President's Introduction & Officers and Committee Members for 2023-24

Officers

President*

Manesha Ruparel Alexander & Co Solicitors LLP Tel: (01332) 600005 mr@aandco.co.uk

Vice-President*

Oliver Maxwell Nelsons 01332 378696 oliver.maxwell@nelsonslaw.co.uk

Immediate Past President*

Julie Skill, Elliot Mather LLP Chesterfield Tel: 01246 231288; julie.skill@elliotmather.co.uk

Deputy Vice-President* Tina Attenborough Attenborough Law, Derby Tel: 01332 558508 tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Honorary Secretary*

Fiona Apthorpe Geldards LLP, Derby Tel: 01332 378335 Fiona.Apthorpe@geldards.com

(*=Ex-Officio)

Parliamentary Liaison Officer Julie Skill, Elliot Mather LLP Chesterfield Tel: 01246 231288 julie.skill@elliotmather.co.uk

Public Relations Officer (+) Vacant

Derby Junior Lawyers

Alex Needham alexander.needham@geldards. com

John Ellis john.ellis@aandco.co.uk

Laura Matthews laura.matthews@geldards.com

Constituency Council Representative, Derbyshire (+)

Shama Gupta shama.gupta@freeths.co.uk

(+)attendCommitteeby invitation

Other Committee Members

Tina Attenborough tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Andrew Cochrane Flint Bishop, Derby Tel: 01332 340211 andrew.cochrane@flintbishop. co.uk

Diana Copestake Freeth Cartwright LLP Tel: 0845 2725674 diana.copestake@freeths.co.uk

David Hardy Tel: 01332 842008 david.hardy1630@gmail.com

Natalie Haydon-Yeung Geldards LLP 01332 331631 natalie.yeung@geldards.com

Martin Salt martinsalt@johnmlewis.co.uk Tel: 01773 540480

Lucy Tissington lucy.tissington@familylawgroup. co.uk

Della Copley Della.copley@geldards.com

Sue Jennings Tel: (M) 07946 609436 s.jennings@derby.ac.uk

Treasurer* Ben Lawson Elliot Mather LLP Tel: 01246 231288 ben.lawson@elliotmather.co.uk

Claire Rudkin Flint Bishop, Derby Tel: 01332 340211 claire.rudkin@flintbishop.co.uk

Simon Stevens

Eddowes Waldron 01332 348484 sws@ewlaw.co.uk

Chloe Summers chloe.summers@nelsonslaw. co.uk

Solicitors’ Benevolent Assoc. area representative Peter Lord 9 Larkhill, Swanwick DE55 1DD Tel: 01773 541753

Administrator / Bulletin Editor Julia Saunders, 14 Risborrow Close, Etwall, Derby DE65 6HY Tel: 01283 734989 Mobile: 07964 358042 Email: admin@derbylaw.net

Sub-Committees (Secretaryinitalics)

Criminal Litigation Simon Stevens

Andy Cash Felicity Coats felicity.coats@elliotmather.co.uk

Andrew Oldroyd (01332 225225)

Education & Training SueJennings, & all Sub-Committee Secretaries

Employment and Business Law SueJennings

Tina Attenborough tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion ManeshaRuparel mr@aandco.co.uk

Tina Attenborough tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Sue Jennings s.jennings@derby.ac.uk

Natalie Haydon-Yeung natalie.yeung@geldards.com

Family Law

FionaApthorpe

David Guthrie dg@aflp.co.uk

Diana Copestake diana.copestake@freeths.co.uk Fiona Apthorpe Fiona.Apthorpe@geldards.com

Fiona Lazenby fiona.lazenby@knightsplc.com

Julie Skill Julie.Skill@elliotmather.co.uk

Kelly Mower kellym@eglegal.co.uk

Liz Guyler lizguyler@eglegal.co.uk

Lucy Tissington lucy.tissington@familylawgroup. co.uk

Melanie Bridgen melanie.bridgen@nelsonslaw. co.uk

Natalie Haydon-Yeung Natalie.Haydon-Yeung@geldards. com

Nick Herbert nh@aflp.co.uk

Ruth Jones ruth.jones@smithpartnership. co.uk

Sole Practitioners’ Group (SPG) TinaAttenborough

Happy New Year! As I write this article, we are into mid-January already!!!

We received some very sad news towards the end of last year. We lost a number of wellregarded members of our community, Martin Astle formerly of Astle Paterson, Jeremy Copestake of Bradley & Jefferies and Ian Robertson who was a partner for some time at Taylor Simpson & Mosley and also worked in the Commercial sector.

We send our sincerest condolences to their family and friends during this challenging time.

The Law Society has issued a pre-action protocol letter to the UK government challenging its decision-making as unlawful and irrational. They are calling on the Lord Chancellor to withdraw his decision not to increase criminal defence solicitors’ legal aid rates by the recommended bare minimum. We will watch this space with anticipation!

Events

The eagerly awaited Quiz will take place on 9th February 2023 at the Derby Rugby Club. Who is willing to take on the winners of the Quiz last year Wykes O’ Donnell Williams?

The quiz masters Sue Woodall and team have been beavering away in carefully selecting the questions for your enjoyment! We are grateful to Verify 365 - Digital Onboarding Technology for sponsoring this event!

Preparations are in full flow for our Annual

Awards Dinner on 31 March 2023. Tickets are available via Ticket Tailor and Early Bird Tickets are available!! Tables are selling out fast so secure your tickets soon!

I am delighted to announce that nominations for the DDLS awards are now open! I was humbled to be invited to be part of the judging panel for the Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards. The organisation of the panel was amazing, and the number of nominations received in equal measure! It is lovely to celebrate talent amongst colleagues, please do put forward your nomination before the deadline on 28 February 2023.

Thank you to all our sponsors of the awards. The Solicitor of the Year Award is sponsored by Alexander & Co Solicitors LLP, the Junior Lawyer of the Year Award is sponsored by The 36 Group Chambers and OurFamilyWizard are sponsoring the Lifetime achievement Award!

If you wish to sponsor the Annual Awards Dinner or any other events, please get in touch with Julia at admin@debylaw.net. Full details of our sponsorship packages can be found at our website www.derbylaw.net.co.uk

Save the date - our AGM is to be held on 5 May

2023. Although it is some time away, I know our calendars will be fully booked before we know it! We would love for as many members to attend as possible. It is an opportunity for you to meet the committee and provide any feedback! Light refreshments will be available!

Engagements

I am pleased to confirm that I will be attending the University of Derby’s Annual Law School Dinner on 26 January 2023 at the Museum of Making. The event enables University students and members of the legal profession to network and share tips and tricks on a career in law! I look forward to providing you with a report on the event in the next Bulletin!

If you would like to get involved in the Committee or if there is anything that you would like to see our society to do more of, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous 2023 – I am quite excited for the year ahead. Our society is positively modernising and the energy amongst the committee is contagious!

Manesha Ruparel President, 2022-23