Hampshire Legal September 2023

PUBLISHER

Ian Fletcher

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

SALES DIRECTOR

Karen Hall

STUDIO MANAGER

John Barry

MEDIA No.

particular case or circumstance.

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

COVER INFORMATION

Guest speaker Ben Owen and HILS President Mo Aldridge at the Annual Dinner.

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17th November 2023

For the December 2023 edition

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Editorial

Anyone wishing to submit editorial for publication in Hampshire Legal please contact Nicola Jennings before the copy deadline.

administration@hampshirelawsociety.co.uk

Our clients tell us that we truly understand their challenges and needs that’s because we have local offices run by local people, using local knowledge and expertise, to provide the level of service that other providers simply cannot.

Our approach is practical and straightforward we roll up our sleeves and rapidly provide you with the help to get the deal done.

Just catching up with myself after a busy few months!

It has been a time of events, of course our own Annual Dinner which took place on 16 June 2023 at The Hilton Ageas Bowl. We had an amazing evening of fun and entertainment. A wonderful speaker – Ben Owen scared us with his insight in to the world of cyber technology and what is so easily possible. We were honoured to have the President of the National Law Society – Lubna Shuja present who also shared valuable information regarding what the Law Society have been doing and what she has been campaigning and fighting for. We supported Wessex Cancer and they gave an informative and heartfelt talk on their challenges, I am extremely proud to say that we raised £1,000.00 for them on the evening and a huge thank you to everyone that took part in the raffle and events to achieve this. It was rewarding to see firm’s and lawyers being celebrated for a variety of reasons and we are proud that our awards scheme recognises achievements that go beyond just how much a person or firm can bill and looks at volunteering, integration with other local firms or members of staff, personal recommendations, training schemes and a wide spectrum of factors. Big Congratulations to our award winners and well done to all our nominees.

It was a pleasure to be invited to the Isle of Wight Law Society’s annual dinner which took place in Cowes and once again they organised the weather. It was a fantastic event, I met the current Vice-President of the National Law Society – Nick Emmerson, we had some lively conversation and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. He takes office in October 2023 and I look forward to working with him, SAALS and our membership in my remaining time in office and of course onwards to Tom our next President of HILS.

I also attended the Southern Area Association of Local Law Societies (SAALS) meeting, at which we discussed the challenges facing individuals, firms and local law societies. Once again it was such a useful platform to share experiences and it really brings some cohesion to the local law societies and allows such a good opportunity to understand a variety of perspectives. I hope that it will continue to inspire both HILS and all those involved. I was fortunate to be elected as the next President of SAALS and am looking forward to continuing my work with the local law societies and national law society in that role.

The HILS Scavenger Hunt took place again this year in July. We had a lot of teams sigh up and it was really great to see the pictures. It was so fulfilling to see the number of people and teams that actively engaged with the event and to see them enjoying themselves and having fun. There is an article in this issue on the Scavenger Hunt,

President’s Review

SEPTEMBER 2023

I hope you enjoy viewing the photographs and once again huge thanks to The Hambledon Vineyard for the donation of the prize. I hope that the winning team and runners up enjoy their prizes.

HILS chosen charity for the year is Wessex Cancer who we were extremely pleased to present with £1,000.00 following the annual dinner this year. They also have lots of upcoming events which you can get involved with to support them including a Spinnaker Tower Abseil Challenge, The Big Quiz, A Firewalk, A Sparkle Party and a Christmas Drive in Cinema. If you want to find out more about any of these events or to see the fantastic work that they do and what they need help with then please visit: https://www.wessexcancer. org.uk/events/

Well as you can see a busy few months followed by a bit of respite, which is very welcome for all. HILS are conscious of the challenging times that are affecting everyone and also the challenges that likely lie ahead. We want to support our members and also offer useful, current, insightful, social and fun events, lectures and offerings. We can only do this by obtaining feedback from our members and by the hard work of the committee. Please get in touch and let us know how we can support and assist you better.

Our social media network continues to thrive and we are extremely grateful to those of you that have connected. Don’t forget to tell your colleagues and anybody that may benefit from HILS to connect with us, we want to reach as many people as possible so that we may tailor our offerings to best support our membership.

I am excited to let our membership know that we have engaged Rachel Tombs from Orion Legal Marketing to assist HILS with our marketing and sponsorship. She will be actively involved with many of our upcoming events and I hope that this will help HILS reach a broader audience and get even more engagement from our existing membership but also drive more people to become connected to HILS.

As always, big thanks to the committee for their support, it is all undertaken by volunteers and I am so grateful to them. If you have any interest in joining the committee or any ideas or feedback, we would welcome you contacting us. ■

Mo

Mo Aldridge

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

Hampshire Law Society are looking for new Committee Members.  If you would like to join us please contact our administrator Nicola Jennings.  The committee meet every other month either via zoom or at an office.  It is normally a Tuesday at 5.45pm. We would love to welcome you to our Committee.

President

Mo Aldridge

Jasper Vincent 44 Queensway, Southampton SO14 3GT Tel: 023 8063 3225 maldridge@jaspervincent.com

Vice President

Tom Mitchell

Trethowans

Botleigh Grange Business Park, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2AF Tel: 02380 820465 tom.mitchell@trethowans.com

Deputy Vice President

Kevin Richardson

Biscoes

Kingston Crescent, Portsmouth PO2 8AQ Tel: 02392 660261 krichardson@biscoes-law.co.uk

Honorary Secretary

Ian Robinson irobinson@hotmail.co.uk

Honorary Treasurer

Tom Mitchell

Trethowans

Botleigh Grange Business Park, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2AF Tel: 02380 820465

tom.mitchell@trethowans.com

Immediate Past President

James Gleisner

Law Society Council Member

Adrienne Edgerley Harris Shentons

Star Lane House Staple Gardens Winchester SO23 9AD adrienneedgerleyharris@gmail.com

Administrator

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

Complaints

Tom Mitchell tom.mitchell@trethowans.com

Education & Training

Tom Mitchell (Chair) tom.mitchell@trethowans.com

Kirsten Wickham (Co-opted)

Giles Hall

Nicola Jennings

Membership

Harriet Olway

Michelle Hurst

Contentious

Russell Evans (Chair) russell.david@yahoo.co.uk

Kevin Richardson

Non Contentious

Matthew Robbins (Chair) mrobbins@jaspervincent.com

Mo Aldridge

Tom Mitchell

PR (inc Social)

Mo Aldridge (Chair) maldridge@jaspervincent.com

Sarah Hallett

Eliza Watts

Naomi Taylor

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

Ian Robinson

Giles Hall

Kevin Richardson

Follow us on Twitter @hampshirelawsoc

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

New Head’s Recommendation Initiative celebrates huge success alongside an exciting name change.

Head of King Edward VI School, Neal Parker

Stroud School and King Edward VI are thrilled to announce a momentous year of achievement, culminating a grand celebration to mark the end of their extraordinary tenth year in partnership.

Following the launch of the Head’s Recommendation in 2022, whereby children at Stroud achieving at the appropriate level in their studies by the end of Year 5 will be given a guaranteed place at its senior school, King Edward VI for year 7, the schools have announced a fantastic 70% of pupils have demonstrated appropriate academic potential and have become the first cohort to be awarded a Head’s Recommendation.

Mr Parker, Head at King Edward VI School said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the first cohort of Head’s Recommendation pupils and families from Stroud School to King Edward’s in September 2024. We know that Stroud provides young people not only with the academic grounding to allow them to thrive at KES, but also the wider character skills which are so important in the 21st century”.

Mrs Halfpenny, parent at Stroud said: “The Head’s Recommendation has taken all the stress out of the transition to KES. I am delighted that my daughter will be joining her brothers at KES in 2024, and that she will be able to enjoy her time at Stroud before then, unencumbered by exam preparation and anxiety”.

This new initiative launched last academic year comes as one of many strategic changes to mark the school’s 10th anniversary in partnership. At the end of the summer term ‘23, Stroud School announced a significant milestone in its journey. After ten years of a highly successful partnership with their Senior School, King Edward VI, Stroud revealed its new name, King Edward VI Preparatory, effective from September 2024.

The decision to change the name of the institution reflects the deepening relationship between Stroud and King Edward VI School. Over the past decade, the partnership has flourished, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration that has greatly benefitted both schools, their students, and the wider community.

By adopting the name King Edward VI Preparatory, (KES Prep for short), the school will now share a unified identity with Hampshire’s esteemed senior school. This alignment will reinforce the school’s commitment to delivering an outstanding education and maintaining high standards of academic excellence and pastoral care whilst instilling a deep love of learning from 3-18. 

Head’s Recommendation

We are pleased to announce that from September 2023, Stroud School pupils achieving at the appropriate level in their studies by the end of Year 5 will be given a guaranteed place at its senior school, King Edward VI, Southampton, for Year 7, without the risks and anxiety associated with an external examination route.

For more information, please visit: kes.school

Trethowans corporate team acts for the shareholders of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee in its sale to Britvic

Trethowans corporate team, led by partners Nick Gent and Lucy Gleisner, are delighted to have supported the shareholders’ of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee Limited in their sale to Britvic. Jimmy’s Iced Coffee is the UK’s fastest growing ‘ready to drink’ iced coffee brand and the transaction continues the success story for the Dorset business, started in 2010 by brother and sister, Jim Cregan and Suzie Owen.

Legal documents for the transaction were exchanged within a week of acceptance of the offer from Britvic, made possible by the pragmatism of the parties involved and the quality and experience of their advisers. Piper Sandler’s European Consumer team, led by Rob Iseman and Alastair Mathieson, were lead advisors to the shareholders, with external legal advice provided by Trethowans for the shareholders and Addleshaw Goddard for Britvic.

Commenting on the deal, Nick Gent said “It has been a real privilege to have worked alongside the team from Piper Sandler in supporting Jim, Suzie and fellow shareholders in the sale of Jimmy’s to Britvic. It’s a wonderful success story and marks the next chapter in the continued success and development of a much-loved brand. A lot of midnight oil was burnt in getting the legals finalised in such a short timescale, but it was the collaborative mindset of everyone involved that really shone through.”

Jim Cregan, co-founder of Jimmy’s, had the following to say “We are all so excited and proud to have done a deal with such an iconic and powerful business like Britvic, who will enable us to reach more

Venters Solicitors open offices in Farnham and Fleet following successful contract wins

London and Reigate specialist Family Law firm, Venters Solicitors, have further expanded with the opening of two new offices in Farnham and Fleet, creating a network of 4 branches across the South East. The firm has an ambitious growth strategy for both its Private and Legal Aid work and has recently succeeded in securing two new Family Legal Aid contracts in these new locations. The new contracts awarded to the firm is an endorsement of the calibre of service offered by Venters Solicitors. This latest expansion is a key part of their goal to becoming the go- to provider for family related legal advice and representation in the South East.

Founder and Managing Partner, June Venters KC says “Venters Solicitors has been delivering Legal Aid services since 1991 and we’re delighted to be opening these two new offices to widen this service even further. I had a vision and passion to build a law firm whose foundations lay on access to justice for all, and that is why the provision of Legal Aid is central to the ethos of Venters and is the reason we continue to offer Legal Aid, in addition to privately funded work, to eligible clients. There are only a small number of firms authorised by the Government to undertake Legal Aid work, therefore clients of the firm can be rest assured that the quality of the work undertaken by Venters solicitors has the additional benefit of Government scrutiny and regular audits.”

Venters Solicitors has grown to a team of over 30 solicitors, legal executives, paralegals, and support staff and their four branch offices are located in Camberwell, South London, Reigate and Farnham in Surrey and Fleet in Hampshire. Venters are a unique

great fridges across the UK and beyond. To have completed the transaction in such a phenomenally short time scale is only possible when you’ve got an incredible team around you and Trethowans have been a monumental cog in this machine. Thank you to the whole team!”

The co-founders, Jim and Suzie, will continue to be involved in the business as ambassadors for the brand, helping to support the transition while providing advice on brand direction and future innovation, ensuring that Jimmy’s core values and ethos continue to drive the brand. 

firm as they are the only law firm in the UK owned by a practising Kings Counsel (KC) and they specialise in family and children law services and the defence of crimes with family issues at the heart of them which may include matters such as honour based violence, coercive behaviour and false allegations of abuse.

Carly Fiander, Partner and Practice Manager says “The two new offices will enable us to represent more individuals on a wide range of legal matters including, private law divorce and finance matters, children law services, cohabitation, mediation and arbitration. The two new offices are in great locations for our clients and they of the high quality that clients come to expect from the firm. Our new office in Farnham is based in Cheyenne House which has a wonderful presence in the town, and the office in Fleet is in the multi-purpose Centaur House building, where we will share the facilities with several other local businesses. With the new offices following very closely behind our full re-brand and website launch, these really are exciting times for the business.” 

Founder and Managing Partner June Venters KC

A cautionary tale on unbundling legal services

A recent decision illustrates the difficulties that solicitors can face when seeking to unbundle legal services. James Robins and Ivan Roots of Womble Bond Dickinson, who are specialists in defending professional negligence claims, look at the lessons for practitioners to learn from the decision.

The facts

In the case of Lewis v Cunnington Solicitors (2023), Mrs Lewis sued her former solicitors, Cunningtons, who represented her in the divorce case against her former husband. At the heart of the case was Cunningtons’ retainer and whether they were at fault for failing to advise Mrs Lewis to obtain a pension sharing order. In the divorce proceedings, Mrs Lewis settled for £62,000 on a clean-break basis. She directly negotiated the terms of the settlement agreement with her former husband. Cunningtons did not advise her as to whether the settlement agreement was reasonable on the basis that, at that time, there had not been full financial disclosure of her former husband’s assets.

Cunningtons asked Mrs Lewis to sign a disclaimer, which acknowledged that they had not given her advice about the settlement agreement, and Cunningtons later argued that the scope of their retainer was limited where Mrs Lewis elected to negotiate the settlement directly with her former husband.

Mrs Lewis’ former husband’s largest asset was his pension. Cunningtons argued that they did make Mrs Lewis aware that a pension sharing order was “possible”. However, they argued that the lack of full financial disclosure meant they were unable to advise on the settlement agreement or give further advice on a pension sharing order.

Decision

His Honour Judge Coe KC held that Mrs Lewis was an unsophisticated and vulnerable client and her former husband was pressuring her to agree the settlement. Given that Cunningtons knew this, it widened the scope of their duty to her and Cunningtons’ retainer included an obligation to give advice which was reasonably incidental to the work carried out.

Although Cunningtons did inform Mrs Lewis that a pension sharing order was “possible”, this was inadequate advice. Cunningtons were aware of the risk to Mrs Lewis of accepting the former husband’s offer, namely that she would receive substantially less than she was entitled to. Cunningtons should have advised her that she should pursue an equal split of the pension and, had that happened, she would have received a net benefit of £500,000 and not the benefit of £30,000 that she did receive. The Judge further found that, had Mrs Lewis been advised correctly, she would have pursued an appropriate settlement and awarded her the sum of £400,000 on the basis that this figure would have been a reasonable sum for Mrs Lewis to have accepted by way of settlement.

Conclusion

This case emphasises the difficulties of seeking to unbundle legal services and provide a budget service to unsophisticated clients. The lack of clear communication between Cunningtons and Mrs Lewis contributed to the outcome. Mrs Lewis interpreted the disclaimer literally, in essence believing that it was not possible for her to seek legal advice on the settlement at all, even though she felt she needed it. This case emphasises the crucial importance, when acting on a limited retainer, of ensuring that the client care letter clearly defines the scope of the solicitor’s retainer at the outset and of ensuring that the client understands what advice will be given by the solicitor and what will not.

Phillips Law - Award Winners

Left: Phillips Law won ‘Business of the Year’ and the ‘Winner of Winners’ awards at the Inspire Awards in Basingstoke on 13 July. The award covers Basingstoke and the North Hampshire region.

James Robins Ivan Root Partner Associate

Right: Phillips Law won the ‘Professional Services Award’ at the Central South Business Awards in Southampton on 5 July. The award covers the Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, and Dorset region.

“Promotion in Blake Morgan’s Family Law team”

Blake Morgan’s Jessica Howard has been promoted to Senior Solicitor.

Jessica joined Blake Morgan as a paralegal in August 2016 and worked in that role for 3 years before starting her training contract with the firm in September 2019. Jessica joined the family team as a trainee in March 2020 and qualified into the team a year later in March 2021.

Since qualifying Jessica has worked on a variety of family law cases, to include complex financial matters, and children act proceedings featuring international elements.

Head of Blake Morgan’s Family Law Team, Simon Burge said “Jessica has made a fantastic start to her career, her promotion was very well deserved and we’re very lucky to have Jessica in the team”. Partner, Jennifer Williamson, added “ Jessica’s clear advice, and warm personality, makes her a client favourite and she also receives unsolicited praise from various of the barristers with whom she works”! 

Churchers Expands Operations with Opening of New Office Location

Churchers Solicitors, a leading Hampshire and Isle of Wight Law firm, is thrilled to announce the opening of its newest office location in Waterlooville, Hampshire. This expansion marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforces its commitment to delivering expert legal advice for you or your business.

The larger premises accommodates our increasing clientele and enhances operations. Situated in a prime and convenient location, our new office ensures easy accessibility for all our clients. Moreover, we have taken their feedback into account, and ample parking space is now available to ensure hassle free experience during visits.

The decision to establish a presence in Waterlooville aligns with Churchers’s dedication to being at the forefront of the industry and providing unparalleled service to the local community.

“Churchers Solicitors are delighted to be opening offices on London Road in Waterlooville.” said Andrew Bryan, Managing

Partner “Churchers has provided legal services in the Portsmouth area for over 100 years. This office is in a great location and easily accessible so enhancing Churchers high quality legal services in this area.”

Our new office will continue to provide comprehensive legal services that are delivered in a hassle-free way and in a language that you can understand. A team of experienced solicitors will be making the transition, ensuring that all our clients’ needs will be met seamlessly during this period of change.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we look forward to welcoming you to the new location.

For more information about Churchers’s new office in Waterlooville, please contact: info@churchers.co.uk 

Jessica Howard

Churchers new Waterlooville office

Partner Promotions at Lester Aldridge

South Coast law firm Lester Aldridge is delighted to announce that Michelle Musker, Izabela Arnold and Matt Gilks have joined the firm’s partnership.

Michelle Musker is promoted to partner within the Real Estate Finance team in Bournemouth, acting in multiple transactions for national commercial and residential mortgage lenders.

Izabela Arnold heads LA’s specialist construction team, which has a burgeoning reputation acting for both consultants and developers on a variety of construction projects both within the southern region and nationally.

Trethowans announce three new equity partner appointments

We are delighted to announce that Karl Cameron, Mihiri Gajraj and Emma Wilders-Pratt have been appointed as full equity partners to Trethowans. This is reflective of the firm continuing to go from strength to strength; recording 10% growth in the last financial year.

About the new equity partners

Emma Wilders-Pratt is a Partner in the Family team and head of the Winchester office. Emma also sits on the Board and is the lead in the firm’s commitment to delivering the best possible client experience. Emma specialises in all aspects of family law and relationship breakdown. According to the Legal 500 2023, Emma is a “next generation” partner who stands out above the rest in Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Karl Cameron is head of our Commercial Litigation team. Karl has practiced in London and on the South Coast since 2002 and is ranked as an up and coming notable practitioner in Chambers. Karl

Matt Gilks becomes the second partner in LA’s planning and infrastructure team. He is a very experienced and well-known planning lawyer, with a particular focus on acting for substantial landowners, providing strategic advice in respect of the myriad of planning issues that affect their landholdings, as well as being a “go to” planning lawyer for defending threatened or issued planning enforcement action by local authorities.

Matthew Barrow, Managing Partner of Lester Aldridge, said: “I am delighted to congratulate our three new partners on their welldeserved promotions. We are dedicated to nurturing the careers of our people and I am looking forward to seeing them continue to contribute to the ongoing success of the firm.” 

mainly focuses on high value disputes deriving from property and construction issues, together with financial services and banking litigation.

Mihiri Gajraj is head of our Private Client team. She qualified in 2009 in a Southampton firm and joined Trethowans in 2015. Mihiri is ranked as a “next generation” partner in Legal 500, the only “next generation” partner in Private Client in the local area. She is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and sits on the local committee.

Mike Watson, Managing Partner of Trethowans, commented on the appointments:

“I would like to congratulate Mihiri, Emma and Karl on their promotion to equity partner status. They have each shown commitment to the firm through the strategic development of their teams and they embody the values of Trethowans. Their appointments show our commitment to the organic growth and development of our people and will add further strength to our partnership and leadership team.” 

Left to right in photo: Izabela Arnold, Michelle Musker and Matt Gilks

Left to right in photo: Emma Wilders-Pratt, Karl Cameron and Mihiri Gajraj

Lester Aldridge team to support YMCA Big Sleep event

Leading law firm Lester Aldridge is excited to announce its participation in YMCA Bournemouth’s fundraising event, the Big Sleep Easy, on Saturday 14th, October 2023. The firm’s team will join forces with YMCA Bournemouth and other local businesses and sleep outdoors to raise awareness and funds to combat homelessness in the local area.

The annual Big Sleep Easy event aims to shed light on the challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness and raise crucial funds to provide essential support and resources. Participants spend a night sleeping in makeshift shelters on the grounds of Talbot Heath School to gain insight into the realities faced by those without secure housing.

Lester Aldridge will be sponsoring and participating in the Big Sleep for the sixth consecutive year, supporting the essential and often life-saving work of YMCA Bournemouth. Over the last five years, the firm has raised over £20,000 for the charity.

As part of Lester Aldridge’s ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility, the firm is proud to support YMCA Bournemouth and contribute to this meaningful cause. The dedicated team of lawyers and support staff will brave the elements and sleep under the stars to emphasise the urgent need for safe and stable housing for all community members.

Mark Benham, Partner at LA and one of the participants expressed his enthusiasm about the upcoming event, stating, “Lester Aldridge is deeply committed to making a positive impact in the community. We are honoured to once again join forces with YMCA Bournemouth for the Big Sleep Easy. This event raises awareness about homelessness and supports the invaluable work of the charity in providing vital services. Our team is eager to participate and raise funds to help create a society where everyone has a safe and secure place to call home.”

For more information about YMCA Bournemouth, visit www.ymcabournemouth.org.uk 

Lester Aldridge

to advise University of Southampton as AI Consortium lead

Leading South Coast law firm Lester Aldridge is delighted to be supporting the University of Southampton in their role as leader of a new consortium, Responsible AI UK. Today, as part of this year’s London Tech Week, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) unveiled a suite of AI investments to bring academic and industry partners together. As part of this announcement package, £31 million has been awarded to a large consortium called Responsible AI UK, led by the University of Southampton, which aims to create a UK and international research and innovation ecosystem for responsible and trustworthy AI.

Lester Aldridge is proud to support the University of Southampton in their role. Dean Drew, Partner in the Corporate & Commercial team at Lester Aldridge, said: “I would like to congratulate Responsible AI UK and Professor Gopal Ramchurn

Dean Drew of Lester Aldridge

on the funding award and the pioneering work it will unlock. We are delighted to be involved in supporting the team at the University of Southampton as consortium lead and look forward to working together as the project continues to evolve.” 

SPOTLIGHT ON CLARKE & SON

Charity Golf Day raises over £5000

We take our place in the community very seriously and are delighted to be able to give back to various causes whenever we can. One of our most anticipated events every year is our charity golf day. This year we hosted it at Test Valley Golf Club. This was our 7th golf day and we were excited to be fundraising for a fantastic local charity, Simon Says Child Bereavement Support. We had 72 golfers in total making it our biggest day yet. We also called upon generous local businesses who donated to our raffle. As a result we were able to raise an incredible £5,231.19. Our most successful golf day to date!

It has been highly rewarding working closely with Simon Says. Rhian Sewell, who is head of fundraising, joined us on the day to help sell the raffle tickets and to talk to guests about the work the charity does. Hearing firsthand how our contributions are going to positively impact the lives of children who have lost a close relative is really inspiring. As our charity of the year we hope to build on this figure with some more successful events throughout the year. 

Clarke & Son joins Climate Essentials Pilot scheme

At the beginning of 2023, Clarke and Son Solicitors were selected for the Climate Essentials Pilot scheme through Basingstoke Council along with nine other businesses from Basingstoke and Dean. The objective of the scheme is to help forge

a path to net Zero carbon emissions.

The first stage involved calculating our current carbon emissions by reviewing historic data. This provided a full report which gave us a starting point to calculate our carbon reduction strategy going forward. We have a goal to be net zero by 2028, if not sooner. Simple adjustments such as switching to LED lighting, switching off devices to reduce phantom consumption and switching to a renewable energy provider have already been made.

We want our business to have a lower environmental impact while still working efficiently. We are encouraging staff to use public transport for commuting as well as client visits where possible. Other ideas include implementing meatless days for employees can have a huge effect of our carbon footprint as a firm.

Our employees are always encouraged to make small, simple changes such as using reusable coffee cups and recycling where possible. We are hoping to become paperless soon with the majority of files being stored digitally.

Darren Lovegrove , Marketing & Business Development Director, said ‘We have really enjoyed working with the team at Climate Essentials on this really important project. We recognise the importance of making changes now to reduce our emissions rather than just offsetting. The whole firm are embracing the changes and we are passionate about achieving out net zero target by the end of 2028’

Our experience with Climate Essentials has been invaluable. To be aware of our carbon consumption is highly important but to be aware of the some of the simple ways to reduce our consumption is crucial. 

SPOTLIGHT ON CLARKE & SON

Clarke & Son Solicitors have become a corporate partner of Hampshire Fare.

We are delighted to be able to support local businesses through Hampshire Fare. It was established in 1991 to champion local food, drink and craft, increase awareness among the public and trade of the wide range of local produce available, encourage high standards and best practices, and assist producers to compete as viable enterprises.

Our Corporate commercial director, Will Anderson, said: “We work with a lot of businesses in the drinks and hospitality sectors, including bars and pub groups, breweries and distilleries, locally and nationally.

“Our work can involve advising individuals taking on a tenancy to helping people who are looking to expand by buying another business or finding an investor.

“I really enjoy working with the food and drink industry. For such a large industry it is also surprisingly small – everyone knows everyone else. In many industries, people are in competition and there is a general mistrust of other operators, however the food and drink sector is much more collaborative.”

Tracy Nash from Hampshire Fare said: “It is of immense importance to Hampshire Fare to partner with a law firm that can provide commercial and personal advice to our members.

“Clarke & Son fits really well with Hampshire Fare. Their head office is based in Basingstoke, so although they work with London and national businesses, they can provide a specific focus on the area that Hampshire Fare covers.

Looking to the future…

The last few years have been incredibly challenging. As a firm we feel like this has had a big impact on the development of junior fee earners, through no fault of their own. We wanted to do something about this and as a result setup a Business Development academy.

During the Covid-19 pandemic most client interaction and networking was carried out virtually. This was a necessity at the time, however it left certain skills neglected. A large amount of

“In addition, Clarke & Son has a really strong level of experience and expertise within the food and drink industry and hospitality sector.

“Since the Local Produce Trade Show in February, where we introduced Clarke & Son to some of our members, there have already been follow-up meetings with a couple of our members and feedback has been very positive. We have been told that Clarke & Son are a great team who know their stuff. 

New Paralegals

We are delighted to welcome a number of new Paralegals to our growing teams. Joining our Wills & Estate Planning team is Oluchukwu Don-Ekeke and Maisie Williams. Joining our Corporate & Commercial team is Amrit Sangha and Anika Harjani has joined Residential Property.

Darren Lovegrove , Marketing & Business Development Director, said he was delighted to welcome the new paralegals. All come having achieved fantastic academic results and we look forward to watching them flourish in their legal careers. 

Back: L-R Oluchukwu Don-Ekeke and Anika Harjani

Front: L-R Amrit Sangha and Maisie Williams

our business comes from building long lasting relationships with contacts and clients, something that is more difficult in a virtual room. We created a 12 month programme focussing on communication skills, networking, building referral partners, converting new enquiries and more. The academy has been a huge success and has given our teams the tools to succeed going forward. 

Award Winners

Junior Lawyer Award- Brooke Manning

Brooke Manning, is an Associate at the specialist personal injury, medical negligence and mental capacity law firm, Enable Law. She is a specialist medical negligence lawyer and manages a varied caseload which includes complex sepsis claims, gynaecological injuries, orthopaedic injuries, as well as fatal accidents claims including those relating to sepsis and neonatal deaths. Brooke also assists senior team members on cases relating to complex birth injuries and spinal cord injuries and has been instrumental in finalising expert evidence and the valuation of two recent claims for two clients with cerebral palsy; each of these cases have settled for just under £20M.

Brooke was nominated by Partner and Head of the Southampton Clinical Negligence Team, Kym Provan. Kym praised Brooke for her calm, empathetic and assured way that she was able to identify the key aspects in a case and speak with clients, Counsel and experts about them in an authoritative manner, noting that Brooke was performing at a level well above her years’ of qualification.

In support of Brooke’s nomination, one of Brooke’s clients said that she was ‘an absolute star, with the patience of a saint and was always able to help them to understand the claim and reassure them through the hardest time in their lives’. Another client said that “she was polite and responsive with a good sense of humour, clearly showing an empathy and understanding that was beyond her years”.

In terms of giving back to the community Brooke assists as a volunteer on the Action against Medical Accidents helpline, a major charity providing free advice and guidance to individuals and their families, who have suffered following medical treatment. Brooke has been selected to be a member of a group of lawyers at Enable Law working on a new pro-bono partnership with a local Charity dedicated to supporting children with cerebral palsy and other motor learning difficulties during their early years through conductive education.

In addition, Brooke is pursuing a volunteering role with Festival Spirit, a charity that enables young people to attend music festivals across the UK, who would otherwise be unable to do so due to their

disability or life-limiting illness. Brooke is also a mentor to a Second Year Law student at Solent University, providing guidance about studying law and assistance with preparing CVs and applications.

When asked about winning the award, Brooke said: “It’s a huge honour to be named Junior Lawyer of the Year and it was a brilliant evening celebrating alongside the other award winners and my colleagues. I am incredibly proud of all the work that we do at Enable Law for our clients and their families. It is so rewarding to be able to help clients to regain their independence and to get the support that they need following their life changing injuries.” 

Liza Gatrell - Lawyer of the Year - Runner up

Hampshire-based Liza Gatrell studied at Cardiff University and qualified in 2008, before joining Stowe in 2021.

Liza was promoted to Team Leader Partner in December 2022 and has received industry recognition including being shortlisted for both national and regional law awards.

Renowned for her solution focused approach and her commitment to achieving successful outcomes in a constructive manner, Liza’s breadth of expertise includes divorce, financial matters and issues concerning children, including high conflict children’s proceedings. Liza is also passionate about surrogacy and fertility law.

Liza is an advocate for equitable routes to family law guidance and actively raises awareness of issues while sharing professional insights for the benefit of others.

As co-host of Stowe talks podcast, Liza breaks down barriers to family law information and ensures that expert advice and reliable information is available for all.With a natural aptitude for relating to clients’ and their circumstances with authenticity, Liza’s care for clients and steadfast nature are consistently mentioned in testimonials.

“Your impact on our lives has been instrumental, lasting and we will not forget it.”

“Liza instantly put me at ease and made me feel there was light at the end of the tunnel.” 

Brooke Manning - Junior Lawyer

Liza Gattrell, Team Leader Partner.

Award Winners

Lawyer of the Year Award- Max Hope

Max Hope from Phillips Law wins Lawyer of the Year at the Hampshire Legal Awards in Southampton after overturning a case at the Supreme Court.

Max Hope is a leading lawyer in North Hampshire with city training who has revolutionised Phillips Law and is one of the go-to litigation lawyers in Hampshire.

Max is joint Managing Partner of Phillips Law, has been involved in successfully overturning a landmark Court of Appeal decision at the Supreme Court and is listed as a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500.

Max is 19 years qualified and his role is split between running the firm, managing the litigation team, and his own case load.

Max has practiced as a lawyer with Linklaters, CMS, Clyde & Co, the British Army and also spent 3 years in-house with global insurer, MS Amlin prior to Joining Phillips Law. 

Churchers -‘Small Firm of The Year 2023’ Runner Up

Stowe Family Law Large Firm of the Year

Founded over 40 years ago, Stowe Family Law is the only national law firm exclusively dedicated to family law matters, with the UK’s largest team of specialist family lawyers. Winners of the Hampshire Law Society’s Large Firm of the year award 2023, Stowe has a growing presence in the region including Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, and Fleet.

In fact, with 78 offices across England and Wales, Stowe is the fastest growing family law team in the country. With an unmatched network of over 150 family lawyers, we’re uniquely positioned to ensure clients benefit from the right advice, at the right time.

Whether clients are going through divorce or separation, resolving complex financial disputes, or making arrangements for children, our compassionate and skilled team provide sound legal advice and representation.

Churchers ‘A brilliant evening was had by all at the Hampshire Law Society annual dinner. We even came with an award for runner up for ‘Small Firm of the Year’. Thank you for having us!’

Not only are we dedicated to making family law easier to navigate, but we also understand that every case is different. That’s why our clients can rely on tailored support from start to finish, to match their exact needs.

We also support our people to be the best they can be. Through career development opportunities, collaboration and supportive working practices, our team can balance work and life, helping them to deliver the best results for clients. 

Biscoes Solicitors Wins HILS ‘Small Firm Of The Year 2023’ Award

Biscoes Solicitors are proud to announce that they have once again won the award for Small Firm of the Year at the 2023 HILS annual awards. Winning this award reflects Biscoes’ true dedication to legal excellence and client care.

The law firm has over 140 employees and operates across 5 mainland and 2 Isle of Wight offices: Portsmouth, Portchester, Waterlooville, Petersfield, Wickham, Ryde, and Newport. Biscoes’ strategic focus over the last decade has been on growth – both through recruitment of new staff and development of existing employees with training and support of their educational

endeavours. This has been reflected in Biscoes consistent track record, and the firm intends to continue providing excellent legal service to their clients.

Alison Lee, Managing Director of Biscoes Solicitors, reflected on the award and said “Everyone at Biscoes prides themselves on providing our clients with a great service, every client, every time and so we were really pleased that this was recognised in this award. It’s a wonderful tribute to our fabulous employees which make this such a wonderful firm to manage and be part of.” 

Stephanie Bellchambers, Director, accompanied by Mark Windebank of No18 Chambers.

Max Hope, Joint Managing Partner

The Annual Dinner – The Hilton Ageas Bowl

Friday 16 June 2023

What an amazing turnout. We had our second annual dinner since the break over the pandemic and what a occasion it was. Once again, we have to give huge thanks to our fantastic sponsors: Barclays, Index Property Information and No. 18 Chambers. Their valuable contributions and support allowed us to have a brilliant photobooth to assist in the competition, masks, mini challenges, fantastic decorations, a professional photographer and an awesome speaker.

This outstanding evening was at the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl in their Ballroom and we had a splendid 3 course meal alongside all the other entertainments and then the presentation of the 2023 Legal Awards and a raffle to raise funds for our charity –Wessex Cancer.

Wessex Cancer (originally Wessex Cancer Trust) was formed in 1981 and was originally focused on raising funds for major projects and research. Improving the lives of people affected by cancer has always been at the hear of their work so in 2012 they expanded to start delivering community based services close to people’s homes. They have 34 cancer support centres along with a range of other non-clinical support services in this region. For more information on what they do and what they may need support with please visit www.wessexcancerg.org.uk.

Once again we were very fortunate to have some extremely generous raffle prizes donated and we finished on a high with these being drawn. We raised an amazing £1,000.00 for our charity which was very gratefully received. A brilliant effort by everyone to raise money for a very valuable local resource and charity.

We were also privileged to have an after dinner speaker: Ben Owen – a global hunter featuring in the British, US and Australian versions of the hit show ‘Hunted. Ben plays ‘the Boss’ on the UK version, he assimilates vast amounts of intelligence and turns it in to actionable tactical plans to ensure the success of the hunters. He is internationally recognised as an expert in covert operations, surveillance and online investigations with over 17 years experience in these areas. He has experience in leading large cover operations across the UK to combat counter terrorism, counter proliferation and counter espionage

operations and attacks against the UK and its allies. Prior to joining the British Intelligence Services, Ben was a sniper in the British Forces.

His talk was both fascinating and frightening, particularly when detailing his encounters with the speed at which cyber technology can thwart even the most advanced protections. He was very engaging and it was a wonderful finale to the speeches and toasts.

Following the above we had the 2023 Legal Awards. Very well done to all who were nominated and of course our Runners Up and Winners set out below:

WINNER Large Firm of the Year

WINNER Small Firm of the Year

RUNNER UP

Small Firm of the Year

WINNER Lawyer of the Year

RUNNER UP

Lawyer of the Year

WINNER Junior Lawyer of the Year

RUNNER UP

Junior Lawyer of the Year

Stowe Family Law

Biscoes Legal Services Ltd

Churchers Solicitors

Max Hope, Phillips Law

Liza Gatrell, Stowe Family Law

Brooke Manning, Enable Law

Katie Hall, Biscoes

The evening continued following the formal part of the event with some relaxed social time and mingling. Lots of fun was had in the photobooth, reviewing the competition entries and Ben staying to speak with everyone and have lots of pictures taken. It was an exceptional evening, with plenty of laughs and entertainment. We very much hope that everyone had a great time and will join us again next year. ■

The Annual Dinner – The Hilton Ageas Bowl, Friday 16 June 2023

The Annual Dinner – The Hilton Ageas Bowl, Friday 16 June 2023

The Annual Dinner – The Hilton Ageas Bowl, Friday 16 June 2023

BISCOES SOLICITORS TAKE ON FOUR NEW TRAINEE SOLICITORS

Biscoes Solicitors are very proud to announce they have four new trainee solicitors. Following its strategic approach to growth, the firm encourages its staff to embark on new educational paths to develop their professional skillset and gain relevant qualifications. Biscoes is keen on supporting their staff in gaining these qualifications through various pathways, such as training contracts, CILEX, or the SQE route.

Biscoes Solicitors Celebrating Adam Manning’s Qualification As A Notary Public

Biscoes is delighted to announce that one of their own Solicitors, Adam Manning, has qualified as a Notary Public.

Adam’s venture into becoming a Notary Public was initially prompted by Alison Lee, Managing Director of Biscoes, and his enthusiasm for the field only grew through the learning process. Exploring a diverse range of subjects, Adam immersed himself in the intricacies of Roman Law – a foundation that underpins legal systems across the globe.

Among others, his rigorous studies continued through the subject of Private International Law, an essential discipline for dealing with international legal matters, where he achieved a merit. This learning experience is another testament of Adam’s dedication to public service and engagement with the community.

• Phoebe Holloway, a Costing Clerk, has started her training contract in June.

• Sasha Brady, a Paralegal in the Commercial and Corporate team, starts her training contract in September.

• Naomi Taylor-Davis, a Legal Advisor within the Civil Litigation department, starts her apprenticeship through the SQE route in September.

• Hollie Nixon, a Legal Secretary in the Commercial department, also starts her apprenticeship through the SQE route in September. 

As a Notary Public, Adam’s responsibilities extend beyond local boundaries. He can assist with a range of documents, many of which are for a matter involving a different country – whether this is buying or selling properties in other countries or completing a Consent to Travel for young children being taken abroad by an individual other than their legal guardian.

Adam’s qualification as a Notary Public highlights his multifaceted expertise and devotion to client care. Drawing on his experience as a former Borough Councillor and Mayor, Adam’s understanding of community dynamics further enriches his legal knowledge and skills. 

Left to right: Phoebe Holloway, Sasha Brady, Naomi Taylor-Davis and Holly Nixon

Adam Manning

HILS Scavenger Hunt 10-21

July 2023

This July saw the second HILS Scavenger Hunt. Last year’s event was well support and feedback was excellent, so this year’s saw a longer period to complete the hunt but an even more inventive list of items!

1 With a live insect or animal (no pictures or toys)

2 Each holding a different leaf or flower (or mixture)

3 Each person in the team wearing a pair of non-matching shoes

4 Outside a property with a for sale or to let sign

The Hunt was designed so that it could be completed by people anywhere in the county. There were 15 tasks / hunt items which had to be completed in teams of 4. Pictures had to be taken as evidence of completion of the tasks and had to include at least 3 team members in each picture. Here is the Scavenger Hunt List:

5 Each person in the team hiding in a tree or bush (must actually be visable)

6 Outside the front of a property with the number 13 as its address

7 All enjoying a breakfast together (continental or cooked)

8 Wearing your clothes inside out and back to front

9 On 1 park bench reading the same newspaper

10 The teams reflection in something but which is not a mirrror

11 In the smallest space possible (i.e. telephone booth)

12 Crossing a road as ducklings (i.e. crouched, waddling, arms in wing formation)

13 Posing as window manequins (outside the window)

14 All balancing on their left leg with their right hand on the next person’s head (as far apart as possible)

15 Acting as though scared due to impending meteor strike

The pictures are testament to the imagination of our members, but also the fun and conviviality that is shared by many with their families, friends and work colleagues – what a great way to spend a few hours! Some very interesting takes on what the tasks involved and 2 judges who reported what a great time they had just viewing them all.

First prize was Afternoon Tea and Tour for 4 of Hambledon Vineyard and the Runners Up prize was a bottle of Hambledon Classic Cuvee Rose. HILS are extremely grateful to them for their assistance and donation of the first prize. Hambledon Vineyard is England’s oldest commercial vineyard and is right here on our doorstep in Hampshire. Established in 1952 by

Major-General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones it has a rich heritage of innovation in English winemaking. To find out more information about the vineyard visit: www.hambledonvineyard.co.uk.

Once again, the beauty of this event is that it can be completed anywhere by anyone and the teams made up of any combination so it really can offer something for everyone. We are so pleased that this year was brilliant supported by our membership and massive thanks to those that took part. It will definitely be becoming an annual event at this rate.

Congratulations to Libby’s Ladies who won the Scavenger Hunt and to Trethunters who were the Runners Up. I hope that everyone enjoyed the tasks and those reading can enjoy the photos. ■

Spotlight on the Committee

Committee Member Eliza Watts

Work Firm: Churchers Solicitors LLP

Area of Expertise: Private Client – Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Estate Administration

What attracted you to work in the law: I was attracted to the academic challenge.

What is the most amusing / intriguing incident which has taken place on a case you have acted on: I once went to visit a client in hospital and arrived just as the physio class was starting so I joined in!

What is your biggest career achievement:

Qualifying as a Solicitor – after so many years of hard work it was always something I wasn’t sure would ever actually happen!

What is your favourite part about being a member of HILS: The ability to build a good network with Solicitors from other local firms.

Why do you think HILS is important:

We’re all in the same boat and HILS provides a place of support whether that be on a social level or through the training and legal updates it provides.

Personal

Who inspires you:

All of the strong, independent and hardworking women in my life

What was the last book you read: Glittering a Turd by Kris Hallenga

What is your favourite film: Hidden Figures – an amazingly powerful story and I would definitely recommend!

What is the next place on your travel bucket list: French Polynesia!

Name one item you cannot live without and why: This is a tricky one as I am not very materialistic but if I had to choose, it would be my mobile phone to keep in touch with all of my family and friends.

What is your favourite quote: “He who spits into the wind gets his own back”

Deputy Vice President

Kevin Richardson

Work

Firm: Biscoes Legal Services Limited

Area of Expertise: Contested Will probate and Trust litigation including trust of land disputes.

What attracted you to work in the law:

I always wanted to work in the law since I was 11/12 years of age after watching LA law on the TV, while it is nothing like the TV or indeed American Law it was my inspiration.

What is the most amusing / intriguing incident which has taken place on a case you have acted on:

Two spring to mind a case which involved a one-armed sailor and a pig farmer and a site visit to the pigs! The second which is a little darker and took place while working for a local authority while prosecuting a person for breach of planning laws (coincidently the same person several years later that was involved in my case involving the sailor and a pig farmer) threatened to break my legs with a baseball bat and followed me back from the magistrates court to my place of work.

What is your biggest career achievement: I cannot say there is anyone achievement which stands out in terms of a case – however, being told at 16 when I started work that I would never make it as a Lawyer, to qualifying and proving those people wrong and becoming a director at Biscoes spring to mind. In addition the fact that I am able to help individuals resolve often very emotive and complex matters is always a reward.

What is your favourite part about being a member of HILS: being part of an organisation that is there to assist, promote, help educate and support Lawyers and member firms if needed on a day to day basis.

Why do you think HILS is important: the job of a lawyer and running a law firm is become more difficult and challenging and having an organisation that is available to support both individuals and law firms as well as promoting wellbeing, education and helping to protect the interests of its members is invaluable.

Personal

Who inspires you: while very cheesy I am sure and without any prompting, quite simply my wife and daughter.

What was the last book you read: well avoiding the obvious during work the White book (only joking), it starts with Why? by Simon Sinek

What is your favourite film: well this is an almost impossible question to answer as there are so many but if pressed probably the Rocky trilogy, the personal story of Silvester Stallone and the films are inspiring.

What is the next place on your travel bucket list: Sorrento in Italy which I am going to in September this year.

Name one item you cannot live without and why: my phone but not for the obvious reason, my phone contains all my music and therefore if I lost that I would be without my music which I have spent years putting together.

What is your favourite quote:

“ Let me tell you something you already know, the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows, it’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are , it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it, you, me, or nobody is gonna hit you as hard as life, but it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward, that’s how winning is done”

ADRIENNE EDGERLEY HARRIS, Council MemberYOUR VOICE AT THE LAW SOCIETY

Council Members Report September 2023

SQE

The Society is having close meetings with the SRA on the subject of the underperformance of ethnic minority candidates in the SQE.

President’s visit to Hampshire 15-16 June 2023

This took place in early June with a well-attended meeting kindly hosted by Moore Barlow, focussing on private client work. The next day there was a breakfast meeting with in-house lawyers, followed by separate meetings with local law firms.

Lord Chancellor and legal aid

The country has a new Lord Chancellor in Alex Chalk MP, a former Solicitor General and Justice Minister, who has had a positive working relationship with TLS. The President has emphasised the importance of an effectively funded criminal legal aid system and asked for his support in challenging negative rhetoric and attacks on lawyers who were simply doing their jobs. The Lord Chancellor had previously shown a strong commitment to the rule of law; it was hoped this would continue.

The Society’s application for judicial review was ongoing. Before Dominic Raab’s resignation, the MOJ filed and served an Acknowledgement of Service and Summary Grounds of Resistance. This was accompanied by a significant amount of supporting evidence not previously seen by the Law Society. TLS

subsequently filed a Reply in response to that evidence and the application for permission will now be dealt with on the papers by a single High Court judge.

Climate change guidance

The Society has published milestone climate change guidance for solicitors, which followed on from its commitment to its Climate Change Resolution in 2021. It sets out how organisations could manage their business in a way consistent with the transition to Net Zero. The stance received positive coverage in both trade press and national press, which goes to show how timely and important this issue is, not just to members but to wider society.

CILEX regulation

In October 2022 the LSB commenced an investigation into disputes and disagreements between CILEX and CILEx Regulation.

Contact me at: aedgerleyharris@shentons.co.uk or 01962 844544

Adrienne Edgerley Harris aedgerleyharris@shentons.co.uk

An update from the South Hampshire Junior Lawyers Division

Your invitation to join the SHJLD or renew your membership for 2023-24

The SHJLD provides support, advice, information and networking opportunities to aspiring and junior legal professionals in the South Hampshire region through a varied programme of events. We also offer many opportunities for our members to interact with junior professionals from other industries to develop those all-important networking skills and forge professional links.

You are welcome to become a SHJLD member if you are a: paralegal, trainee solicitor, apprentice solicitor (18 years +), legal executive or trainee legal executive, solicitor up to 5 years’ PQE, newly qualified barrister, junior tenant or pupil, student studying the SQE, GDL, LPC or BPTC undergraduate student (or any other category of Law Society enrolled student) currently looking for a training contract.

The yearly membership fee for 2023-2024 is £55.00 per member. The benefits of becoming a member include discounted tickets to social and networking events, invitations to seminars and webinars on topics relevant to a career in the legal profession, and the opportunity to get to know the partners of the future and influence the future of the legal profession locally.

If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact us at membership.shjld@gmail.com. If you are currently in the legal profession, it is worth asking your employer to cover the cost of your membership, as many are happy to do so!

Upcoming event – Networking at Brewdog Southampton –28 September 2023

We would like to invite you to join us at our next event, at Brewdog Southampton starting at 6:30pm on 28th September for an evening of drinks, food and networking. This event has been kindly sponsored by Chadwick Knott.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so please RSVP via email to committee.shjld@ gmail.com to confirm your place!

Tickets are free for members and £10 for non-members. If you are a non-member and wish to attend, please indicate this on your RSVP and we will send you details to make payment.

We look forward to seeing you there! ■

Adrienne Edgerley Harris

Missing Wills

Graham Billinge

DOB 03/07/1948

DOD 16/02/2023

Address –9 Bluebell Gardens, Hythe, SO45 3AB

Miss Anne McGill

DOB 26/05/1944

DOD 06/08/2023

Address –24 Sapley Lane, Overton, RG25 3LQ

Clifford Stanley Miles

DOB 14081936

DOD 11012022

Address –12 Wycliffe Road, Southampton

HAMPSHIRE

S018 2BZ

Biscoes Solicitors Commercial Litigation Lawyer/ Solicitor North

End

About the Firm

Biscoes Solicitors are an award-winning regional law firm based in Hampshire and Isle of Wight. We are looking for a skilled, passionate, and experienced individual to be a part of our growing team. We are a thriving firm with a rich history that is now seeking a Commercial Litigation Lawyer/Solicitor. Biscoes solicitors is a law firm that has experienced year on year growth despite the impacts of Brexit and Covid-19. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a Commercial Litigation Lawyer to form part of a team and a fully supportive environment. Biscoes are also pleased to offer great opportunities for career progression. Biscoes maintains exceptionally high levels of quality assurance. Biscoes are Lexcel, ISO & CQS accredited. Law firms undergo stringent assessments on a regular basis to maintain accreditation.

Your Responsibilities:

You will be joining our Litigation team and you will be reporting directly to the head of the department. You will advise on a wide range of interesting commercial property/ commercial litigation matters, including but not limited to:

1. Business tenancy dispute to include dilapidations and 1954 Act claims

2. Shareholder and director disputes

3. Commercial contracts

4. Knowledge of commercial insolvency and construction disputes would be ideal but not a necessity.

5. General commercial/corporate knowledge to enable you to assist our corporate team would also be desirable but again not a necessity

You will also have an opportunity to become involved with the firm’s marketing by creating and maintaining client relationships and by attending various networking events including breakfast mornings and award evenings.

Your skills

The ideal candidate will have:

• 1 – 3 years PQE;

• excellent technical and matter management skills;

• excellent communication skills and attention to detail;

• the ability to provide a profitable contribution to the work of the Litigation department;

• an enthusiastic approach to maintaining high standards of client care.

We pride ourselves in providing great service to every client, every time. Our goal as a firm is to assist our clients in every way possible and to provide them access to excellent and tailored legal advice.

The Benefits

We are offering a competitive salary, flexible/hybrid working, a self-managed time off leave policy, a healthcare cash back scheme to which you can claim back the costs of routine prescriptions, optical and dental expenses, a PAW policy (which allows you to occasionally bring your dog to work), a weekly running club, membership to a discount website for a host of supermarkets and high street retailers and much more.

You can also expect a supportive senior management team who can help develop careers.

Email applications to HR@biscoes-law.co.uk 

“TheSolicitors’ Charity gave me hope when I thought there was nothing left. They are an untold secret that helps people when they are at their lowest.”

Solicitor Jada Jones’ life turned around when she received support from The Solicitors’ Charity after years of job rejections, loss of self-esteem, mounting debts and ill health.

From disheartening and tough beginnings, she is now ‘dreaming big’ - with her sights set on becoming a Tribunal Judge one day.

London-based Jada contracted polio as a child during a visit to West Africa. She spent a childhood wearing a variety of leg braces to walk and suffered many health issues in her youth, which left her feeling she didn’t ‘fit in’ with others.

When she was older, she started training to be a solicitor with a London legal firm. Sadly, that was when things really started to go wrong for her. Although she qualified in 2014, she wasn’t retained by the firm. She had panic attacks and mental distress due to the negativity and criticism she encountered while training. She started looking for work through recruitment agencies specialising in the legal sector but felt her confidence had gone and this affected her job prospects. Jada’s lost confidence coupled with a degenerative and debilitating disability, which caused excruciating joint pain, left her feeling weaker than ever.

“I’ve always been a survivor,” she said. “Throughout all this, I tried to stay positive. However, I lost myself, I was in pain, no energy, feeling low and frustrated – I hit rock bottom.” Sadly, Jada lost her parents, ran up debts as she neglected to keep on track with her finances and was living in bleak accommodation, unsuitable for a disabled person. “I became an ostrich – I put my head in the sand and couldn’t even face opening my mail,” she explained. “I’d become very insular, I needed to interact with others.”

Jada started volunteering with a disabled people’s organisation that focused on supporting disabled lawyers. There she learned about the support she could access, as a qualified lawyer, through The Solicitors’ Charity.

“It was a wonderful turning point for me,” she recalls. “Together we took small steps towards clearing my debts, addressing my health issues and looking at the help I could get with claiming benefits and preparing a CV to get me into work.

“The Solicitors’ Charity was in my corner, supporting me, and I made up my mind to get a job and out of the doldrums.”

Jada’s turning point came the day after the first covid lockdown in March 2020 when she applied for a fee-paid role. To her delight, the career counselling she received from the charity’s partner Renovo, helped her get the job.

‘The charity really encouraged me and gave me confidence,” she said.

Later that year she started lobbying her local council for a move to a new home with better access for her wheelchair and nicer living conditions. Again, the charity supported her application and eventually she was given the keys to a more suitable home in a safer area where she could live comfortably. The Solicitors’ Charity helped again – with financial support to buy white goods, furniture and a much-needed mobility scooter.

However, she ran into difficulties with State benefits when she notified them of her change in circumstances and found herself facing a demand for ‘overpayment of benefits’.

“I didn’t want to lose my new home and work, it was a terrible worry, and I didn’t want to become ill again, so I contacted the charity who referred me the specialists they retain at Citizens Advice, who helped me with an appeal which is still ongoing.

“I know that I have a lot to offer others now - I am doing something purposeful for others and lots to be grateful for. I’m full of positivity and ambition.

‘The Solicitors’ Charity is somewhere to turn to and ask for help, there’s no judgement from them – it’s a place of comfort and support and I’d encourage any other solicitors in difficulty to contact them.

“I now know the value of hope, rather than facing a bleak future. The charity helps in so many ways, but just to have someone listening to you is very healing.”

One of the clients helped by The Solicitors’ Charity was London property conveyancer ‘Dan’ (not his real name) who contacted the charity when he hit his lowest point – with no job, in debt and a family fallout which had left him homeless.

Can your firm help The Solicitors’ Charity make a positive difference? We appeal to law firms to step up and partner with us in creating a happier, healthier, and more supported profession. You can make a difference and help solicitors like Jada. visit thesolicitorscharity.org 

Name changed to protect identity

‘To have someone listening to you is very healing’

X-Press Legal Services launches new industry publication

XPress Legal Services has launched a new industry publication for conveyancing professionals. Compl:ex is an in-depth compliance briefing, with informative articles written by leading industry experts. Combining topical subjects with pertinent opinions the free publication is set to become an indispensable resource for conveyancing professionals.

“We are delighted to have delivered this new publication to the conveyancing sector,” commented Charlie Allen, owner of X-Press Legal Services Hampshire. “Partnering with law firms and conveyancers across England and Wales we have a unique insight into the legal sector and over recent years have witnessed the rise of compliance and the impact it is having on conveyancing. The SRA recently handed out a penalty of £20,000 to a law firm for failing to have AML policies, training and systems in place. This is its largest fine since raising the threshold from £2,000 to £25,000 last year and demonstrates just how serious the consequences of noncompliance have become.

“Compl:ex enables us to explore in depth all the latest facets of compliance, while also providing thought leadership from leading lights within the sector. We are incredibly proud of the talent contributing to our first edition and would welcome requests from within the industry for hot topics they would like us to address in the future.”

Feature articles within Issue 1 of Compl:ex include navigating funds from China, internal whistleblowing, sanction checks on clients and AML. The publication also contains a fascinating podcast on cyber security for law firms with expert insight from Geoff Coote, CEO of Pro Networks Ltd.

Solicitors and conveyancers can read the first edition of Compl:ex and subscribe to future issues at xpresslegal.co.uk/complex

With locally owned offices throughout England & Wales, X-Press Legal Services is an independent property partner specialising in data and e-conveyancing. It provides a wraparound service including residential & commercial searches, pre & post completion services, cyber security, and compliance products. The company delivers thousands of searches and reports to the conveyancing sector annually and works with over 500 legal practices. 

Local conveyancers are invited to get in touch with Charlie and the X-Press team on:

T: 0330 159 5335

E: CharlieA.1335@xpresslegal.uk www.xpresslegal.co.uk

All your conveyancing needs in one place

genealogy

(n.), ge-ne-al-o-gy

1.

an ancestry or descent record of a person, family, group, etc.

2. 3.

research into the ancestries and histories of families. Fraser and Fraser.

We are Fraser and Fraser, a professional team of genealogists and international probate researchers, dedicated to tracing missing beneficiaries to unclaimed estates worldwide.

With over 90 years of experience, we assist the legal profession with every element of estate administration.

All cases of locating missing beneficiaries are unique so we ensure all bases are covered. Using our expert knowledge and resources we are able to track down missing heirs to unclaimed estates. We believe we can help you.

Speak with us

www.fraserandfraser.co.uk

info@fraserandfraser.co.uk

020 7832 1400

10 ways to support each other in the workplace

We all want to be happy at work and the good news is there are small, simple, everyday things we can do to support each other in the workplace that can make a difference to people’s wellbeing and productivity individually and collectively.

Respect and civility

It doesn’t matter how busy or stressed you are, you should always treat colleagues and juniors with respect, listening, saying please and thank you, sometimes picking up the phone rather than sending emails. Being respectful in the workplace benefits everyone, and the research supports this. Civility is contagious, so if leaders model this behaviour it will filter down to the rest of the organisation resulting in a happier, healthier, more motivated workforce.

Have empathy and be kind

Understand that everyone is dealing with a wide variety of issues at work and at home that you might know nothing about. Ask people how they are feeling, how they are coping with their workload, what you can do to help. When something goes wrong try to find out why in a sensitive way rather than blaming, and forgive people for their mistakes. We all make them. Kindness is contagious, frequent acts of kindness at every level in the workplace will lead to more engaged and connected staff.

Praise and gratitude

Give credit where credit is due, saying ‘well done’ or ‘thank you’ can make all a difference. This will help people feel truly valued and help prevent workplace related anxiety building which can occur when staff aren’t getting positive feedback from their colleagues or managers.

Help others and work as a team

We can all only achieve so much on our own, teamwork is vital to a happy and successful workplace. This might look like volunteering to help with a project if someone seems overwhelmed, offering to show someone how to do something technical, suggesting a five minute brainstorm to a colleague who seems to be at a dead end, or sometimes it might take the form of mentoring or reaching out to build a connection with someone. We all have unique skills that can help others, and it also benefits us to help other people, making us feel valued and giving us a sense of purpose.

Encourage vulnerability

In order to have a workplace that is truly psychologically safe, we need to encourage each other to be vulnerable, to admit when we are struggling, to ask for help, to acknowledge when we have made a mistake. We all need to play a role in facilitating more candid everyday conversations in the workplace.

Manage your email

A lot of problems in the workplace can be traced back to email. Never write anything in an email that you wouldn’t shout across a crowded room. Stop and think before sending an email—avoid the knee jerk reaction, especially when angry, stressed or busy. You might want to send it to yourself or save in draft. When you come back without that strong emotion you might rethink about sending it.

Provide regular catch-ups

In our Life in the Law research into legal workplace wellbeing we discovered that of a wide range of workplace measures available, from private health insurance to mental health training, regular catch-ups or appraisals were reported to be the most helpful. Having these in place helped to bolster confidence in personal development and reduce anxiety. If you are in a management role make these a priority.

Look after yourself

In order to be a productive, supportive and a valued colleague, you need to look after yourself so you can be the best you can be at work. Make sure you get enough sleep, eat well, get outside every day, and get some exercise to stay happy and healthy to take on any challenges at work.

Reach out to someone who is struggling

Noticing if someone seems to be struggling and asking them if they are ok and want to talk may feel difficult but it is not necessary to be an expert in mental health to start a conversation of this nature. It’s important to remember that talking could make all the difference to your colleague’s mental health. Keep your eye out for any changes in someone, from mood to personal appearance, to performance at work – it could be a sign that they need help.

Signpost to further support

Remember that LawCare provides emotional support to all legal professionals. Anyone working in the law can call our confidential helpline on 0800 279 6888, email us at support@lawcare.org.uk or access online chat and other resources at www.lawcare.org.uk 

Keep AI Away from Family Court (and Johnny Cash)

With speculation and prediction gathering pace on the subject of the introduction of Artificial Intelligence into the legal world, Family Law Specialist, Jonathan Whettingsteel checks on the future of his corner of the profession.

If ever there was a warning of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence, it was when I came across an AI generated cover of American Country singer, Johnny Cash, performing the song ‘Barbie Girl’, but it did get me thinking, about what the impact of AI on the legal profession, especially my area of Family Law.

Falling down an online rabbit hole, I learned about the Estonian Ministry of Justice piloting AI software that hears and decides small claims of under €7,000; the world’s ‘first robot lawyer’ called ‘DoNotPay’ that successfully appealed 160,000 of 250,000 (that’s 76%) of parking tickets in London before its second anniversary; and how the Supreme People’s Court in China has been using an AI Judge since 2017.

At the Law and Technology conference in June, Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos supported the use of AI, but only in low level civil cases. When considering Family Law, Sir Geoffrey’s said ‘There are some decisions – like for example intensely personal decisions relating to the welfare of children – that humans are unlikely ever to accept being decided by machines.’

Encouraged by these words, I put the question to my connections on LinkedIn. The results of a poll I created asking if AI should be used to resolve matters involving children or finances, a majority of 71% stated neither, but 24% did feel comfortable with its use in Financial Matters. Though, a far from conclusive is this the sign of things to come. Will we feel comfortable handing low value and purely statistical cases to a robotic judge?

What about the profession? Lawyers in the US with a personal injury case against an airline were recently forced to admit to using ChatGPT when opposing cancels could not find six of the cases cited in his legal brief. It turned out they were fiction. At the disciplinary hearing, the lawyers’ defence was that they were not aware the information from ChatGPT could be false.

In my area of Family Law, AI may have a place analysing financial documents such as bank statements, looking for irregularities or suspicious transactions, or generating financial proposals by undertaking calculations using matrimonial assets, but without empathy, sensitivity and nuance, how can it provide a satisfactory outcome.

I decided to put the question to the accused. I asked ChatGPT ‘Should AI be used to decide family court cases?’ The response was certainly one that sounded very impressive, ‘Deciding family court cases involves complex and sensitive matters that often require consideration of personal circumstances, emotions, and the well-being of individuals involved. While AI can assist in analysing data and providing insights, it should not be solely relied upon to make decisions in family court cases.’

However, ‘…AI can still be used as a supportive tool in family court cases. It can help with tasks such as organizing and analysing relevant data, identifying patterns in past cases, and providing recommendations based on legal principles and guidelines. This can assist Judges in making more informed decisions……’

And you know what? I found it hard to disagree.

People who come to see a family lawyer as often going through highly emotive, distressing personal matters and are in need of calm, gentle and kind reassurance before even getting to their legal situation.

I, myself, have found great reassurance in the unanimous agreement, including from AI itself, that Artificial Intelligence has no business in the Family Court or in the work of music legend, Johnny Cash! 

Partner

Jonathan Whettingsteel

and Head of the Family Law at Dutton Gregory Solicitors

Jonathan Whettingsteel

Image by Tara Winstead on pexels.com and RB, Redferns

Clio Announces Appointment of New General Manager, EMEA in Support of Regional Growth

Clio, the leading legal technology platform, today announced the appointment of Sarah Murphy as the General Manager of EMEA. In this role, Murphy will spearhead strategic growth initiatives and play a crucial role in empowering legal professionals through transformative technology solutions.

“Sarah has had an enormous impact scaling our high-performing teams across the EMEA region in her role as interim general manager” said Ronnie Gurion, Chief Operating Officer at Clio. “She is a dynamic leader who lives and breathes our brand, and I’m confident she will continue to drive success for our customers, business, and teams. Her legaltech expertise will be critical as we continue to drive more value for legal professionals across the EMEA region.”

Since joining Clio in 2021, Sarah has played an integral part of Clio's regional operations, and go to market strategies. She recently led the launch of Clio Payments to the UK market, offering customers built-in payments functionality for seamless and effortless reconciliation of legal payments. Sarah has also driven the expansion of Clio's customer base in the EMEA region to more than 1,000 customers, which, along with new product updates and enhancements, has propelled growth of Clio's market presence substantially in the UK and Ireland. Today, Clio is used in more than 100 countries globally, including many countries throughout EMEA.

Sarah brings over two decades of sales and marketing leadership experience to her role at Clio. Prior to joining Clio, she held several leadership positions at Sky and served as Head of Marketing for both Scurri and Social Talent, gaining valuable SaaS tech industry experience. As General Manager, she will continue to drive customer-focused strategies and explore new opportunities where Clio can have impact.

“Since entering the UK market in 2013, Clio has shown an unwavering commitment to solicitors across the EMEA region with products specifically built to help them run their practices more effectively and efficiently,” said Murphy. “In my time as Interim General Manager, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to build this team to meet the demands of a flourishing legal market. The opportunity to scale our impact has never been greater. I'm looking forward to this next chapter with the support of our wider global leadership.”

As the new GM of EMEA, Sarah will lead the region from its EMEA headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. ■

Sarah Murphy will lead Clio’s EMEA organization as growth accelerates in the region

LEAP streamlines conveyancing matters with adoor partnership

LEAP, the forward-thinking legal practice management software provider, has partnered with home buying and selling ecosystem adoor to provide users with an overview of both the electronic matter held on the LEAP platform, and the progress of the property purchase held in adoor. This enables conveyancing professionals to have instant visibility of key information of the transaction and its progress across the entire chain, all in one place.

The seamless integration allows users to easily send and receive updates to and from their clients, estate agents, conveyancers and mortgage brokers. All updates are completely synchronised to simplify the house-moving experience.

“We’re excited to be partnering with adoor, as the integration enables those practising conveyancing and using our software to provide an even greater experience to their clients,” explains Damien Cartwright, Product Manager at LEAP UK. “The integration will greatly help to streamline the property purchasing process and save all parties involved a significant amount of valuable time.”

The key benefits of the integration include:

Improved tracking – Users can monitor the progress of a matter across the entire chain, bringing clarity and transparency to all parties involved and when a milestone is updated, everyone receives the update automatically.

Useful guides – Providing concise and easy-to-follow mover guides throughout the house-moving process helps to minimise buyer or seller questions and address any concerns. This helps to eliminate the need to call or email, ensuring a smoother experience for all.

Move Planner – adoor’s Move Planner tool helps movers to manage tasks leading up to the move effectively. By enabling movers to remain organised, it reduces the likelihood of issues on completion day.

Existing LEAP users can easily connect adoor to their existing account. To learn more, please visit: https://marketplace.leap. build/apps/adoor-connector-app/.

For more information about LEAP’s software, please visit www.leap.co.uk

About LEAP

LEAP Legal Software has been helping small to mid-sized law firms to become more efficient and profitable globally for more than 25 years. LEAP is committed to consistently providing world-class legal practice productivity solutions and has innovation at the heart of its research and development so that users continually have the best possible experience.

Occupying a unique position in the legal software market, LEAP includes legal case management, legal accounting, document assembly, document management and legal publishing assets in one solution. Its software is designed to streamline tasks such as matter management, time recording document management, email management, automated forms, client accounting, billing, reporting and remote working.

For more information, please visit www.leap.co.uk 

Poppy’s second chance at love

Poppy’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. 

Discover why 1 in 3 SME law firms use LEAP

Unlike many other systems, LEAP is a true cloud solution that provides lawyers with 24/7 access to cutting-edge practice management, legal accounting, legal publishing, and document assembly and management in a single integrated solution.

Find out why over 23,000 legal professionals in the UK and Ireland are using LEAP and make the switch now.