Profile: Ian Quayle of iq Legal Training Ltd

Video calling has been called a blessing and a curse, a potential game-changer for equality in the workplace, and unfortunately even a drain on people’s energy. However, whilst the technology has its challenges for people living with a brain injury, it has helped open up new lines of communication between lawyers and their clients and medical professionals and their patients.

The technology can also be very beneficial for those who feel isolated. “Being able to connect ‘socially’ is very important for many, as part of acceptance and commitment therapy”, Diane Aronson, specialist brain injury counsellor, said. “When threatened, mammals connect with each other and become tribal and yet we are being told to isolate ourselves. During this time video conferencing can provide a sense of soothing and connection”.

Another person who has positive experiences of video conferencing with brain injured individuals is Nicola Cale, a case manager at CCMS. We spoke to her about what she has experienced.

“As coordinator of the Oxford Silverlining [a charity offering support to people with a brain injury and their families], I have been hosting virtual meetings to replace the ones which would otherwise take place at Royds Withy King’s offices”, she said. “This has had an immediate added benefit, in that the monthly meeting has been combined with the group from Bristol’s gathering; expanding the network of attendees who are geographically far apart and giving them that vital opportunity to connect during lockdown.”

How we ’ve changed

This all comes at a time when, as a firm, we’ve launched our new Compensation Protection Unit. Our Compensation Protection Team has over 50 years’ experience between them of managing and safeguarding clients’ compensation as professional deputy/trustee, and we wanted to develop this as a bespoke service for clients.

We don’t do this in isolation - we create a Team Around the Client in partnership with the family and professionals, including the therapists, case manager and Independent Financial Advisor. The (vulnerable) client remains at the heart of this multi-disciplinary team, whose aim it is to administer the compensation so that it optimises the client’s quality of life for his or her lifetime and empowers them to lead as independent a life as possible.

Our combined experience means that we have encountered most of the vicissitudes of life and that expertise has never been more in demand than in the current coronavirus crisis. Our vulnerable clients are not just facing the threat of Covid-19 in respect of their precarious health but the pandemic is creating unprecedented volatility in the stock markets with an adverse impact on investment portfolios. This is not private wealth but damages awarded to clients (who typically cannot work and are dependent on support for every aspect of their daily living) to fund their often challenging needs until their death. The Compensation Protection Unit has been able to respond swiftly to the crisis, enabling clients to self-isolate and to protect their funds, having already appointed specialist independent financial advisors.

The fut ure With everything we’ve learned about how the field of brain injury care and rehabilitation can adapt to massive disruption, we move forward into a whole different world of support. Lawyers, whether it be litigators or professional deputies/ trustees, typically engaged in the early years following the injury, have a responsibility to influence the landscape for people with acquired brain injury by giving them a voice and championing their rights, and those of their families.

In trying to move ahead together with brain injury survivors and their families, we hope to address and learn from the enforced changes (good and bad) at our next Ahead Together Conference in 2021 – looking at the untold stories and issues of identity for individuals with brain injury. Look out for more details of speakers and talks, coming soon!

Tracy Norris-Evans is head of the Personal Injury Department and the Compensation Protection Unit at Royds Withy King.

Profile: Ian Quayle of iq Legal Training Ltd positive.

Ian qualified as a solicitor and worked in private practice for 12 years specialising in property law matters generally including residential conveyancing, development work, commercial leasehold transactions, and property joint ventures.

Since 1998 he worked in house and as a consultant for national house builders and national and international property developers advising on all aspects of property, landlord and tenant, transactional, and management issues.

For the last 16 years Ian has provided training to the legal profession throughout England working for some of the most prominent providers of legal training as well as providing training privately to firms and organisations. This has in the main been provided via in house courses, public courses, Residential Conveyancing Transactions

and conferences. In addition Ian delivers webinars for a number of training providers.

In addition Ian has delivered live and pre-recorded webinars nationally and internationally for both of the leading legal training providers and continues Ian has delivered over 1500 training courses (all property related) for city and regional firms, local law societies, and local authorities. His style and delivery is relaxed but he is able to explain the law and practical issues relating to the training topic in a way that ensures delegates learn or reinforce learning and derive meaningful benefit from the training provided. Feedback is always

Unusually Ian is able to deliver training in both the commercial and residential property fields generating courses on a myriad of topics some of which are of general application and others more specialist and focused.

Ian lives in the North East England with his partner and travels nationally. He has numerous hobbies and pastimes including renovating a 200 year old partly derelict house (a topic for a conveyancing course in its own right !!!)

Webinars 17th September at 11:00 am - Avoiding Negligence and Complaints in to do so.

28th September at 11:00 am - Commercial Property - Searches, Enquiries and Client Inspection