2011 and represents both private and commercial clients. His expertise covers commercial and corporate disputes, residential and commercial property litigation, contentious wills and probate matters, TOLATA claims and urgent injunctive applications. He has successfully represented a wide range of clients in disputes at the High Court and County Court, including two reported High Court injunctive cases concerning the enforcement of post-termination covenants in employment contracts. Simon, who is an experienced negotiator with a strong record of achieving successful outcomes for his clients, said: “I am delighted to have joined Phillips and I very much look forward to building strong relationships with the firm’s clients and building on the continued success of the firm.” Commenting on Simon’s appointment, Phillips director Jack Gardener said: “Simon’s profile, calibre and experience make him a perfect fit for the wide range of contentious work that we look after on behalf of our clients.” “We have seen Simon in action on previous cases we have been involved in, and know he shares our ethos of resolving disputes commercially, rigorously and effectively, employing negotiation, alternative-dispute resolution, and Court proceedings where necessary to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients.” ■ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 11
HAPPENINGS IN HAMPSHIRE
Obituary: Ed Voller, passionate PI lawyer
Obituary: David MelvilleWalker, veteran Hampshire solicitor
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arner Goodman LLP has sadly announced the death of managing partner Ed Voller.
Ed had a long career with the firm, joining Warner Goodman & Streat as it was known then in 1987 working within the personal injury team after spending the first seven years of his legal career Ed Voller, affectionately training at Lawfords and co of Gray’s known by many as Inn in London, with his Uncle Bill. ‘Our Ed’ Ed was a passionate personal injury lawyer, particularly helping those injured at work. It is thought amongst his colleagues that Ed chose personal injury due to his strong desire to right wrongs, to protect the weak or the underdog, and because of his natural sense of justice and his strong social conscience. Ed was well known within the firm and amongst counsel for his fair but tough approach to his cases, winning many contacts and friends throughout his esteemed career. He became a partner in 1989 and over the years also sat on the Business Team, the Management Team, and took on various other management roles. In June 2015, he began to work alongside the then retiring managing partner before taking on the role himself in 2016, handling the responsibilities that go hand in hand with this with his well known professionalism and humour, making decisions based on his love and respect for the firm. In addition to his legal expertise, Ed was a keen musician and spent many hours entertaining his family, friends and colleagues with his guitar skills, even launching a charity single in aid of the BBC Daisy Appeal. Ed always threw himself into everything he did, having previously been an active member of the Round Table, a school governor and an enthusiastic extra on TV shows and movies. Many of those who knew him will also remember with fondness his love of brewing his own beer, as well as the many team outings that invariably involved brewery tours. Andy Munden, colleague and friend to Ed for 25 years, commented: ‘We have been overwhelmed with the memories our staff have shared of Ed, as well as the memories and well wishes from those across the legal sector who knew Ed as a contact, client and a friend. Amongst the many tributes that have been shared, it’s clear to see that Ed will be remembered as an honest, genuine, down to earth gentleman, whose integrity, fairness and dedication to doing the right thing has left a mark on all of us, both personally and in our careers. Affectionately known by many as Our Ed, he always took the time to visit every office and speak to those within the teams, finding a connection with as many people as possible to make them feel welcome. ‘Warner Goodman has always been a firm focussed on its people, believing that our biggest and best asset is our people, and no-one embodied that like Ed. He was not only a trusted and much appreciated colleague, but also a friend and mentor to the 160 Warner Goodman employees, and was a well respected member of the legal community. We naturally offer our deepest condolences to his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his many friends; he will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. ■ 12 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL
avid Melville-Walker, who dedicated his life to the law, passed away on Saturday, October 31, at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice on Charlton Road. He was 75 years old. He is survived by his wife Susan, two children and two grandchildren. Leading tributes to David, his family said: “We are sad to announce the death of David Melville-Walker. David will be known to many in the county and beyond as he worked as a solicitor in the area for nearly 50 years. “For much of his career, David worked in criminal law. There will be more than few people in Andover who would credit David as helping them turn their lives around when they were taking the path. “David will be remembered by many as formal – and always smartly dressed – but kind, hardworking and dedicated to his clients. “We will remember him as a loving husband, father and grandfather, with a passion for cars and Manchester United Football Club.” David was born in Lincolnshire and studied in Nottingham before moving to Andover in 1968 to work at what was then Talbot, Davies and Copner on Bridge Street. David became senior partner and the firm was renamed Talbot Walker to reflect his growing reputation. He became HILS president in 1999. Throughout his long career, he assisted countless individuals, families and businesses around the town and further afield with all manner of legal issues and would never decline a request to help, his family said. Later in his career, David represented countless police officers and was appointed as the Police Federation solicitor for Hampshire, where he continued to help any officers who needed him. He also will be well remembered by those he trained officers at the Police College in Netley, as well as the military colleges, where he bought his talent for public speaking and practical approach to the law. David retired from Talbot Walker in 2010 but doing nothing didn’t suit him and he continued to work up until a few weeks before his death, most recently at Redhead and Jones Solicitors in Salisbury. In honour of David and in the absence of a service to commemorate his life due to Covid restrictions, his family have created a fundraising page to raise funds for the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, who provided David and his family with such support at the end of his life, and to allow those who knew David to leave a few words. To donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ davidmw. ■
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Closure of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund – Register for updates
A message to retired solicitors or those who have recently closed their practice or are considering to do so, from Nick GurneyChampion, chair of The Law Society’s Professional Indemnity Insurance Committee
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Alternatively, you can register your interest in receiving further information by calling our Support Centre on 020 7242 1222 and leaving your contact information, or simply by e-mailing our special closure of SIF e-mail account: SIF@lawsociety.org. uk which will record your e-mail address for inclusion in future updates.
y now you are hopefully aware that the Solicitors Indemnity Fund is scheduled to close to new claims at the end of September this year. In response to lobbying from the Law Society, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) decided to delay the closure of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF) for a year. SIF has provided ongoing protection to solicitors and their clients following the end of a closed firm’s mandatory six year run-off period, but it is now scheduled to close to new claims on 30 September 2021. This is an important issue for current and former principals of law firms, who may become personally liable for claims arising on or after 1 October this year. To ensure that you are kept up to date with developments around this issue, register for a My Law Society account as a retired solicitor.
I would also ask that you please pass this message on to any former colleagues or employees who you are in touch with and are likely to be affected by the closure of SIF, and encourage them to register as well. The Law Society does not always have up-to-date contact information for solicitors who have left the profession, so your assistance in spreading this message is crucial. The closure of SIF could affect anyone whose firm closed on or after 1 September 2000. ■
Simple Contract Law: Stripping English Law of Complexity
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n his new book, Watson-Gandy 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. HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 13
ARTICLE
The effect of COVID-19 on law firms By James Robins (Partner) & Ivan Roots (Associate) at Womble Bond Dickinson
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OVID-19 has had a huge impact on law firms, changing much of the way the legal industry operates. In this article, James Robins and Ivan Roots of Womble Bond Dickinson, who are specialists in defending professional negligence claims, discuss some of the main effects of the pandemic on law firms. Business Resilience The pandemic has been a real test of law firms’ business resilience, resulting in operational challenges common to all firms. Some of these challenges include a change in supervision regimes and collaboration amongst staff. The pandemic has resulted in widespread homeworking across the legal industry, with the government’s advice to work from home unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. Looking ahead, many firms are reported to be considering adopting a hybrid model of part-remote working and part-office working on a permanent basis. Regardless of whether the current homeworking model continues once/if an effective vaccine is found, the increased use of communications technology across the legal industry will certainly permanently affect the industry going forward. Business Continuity Law firms’ focus and approach to their business continuity plans will likely have changed as a result of Covid-19, with insufficiently developed business continuity plans leaving some firms exposed to claims during the pandemic. For example, deadlines can be missed for any number of reasons but the pandemic has presented some unique circumstances which law firms have had to adapt to, particularly for those firms without appropriate back-up systems in place. This has resulted in firms adapting their internal processes. The approach to physical files has also changed in the legal industry, with most solicitors now working completely electronically where possible. Where used, the management of physical files has also changed, with most firms now keeping a record of where these are being scanned, sent and stored. The pandemic has also resulted in staff absences, with many firms using the government’s furlough scheme and operating with skeleton staff, at least in the early parts of lockdown. This has resulted in law firms pooling resources and restructuring work flows and staff structures. Work streams Covid-19 has had varying impacts on law firms’ work streams as a result of rapid changes to legislation and innovation in a number of practice areas. We consider a few of these below: Conveyancing Conveyancers saw much of their work grind to a halt when the lockdown restrictions came into place. People could not move home and new instructions dried up. Many transactions stalled or fell through as buyer confidence diminished and we heard reports of solicitors failing to communicate and to progress matters amongst the uncertainty.
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However, once the housing market re-opened, there were reports of pent-up demand which was further buoyed by the “stamp duty holiday”. The stamp duty holiday means that nearly nine out of 10 transactions are no longer subject to stamp duty until 31 March 2021 and the average stamp duty bill has dropped by £4,500. It is likely that conveyancers will be under immense pressure in the months ahead to get transactions completed by 31 March 2021. Wills Private client solicitors dealing with wills have also had to respond rapidly to an evolving situation. At the start of the lockdown, there was a huge surge in demand for wills. We saw some creative solutions (such as “wills through the window”) but not all firms were agile enough to adapt quickly to these practical challenges and some may have used untested solutions and increased their risk exposure as a result. More recently, the government has pushed through an SI to allow video witnessed wills. These measures will help alleviate some of the practical difficulties that individuals have had making wills during the pandemic but sadly we anticipate that they may also add further fuel to the trend we have seen in recent years of a growth in claims by disappointed beneficiaries. For example, questions may be asked such as “who was behind the camera?”, “did they exert undue influence?” and “did the testator have capacity?” etc. Litigation Litigators were among the first practitioners to see real practical change as a result of the lockdown with an almost wholesale move to remote hearings very quickly back in April as well as new rules and practice directions dealing with extensions of time and remote hearings. Litigators may also have noticed an increase in parties’ willingness to settle, with the commercial court recording a 15% increase in settlements of claims. Claimants may be more responsive to early settlements if cash flow is an issue. It is important for solicitors to ensure that clients make fully informed decisions around settlement in order to avoid under-settlement type claims in the future. Government financial schemes With this year bringing unprecedented government support for businesses, many firms will have found themselves advising clients on the various new coronavirus business support grant schemes. In particular, the government’s furlough leave scheme resulted in an increase in work for employment solicitors, with many clients seeking advice and clarification on the scheme and the impact on their business. Commercial and Corporate These practice areas were some of the worst hit during Covid-19, largely due to future uncertainty. Many firms reported a drop in new work and the pausing of current matters. Looking further ahead, there is likely to be an increase in insolvency work and M&A work as some businesses falter and others pursue restructuring options. ■
ARTICLE
Employment Alert – COVID-19 Spring Response What’s happening? The Prime Minister has announced the Government’s four step approach to the easing of lockdown measures. More detailed information has been set out in the Government’s “COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021” here.
It states that a review will be carried out ahead of step 4 (so ahead of 21 June at the earliest). The results of that review will then inform guidance on working from home. The document also specifies that people should continue to work from home where they can until this review is complete.
The Spring Response document contains tailored guidance for specific industries, for example when pubs, restaurants, shops, gyms and other leisure facilities can reopen. It also provides for a review which will determine when other measures – including a full return to work for people who are currently required to work from home – can take place.
The Government has not yet announced what financial support (if any) it will be offering to employers when the furlough scheme ends in April. Given that many businesses will still be facing restrictions at that point, we are expecting the Chancellor to announce extended financial support packages for employers in his budget on 3 March 2021.
Why is this important? Businesses that are currently unable to operate due to the lockdown will be eager to know when they can expect to reopen.
What should you do?
The Spring Response provides details of the plan for this, and sets out a roadmap of four steps. By the end of those four steps, it is hoped that all businesses will be able to operate without restrictions. Provisional dates are given for each of the steps, but the dates are subject to certain conditions being met before each stage is implemented (such as vaccines sufficiently reducing deaths and hospitalisations, and new COVID variants not fundamentally changing the risk). With a 5 week gap between each stage, it is hoped that step four – when all restrictions are effectively lifted – will apply from 21 June. The Prime Minister said very little about “working from home” in his announcement. The current position is that people are only allowed to go to work if they cannot work from home. The Spring Response gives some guidance as to when these employees will be able to return to work.
1. Review and familiarise yourself with the employment provisions contained in the COVID-19 Spring Response. 2. Establish how the four step approach will directly impact on your business. 3. Continue to direct employees to work from home if they can do so. 4. For those employees who are unable to work from home, ensure that the measures you have put in place to provide a COVID secure workplace continue to be observed. 5. Keep in contact with staff about your organisation’s approach in light of this Spring Response. Consider and take into account any particular concerns that your employees may raise with you. ■
Andrew Crudge Trethowans
HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 15
ARTICLE
Gender-Equality and Economic Recovery Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Adviser and board member, Centre for Economics and Business Research, examines the impact of COVID-19 on the progress of gender-equality and argues that economic recovery for everyone would be helped by free childcare for under-fives. In the long-term it would pay for itself. Vicky Pryce
T
he case for targeted support for women to ensure they can return to work and contribute to the economic recovery, when the crisis comes under control, is overwhelming. According to the UN women represent globally some 70% of health workers1. In the UK, women dominate the front line of the national health service and care sector and are therefore more exposed to the disease itself. At the same time, they have been amongst the worst affected by job losses. Globally, the estimate is that women are almost twice as likely to be losing their jobs during the pandemic. There is a real danger that any progress we have seen in gender equality will be going backwards due to COVID. Short-term and long-term consequences The adverse short-term consequences may leave a trail of longer-term issues that will need to be addressed by policymakers around the world. But the problem is not confined to developing countries. An IMF study using anonymised Vodaphone and other data in Italy, Spain and Portugal to track mobility of people, since the pandemic, found that though mobility of both men and women dropped substantially as countries got closer to and then into a lockdown, that of women dropped even more as the chart below, which appeared in the IMF’s World Economic Outlook in October 2020 indicates.
The question of course is how quickly that will get reversed. If not, we may well end up post-pandemic with an even bigger pay gap than before. We know that, during normal times, the pay gap starts to widen after women have their first child and continues to widen for a good 12 years thereafter. What is less well-known is that this is mirrored in the widening gap between the commuting distance to work between men and women, as women search for jobs closer to home that offer greater flexibility and fit with their childcare arrangements, for which they still are the main ones responsible in the household. This is shown in the chart below produced by the Institute of Fiscal Studies. What it shows is that the more the radius within which one is searching for jobs must be shrunk in size to ensure there is good proximity with school/nursery/home, the more the pay gap between those not constrained by this – mostly men – widens.
The result of course is that women who assume the main childcare responsibility are penalised financially for the flexibility they need, particularly if they also end up working part-time, as 42% of working women in the UK do. The gap between full-time men’s hourly wage and part-time hourly wage is as high as 34%. Not only are women therefore on average poorer during their lifetime than the men but also suffer in relation to benefits on retirement. By the time a woman in the UK reaches pension age for example, her pension wealth on average is about a fifth of that of the average man. 16 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL
ARTICLE
Extra childcare responsibilities major disincentive to continue working COVID-19 can only have made that worse as health concerns and childcare issues intensified during the period of lockdowns and other social distancing restrictions. Though schools in much of the UK have stayed open during the latest lockdown uncertainty over future course of events may again hamper women’s willingness to return to work. A survey for Social Europe in June 20202 showed the extra stress that women with children have experienced compared with that of men during lockdown has acted as a disincentive for women to carry on working – and many of these women may find it difficult to re-enter the market when things start getting back to ‘normal’. According to the report a greater percentage of women than men, working from home, experienced work life conflicts always or most of the time. It was almost twice as difficult for women to concentrate on their job because of family responsibility, they found it harder giving enough time to the job, were too tired after work to do their normal household chores and worried more about work. Mothers in the survey were 47% more likely than men to have either lost their jobs or to have quit because of the crisis. At the same time, research showed that during the lockdown the lowest paid down the earnings scale in the UK were also those with the lowest share of tasks that could be done from home3. As women tend to be over-represented on the lower paid occupations, it is no surprise that they would be disproportionately affected.
potential. This calls for extra attention to be placed in both the provision and cost of childcare, as I have argued in my book7. Free childcare for the under-fives would, in the long-term pay for itself, in more tax collection, faster growth and a better use of skills across the economy translating into higher productivity and competitiveness. In the interim any move to make childcare costs tax deductible would certainly be a move in the right direction.
This is confirmed by an LSE study4 for the UK which showed that women and those from disadvantaged backgrounds were amongst those groups most at risk of losing jobs or having a reduction in pay during the pandemic. A survey by the law firm Shoosmiths found that during the pandemic while 75% of men had their furlough pay topped up by their organisation, only 65% of women did, possibly reflecting the areas, such as, hospitality where many women work, and which has faced greater difficulty during the pandemic.5
1. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/9/ feature-covid-19-economic-impacts-on-women 2. https://www.socialeurope.eu/covid-19-fallout-takeshigher-toll-on-women 3. https://voxeu.org/article/large-and-unequal-impact-covid19-workers 4. LSE study: ‘Generation COVID: Emerging work and education inequalities’ https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-newsfrom-LSE/2020/j-October-20/One-in-10-young-peoplelost-their-job-during-covid-19-pandemic 5. https://www.shoosmiths.co.uk/insights/articles/covid19/ covid-19-and-its-impact-on-women-at-work 6. https://centreforbrexitstudiesblog.wordpress. com/2020/10/30/we-rightly-worry-about-the-young-butwhat-has-covid-done-to-womens-gender-equality-progress/ 7. Women vs Capitalism’, Vicky Pryce, Hurst Publishing, 2019
What next? Even if women do return to work, they may well be faced with more problems in terms of caring responsibilities. In the UK, there are concerns that some 10,000 childcare providers may not be able to carry on after the crisis and some 150,000 nursery places may disappear6. The cost and availability of childcare particularly for pre-school children remains a major issue across the world, working as an obstacle to women’s proper participation in the workplace. From an economic perspective, it adds a clear market failure to many others that still exist, such as, information asymmetries and conscious and unconscious biases. This deprives the economy of skills and therefore productivity and prosperity and restricts growth
As an IMF study has indicated, the removal of obstacles to women’s employment results in substantial growth and welfare benefits as illustrated in the Welfare and GDP chart. So, the call for action is clear. Women are in a majority and yet the enormous sums spent by governments to support the economy, during the crisis, have hardly been directed at the problems they face. If not corrected this will be to the detriment of the economy as a whole and to the chances of a strong and sustainable post- COVID recovery. ■ Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Adviser and board member at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, a former Joint Head of the UK Government Economics Service and author of ‘Women vs Capitalism’, (Hurst Publishers, 2019). She is also visiting Professor at Birmingham City University and some of the themes in this article draw from and expand on a blog she did for BCU’s Centre for Brexit Studies in November 2020.
Want to feature in Hampshire Legal? For all advertising and business features in Hampshire Legal magazine, Catherine McCarthy is our Business Features Editor, who looks after our legal features. Please call 0151 236 4141 or email catherine@benhampublishing.com. HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 17
JUNIOR LAWYERS DIVISION
South Hampshire Junior Lawyers Division
SHJLD
aims to promote networking, social and informative events to junior lawyers. We understand the importance of professional development we have webinars planned on recruitment and expanding legal knowledge for our members during March. We recently held a webinar hosted by Chadwick Nott, discussing top tips for NQ applications. A few of these are summarised below: ■ Use your training diary to help draft your CV tailoring your CV towards the area of law you are looking to qualify into; ■ Make sure to include all relevant experience – it is a myth that a CV should be no more than 2 sides of A4; ■ If applying to another firm, consider location not only physically in terms of accessing the office but also how a role working from home would impact your decision; ■ Practice your virtual interviewing techniques. Be attuned to body language and how to answer questions on screen.
The SHJLD also hosted a virtual chocolate tasting session with Chococo in December, discovering more about the chocolate making process and the differences in flavours. Act of Kindness Month During the month of March, the SHJLD are holding an “Act of Kindness” month. We are asking our members and our sponsors to support us in making or sharing small acts of kindness throughout the month. If you would like to get involved in helping us with this, please do let us know #MarchKindnessSHJLD Follow us on or social media accounts to hear more about the upcoming events or become a member for free as membership with the SHJLD is free this year. Email committee.shjld@gmail.com for more information. ■
Reach new clients with Clio + Google My Business
W
hen looking for legal services, 57% of consumers search on their own, relying heavily on online search. This happens even more during recurring national lockdowns. Since Google owns more than 90% of the global search market share, having a Google My Business profile ensures you show up where today’s potential clients are looking – online. Meeting clients where they are searching is essential for lawyers to efficiently and effectively grow their business. Google My Business brings a professional presence to channels that your clients are already familiar with. Although having a Google My Business profile doesn’t mean you’re going to get a tsunami of leads overnight, it will help establish your reputation as a trusted business in your local community when you may not be able to meet clients face-to-face. As a leading provider of cloud-based legal case management software, Clio knows that having a reliable stream of clients coming through the door (even if it’s virtual) is essential for any firm to succeed. With Clio’s Google My Business integration, you can create and manage a free Google Business Profile for your firm from directly in Clio. This allows you to reach an untapped client pool. Having a Google My Business profile also gives search engines another “vote of confidence,” indicating that you are who you say you are. This makes search engines more likely to reward your website with better results in their search queries, making it easier for potential new clients to find you.
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Finally, since reviews still reign supreme when hiring a lawyer, with over half of prospective clients saying they use internet searches and review sites to help make a decision, you need to make it easy for prospective clients by having reviews appear next to your Google Business profile. You can also increase those Google ratings by sending clients a review request link that’s specific to your firm. Be proactive by asking for a review from every happy client, so that if a negative review comes along, it’s far outweighed by the good ones. To learn more about how Clio can help you grow your law firm, visit www.clio.com/uk. ■
ARTICLE
LSB sets out options for ensuring the ongoing competence of lawyers T
he Legal Services Board (LSB) has confirmed that it will develop and consult on a more robust approach to ensuring lawyers remain competent throughout their careers.
In a new report published today, the LSB notes that while legal regulators have comprehensive measures to make sure that legal professionals are competent when entering the legal profession, there are fewer formal or consistent checks in place to ensure ongoing professional competence. The LSB’s report follows the call for evidence it carried out in 2020 and is informed by extensive discussions with stakeholders across and outside the legal services sector. It also considers approaches taken in other sectors such as financial services, aviation, healthcare, engineering and teaching, which generally have more systematic ongoing competence checks.
‘Many people assume that legal professionals are subject to ongoing formal reviews of their competence, but there are, in fact, very few routine checks once a lawyer has qualified. Legal regulators typically do not have systems or processes in place to identify or respond to concerns about competence. This is unusual and out of step with other professions which routinely adopt tools to ensure ongoing competence to promote public trust and confidence, and protect consumers from harm. ‘We need to reshape legal services to better meet the needs of society, which includes ensuring lawyers remain competent throughout their careers. This will help increase trust in legal services, raise standards and improve access to justice. ‘We look forward to discussing options with stakeholders, ahead of a formal consultation later this year.’ ■
Jez Davidson
Benham Publishing
Research shows that most consumers mistakenly assume that lawyers are subject to regular formal checks. There is a clear misalignment between the current practice and what the public expects. There is general agreement that legal professionals’ ongoing competence is vital to ensuring consumers’ trust and confidence in the sector. It would also help consumers avoid harm from poor quality legal services. As the oversight regulator, the LSB must assist in developing standards of regulation in the legal services sector. In its report, the LSB explains that it will proceed to develop and consult on new expectations for regulators, noting that these proposals are likely to encompass high-level expectations that legal regulators should: ■ set out the standards of competence that legal professionals should meet at the point of entry and throughout their careers; and ■ have mechanisms in place to: – identify legal professionals who are failing to meet those standards; – identify areas of increased risk to consumers; – respond when legal professionals fall short of the standards of competence; and – provide appropriate protection when there is an increased risk of harm to consumers. Helen Phillips, Chair of the Legal Services Sector, said: ‘Public trust and confidence are integral to the credibility of the legal services sector, and consumers need to know that their lawyers have the necessary, up-to-date skills, knowledge and attributes to help them with their legal problems.
HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 19
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MEONCROSS THE BEST SCHOOL FOR ME Leading Independent day school for boys and girls aged 2.5–16
At Meoncross School, we ensure each and every pupil has the individual attention they need to thrive and succeed both in and out of the classroom. Academic achievement is high, but so is our focus on wellbeing, as we know that happy children are achieving children. We nurture our pupils, and develop the characteristics and qualities we know they will need to build bright futures.
meoncross.co.uk Fareham | Hampshire | England 20 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL
We believe that at Meoncross, it should be all about ME – each individual child – YOUR child, what makes them unique and how we inspire, enthuse and guide them to be their best throughout their educational journey, and beyond... Please contact our Admissions team on 01329 666 017 or admissions@meoncross.co.uk to arrange a visit.
#MEONCROSSFAMILY
EDUCATION
All through excellence at Meoncross M
eoncross School is very proud to be a through school – enabling children to start their educational journey at 2.5 years, and continuing through until Year 11. It really is the only school you will ever need. Meoncross is a school that consistently achieves high academic results. This success is linked not only to small class sizes and highly trained and talented staff, but is also the result of the school’s strong focus on personalised learning, which allows every student to realise their full potential, regardless of ability. Whilst academic excellence is a top priority, they also passionately believe that emotional wellbeing and happiness are crucial to educational success. Meoncross students constantly achieve GSCE results significantly above national averages. Students from Meoncross School received excellent GCSE results in 2020, with 99% achieving Grade 4 or above in all subjects. The results included 100% of students achieving Grade 4 or higher in 22 subjects (including English and Mathematics) and 100% Grade 5 or above in 14 subjects. Students performed exceptionally well in English and Maths, with 95% gaining a Grade 5 or higher in English Language and Literature (100% at Grade 4 or above) and 92% in Maths (100% at Grade 4 or higher). Results in Triple Science were particularly noteworthy with 100% of students achieving Grade 6 or above in Physics, Biology and Chemistry. In Double Science 99% of Meoncross students gained Grade 4 or higher with 87% at Grade 5 or above. In addition to these outstanding results, 55% of students achieved Grades 7 or higher – the previous A grade equivalent – with 31% awarded a Grade 8 or Grade 9. In Biology and Chemistry 50% of students achieved Grade 9 (equivalent to A** indicating exceptional performance). Similarly, in History and Spanish, 36% and 29% achieved Grade 9 respectively. In Physics 38% were grade 9. The vast majority of students leaving Meoncross at the end of Year 11, go on to study A Levels at some of the region’s most respected further education colleges. Many continue on to top UK universities including those in the Russell Group.
Kindness. These values not only form the bedrock for school culture but also provide the framework for the V2V (Values to Virtues) Character Education programme. The aim at Meoncross School is that these seven core values become so deeply rooted within a child’s character that the corresponding virtues become an intrinsic part of each student’s personality. Whilst the Meoncross School curriculum is based on the national framework for England, as an independent school they have the flexibility to their adapt programmes of study. Meoncross strives to ensure learning and teaching includes best international educational practice to enable pupils to develop a global perspective. Through a focus on nurturing specific skills including creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration our aim is to prepare our pupils for the future global workplace with the attitudes and aptitudes that will be highly valued anywhere in the world. Many elements of modern life mean that young children have fewer opportunities to develop the resilience and wellbeing vital to happiness and health. Evidence suggests that even a small improvement in wellbeing can help children and young people flourish emotionally, socially, physically and academically. It can even help decrease some mental health problems. This is why, at Meoncross, the wellbeing of students is at the heart of school life. It underpins the primary aim to deliver academic excellence and helps create happy, independent learners. Meoncross School is part of the Cognita Education Group, which currently has over 40 UK independent and 30 international schools in South America, South East Asia and mainland Europe. The benefits of belonging to a highly successful international organisation cannot be underestimated in terms of the development of best global education practice, enhanced student opportunities, financial stability and the incredible level of educational expertise within the group. Whilst all Cognita schools operate with a high degree of autonomy, they all adopt the group’s core vision of academic excellence, character education and the development of global mindedness from around the world. ■
Not only does the school place a great deal of emphasis on providing students with a robust and rigorous pastoral system, but there is also strong values-led approach to education with seven core values – Family, Adventure, Integrity, Resilience, Optimism, Achievement and HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 21
EDUCATION
Magic flourishes at award-winning West Downs Day Nursery
F
rom award-winning environmental initiatives to ethically sourced home-cooked meals and snacks, West Downs Day Nursery in Winchester is committed to giving children the best possible start in life. For the dedicated team of professionals at the setting on Romsey Road, each child from six weeks to nearly five years is unique, and this individuality is actively celebrated. With ageappropriate and imaginative indoor play and learning spaces, state of the art ICT, toys and equipment, messy play corners and ‘role play’ areas, children’s days are filled with exciting activities which are planned around their personal interests. In the garden outside, pre-schoolers are encouraged to immerse themselves in eco-inspired projects, including vegetable planting and insect observations, for which they have gained a prestigious ‘Green Flag’ award as part of the internationally recognised Eco-Schools scheme. The coveted accolade is given for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation efforts, which for the children includes crafting with natural materials and creating habitats for wildlife. “We fully recognise the positive impact that being outdoors has on a child’s social, physical and emotional development. Respecting and caring for the planet is an important lesson which we believe will stand the children in great stead for the rest of their lives”, said Nursery Manager, Jack Meekings. The setting also has its own dedicated ‘Eco-Committee’ which is made up of a number of children and colleagues, who take a lead role in ensuring the
rest of the nursery is environmentally considerate by taking steps such as turning off lights and taps, as well as recycling wherever possible. West Downs is accredited with the soughtafter ‘Food for Life Served Here’ award, which acknowledges the use of ethically sourced ingredients; including the children’s home-grown produce, salt and sugar-free food and home cooked meals. The nursery also prides itself on being powered by electricity from renewable sources and sending nearly zero waste to landfill. Against a backdrop of Covid-influenced operating procedures and cleaning throughout the day and overnight, ‘magic’ truly flourishes in the age-appropriate ‘bubble groups’ at West Downs Day Nursery. The setting was opened in 1997 and is part of the employee-owned Childbase Partnership, named a centre of excellence in the European Business Awards and winner of the Princess Royal Training Award – for which only 43 UK companies were honoured – for its bespoke teaching programme ‘Teach to Reach’. Please contact the nursery for further information on 01962 827393 or email west.downs@childbase.com. ■
Now taking registrations FOR CHILDREN AGED 6 WEEKS TO 5 YEARS
OPEN 7.30AM TO 6.30PM
Fun is an essential ingredient at West Downs Day Nursery and Preschool where the care and education opportunities for each and every child are as extraordinary as our colleagues who provide them.
www.childbasepartnership.com
Please call 01962 827393 or email west.downs@childbase.com West Downs Day Nursery and Preschool, West Downs Student Village, Romsey Rd, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 5HT
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU 22 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL
EDUCATION
A school of opportunities K
ing Edward VI School in Southampton has a well-established reputation for academic results, but also boasts enviable co-curricular facilities, even through lockdown. Unsurprisingly, as one of the south coast’s leading academic secondary schools, promoting intellectual excellence and developing curious minds, is a primary focus. Almost all students proceed to higher education institutions, with over 80% attending Russell Group universities. However, rigorous academic standards are closely complemented by a development of broader personal skills and experiences, fostering a sense of personal worth in every pupil, equipping them with the practical skills to be successful in the wider world and exposing them to a varied range of activities. To this end, co-curricular activities sit at the core of the school; over 50 clubs operate each term with everything from language clubs and book groups, to history and performing arts, often led by our Sixth Formers, and delivered remotely through lockdown. The Green Team have met online once a week, and pupils have been working with the Head to implement positive environmental changes in the school. Just one outcome so far has been that the school has started working with a local business who offer more
Prep
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sustainable disposable solutions. The Sports Department launched a school-wide ‘Race to Tokyo’ challenge whereby staff, parents and students were encouraged to submit any distance covered through exercise, in a bid to get to Tokyo for the Olympics. There was also yoga for athletes, lockdown cricket and netball drills on offer, as well as a talk from sailing double Olympic silver medal winner, Mr Ian Walker. Students from King Edward’s are found in all walks of life and combine academic achievement with the impressive communication and leadership skills they acquire through debating, captaining sports teams, directing a production, trekking over windswept moorland, or charity fundraising. It is through the co-curricular that candidates can showcase their depth of character to universities and potential employers, and, at KES, opportunity is at the heart of the school. To find out more about King Edward VI School and enquire about 2022 admissions for 11+, 13+ or Sixth Form, please email Mrs Sheppard at registrar@kes.hants.sch.uk. ■
Senior School
.
Sixth Form
Contact our registrar Mrs Sheppard for more information registrar@kes.hants.sch.uk HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 23
WELLBEING
COVID exhaustion and the legal profession T
his was a phrase used by my coach when describing how many of his clients have presented over the last few weeks.
Secondly, we find ourselves isolated from the competitive environment of suits and offices. We sit at home and the pressure of “image” is no longer a facet of our daily existence.
No obvious symptoms but convinced that they retained some underlying ailment, undeniably linked to COVID 19.
We are metaphorically in the “same boat” as everyone else and if everyone else is talking about mental health, then why can’t we?
Aches and pains, exhaustion, viral like symptoms, lack of sleep, apathy, the list went on and on.
There is constant talk about this being a turning point for society and that we will be living in a new reality when the pandemic subsides.
The only real common denominator being that they all retained high pressured jobs, where competition, status, ego, targets all played a key role in their profession. Is this ringing any bells? The legal profession already retains undeniable levels of pressure, with a myriad of differing drivers. Throw both COVID19 and isolation into the mix and you have the perfect storm for lawyers (or anyone for that matter) who are susceptible to stress, anxiety, depression or any other mental illness. But suddenly, as if by magic, mental health is no longer a taboo topic for the profession. We find ourselves drowning in an abundance of tips around mindfulness, yoga, coping strategies and offers of mental wellbeing resources at every turn. Whilst I appreciate that the profession is making such tools and resources available, I find myself asking the question; why now? It is not as if our profession is a stress-free environment. On the contrary, being able to cope with high levels of stress is often worn as a “badge of honour”. The truth of the matter is that we as lawyers still exist in a culture where mental wellbeing remains a topic that, whilst slightly more acceptable as facet of our professional health, is still perceived to be a character weakness.
If this is the case, then with mental health being at the forefront of our discussions, is this not a time for the legal profession to take a hard look in the mirror and accept the fact that mental health is of paramount importance for our people? Not just in terms of their wellbeing but additionally in terms of their productivity. If you create a culture where mental health is discussed as an acceptable societal norm, then you remove the stigma attached to the conversation. We have all experienced moments of uncertainty during the pandemic, from doubts of self-worth to fears for our own physical health and that of our loved ones. Mental health is “health”, and this has been the clear message to society during the COVID crisis. Mental wellbeing is front and centre as a topic of conversation daily. Intrinsically linked to the balance between physical health and the benefits that that brings. So, my question to our profession is this: “If mental health is an acceptable conversation now, then shouldn’t it be one of the discussions that we should be having now, in preparation for our return to the office?” By “conversation” I don’t mean a management tick box exercise. It must be a conversation with full buy in from top to bottom, as only then will we see the change that our profession’s people deserve.
The message being: If you struggle with mental health issues, you will struggle in the legal profession.
So, thank you COVID 19 for giving us the opportunity to talk about our mental health.
The answer as to why lawyers are all suddenly more accepting of the importance of mental health is twofold:
It often takes a crisis to wake us lawyers up. ■
Firstly, we are struggling with an unprecedented challenge. The COVID crisis lockdown has been compared to wartime restrictions but many pensioners will tell you that it is actually worse, in that at least in wartime they could go about their business relatively unhindered.
Nick O’Neill
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Governance & Business Manager at Wirral Borough Council and a LawCare volunteer and champion
WELLBEING
Legal professionals seeking help is on the rise T
he number of legal professionals contacting the charity LawCare for emotional support continues to rise year on year, with 738 legal professionals seeking help in 2020, a rise of 9% on the previous year. The charity received 964 calls, webchats, and emails to their support service in 2020. The most common problems cited were stress (23%), anxiety (15%), bullying (10%), depression (10%) and worries about career development (10%). The number of people contacting LawCare experiencing anxiety has seen the biggest increase - from 45 people in 2019 to 111 last year. The majority of those who contacted the support service were women (69%). 50% were trainees/pupils, or had been qualified less than five years, and a further 6% were law students. From March 2020, 34% of all calls, emails and webchats to the LawCare support service had a COVID element. Of these, the most common issues reported were: ■ Worsening of existing mental health issues (13%) ■ Not being permitted to work from home (12%) ■ Struggling to adapt to WFH due to poor supervision, procedures, or provision of equipment (11%) ■ Feeling isolated (11%) ■ Being overloaded with work, typically because colleagues had been furloughed (9%)
made before COVID being withdrawn) and financial concerns. LawCare also heard from legal professionals being asked to work while furloughed. Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of LawCare, said: ‘Our support service continues to grow and help more people year on year. 2020 was a challenging year for most, we are not surprised that anxiety increased at a time of great worry and uncertainty. In addition our website traffic increased by 50% and we allocated more peer supporters and funded more counselling sessions last year than ever before. We expect demand to continue to grow in 2021 as legal professionals continue to navigate the challenges presented by COVID-19.’ Anyone working in the legal industry including support staff can contact LawCare for free, confidential, emotional support on 0800 279 6888, email support@lawcare.org.uk or visit www.lawcare.org.uk. For more 2020 statistics the full report is at www.lawcare.org. uk/impact or download the PDF. ■
There were also practical issues related to childcare, relationship strain, redundancy or inability to find a job (including job offers
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ARTICLE
Property: moving through lockdown
A
s with November’s lockdown the forthcoming lockdown which became law from midnight on 5 January 2021 will not lockdown the housing market as it did in the first lockdown back in Spring 2020. The 22 page Government Guidance contains a section on “Moving Home” and clearly states that you can still do so. Estate and letting agents and removal firms can continue to work. Due to the nature of their jobs many employed in this sector cannot work full time from home. Surveyors and valuers would also fall into this category. If you are looking to move then you can go to property viewings – this covers renting as well as buying. The Government paper specifically states that people outside your household or support bubble should not help with “facilitating a house move” unless absolutely necessary. There is national guidance on moving home safely which was last updated on 21st December 2020: www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-movingduring-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak Tradespeople who need to work in a home may continue to do so which means that landlords are not absolved from their repairing and statutory health and safety obligations such as gas safe inspections. Construction workers are specifically mentioned as those who cannot work from home and construction sites can continue to operate so the supply of new housing will not be interrupted. All of this is subject to firms and individuals observing the Covidrelated safety guidance set down by their professional bodies and carrying out social distancing.
The housing market has seen a surge in activity since it was unlocked in May. The number of movers who would have been affected by a new market lockdown would be very considerably more than those affected back in Spring 2020 if the market experienced a significant slowdown. What is more likely to be the cause of a slowdown is the end of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday at the end of March as new buyers will become increasingly doubtful that they will be able to complete their purchase before 1st April 2021 and therefore will not benefit from the reduced rates. The major impact of that slowdown will be experienced in the lower end of the market where prices are below £500,000. The maximum saving available during the holiday period is £30,000 (£15,000 for purchases of second properties). The benefit of the saving dwindles in percentage terms the larger the purchase price and therefore the end of the SDLT holiday will become increasingly insignificant the higher up the price bracket that you go. Prices at all levels of the market will eventually adjust to take into account the loss of the saving. For overseas buyers the strengthening of GBP following the Brexit deal will make investment here that bit more expensive than in the last couple of months. Added to that will be the 2% SDLT surcharge for purchases by overseas buyers that comes into effect on 1st April 2021. It has been rumoured that HMRC might extend the current SDLT holiday beyond 31st March 2021. On the face of it the new lockdown would not be a reason to do so given the absence of restrictions on house moves. However the cumulative economic aftermath of these lockdowns might be. We will continue to monitor the situation but in the meantime, if you have any concerns, please contact Rosie McCormick Paice or any member of the Residential Property team. www.edwincoe.com/blogs/main/moving-through-lockdown/ ■ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 27
SOFTWARE
Quill makes document management easier and better with release of DocsHub ■ All-new documents hub delivers a unique integration pack between Quill and Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word and Windows desktop. ■ Accessible using any device anywhere, promoting secure file management, efficient time-recording and team collaboration. ■ Quill is the only legal practice management software provider that also offers outsourced legal services including legal cashiering, typing, payroll and bookkeeping.
L
eading legal software provider Quill is setting out to make legal professionals’ document management more streamlined and efficient than ever before through the launch of its improved DocsHub service. The leading-edge system allows users to create and manage case files, forms, correspondence and other documentation within a one-stop digital repository. Material is stored securely via the cloud, with teams enjoying convenient access at any time and on any device for improved collaboration. DocsHub is seamlessly integrated with popular software including Microsoft Office to facilitate the simple creation, editing and storage of templates, letters and emails. The automation technology creates an “enter once, populate everywhere” process for all legal documents. It provides a clear dashboard of caseloads and shortcuts to key and recently used documents and emails, while time spent on documents and correspondence is automatically captured for straightforward record-keeping. By reducing paper use and storage space, DocsHub makes document management environmentally friendly as well as safe and simple. “The decision to go paperless is a major step in a practice’s journey to going fully digital and in the cloud,” said Quill Managing Director Julian Bryan. “What used to take six to 12 months and teams of people to complete can now be done in days, even hours, with Quill’s DocsHub.” 28 | HAMPSHIRELEGAL
The DocsHub service is available to Quill users from Monday (15 February). It will be available for a charge of just £19 per month per user. Quill is providing comprehensive support for the new service through online training, webinars and other resources. “Quill is constantly striving to improve processes and workloads for legal professionals, and our new-look DocsHub service will take automation efficiencies to the next level,” says Bryan. “Our goal is to strip back the hassles and tedium of document management and time capture, and free practices up to deliver the best possible client service. With so many of us away from offices and seeking new ways to improve productivity and collaboration, this is the perfect time to introduce DocsHub, and we’re looking forward to helping our communities make the very most of it – securely – in the months ahead.” For more information, please contact www.quill.co.uk. ■
FINANCE
Sustainable Investing T
he world is facing many challenges, from inequality to climate change, which require solutions that will bring changes to the investing landscape. Incorporating a sustainable bias to an investment portfolio can potentially lead to better long-term performance, and reduce investment risk. Whilst ethical funds have been available for many years, more recent times have seen dramatic changes to the investment world such that investors no longer have to accept reduced choices, higher risks and lower performance. In fact most companies around the world are now having to operate to with a framework that respects Environmental issues, Social responsibility and corporate Governance (ESG). Embracing ESG can potentially give a company a competitive advantage over their peer group. What exactly do we mean by ESG? ESG is “the consideration of environmental, social and governance factors alongside financial factors in the investment decision-making process. The Environmental component looks at the elements of a company’s company culture, Social consists of people-related items such as labour conditions and Governance relates to the company oversight and business ethics. Environmental
Social
Governance
Climate Change
Social Inclusion
Protection of Stakeholder’s Interests
Environmental Solutions
Human Rights
Board Independence
Urbanisation
Labour Conditions
Protection of Stakeholder’s Interests
Resource Scarcity
in demand for medical equipment, treatments, and the global drive to find a vaccine. Through investing in the sector, you can gain exposure to a wide array of companies ranging from pharmaceuticals, treatments, healthcare insurers and hospitals. Digitalisation Rapid transition to remote working due to the pandemic created opportunities for adversaries to exploit public fear and attempt to steal data, leading to heightened demand in cybersecurity software. In a world where technology is rapidly evolving, pressure on supply chains requires manufacturers to adapt quickly or face the prospects of being left out and a new generation of innovators are solving key issues through the development of cost-effective robotic and automation solutions. Government stimulus and Inflationary Environments Global bond markets rose as interest rates around the world plummeted and whilst they may be seen as expensive there are still some opportunities to take advantage of distorted markets, and potential value in inflation linked-government bonds, additionally, the US Federal Reserve has become more inclined to allow inflation to run higher than their 2% target. With the level of stimulus provided by both fiscal and monetary policy there is the potential for significant inflationary pressures to build after the pandemic effects have waned. Contact 01276 34932 or enquiries@s4financial.co.uk. ■
Business Ethics Workforce Diversity
Stewardship & Engagement Engagement on ESG issues can create value for shareholders, there is clear supporting evidence that embracing ESG may encourage better financial outcomes. Fund managers’ may control a significant proportion a company’s shares and can exercise influence over shareholder votes and election of directors aligned to the issues, many companies will actively seek external guidance on new policies and ventures. KEY THEMES Energy Transition Clean Energy is benefitting from the structural shift in energy demand, greater global agreement on climate change methods and renewable energy spending. Several countries have now made legally binding commitments to cut their emissions, eight have signed net zero targets into law by 2050 and even China has pledged carbon neutrality by 2060. Investment opportunities arise from the enormous expenditure required to meet climate change commitments. Covid-19 has acted as a tailwind, with renewable energy infrastructure spending in economic recovery stimulus packages, through Joe Biden, climate change looks set to play a central role in U.S. foreign policy. Healthcare An aging population puts strain on medical resources requiring companies to adapt in response to rising health costs. The Healthcare sector benefitted from the pandemic due to the surge HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 29
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In Too Deep?
Report Details Report ID: 123456FAP Date: 01/01/2020
FCI Flood Appraisal Residential
Report Details
Report ID: 123456FAP Date: 01/01/2020
Grid Reference: E: 123456 | N: 123456
FCI Flood Appraisal Commercial
Grid Reference: E: 123456 | N: 123456
Report Reference: Sample Ref
Report Reference: Sample Ref
Requested by: Sample Client
Requested by: Sample Client
Current Use: Residential
Current Use: Commercial
Proposed Use: Residential
Proposed Use: Commercial
Report on:
Sample Site, Street, Town, County, UK
Report on:
Sample Site, Street, Town, County, UK Working in collaboration with
Author:
Aaron Jones, BSc Ashfield Flood Risk Director
Peer Review:
Working in collaboration with
Penny Andrews, BSc MEng MRICS CEnv FCI Operations & Compliance Director
Author:
Aaron Jones, BSc Ashfield Flood Risk Director
Professional Opinion Summary
Flood
Peer Review: Penny Andrews, BSc
MEng MRICS CEnv FCI Operations & Compliance Director
Professional Opinion Summary
PASS
Flood
PASS
Based upon the review of detailed information within this FCI Flood Appraisal, this professional opinion concludes that the Further Action identified within the initial FCI Premium Residential search (Ref: Based report upon the review of further detailed information within this FCI Flood Appraisal, this professional 1234) has been sufficiently investigated and the subject Property can now be considered to beconcludes at an opinion that the Further Action identified within the initial FCI Commercial search report (Ref: acceptably low level of risk. 1234) has been sufficiently investigated and the subject Property can now be considered to be at an
acceptably low level of risk. This summary should be read in conjunction with the full assessment in the following pages of this report, along with any recommendations made. This summary should be read in conjunction with the full assessment in the following pages of this report, along with any recommendations made.
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CONVEYANCING
Flood Risk: Safeguarding your Client’s Financial Future
W
inter is getting wetter each year. Whether rain or snowmelt, it has to find its way into rivers, ditches and waterlogged soil regardless of the property in its way. As Tim Champney, Managing Director, Future Climate Info explains, the financial impacts of no or expensive insurance cover, together with stricter lender requirements to protect against the capital, should be enough cause for conveyancers to take flood risk due diligence in the property transaction seriously. 1 in 6 properties are at flood risk in England. In the UK as a whole, Government estimates put the number of dwellings at risk of river and coastal flooding at around 2 million, with a further eighty thousand properties in towns and cities at risk from surface flooding that overwhelms drains from sudden localised heavy rain. And it is getting worse. There is a clear long term trend for the north and west of the UK becoming wetter and this is reflected in more serious flood events in these river catchments, such as those we reported on with the River Don last year. With every 1 degree centigrade rise in temperature it is estimated that a 6-7% increase in moisture and rainfall will occur on average. These trends and the impact of recent events have redrawn the flood risk maps of our country. The Environment Agency (EA) revised their climate change allowances in 2016 so that Local Authorities can plan their strategic flood risk assessments for new housing applications, especially in flood zones 2 and 3, which have the highest risk. New Builds continue on Flood Plains Planning policy is clear that housing should be located in the areas least at risk of flooding and, when development in a risk area is absolutely necessary, “sufficient measures should be taken to make sure homes are safe, resilient and protected from flooding”. Measures to mitigate flood risk, such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) should be considered as part of the development application. Yet, 1 in 10 of all new homes – more than 84,000 – in England since 2013 have been built on land in zones 2 and 3. Data from the ministry of housing, communities and local government (MHCLG) shows that the number of new houses built on land at the highest risk of flooding has risen from 9,500 in 2013 to 20,000 in 2017-18, following a peak of nearly 24,000 the previous year. Local Authorities are under pressure to meet the Government’s target 300K new build homes per year to meet housing demand and there exists a clear tension between supplying local need and matching it to suitable sites. It is only when we get a repeat of a chain of storms, like we saw with Dennis, Ciara and Jorge last year, will we see if this redraws the flood risk map for these properties. Insurance Safety Net…for Some In 2016, the government and the insurance industry launched Flood Re – designed to act as a reinsurer covering part of the enhanced flood risk and ensure affected homeowners can
obtain affordable insurance. However, the deal only applies to homes built prior to 2009, which creates understandably significant concern for homebuyers looking at properties built after this. There have been calls for the Government to change policy, so that homes built more recently than 2009 are covered by Flood Re, and that more information is provided automatically so that homebuyers know what they are walking into every time. The Government has promised a further £4bn in flood defence expenditure over the next five years and there is more welcome focus now on natural flood management to slow the flow of upland streams so they do not impact on the houses downstream. Lending and Insurance: the Catch-22 Lenders adopt a mixed approach to flood risk. Any valuation is based on whether a property would be readily saleable in the event that it has to be taken into possession and sold. All lenders require borrowers to have suitable buildings insurance with flood cover as a condition of their mortgage, according to UK Finance, and this is irrespective of whether an area is considered high risk. If the property is in flood zone 2 or 3 but not within the Flood Re area then it can be prohibitively expensive. A buyer can find themselves quickly in a Catch 22 situation where they are unable to insure a property and the lender won’t release the funds due to the buyer not having valid home insurance with a flood risk element attached. Insurers will make premium calculations in a variety of ways – some will do it at part postcode, others whole, some property specific. So it becomes a bit of a lottery without clear expert, independent guidance to support both the application for insurance and then to secure the loan. If more frequent cases of flooding in certain areas were to render property uninsurable and un-mortgageable, then whole swathes of property could become blighted, or you only attract those cash buyers willing to accept the risk for the right property. Get the Detail for the Right Flood Due Diligence The Law Society published revised guidance for conveyancers on flood risk to protect their clients. There is a clear duty of care to provide the clearest understanding of what types of flooding have occurred in the area and how this could impact on the insurability and lending on your client’s site or property. Future Climate Info combines the best in class data and expertise to forensically analyse how flooding has and could shape your client’s future asset. The FCI Premium Residential Report includes a JBA Floodability rating at a 5m resolution, together with an insurability rating to give the clearest understanding of property-specific flood risk for your client. Where a flood risk is highlighted for your client, an FCI Flood Appraisal can be obtained, which provides an independent expert insight at a property-specific level. For more information on our flood risk assessments in our environmental reports, contact us on 01732 755 180 or email info@futureclimateinfo.com. ■ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 31
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TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE
InfoTrack delivers a Powerful, Game-Changing, Electronic Client Onboarding Solution
UK
-based, legal technology provider InfoTrack has delivered eCOS; a powerful, new electronic client onboarding solution that builds on their momentum in the digital conveyancing space. Pioneers of digital conveyancing and the first legal technology vendor to facilitate electronic signatures for deeds, InfoTrack has been operating from its London base since 2015 delivering digital conveyancing solutions and services to more than 15,000 law firms across the UK. eCOS (electronic Client Onboarding) connects law firms with their clients through a single portal and provides everything they need to onboard their clients, digitally. It’s game-changing because it condenses a process that used to take two weeks, into just two hours. The ability to verify identity and funds authentically and safely in a single, data-driven solution for law firms is radical and has been welcomed by firms to support the conveyancing industry in a time of crisis. “InfoTrack utilised 2020 to challenge what we knew about digital onboarding and double down on what our clients said they needed to get them through the challenges of high volume onboarding over the last 12 months” says Scott Bozinis, Chief Executive Officer at InfoTrack; adding “eCOS gives them everything from biometric Verification of Identity (VOI), Source of Funds solution (VOF) and client care packs, to onboarding questionnaires, therefore ending the practice of completing data using PDF Law Society TA forms”. Described as a ‘virtual front office’, eCOS integrates the entire onboarding journey to maximise the use of early digital data in a property transaction and streamlines how firms obtain key client information to start a transaction, It’s client onboarding made simple. “InfoTrack has helped us make the onboarding process smoother and more intuitive for clients. It has also reduced our reliance on post, enabling us to become greener as well as more efficient”; says Rob McKellar, Head of CLS Strategic Growth & Residential Conveyancing, Slater and Gordon. eCOS is designed to streamline the client onboarding data within a property transaction. The earlier the data is gathered, the better informed all parties in the transaction are. Jane Pritchard, Chief Product Innovation Officer at InfoTrack adds that, “Delivering an onboarding solution that enhances process is how we arrived at a virtual front office through eCOS. Challenging the traditional use of point solutions, we provide a fully connected took kit within the InfoTrack platform, seamlessly embedded into CMS with an integrated workflow. eCOS is all about collecting data early and speedily to power the complete conveyancing transaction. eCOS puts the conveyancer in the driving seat and into 6th gear. Collecting the early data in eCOS powers the complete conveyancing transaction (which the wider IT platform facilitates). To find out more, visit www.infotrack.co.uk/services/ conveyancing/electronic-client-onboarding-solutions/ ■
Legal aid firms adopt more agile processes in the pandemic
D
uring the pandemic, the main focus of the Legal Aid Agency has been to help providers continue legal aid services for clients, identifying new flexible ways of working. The pandemic has created opportunities for these providers to improve their systems by becoming more agile and therefore offer a better service. Legal aid firms have their own specific problems, such as the closure of many courts, which having reopened are now dealing with a backlog of cases. At the start of the pandemic many law firms were still over reliant on old and traditional systems and methodologies, relying on paper-based systems and face to face contact. By adopting new methods of working and investing in better technology they are able to continue to help those most in need. LEAP, the cloud-based practice management software provider, is supporting these legal aid firms in this process, enabling them to maintain their contract obligations, and by working closely with the Legal Aid Agency, ensure the software is up-to-date with the latest requirements. For legal aid practitioners, LEAP provides a wealth of innovative features, automations, integrations and legal aid content. LEAP provides a completely integrated Legal Aid software package including case management, time recording and billing solution for both criminal and civil matter types in England and Wales. This enables remote working so legal aid practitioners can continue to work uninterrupted from anywhere, capturing time and invoicing to ensure cash flow is not affected. The LEAP Mobile app allows voice to text dictation, time recording and scanning documents on the go. Lawyers can continue to work offline from the police station with automatic syncing. To ensure compliance and consistency across multiple locations, Legal Aid updates (forms, rates and charges) are automatically applied in line with when legislation changes occur and accessible within the software. LEAP significantly reduces the time a firm spends on billing and assists firms with the compliance and the Legal Aid auditing process. Automatic fixed fee allocation for billing Crime and Civil Controlled Work and integrated submission for both via CWA (contract and work administration) ensures claims can be checked and submitted electronically in readiness for payment, ensuring a faster payment. LEAP can offer a raft of valuable resources – a library of fully automated and up-to-date legal aid forms readily available and populated with matter data where possible – including CRM11, CRM7, CRM18/CRM18A, CW1, EC-Claim1. Looking forward, family and mediation may well get a boost once (if) we get out of the current situation – and LEAP covers both these areas of law. There is currently a Criminal Reform happening whereby they expect to inject between £35-51M into legal aid. LEAP had to recently implement the Crown Court Scheme 12, which applied an update to the fixed fees that can be claimed along with additional hourly rates for paper heavy cases. All LGFS and AGFS claims can be automatically uploaded to the Crown Court Defence portal. LEAP supports over 560 law firms practising legal aid (3540% of the market): for more information on the software visit legalaidsoftware.co.uk. ■ HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 33
LEGACY
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. When Poppy’s Dog Guardian contacted us to advise that her owner was now receiving palliative care and that they needed to activate her Canine Care Card, Poppy was collected by Dogs Trust the very next day. After a vet and behavioural assessment we decided the best place for Poppy would be a loving foster home. We were able to advise the foster carers of all the information we’d been given by Poppy’s owner regarding her life, diet and routine to enable us to make this transitional period as stress-free as possible for Poppy. Within almost no time, we were able to find very affectionate Poppy a lovely new home for her second chance at love. Poppy’s story is one of many we come across at Dogs Trust.
Many owners are growing increasingly worried about gradually losing their independence or their health deteriorating. Dogs Trust want to offer owners peace of mind that we will be there at this difficult time to care for and rehome their four legged friends should the worst happen. Therefore we’re pleased to announce that we have extended our Canine Care Card service. Dogs Trust will care for your dog should you move into a care home, become seriously ill or pass away. For more information on our Canine Care Card service and how to register your dog please type in this link www.dogstrust.org. uk/ccc where you will find our online application form and more information on our free service. If you have any queries regarding the Canine Care Card please email CCC@dogstrust.org.uk or call 020 7837 0006 and we will be happy to help. ■
Who’ll keep her happy when your client’s gone? We will – as long as your client has a Canine Care Card. It’s a FREE service from Dogs Trust that guarantees their dog a second chance a life. At Dogs Trust, we never put down a healthy dog. We’ll care for them at one of our 20 rehoming centres, located around the UK. One in every four of your clients has a canine companion. Naturally they’ll want to make provision for their faithful friend. And now you can help them at absolutely no cost. So contact us today for your FREE pack of Canine Care Card leaflets – and make a dog-lover happy. E-mail ccc@dogstrust.org.uk Or call 020 7837 0006
Or write to: Freepost RTJA-SRXG-AZUL, Dogs Trust, Clarissa Baldwin House, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ (No stamp required) Please quote “ 334791” All information will be treated as strictly confidential. Service only available for residents of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man.
A dog is for life, not just for Christmas®
Registered charity numbers: 227523 & SC037843
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dogstrust.org.uk
© Dogs Trust 2021
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Wherever you roam, client onboarding with eCOS is pitch-perfect
Technology that connects you, wherever that happens to be Are you trudging through the process of gathering client information to start a transaction? Onboarding your clients shouldn’t peg you in. eCOS, our electronic client onboarding solution, brings together everything you need to achieve remote onboarding. Access to client care packs, verification of identity and source of funds solutions, onboarding questionnaires and Law Society TA forms, all integrated into your CMS. eCOS gives you visibility over your onboarding process within a single platform. Embark on a new adventure. Start onboarding digitally with eCOS from InfoTrack.
Visit www.infotrack.co.uk/ecos or call us on 0207 186 8090 to say no to paper and onboard clients electronically. HAMPSHIRELEGAL | 35
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