D&DLS Bulletin 113 - June/July 2024 by EPC Studio

D&DLS Bulletin

Derby & District Law Society June / July 2024

Editorial

Thank you to Oliver Maxwell who has had a great year as President of DDLS and please welcome Tina Attenborough, Lucy Tissington and Rachel Maxwell who become your President, Vice President and Deputy Vice President in turn for 2024-25. The AGM was well attended and huge thanks to Flint Bishop for letting us borrow their beautiful offices for the occasion. We were pleased to hear from Jodie and Kavita from our new Gold Patron, Oberoi Business Hub. More about them on page 9. We also heard from Liz at SV2 which is the President’s charity this year. Please see page 18 for more details about this amazing local charity.

The various reports presented at the AGM can be read in this issue. I am now getting on with contacting firms to collect subscriptions on the new scheme of an amount per firm depending on the number of partners (or equivalent) but then all fee earners become members of DDLS. I am pleased to say that most firms are embracing this and the membership list is looking very healthy. If you are reading this and your firm are not members of DDLS please e-mail me and I will be happy to help.

You will see on page 12 and 13 that the medics were again successful in the Coleman Cup in May. We are trying to build more interest in the competition and also provide another golfing opportunity by organising a charity golf day at Breadsall Priory on 5th September. The price is £75 each to include golf, prizes and a meal. Feel free to bring colleagues or clients. The more the merrier.

I am grateful to Derby Junior Lawyers who have taken the lead in organising the Summer Soiree and the Legal Walk both of which you will be able to read about in the next edition. As the DDLS committee of the future it is safe to say that there are exciting times ahead.

As always please let me know of any courses you would like to have put on. We will have two family law updates coming up in the Autumn.

If you have not already done so please find DDLS on LinkedIn to stay up to date with announcements and news.

I hope to see you at an event soon.

Take care.

Julia

Saunders admin@derbylaw.net 01283 734989

Officers and Committee Members for 2024-25

Officers

President*

Tina Attenborough Attenborough Law, Derby Tel: 01332 558508 tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Vice-President*

Lucy Tissington lucy.tissington@familylawgroup. co.uk

Immediate Past President* Oliver Maxwell Eversheds Sutherland 01332 378696 o.j.z.maxwell@gmail.com

Deputy Vice-President*

Rachel Maxwell rachel.maxwell@nelsonslaw.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

John Ellis john.ellis@aandco.co.uk

Laura Matthews laura.matthews@geldards.com

Amelia Sutcliffe amelia.sutcliffe@ smithpartnership.co.uk

Constituency Council Representative, Derbyshire (+) Shama Gupta shama.gupta@freeths.co.uk

(+)attendCommitteebyinvitation

Other Committee Members

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

Tina Attenborough tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Felicity Coats felicity.coats@elliotmather.co.uk

Diana Copestake

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

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

Martin Salt martins@simpsonjones.co.uk Tel: 01773 540480

Claire Twells claire.twells@smithpartnership. co.uk

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

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 SimonStevens

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

Family Law FionaApthorpe

David Guthrie dg@aflp.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

Manesha Ruparel MR@AandCo.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 tina@attenboroughlaw.co.uk

Last updated 05.06.24

President’s AGM Speech

Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you again, as Ollie says, for attending, it must be the best turn out for a D&DL Society AGM, ever!

So, I’d like to start by saying a huge and respectful thank you to Ollie for his warm welcome to the post, and to him, as our outgoing President, who as you have just heard, despite some challenging health issues has done an amazing job as President this year, and I do mean ‘Amazing’!

• Raising over £2500 for his charity, Enthusiasm – Amazing!

• Initiating a new and successful lunchtime Networking event – Tapas Thursday (at Lorentes in the Mills) – Amazing!

• His role in the advancement of our 5 year plan to modernise the membership structure – is also truly Amazing !

Modernising our membership structure was initially discussed during Manesha’s year, it was painstakingly honed during Ollie’s year and is now ready to be implemented, but only thanks to Ollie’s efforts and sheer hard work, so hopefully, as a society, we can now look forward to reaping all the benefits of a substantial increase in the membership numbers, this coming year and beyond!

Ollie’s motivation, enthusiasm, and support for the society during this last year was unwavering, even attending the last committee meeting from his hospital bed, I can say with certainty that should I need to go into hospital for any reason, I will not be following suit, so for that reason alone, he will be a tough act to follow!

Thankfully, we have the benefit of an equally motivated, enthusiastic, and supportive

Administrator, without whom we could not operate as well as we do, so, (along with the Exec Team) I am truly grateful to have Julia’s kind, calm and supportive arm to help me through the coming year.

As Ollie, and Manesha before him, have made some huge gains in offering greater value to the members during their presidential years, I hope to continue with that theme and whilst president, amongst other things, aim to find a way of increasing the benefits for more of the in house, NFP and commercial lawyers to engage with the society.

However, as any past president knows the year goes by so quickly, so whilst all of my plans may not be completely implemented during this coming year, in the same way that Manesha continues with her Diversity, Equality and Inclusion sub-committee, (which supports one of the National objectives) and Ollie will continue with his support of the Networking events, I too, will continue to offer support post-presidency and make a commitment here, to do that.

And so, to the constitution, and by way of a re-cap our objectives are: -

1. To promote the growth of the legal profession and its reputation.

2. To encourage legal education.

3. To facilitate communication between the local legal profession, the national law society (its aims and obligations) other organisations and government.

So, with that in mind, in addition to supporting International Women’s Day this year, (which covers community) I also hope to promote a greater engagement with local business, local government and the ‘Not For Profit’ Legal Service Providers, to encourage communication, growth and engagement, for all lawyers.

One of the ways I propose to do this is by reigniting the Employment and Business sub-committee, by using it to offer updates and a support network to in-house and NFP lawyers, but as I said, what is unachievable during the coming year ahead, I aim to continue with post Presidency.

So, how lucky am I… what a year to be given the honour of being President of the Derby and District Law Society!

2024 - the year that Derby County FC move

back into the Championship league allowing us all to dream (again) that the Premier Division could be just around the corner.. ��

But back to business and in line with my plan to increase the engagement with local government, I read that Baggy Shanker (Leader of the DCC) said in a recent press release, “that The Olympic Games may be taking place in Paris this year, but he believes that 2025 is set to be Derby’s “Olympic year” – predicting that many of the planned developments they have in hand, will enhance the city centre, bringing more footfall and vibrancy to the city!

In summary, he said;

• Currently under construction, (by Derby’s own Bowmer + Kirkland) is a 3,500-capacity performance venue, at Becketwell,. The £45 million building is due to be completed and handed over in the first quarter of 2025.

• The venue is due to host over 200 cultural and commercial events each year and expected to attract an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby, create over 200 new local jobs, and increase levels of investment in surrounding areas of the city.

• Then we have the old Assembly Rooms site. It has been announced that a partnership organisation will work with the council and the local community to develop initial plans for a revitalised ‘cultural quarter’, to include a new cultural, commercial, and creative public space, on that site.

• On the other side of the Market Place, work has started on transforming the Market Hall, due to reopen in spring 2025. The Market Hall, is to undergo a £35 million revamp which aims to offer a mix of traditional and themed stalls, all of which sounds fantastic.

• We are also promised a scheme known as the “Eastern Gateway”, which aims to improve the eastern side of the City Centre.

• And last but not least, the City Council have received £20 million of Levelling Up cash originally earmarked for the former Assembly Rooms but has been redirected to revamp Derby Theatre (the Playhouse to you and me) and the Guildhall Theatre. The investment has been divided equally between the two venues.

So, it would seem that with £100 million pounds worth of investment, we finally have a

Tina Attenborough

serious and what appears to be, an achievable plan to improve our City, which should really put Derby on the map and hopefully, based on those promises, by May 2025, Derby should indeed look and feel like a gold medallist on the East Midlands landscape.

And with the appointment of Claire Ward into the new EM Mayor role, this week, a requirement to access a share of £1.14 billion – in a devolution deal for the region, covering Derby/Derbyshire and Nottingham/Nottinghamshire, let’s hope as former Justice Minister, she knows how to divvy up fairly and justly, between the two counties!

But what has all that got to do with the Derby and District Law Society, hopefully it speaks for itself, riding on the crest of

Derby’s successes, should take us and our local business community along with it and everything that is good about our great, but humble city.

I, for one, can’t wait to experience a more vibrant and cosmopolitan City but what I would like to see in this process is the utilisation of Derby’s top class legal market involved in all these fantastic developments, to get the detail over the line, on time, and to budget!

Before I conclude I would like to thank and welcome Kavita and Jodie from Oberoi Business Hub into the fold as our Gold Patrons and Liza Freeman from SV2, (formerly Rape Crisis) that will be the President’s Chairty this year, I’m look forward to hearing both short presentations.

Outgoing President’s Address

Let tell you a story. Or, more accurately, a part of a story. A chapter, if you will. This is chapter 137, and it is moments away from reaching its conclusion. The story will continue with chapter 138. Tina will be responsible for the inspiration and ideas behind that chapter, and I am sure that she, like me, will continue to enjoy the support of those present here today and, indeed, the membership at large whilst carrying those ideas into effect.

Every presidential year involves a story. And together this year, we have celebrated many successes. We have finally overhauled our outdated membership structure. We have seen the newly-formed property sub-committee run some fantastic collaborative events. The equality and diversity sub-committee continues to go from strength to strength. We have grown in size by welcoming new members and, importantly, ended the financial year with more money in the bank account than when we started. Julia’s passion for our LinkedIn account continues to bear fruit, with the DDLS profile now having an impressive 1,386 followers. In addition to breaking bread together over tapas during our hugely successful Tapas Thursday events, we’ve also added a new Diwali curry

night to our annual social calendar. We have continued to collaborate with our incredible Derby Junior Lawyers, with more joint events planned in the near future and beyond. We have grown even closer to our regional neighbours, and in particular to the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire law societies. And speaking of Nottinghamshire, we have this year (much, I am sure, to their dismay) regained custody of the “Battle of the A52” cricket shield. We’ve delivered some well-attended training sessions and continued our collaboration with the Derby Law School during both the school debating and university skills triathlon competitions. We’ve built some strong relationships with local businesses, some of whom have been kind enough to sponsor our events. And one, in particular, has been welcomed as our next Gold Patron. I will, however, let Tina tell you more about how that story plays out in chapter 138.

And then we had the awards dinner. Despite a slightly smaller turnout than we had hoped, and the somewhat tardy loss of our headline sponsor in the run up to the event, we were lucky enough to obtain sponsorship for all of the planned award categories, as well as sponsorship for the welcome drinks. Any reservations about the choice of entertainment (of which I am told there were a few), were I am sure dispelled from the moment the first notes were played. Whilst the night itself made a small loss, I think it was

But finally, a bit of nostalgia, as the 138th President, sadly I’m old enough to remember the 100th Anniversary back in 1986. It was roughly a year after joining Robinsons Solicitors and the year I got married, so I would like to say how honoured and excited I am about offering my service to the Derby and District Law Society, some 38 years on, as president in this forthcoming year.

Once again, thanks to Ollie and the committee members for all their efforts and support of the society last year and it will be my privilege to keep the momentum going to ensure that our society continues to grow with a bright and prosperous future, all in alignment with our shiny new and vibrant city.

Tina Attenborough President, 2024-25

an incredible success overall and the feedback that I have had has been excellent. Together, we celebrated the achievements of both the winners and the runners up, as well as raising a phenomenal sum for our charity of the year. Overall, we have raised an incredible £2,848.00 for the Enthusiasm Trust, and I wish to convey my sincere thanks to all of you for helping us to achieve that fantastic figure.

So, that was chapter 137, and the time has now come for Tina to start chapter 138. I think that the “palpable buzz” that I mentioned in my incoming speech survived my tenure as president and that the society continues to head in the right direction. And do you remember the planting of the trees that I also referred to, they continue to grow and thrive and, in the fullness of time, I am sure will shade us all. The future is bright. The future is the Derby and District Law Society.

Tina, I wish you all the very best for your year. You will, like Manesha before me, enjoy huge success I am sure. I shall continue to offer you my support as the society’s immediate past president but, for now, I must bid you all farewell as your 137th president.

Thank you.

Oliver Maxwell President, 2023-24

Oberoi Business Hub Pledges Support For DDLS

Oberoi Business Hub has further cemented its relationship with the city’s law profession by becoming a gold sponsor of Derby and District Law Society (DDLS).

The business hub, based in Pride

Park, provides a wide range of serviced office accommodation and business support services to start ups, SMEs professional services and larger companies alike – including local law firms.

Founder and CEO Kavita Oberoi OBE explained: “We have had a long association with local law firms. We provide call handling

represents lawyers at all stages in their career with a wide range of training, events, networking and lobbying.”

Oberoi Business Hub manager Jodie Brady added: “We look forward to working alongside the society in their busy programme of events and particularly to contribute to their events which showcase the emerging talents of young lawyers across the city and county.”

DDLS president, employment solicitor Tina Attenborough , concluded: “A key goal for me during my year as president will be to further cement relationships across the city and to particularly highlight the importance of this profession in the economic and social wellbeing of Derby and the surrounding area.

services for several firms with others utilising meeting and training space at the Hub and most recently a law firm has acquired a serviced office at the Hub.

“It was therefore natural for us to further cement our relationship with the legal profession by support DDLS and the important work that it does to support and

“Forging links with companies such as Oberoi Business Hub who provide valuable support services to businesses and legal firms of all sizes is therefore a perfect fit and we are delighted to welcome them on board as a gold sponsor.”

https://www.oberoibusinesshub. co.uk/ ; https://www.derbylaw.net/

Family Law Sub Committee Annual Report for the AGM 8th May 2024

Sub Committee Members

Fiona Apthorpe (Secretary), Melanie Bridgen, Diana Copestake, David Guthrie, Liz Guyler, Natalie Haydon-Yeung, Nick Herbert , Ruth Jones, Ben Lawson Fiona Lazenby, Kelly Mower, Manesha Ruparel, Julie Skill, Lucy Tissington

This is the 25th Annual Report for the Derby & District Law Society Family Law Sub Committee which was set up in May 1998.

The Committee is Chaired by Fiona Apthorpe

The Committee’s remit is to identify and monitor all recent developments in family law, to discuss such developments and agree on their implications both for the profession as a whole (e.g. consultation papers) and at a local level as appropriate and report both in writing

and verbally to the Standing/Full Committee as appropriate on our findings and to the wider membership by the Bulletin. Also to develop and implement initiatives aimed at keeping members up to date with the implications of such changes, to consider the potential impact of such developments upon the general public and to identify opportunities for initiatives/activities aimed at the general public and to discuss, develop, plan and implement any opportunities for gaining positive and/or educational publicity for the Society generally.

There have been a number of developments in the family law field over the course of the last year, quite apart from ever present listing issues and the impact on access to justice for vulnerable members of society.

The Committee works hard to represent the interests of local family practitioners and to disseminate information to our members.

Membership

The Committee represents a wide cross

From left Kavita Oberoi, Tina Attenborough and Jodie Brady

section of family law practitioners and we have representatives specialising in all areas of family law, including childcare and family mediation/ collaborative law.

There is a committed core of the Committee who attend regularly. The Committee continues to welcome new members and also particularly those from outside the city and from Chesterfield and Burton.

Meetings

The Committee aims to meet as and when necessary but a minimum of four times per year.

Local Courts

The Committee is represented on the Derby County Court Professional Court User Group and the Local Family Justice Board. These meetings provide a useful forum for discussions on a number of issues of importance to family practitioners and enable the Court to give helpful feedback and guidance on practical issues.

If members would like to raise any issues with these groups then they are obviously welcome to attend the meetings direct or alternatively they can contact Fiona as Secretary or a local member of the Committee who would be happy to raise issues on their behalf.

The Family Committee have an excellent working relationship with the local Courts and issues which we have raised from time to time have been swiftly addressed. The relationship has been facilitated by the local Judges and the Court Managers.

We regularly disseminate information from the Courts via our database (see below) to local members of the profession. The Committee also recently organised a meeting with our local District Judges to discuss issues of mutual interest. This has led to a dialogue over issues such as listing.

The Committee has previously organised very successful meetings with the local judiciary in the past and a further meeting is planned for this year.

Database

The Committee has a contact database of local family practitioners. This has enabled us to email to all members copies of the Committee minutes promptly and to quickly disseminate and circulate information received from third parties e.g. the Court/CAFCASS.

If any member of your firm’s family department would like to join the database, please ask them to contact Fiona Apthorpe at fiona.apthorpe@ geldards.com

Local Family Justice Board

Our former designated Family Judge, HHJ Judge Orrell, was requested by the President of the Family Division of the High Court to recruit members to form a Local Family Justice Council to serve the users of the Derby care area, which covers Derby, Derbyshire and South East Staffordshire. The inaugural meeting of the LFJC took place on 20th December 2005. Fiona was initially asked to attend as a representative of the Derby & District Law Society and other family practitioners, including Committee members, regularly attend Council meetings. The intention was that the LFJC would be an inter disciplinary body whose essential functions would be to promote inter disciplinary working within the local family justice system, to participate in the mutual exchange of information with the National Family Justice Council, to work to secure improvement in the local family justice system and to promote inter disciplinary development. Meetings were attended by representatives of the Bench, Local Authorities, Solicitors, Counsel, the University of Derby, the Police, the Legal Services Commission, Action for Children, CAFCASS and the Adoption Services.

In due course the Local Family Justice Council evolved into the Local Family Justice Board which was set up to bring together the functions previously carried out by Local Performance Improvement Groups and Local Family Justice Councils. The Board is very active locally in organising meetings, agendas and informative presentations by and for the local profession.

If anyone has any issues which they would like raising on the LFJB they should contact a member of the Committee.

CAFCASS

The Committee have facilitated an open exchange of news and dialogue with CAFCASS enabling members of the profession locally to be kept up to date with developments and initiatives. Representatives from Derby CAFCASS have attended Committee meetings in the past and if members have any issues which they would want raising with CAFCASS they should contact Fiona or a member of the Committee.

Issues Raised

Over the course of the last year the Committee has dealt with a number of issues and proactively

put forward the concerns of its members to various authorities, particular issues this year being listing and court delays generally.

There have been a number of other issues which have proactively raised during the course of the year including listing problems at the Family Court, difficulties in contacting the court, remote hearings, McKenzie Friends, the new ADR rules and developments in children law.

Education and Training

In the current economic climate many firms are cutting back on training which obviously makes it all the more important to organise local courses of interest to family practitioners where these can be provided by the Society either free or at a modest charge.

The Committee have been active in suggesting and facilitating local courses of interest to family practitioners which have been well attended and if members have any suggestions for courses they should contact a member of the Committee or our new Administrator Julia Saunders so this can be actioned.

Conclusion

The Family Committee have continued to proactively represent members over the last 12 months.

All issues raised by any member are included on our agenda and discussed at regular Committee meetings. These are followed up by formal reports to Full Committee which reports are now copied direct to all members via our database. Summaries or copies of the full minutes also appear in the Bulletin. We are happy to make representations on behalf of the profession on issues of interest to family practitioners and if anybody has anything that they would wish to raise or indeed if they would like to join the Committee then they should contact either Fiona or another Committee member.

The remaining meetings as scheduled for 2024 are:

TBC

All meetings are currently being held remotely by Teams, otherwise held at Geldards’ Derby Office, at 4.00pm.

Fiona M. K. Apthorpe (Secretary)

Regional Corporate Heavyweight Joins

Rothera Bray’s Derby Office

Rothera Bray, a leading East Midlands firm, strengthens its team with the addition of David Kaplan, a renowned corporate lawyer. Recognized as a Legal 500 Leading Individual, David brings nearly three decades of experience, specializing in M&A, private equity, and banking and finance. With a focus on manufacturing, IT,

aerospace, and healthcare, he has advised a diverse range of clients, including ownermanaged businesses, overseas entities, listed companies, and multinational conglomerates.

David will lead Rothera Bray’s corporate efforts in Derby, enhancing the office’s profile

and services. His appointment ensures a corporate partner in each of the firm’s three city offices, marking a significant milestone for Rothera Bray.

David’s arrival is part of the firm’s strategic plan to expand its service offerings, reinforcing its position as a leading legal firm in the region. Commenting on his appointment, “I am excited to join such an innovative practice and am looking forward to working with my fellow corporate partners in developing further Rothera Bray’s corporate offering in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester, whilst at the same time increasing the reach of Rothera Bray’s other legal services in the Derby marketplace.”

Christina Yardley, CEO at Rothera Bray, highlighted the importance of David’s addition, stating, “His wealth of experience and expertise will be invaluable as we expand our corporate offerings in Derby and beyond. We are thrilled to welcome David to the Rothera Bray family”.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee Annual Report 2024

Secretary:

Manesha Ruparel

(Alexander & Co Solicitors LLP)

Members:

Joel Klaff (University of Derby)

Monica Guram (Nelsons)

Nosheen Tassadiq (Flint Bishop)

Sue Jennings (University of Derby) Tina Attenborough (Attenborough Law Limited)

2023-2024 has flown by, I am pleased to share the DDLS’ Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee’s second Annual Report.

Our aim is to build a positive, supportive, and inclusive culture where everyone is treated fairly, feel comfortable to be themselves and to get involved with our society, whether this is to join the main committee, or generally for both our members and future legal generations.

We have met as a committee regularly this year, recently on a monthly basis, where we continue to discuss research and a strategy to achieve our purpose.

The purpose of the committee and the reasons for forming it are:

• To become a more inclusive and diverse society to reflect and represent members of the legal profession.

• There are a number of groups that are underrepresented in our current Law Society which we need to explore further to determine the reasons for the same.

• To share positive experiences to present role models for future generations of prospective legal professionals.

We are working closely with the University of Derby Law School. A questionnaire has been shared with our members and those at the University of Derby, responses have been received and the data is being collated to provide a report and to set out our strategy. We have received some interesting and thought provoking responses, and we are grateful to all those that took the time out to complete the questionnaire, their responses have been invaluable in forming our roadmap. We will keep the questionnaire open to enable any others that wish to provide responses and

we will continue to consider any responses and adapt our development plans accordingly. We will also be sharing our data captured with our local courts to enable collaboration in improving DEI for all those involved in Legal Services in the area.

We are on track in achieving our set aims, a draft strategy is in place, and it will focus on progressing our DEI to make us more inclusive and to reflect the diverse community that we live in. Keep an eye out for articles and DEI events!

We have continued to meet with other established DEI sub committees around the country to share ideas and thoughts to progress our roadmap.

If any members wish to be involved in this committee or any of our events, please contact Manesha Ruparel by email MR@ AandCo.co.uk

Manesha Ruparel Secretary

David Kaplan, left, Tim Gladdle, middle, and Toby Preston, right

Derby Junior Law Society Report 2023-2024

Members:

President: John Ellis

Vice-President: Laura Matthews

Deputy Vice-President: Amelia Sutcliffe

Committee Members: Katie Morris, Beth Hodgkins, Catriona Smedley, Sophie Haywood, Sarah Jackson, Henna Aiten, George Ottewell, Jessica Silvers, Megan Atkins.

This year we have built on the successful foundations laid last year since the DJL was reformed. The membership base has grown steadily, and both the quality and frequency of our events has improved also. It is a marked sign of the DJL’s achievement that our largest events – the Summer Soiree, Legal Walk and Winter Party – have now become permanent fixtures in everyone’s calendar.

Our Committee is a diverse one, from a range firms in Derby, which further illustrates the strong membership base on which our foundations are built. It has presented new opportunities to broaden our network and sponsorship potential, and enhanced our ability to give back to our community through

charitable donations or events for our two charities, the YMCA and Derby County Community Trust.

We are delighted that our relationship with the DDLS has continued to grow from strength to strength. From initially relying on their support to now being able to promote self-funded events, speaks volumes about the level of support the Society has shown us over the last year. Moreover, we are grateful for our ability to present events, such as the Winter Party, in conjunction with the DDLS, and it is further illustrative of the support structure and positive relationship we have, and continue to foster, with the DDLS.

We would implore the member firms of the DDLS to keep supporting us, and to keep encouraging your young professionals to become members and make the most of the range of events and support we provide for them.

This year, we have already had a range of new events, with bigger and better plans in the pipeline. Thanks to our increased membership base, we are in a financial position to provide more frequent informal events, free of charge to our members, as a way to give back for the time and money they put in over the year through their membership fees. These events provide an excellent opportunity to break the ice with our new members, and ensure the DJL is the welcoming and open Society that we intended it to be.

In terms of other upcoming events, the big ones for everyone’s diaries are the Summer Soiree (this year at Amalfi White on Friday 28 June 2024), and the Winter Party (date &

Coleman Cup 2024

A change of scenery this year to the challenging course at Hollinwell GC. Happily all three professions – lawyers, medics and clerics were once again represented. Sadly, once again the medics were victorious. A great and social afternoon of golf was enjoyed followed by a meal. Well done and thank you to all the lawyers ( Jason Skelton Tina Attenborough, Tim Jones, David Hardy, Stuart Taphouse, Dan Cutts, Rod Sinclair David Clark and honorary lawyers Graeme Makepeace and Glenn Attenborough) medics and clerics who took part. Thank you to Hollinwell Golf Club for hosting.

We are holding our first DDLS Charity Golf Day at Breadsall GC on Thursday 5th September (see advert for details) to encourage more golfers to take part in this prestigious event which has been played since the 1930’s.

venue TBC). Both events promise to be wellattended, good-spirited affairs, presenting a fantastic opportunity for members of both the DJL and the DDLS to network in an informal and welcoming environment. As ever, these events are an open invitation to all, so please do come along, and encourage your friends and colleagues (inside and outside of the legal sector) to attend what promise to be two great events.

Moving onto the year ahead, we are investing a lot of our time into increasing our membership base. We have a good general annual structure of events in place (Legal Walk, Summer Soiree, Winter Party), which means we can promise our members a consistent stream of events. This consistency was one of our goals over the last 2-3 years. Now we have this, we can focus on streamlining our membership onboarding system, and pushing for as broad a membership base, across as many firms in the Derbyshire area, as possible. As ever, any assistance in respect of contacts from our colleagues at the DJL would be gratefully appreciated.

We are extremely grateful for the DDLS’ support this year, and look forward to the what the future has in store.

Should anyone have any questions about the Derby Junior Law Society, our upcoming events, or are interested in becoming a member, please contact derbyjuniorlawyers@ outlook.com. Alternatively, please contact our President John Ellis at john.ellis@ smithpartnership.co.uk, who will also be happy to assist.

Derby Junior Law Society

Situations Vacant

Vacancy – Business & Marketing Manager

St. Mary’s Chambers is one of the very few specialist Family Law Chambers outside of London. Chambers is based in the historic Lace Market area of Nottingham from where nearly 40 barristers practice in all areas of family law across the East Midlands region and beyond. Members of Chambers are regularly recommended in the Chambers Guide to the UK Bar and the Legal 500.

• Managing Chambers website updates, social media channels & legal directory submissions.

We are seeking to recruit a Business & Marketing Manager to work closely with the Senior Clerk on the management of the Business & Marketing functions of Chambers. This is an exciting role with scope for further development and progression within Chambers.

The role in brief includes:

• Managing all of Chambers marketing activities in conjunction with the Senior Clerk, Joint Heads of Chambers & Practice Heads. This includes event planning for three annual conferences for Chambers’ core practice areas as well as arranging in-house training for our professional clients.

• To assist the Senior Clerk with growing the value of Chambers’ services, by maintaining existing client relationships and seeking new opportunities.

• Actively working with individual barristers to help them with raising their profile and encouraging them to engage with Chambers marketing activities.

• Representing Chambers at networking, training, and social events with the purpose of raising the profile of Chambers.

• Creating and managing digital assets in line with Chambers branding guidelines.

• Working with the Senior Clerk, Joint Heads of Chambers and other senior staff to implement Chambers strategy.

• Assisting the Senior Clerk to ensure that Chambers and its barristers comply with all relevant legislation and regulation, including: Employment Law, Health and Safety, Data Protection, Equality and Diversity; and Bar Standards Board requirements.

• Assisting the Senior Clerk with managing the premises and to ensure it remains a clean, safe and secure environment for those that work and visit.

• Assisting the Diary Clerking team and/or Finance team when required with recurring and ad-hoc tasks.

The following experience, knowledge and skills are preferred:

Residential Conveyancer Required

• Project management & marketing experience.

• 5+ years’ experience of working in a barristers’ Chambers, or other legal administration experience.

• Strong business management & organisational skills.

• Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing.

• Good IT skills including good knowledge of Excel & PowerPoint and ability to use databases effectively.

• Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative.

Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 dependant upon experience.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week. Start and finish times may vary but will normally be within 9-00am until 6-00pm Monday to Friday. Out of hours work will be necessary on occasion.

Location: Nottingham (office based).

Start date: As soon as possible.

Please apply with a c.v. and covering letter by email to Senior Clerk, Tim Smith: tim@ stmarysfamily.co.uk

The closing date for applications is 28 June 2024 by 5-30pm

Charles Newton & Co Solicitors are an expanding, well-established and respected family run practice with two offices, at Eastwood and Ilkeston with CQS.

We are currently recruiting an experienced Conveyancing Solicitor (or Legal Executive or Licensed Conveyancer, or experienced paralegal conveyancer) to join our busy residential conveyancing department to work full time with our friendly supportive team.

Skills and Responsibilities;

We are looking for an experienced Residential Conveyancing Solicitor or Legal Executive or Licensed Conveyancer with minimum 3 years PQE

You must be able to handle a caseload of Residential Conveyancing files from inception through to completion

Your transactions will be varied and include:

• Sales and purchases

• Freehold, Leasehold, Registered and Unregistered property

• Keeping regular contact with Clients

• Remortgages

• Leasehold

• Newbuilds

• Transfer of Equity

- Ability to prioritise

- Have excellent client service/care skills

- Have excellent communication,

- organisational and IT skills

The firm can provide a full caseload of work

from its own inhouse Estate Agency and prides itself on repeat clients who come back time and time again due to their reputation.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a dedicated Residential Conveyancing Solicitor to join a firm that will offer real career progression, a friendly and focussed working environment and an excellent remuneration package.

There will be plenty of opportunity for progression in the future with both promotions and salary reviews as your experience and knowledge grows.

Please email with full CV to Charles Newton: info@charlesnewton.co.uk

Firm in Focus: Alexander & Co

Alexander & Co Solicitors LLP has been a respected Derby law firm for many years providing ‘Local Law for Life’.

We are a knowledgeable, pleasant and growing firm. Our focus is not only on providing top quality advice to our clients but also supporting the career aspirations of our colleagues and we are currently looking to expand our team.

Our Head Office is based in a beautiful large Georgian building on Friar Gate in Derby. In recent years the firm has expanded significantly and opened an office in Alvaston in 2020 and in Loughborough in 2022 alongside our offices in Friar Gate and Spondon, demonstrating our ambition to grow the availability of our services within local areas and communities, in line with our ethos “Local Law For Life.”

We are proud to have been accredited with the Law Society’s Lexcel quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management along with the WIQs and CQS accreditations.

The professional and courteous service our team provides for our clients ensures them

the highest level of client care. We are always available to help and guide clients in whatever their legal requirements are as we understand how complex legal matters can be and we believe reassurance is best provided in person. We have experts to help in the drafting and executing of wills and to assist in the process of making a power of attorney and we will act as probate solicitors. Partner Tim DysterreClark heads this team having specialised in this area of law throughout his legal career.

‘The process was handled efficiently and, importantly to my family, with both sensitivity and empathy.’

Our Litigation team can provide advice and support with disputes, personal injury claims and settlement agreements.

Our Property team deal with residential and commercial property transactions and have built excellent relationships with local estate agents. They can also advise and assist residential landlords and tenants regarding leases or tenancy agreements. Katie Basey, one of the partners at A & Co, specialises in commercial and residential property services for individuals and businesses. Katie joined the firm as a trainee in 2004 and qualified as a solicitor in 2006 after gaining her legal practising certificate from the College of law in Birmingham.

‘This was the first time I sold my property and Alexander & Co did a fantastic job in informing me about the entire process, kept me in the

loop of all communications and helped with any queries. I would highly recommend the team and would use them again in the future.’

Our Family Law team have expertise in divorce and separation, same sex marriage and civil partnerships, finances on separation, children, cohabitation, pre and post nuptial agreements and domestic abuse.

‘Manesha has literally put my life back on track. If you need a family solicitor do not look further than Manesha. Thank you for the advice, support and more importantly that human touch. Thank you. Every time I see my kids toys it remind me of you and your advice. Thank you.’

Please follow us on our social media pages to get up to date information and news from us. www.AandCo.co.uk

Invitation to event on 24th July on behalf of Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre

The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, would like to invite you to attend our ‘Legacies and Wills’ event at Great Northern Classics in Derby, on Wednesday 24th July from 5pm to 6.30pm at Great Northern Classics (274-278 Osmaston Road, Derby DE24 8AE)

Now more than ever, gifts from legacies and wills are crucial for us to continue to send children on holiday. Please come along to our event to support us and find out more about how we can work together for the benefit of all Derbyshire children in need.

During the event, we will hear more about the work that we do from our Chairman Alan Grimadell, and there will be a chance to have a look around Great Northern Classics and chat to Mike Copestake one of the Directors there, who is also one of our Trustees. A glass of fizz and canapes will await you on your arrival. Parking is available on site.

Please RSVP by no later than Friday 12th July to info@dchc.org.uk to let us know who is attending. Please also include any dietary or access requirements.

We look forward to seeing you on the 24th. Again, we thank you for your support and helping us succeed in our valuable work.

Since our charity was founded in 1891, bequests and legacies have provided us with significant, valuable funding. Without these funds we simply would not be able to offer the life-changing opportunities that our holidays have provided for so many children.

Take Lee Jepson for example. You may have seen his story featured recently in the Derbyshire Times. He visited the centre during a challenging period in his childhood, and he would not have had a holiday without our help. Lee is now a successful business owner in Derby, with over 60 employees. He volunteers for local charities and is an advocate for our charity, speaking passionately about the impact the holiday had on him,

This is just one example of the long term and very real impact that our holidays have for children in need throughout Derby and Derbyshire. We could share countless more stories like theirs.

We know that our work is vital to help to give children the break that they need. We are sending over 400 children away this year and the demand for these places is high, especially given the financial challenges that

families are facing right now. In addition, as a charity our costs have increased over recent years. It now costs around £450 for us to send one child to our centre.

Please RSVP by no later than Friday 12th July to info@dchc.org.uk to let us know who is attending. Please also include any dietary or access requirements.

We look forward to seeing you on the 24th. Again, we thank you for your support and helping us succeed in our valuable work

Local Lawyers Choose SV2 As Charity of the Year

Derby and District Law Society (DDLS) has chosen to support SV2 with fund raising over the next 12 months

SV2 is Derbyshire’s leading charity that supports anyone who has experienced sexual abuse and was chosen as DDLS’s charity of the year by the incoming president Tina Attenborough

Derby and District Law Society supports and represents lawyers at all stages in their career in around Derby with a wide range of training, events, networking and lobbying. They also help members of the public find a local solicitor with a particular specialism.

Mrs Attenborough explained: “I was keen that we supported a charity that helped a wide range of people and age groups in the county during my year as president.

“SV2 perfectly fitted that brief as the charity provides a wide range of services to support victims and survivors of sexual abuse regardless of their age, gender, when the offence took place or whether they have reported the crime to police or not.

“We have a busy programme of events throughout the year – culminating in our annual awards dinner to be held in March 2025 – so we hope to be donating a good amount of money to the charity at the end of the 12 months.”

SV2 CEO Rachel Morris added: “We work closely with a wide range of fellow professionals, including members of DDLS, as part of our support for survivors through the criminal justice system when perpetrators are prosecuted.

“Having the opportunity to further raise awareness amongst lawyers of the widespread impact of sexual abuse and violence on children, women, men and their families across the county through our association with DDLS is therefore extremely welcome.

“We are very grateful that they have chosen us as their charity of the year which will enable us to provide the much-needed support for survivors in Derbyshire and help them to rebuild their lives.”

SV2 have supported 1536 children, young people and adults between March 2023 and March 2024 through a range of services including through the helpline, ISVA support through the criminal justice system, counselling and therapy.

The charity also supports the wider families and works to prevent and raise awareness of rape and sexual abuse and their effects through training and education programmes across the county.

For more information about the services provided by SV2 and how to get help, please visit https://www.sv2.org.uk/ Tel: 01773 746115 (9-5pm Monday to Friday) or email help@sv2.org.uk

Tina Attenborough with Rachel Morris

Interview with Kavita Oberoi

Q. Derby is a great city with some admirable plans for its immediate and longer-term future, do you have any thoughts about them?

A. Derby is indeed a city with a vibrant vision for its future. I am particularly impressed by its commitment to sustainable development and innovation. Key initiatives that will help rejuvenate the city centre include the Becketwell project and the restoration of the Market Hall. These projects are vital and demonstrate a commitment to revitalising the area.

Our vision must inspire confidence among local businesses, investors, and external funders, assuring them of Derby’s long-term potential. Additionally, Derby’s emphasis on green spaces and environmental sustainability reflects a forwardthinking approach that will benefit future generations.

Q. What do you love most about Derby?

A. What I love most about Derby is its unique blend of history and modernity. The city has a rich industrial heritage, yet it continues to evolve and innovate. The sense of community here is strong, with local businesses and residents working together to create a thriving environment.

Additionally, the accessibility to surrounding natural beauty is a

huge plus. I love the fact that I can be in the city centre within 25 minutes while living in a tranquil rural environment. Derby offers a vibrant city experience without sacrificing the peace and serenity of the countryside. The city is surrounded by the stunning landscapes of Derbyshire, which boasts many beautiful places to visit, including several National Trust properties. The combination of cultural richness, strong community spirit, and easy access to both urban amenities and rural retreats makes Derby a truly special place to live and work

Q. On your journey to the top who would you say has influenced you the most and how has that person’s influence shaped your leadership style?

A. This is a challenging question for me because I don’t attribute my leadership style to any single individual. Instead, I believe my approach to leadership is a reflection of my own experiences and values. Before founding my business, I hadn’t been in a traditional leadership role, I have had to learn how to lead a team the hard way. My style has been shaped by the challenges and opportunities I’ve encountered along the way.

The experience required me to learn and adapt quickly. I’ve always valued integrity, hard work, aspiration, flexibility, striving for

excellence, thinking outside the box and treating people with respect.

These principles naturally became the foundation of my leadership style and indeed our company values, I believe in fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment, encouraging innovation, and supporting my team to achieve their best. My journey has been one of continuous learning and self-discovery and organic development – always work in progress

Q. What do you love the most about your various business interests and the impact it has on the city and local business?

A. One of the most rewarding aspects of my business and charity interests is the opportunity to give back to the community. This is achieved through various means, including funding rounds from the Oberoi Foundation, which supports causes related to women and health. Additionally, as Patron of the Star Trust, funds are raised from the business community and reinvested into local Derby and Derbyshire charities. This allows us to support a wide range of causes, making a tangible difference in the lives of those in our community

As the founder of the Oberoi Business Hub, I take great pride in how our services contribute to the growth journey of local entrepreneurs and growing businesses. We provide essential services such as call handling, virtual offices, serviced offices, and meeting spaces. These resources are designed to support businesses at various stages of their development, helping them to thrive and expand.

Seeing local businesses grow and succeed with the support of the Business Hub is incredibly fulfilling.

By enabling businesses to focus on their core activities and providing them with the infrastructure they need, we also play a crucial role in the economic development of Derby.

Overall, the combination of charity work and business support services allows me to have a meaningful impact on the city and its local businesses. It is this blend of community involvement and entrepreneurial support that I find most fulfilling.

Q. Given your success in business/ life, would you mind sharing your top 3 life hacks or lessons for our readers?

A. Firstly, I strongly believe in the power of daily discipline. Consistency is key in achieving long-term goals. Whether it’s dedicating time each day to personal development, exercise, or specific tasks related to my business, maintaining a disciplined routine has been instrumental in my success.

Secondly, I advocate for a laser-like focus and being relentless, never taking no for an answer. Success rarely comes overnight; it requires dedication, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to your goals. By staying focused on my priorities and putting in the necessary effort day in and day out, I’ve been able to overcome obstacles and steadily progress towards my objectives.

Lastly, the importance of continuous learning and adaptation cannot be overstated. In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to evolve and innovate is essential for staying ahead. The challenges posed by COVID-19 forced us all to innovate in order to weather the storm. Embracing resilience, I make a conscious effort to seek out new knowledge, embrace feedback, and remain open to new ideas and perspectives

Kavita Oberoi with Tina Attenborough

Legacies on the rise: tracking study out now

Our annual consumer tracking study has found that public appetite for legacy giving is on the rise, with more than one in five charity donors (21%) aged 40+ saying they have included a charitable gift in a Will, up from one in seven (14%) in 2010. Over the same period, rejection of legacy giving has dropped from 13% to 9%.

Figures from 2023, released today, found that supporters with a Will in their 40s and 50s are most likely to have pledged a legacy gift – with almost four in ten (37%) having included a charity. This compares with around one quarter (27%) of those aged over 60. Legacy pledgers are also more likely to be single and without children or grandchildren. Pledger rates are highest amongst those who are affluent, aware of the inheritance tax incentives and who have sought professional advice for their finances.

Three quarters of supporters (77%) say they would be willing to leave a small percentage of their estate to charity, with more than one in ten (13%) saying they would be open to leaving 10% or more of their estate.

Our consumer benchmarking study*, carried out by independent research firm OKO, surveys more than 2,000 charity donors aged 40+ to track legacy giving attitudes and behaviour year-on-year. Over the last 14 years, the study, which follows Prochaska’s Stages of Change model, has tracked long-term forward movement in legacy giving from awareness through to preparation and action.

Lucinda Frostick, director of Remember A Charity, welcomes the findings, saying: “This study shows the long-term positive shift in legacy giving attitudes and behaviour, and that

the propensity for giving in this way is gaining ground beyond the Baby Boomer generation, particularly for those in their 40s and 50s. This indicates that there’s great potential for continued growth of the legacy market, but it also stresses the importance of supporter stewardship.

“Legacy income is crucial for an increasing number of charities. While we can’t impact the economic environment that drives legacy values, we can positively influence the proportion of people choosing to leave a gift; by working together, and engaging with legal partners, Government and others to make legacy giving a social norm.”

Will-writing trends

The study shows an incremental rise in Willwriting, with almost two thirds (64%) of supporters having written a Will, up from 63% in 2022 and 62% in 2021. Of those with a Will in place, almost one third (31%) have included a legacy donation, up from 29% in 2022. Around three in ten (29%) pledgers added charities when making changes to an existing Will.

The average age when first making a Will is 51 years, although more affluent individuals are more likely to write their Will at a younger age. Key life stages, such as births, deaths and marriage are the main triggers for Will-writing, with the death of a loved one featuring more heavily for younger Will-making, and retirement a common trigger for older Will-makers.

Professional advisers continue to play a key role in Will-writing with almost six in ten supporters (57%) saying they have used or would use a solicitor to write their Will and 17% a Professional Will-writer. Free Will schemes

are more likely to appeal to younger and less affluent audiences.

Legacy giving is one of the largest sources of voluntary income for UK charities, raising £4 billion annually**.

Additional findings include:

• 64% of legacy pledgers haven’t let charities know they have included a gift;

• Of those, almost half (47%) say it never occurred to them to tell the charity;

• And for 25% of them, they can’t see how it would help to let the charities know;

• The biggest barrier to leaving a gift in a Will for supporters is that they want to leave everything to family or friends (63%).

Remember A Charity works with charities, a network of legal advisers, partners and Government to grow legacy giving all year round. We also hosts the annual Remember A Charity Week, taking place 9-15 September 2024.

Remember A Charity members can view the findings in full here

*OKO, Legacy Giving Consumer Benchmark Study

Commissioned by Remember A Charity, the consumer benchmark study explores the public’s attitudes to legacy giving, with regular surveys carried out since 2009. The latest survey was carried out by OKO in December 2023; an online survey of 2,001 charity supporters across the UK, aged 40+. The research has been carried out by OKO since 2021, and nfpSynergy before that.

**Legacy Foresight, 2023

Mental health allies: champions for a supportive legal sector

In today’s fast-paced and high-pressure legal sector, the role of a mental health ally has never been more crucial. Whether you're in a leadership position or just starting your career, embracing your role as a mental health ally can make a significant difference to your colleagues, your workplace and the legal sector more widely.

What is a mental health ally?

An ally is someone who actively learns more about, supports and advocates for colleagues who belong to marginalised or underrepresented groups. Allies stand up against stigma, promote diversity and inclusion, and push for culture change.

As a mental health ally, you will be helping your colleagues and contributing to a healthier, more supportive, and ultimately more effective legal sector. Put simply, it’s about everyone creating a space where people and organisations can thrive.

Who can be a mental health ally?

Anyone can be a mental health ally, and it often only takes one person to transform the culture of a business.

Partners, supervisors, and other respected colleagues can lead by example by sharing their own experiences, which can empower all members of the team. However, we often hear that it’s those in managerial roles who are most reluctant to challenge the status quo. When it comes to calling out inappropriate practices at work, there’s often a culture of ‘not making a fuss’, which only serves to normalise the behaviour.

Turning to more junior team members, it has been suggested that Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2009) are most open to talking about mental health and are not prepared to put up with environments where they don’t feel supported. Given this generation is expected to account for 27% of the global workforce by 2025, their status as allies should not be underestimated. By not listening to these concerns, organisations risk failing to attract and retain the best talent, losing people to competitors or from the legal sector altogether.

So really it falls on everyone in the legal sector, whatever your role, to create a psychologically safe working environment. Inspired by the words of Greta Thunberg, no one is too small (or too big) to make a difference.

Why be a mental health ally?

The legal sector desperately needs mental health allies because of the pressures and challenges faced by people working in this field. The legal sector is known for its high-stress environment, including long working hours, the competitive nature of the work, and the emotional toll of handling complex, often distressing cases.

Here are a few reasons you should be a mental health ally:

1. Mental health still carries a significant stigma, and many people don’t feel able to be open and honest at work. Being a mental health ally helps to break down these barriers, encourage open discussions about mental health and promote a culture where seeking help is viewed as a sign of strength, not weakness.

2. People often feel isolated with their mental health struggles due to the fear of being perceived as incapable or unprofessional. As an ally, you can provide essential support to your colleagues by offering a listening ear, understanding, and creating a supportive community within the workplace.

3. An environment that values mental health is inherently more inclusive. Effective allyship helps to attract and retain a broader spectrum of talent and creates a more diverse and inclusive legal sector where all members have the opportunity to succeed.

4. Being a mental health ally also offers opportunities for your own personal growth. It fosters empathy, improves communication skills, and enhances your understanding of mental health.

5. On a larger scale, being a mental health ally in the legal sector can significantly enhance productivity, engagement, and job satisfaction. By advocating for change, you can influence policy reforms and foster a deeper understanding of mental health across the legal community.

On LawCare’s helpline, we often hear stories of how allies are having a positive impact on workplace culture. For example, inappropriate comments are often brushed off as ‘banter’, particularly in a social context. Allies challenge discriminatory and unacceptable behaviour, and this can be really powerful when a leader sets that example.

LawCare can support callers who are worried about someone else, be that a colleague you work closely with, a family member or another member of staff. It can feel difficult talking to someone you are concerned about, and you

may feel anxious about starting a conversation with them. But taking just a few minutes to talk could make a real difference to that person.

You don’t have to be a lawyer to contact LawCare for support. Organisations couldn’t function without an effective and healthy business operations team, so whether you work in HR or IT, as a secretary, on reception or in business services, you are part of the UK legal sector, and we are here for you too.

Start by making small changes

You don’t have to have it all figured out from the outset. Allies can start by making small changes, which all add up to make a big difference:

1. Better understand mental health by listening and learning. Take the time to listen to the experiences, challenges, and needs of people who have struggled with their mental health. You could also educate yourself about different mental health conditions, their symptoms, and the various challenges that colleagues might be facing. Mental Health First Aid training can be a good place to start.

2. Regularly check in on colleagues. A simple text or call can make a significant impact.

3. Use your voice to challenge discriminatory remarks, behaviours, and policies at work and in your personal life, even when it’s uncomfortable. This is crucial for those in leadership positions, who are best placed to set an example.

4. Use your position to advocate for policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion.

5. Continuously reflect on your actions and attitudes, accept feedback, and be willing to change and grow.

In conclusion, we urgently need more mental health allies within the legal sector. Whether leading by example, offering a listening ear, or championing a change of policy at work, every action taken contributes to a healthier, more vibrant legal community. Being an ally is an ongoing process of learning, listening, acting and reflecting. It requires a commitment to challenge injustices and contribute to a world where everyone feels valued and included.

You can contact LawCare for support on 0800 279 6888, support@lawcare.org.uk or by visiting LawCare’s website to use the live online chat. LawCare’s website also has lots of information (articles, stories, videos, blog and podcasts) on mental health and wellbeing.

Hostage taking and mediation –what’s the difference?

You may be tempted to reverse the question and ask what are the similarities between the two. Surely there can’t be any? But read on.

I recently attended the advanced mediation training course run by the Association of Northern Mediators up near Malham Tarn, in the rugged but beautiful North Yorkshire. It’s been run for 23 years, I have attended all but a couple of them, and we get some amazing speakers.

This time we had Phil and Damien, who had recently retired from the Metropolitan Police as negotiators with hostage takers. What a job! Remember the Balcolme Street siege? The Spaghetti House restaurant siege? How about the Iranian Embassy, where WPC Yvonne Fletcher was murdered? If you are old enough, you will undoubtedly remember watching the action on live TV where the SAS belayed down from the roof, threw stun grenades through the windows and retook the premises.

Well, this was not a failure in negotiation, since some situations are intractable and violence has to be used, but our guys are the ones who talk to the hostage takers (or those threatening suicide) to defuse the situation, make them appreciate their position is hopeless, and persuade them to surrender whilst releasing the hostages unharmed. Many of these situations we don’t even hear about.

How is it done? By active listening. Let me digress for a moment. When I was taking advanced driving lessons, I was taught that many skills are remembered through mnemonics. For example, the things you have to check before driving away are POWER: that’s Petrol, Oil, Water, Electrics and Rubber (tyres). Similarly, with negotiation the mnemonic is MORE PIES. And, remarkably, this is where mediation comes in, because the effectiveness of active listening is identical in hostage taking as in mediation. It’s remarkable, but true. So let’s look at active listening in detail.

With hostage taking, there will usually be a telephone line between the leader of the hostage takers and the police negotiator, who will have a team working silently to help him. With mediation, we have had the joint session at the start, and when I see the parties separately in their rooms, when I feel I have their confidence (it may be in the first meeting or a later one) I ask the magic question: “What do you seek to achieve today that you don’t have right now?” And the reply is usually surprising, and nothing to do with the formal case. These, then, are the techniques which the mediator (and the hostage negotiator) must use to find out what the other parry really wants:

M = minimal encouragers . Make short noises (hmmm, ahh, I see, go on) or smile and nod. I remember giving a couple of interviews for BBC’s File on Four (about rogue landlords and then the British National Party, since you ask) and I talk too much and too fast. The interviewer actually conducted me with her eyebrows, and I make a much better job of it.

O = open questions . A closed question invites only a yes or no answer; you don’t learn much. But with an open question, you encourage a full answer: Tell me, then what happened, etc.

R = reflection . Repeat some of the words they use, to show that you understand, and to encourage them to say more.

E = emotional labelling . Hear the emotion and express it back. Closely allied with reflection. Don’t worry if you express it wrongly; they will correct you and this all helps to build empathy.

P = paraphrasing . Hear their words and give back the same, but more briefly. Again, this builds empathy because, whether or not you agree with them (and who would agree with a hostage taker or a party in mediation with a hopeless case?) they will tell you their true needs.

I = I-messages . “You” is accusatory; “I” allows you to say the same thing in a less provocative way. For instance, if you suggest the person is lying, don’t say “You are a liar” which is likely to end the conversation, but say “I am confused; you said before X but now I’m hearing you say Y. How is that?”

E = effective pause or silence . When they stop talking, perhaps to think or because they don’t want to say any more, don’t be tempted to fill that silence with your own words. Silences are unnatural, so wait silently and they will be tempted to speak, and perhaps to reveal something really valuable.

S = summarising . Summarise what has been said, at more length that with paraphrasing. Use some of their words; they will see that you have understood what they were trying to tell you.

So this gives you an insight into what goes on in those private rooms in a mediation. Hostage negotiators bear huge responsibility in life or death situations, and I admit that mediation is seldom a matter of life or death. But it is hugely important to the parties, so the mediator carries huge responsibilities too. We are not just having a cosy chat with your clients; we are highly trained (well, most of us are!) and we have tools we can use to help them.

As May LJ said in Egan –v- Motor Services (Bath) Ltd [2007] EWCA Civ 1002:

“Mediation is a perfectly proper adjunct to litigation. The skills are now well developed. The results are astonishingly good.

“Try it more often.”

Biog : Chris Makin has practised as a forensic accountant and expert witness for 30 years, latterly as Head of Litigation Support at a national firm. He has given expert evidence about 100 times. He also performs expert determinations.

Chris is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants where he has served on the Forensic Committee, and as an ethical counsellor; he is a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a fellow of the Academy of Experts where he serves on the Investigations Committee, and a mediator accredited by the Chartered Arbitrators. He practises as a mediator, from his home in West Yorkshire and his rooms at 3 Gray’s Inn Square, London WC1R 5AH, telephone 020 7430 0333 . He has mediated 100+ cases so far, on a huge range of subjects, with a settlement rate to date of 80%. For more see his website with videos:

www.chrismakin.co.uk

chris@chrismakin.co.uk

Chris Makin

Email: bill.bailey1@nhs.net

Eureka! The may 2024 EWI online conference

EWI held another excellent online conference in a similar format as in previous years, and it continues to work well! Even though many of us miss the “in person” attendance, online does save a lot of time, “working from home”.

Kitty St Aubyn chaired the 25th Conference throughout the day, the fourth held remotely. Kitty was very patient with the breaks in transmission (nothing unusual as we all know these days) and which make virtual conferences unique for keeping us participants on our toes. There were many individual highlights this year from our two keynote speakers: Sir Keith Lindblom and Mrs Justice Bacon - here are a few.

The Keynote Speeches

Sir Keith Lindblom, senior President of Tribunals, gave an absorbing opening address. The theme was an exposition of the role of experts, and how that role has changed to meet modern needs. We started with the ancient world and Archimedes of Syracuse (287212 BC) “Probably the first expert witness we know of” said Lindblom. Archimedes was known for the enunciation of the law of buoyancy.

To bring us to earth, “as it were” , Archimedes was asked to determine whether some silver had been substituted into a pure gold crown made for King Heiro II of Syracuse. The expertise of Archimedes can be seen by his observation, whilst taking a bath, that the level in the tub rose as he got in. Archimedes realized that this effect could be used to determine the golden crown’s volume.

Archimedes was so excited that he took to the streets naked, crying “Eureka!” with his discovery, thus giving King Heiro valuable expert advice that a cheaper, less dense metal than gold could have been substituted in his crown. As a mathematician, Archimedes’ advice may have been called into question because of the extreme accuracy required to measure water displacement, but who is quibbling! It’s a great tale even if it doesn’t appear in any of Archimedes’ known works.

Lindblom moved down the years to Saunders J in Buckley v Rice Thomas (1554) who held that “if matters arise in our law which concern other sciences or faculties we commonly apply for the aid of that science or faculty which it concerns” Lindblom offered the modern appreciation of a “good expert” from Lord Wilberforce, combining the 3 qualities: intellectual thoroughness and honesty; impartiality; and “sticking to one’s own expertise” . Wise words indeed for today’s expert- just in case we didn’t know already.

The address ended with (inevitably) the growth and appropriate use of AI with much more on AI to follow next year. Needless to say, Sir Keith concluded that experts have come “ a long way from Archimedes” which was spot on.

After working sessions on “lessons from the courts” ; and “managing

difficult situations” in the afternoon, there were sessions on “the expert witness in practice” , and “improving practice” highlighting traps for the unwary we closed with an address from Mrs Justice Bacon with a Q & A. Bacon J treated us to what was effectively a neat summary of the day in one sentence: “The fox knows many things, the hedgehog one big thing” . There was much more to her excellent address, including the emergence of “expert-led disclosure” , the relationship between lawyer and expert, and possible issues of bias which Counsel have certainly uncovered when adducing evidence. So, we saw at Conference the differences between the fox and the hedgehog within our own work.

A Word from Our Sponsors

We must finally thank the Conference sponsors who presented some fascinating video clips of their work: Lead Sponsor DAC Consulting Services and Associate Sponsor, Bond Solon. Like Archimedes, there were a number of “Eureka!” moments throughout the day as Kitty and the EWI team explored the work of experts at all levels of expertise. See you online in 2025!

Phillip Taylor MBE

Archimedes

Book Review

Civil Procedure 2024The White Book Service 2024

Two Volumes

Editor-in-Chief: Lord Justice Peter Coulson

ISBN 978 0 41411 878 2

SWEET & MAXWELL/THOMSON REUTERS www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk

Remaining the most detailed and durable of all the civil practitioner titles in a changing legal world

An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”, and Mediator

“Civil Procedure 2024”, also known as “The White Book Service 2024”, continues to offer us the most comprehensive service in paper and digital formats in all matters relating to professional practice. It remains the fundamental purchase for all civil practitioners as working patterns continue to change in 2020s. Always read the Preface each year for the changes which have recently taken place.

The White Book is rightly relied upon by more judges and lawyers than any other legal text. It’s trusted for its authority and commentary as the ultimate expression of “all things civil procedure”. For those new to the work, the “White Book” contains the sources of law relating to the practice and procedures of the High Court

and the County Court for the handling of civil litigation, subject to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). These sources are supplemented by unequalled substantial expert commentary relied upon in court by more judges and lawyers than any other legal text and is trusted for its authority and commentary.

It sets out the latest amendments made to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) and brings the book up to date with all CPR amendments published in the supplements to the last edition. All relevant commentary has been updated, together with recent and important case law, plus new and updated editions of the various Court Guides. Also available are supplements in print, and an eBook powered by Thomson Reuters ProView and online at Westlaw UK. The aim is to intelligently connect your civil litigation work with the book’s content, expertise, and technologies whilst advances continue to be made in the way we do our professional business today.

“The White Book” itself builds on a long and interesting historic evolution. Its publishing pedigree can be traced back to the 1870s, during which the first edition of ‘Annual Practice’ was published following the restructuring of the English civil courts. It was eventually renamed ‘Supreme Court Practice’, the last edition of which came out in 1998. Finally -- and coinciding with the coming into effect of the Civil Procedure Rules in 1999 -- it underwent a further name change to the now familiar ‘Civil Procedure’.

Law Society News

The Law Society Council has elected Brett Dixon as the new deputy vice president. Brett will take office in October 2024, will become vice president in 2025 and president of the Law Society in 2026.

Nick Emmerson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales said: “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected deputy vice president. Brett emerged from a strong pool of candidates and his election is a testament to his dedication, expertise and commitment to the legal profession.

“I’m confident that Brett’s tenure will inspire, drive progress and help the Law Society navigate the future successfully for our members, the legal community and society. I wish Brett all the best.”

Brett Dixon, incoming deputy vice president of the Law Society said: “I’m delighted to be elected deputy vice president. As we enter the Law Society's bicentennial year, it is a time for celebration and a pivotal moment to plan for the future.

“As the new deputy vice president, I will chart a

course through digital change to ensure that the legal profession remains innovative and adaptable in the face of evolving technologies as well as promote a diverse and inclusive profession.

“I will work with colleagues and the whole organisation to ensure the Law Society remains at the forefront of access to justice and the rule of law.”

About Brett Dixon

Brett was admitted as a Solicitor in 1999, holds Higher Rights of Audience in civil matters and is an accredited mediator.

He started his career in general practice in Manchester and has worked for firms in the Northwest. He is currently a Consultant Solicitor with London-based law firm Scott Moncrieff & Co specialising in strategic litigation.

Brett also runs a successful business delivering training and consultancy to law firms throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Ever venerable, yet ever young, and resolutely current with frequent updates, “The White Book” maintains its reputation as the ultimate authority on the civil procedure rules – and predictably will remain indispensable to judges and practitioners alike. So, if you practice in the civil courts, this is a work of reference -- plus resource base -- that should help you maintain the highest standards of advocacy.

Volume 1 holds the core materials needed for practising in the civil courts - County Court, High Court, and the Court of Appeal. It is principally devoted to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), Practice Directions and PreAction Protocols, together with substantial and comprehensive expert commentary. Volume 2 offers materials relating to special procedures, Procedural and Court Guides, legislation, and commentary on other, substantive, proceedings like housing, business tenancies, insolvency, and useful commentaries on contempt of court and limitation legislation, plus extended commentaries on the CPR generally, Rights of Audience, ADR and interim remedies, and other general resources, including jurisdictional & procedural legislation.

With the White Book 2024 you receive the latest edition of Costs & Funding. The date of publication of the 2024 annual hardback edition is cited as May 2024.

He is currently a Council Member of the Law Society since 2019 and a Policy and Regulatory Affairs Committee member. He is a past chair and current member of the Civil Justice Committee.

He recently served six years as a member of the Civil Procedure Rule Committee, where he implemented a policy to assist vulnerable people in the civil court system. He is now the sole expert legal member of the Online Procedure Rule Committee, guiding the digital transformation of the civil, family and tribunal systems in England and Wales.

He is a past president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, current secretary of the organisation and Senior Fellow recognising his considerable knowledge and service to the law in this area.

His published works include the "Accidents at Work Guide" and is the case digest editor of the Journal of Personal Injury Law. Additionally, Brett is an industry expert on the Lexis Nexis Advisory Board and a strategic content consultant for the Green Book.

Solicitors’ Professional Indemnity renewal: insights from an underwriter

According to Law Society surveys*, professional indemnity insurance (PII) is one of the most significant outlays for a law firm.

As PII is compulsory it is not surprising that at times it can feel like a frustrating purchase. So what are underwriters looking for and how can you find an insurer that suits you?

The danger of optimism bias

Optimism bias,** the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of experiencing positive events and underestimate negative ones is a challenging mindset when it comes to managing risk. The reality is that claims against law firms do happen. At HDI, we have insured hundreds of firms on a primary basis for over 15 years. In this time, we have seen many examples of claims and allegations brought against law firms. The financial, emotional and reputational toll can be huge.

Law firms are operating in a rapidly changing world, and it feels as though the pace of change is increasing. At HDI we believe in preparation rather than in prediction, and we insure firms whose values align with this business philosophy. We can’t always see what is coming, so building resilience within the firm is key to navigating what might come next.

At HDI, what are we looking for?

As your insurer, we are there for you when the worst happens. However, insurance is just one tool in your armoury against risk. We look for firms that invest in a clear and robust risk management strategy. We want to hear about how you identify and manage risk in your firm, which can include risk management planning, business continuity plans, file review policies, supervision policies and external audits.

When reviewing a firm’s proposal form, I like to pay particular attention to the answers that help to give me an insight into the culture of the firm. Your submission can be really enhanced for example, by sharing the history of your firm, any particular specialisms, your future goals, the type of work you like to do and the type of work that you would turn away. These things allow us to take a more holistic view of your firm, beyond the rating data that is captured in a proposal form.

Getting your submission in early and in full order is vital. Work with your broker to ensure you have up to date claims summaries. It is also really helpful to include a narrative around any open and closed claims. Things like, what the allegation was and what lessons have been learned. The fact that you may have experienced a claim is not always an issue – at HDI we recognise that there is often a story and we are open minded and willing to listen.

What is on the horizon?

We are seeing an increase in the frequency of high value claims. The reasons for this include, rising asset values, more complex transactions and defence cost inflation. Worryingly the market has begun to see claims exceeding the compulsory primary limit. Firms should have heightened risk management measures in place when taking on matters of high value, or when acting for clients of considerable net worth.

Conveyancing remains the main source of claims, both from a frequency and an overall cost. In addition, there is a notable jump in claims from wills, trust and probate work. The drivers for this are a combination of more complex family structures, increases in overall estate values and the challenges that can arise with people living longer. Our advice is that this would be a good time to conduct a review of policies and procedures and implement targeted refresher training for staff.

Looking further into the future, insurers will be considering the impacts of the economic and political environment as drivers for claims, the impact of AI, the continued threat from both cyber and fraud. At HDI we believe that we have the strength and stability to support our insureds now and for the long-term.

If you are a firm with a turnover of under £20m and would like to obtain a quotation from HDI please contact Lockton Insurance Brokers.

Solicitors@lockton.com 02079332034 / 02079332083

* https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news-focus/news-focus-trends-inprofessional-indemnity-insurance-2023-main-findings/5116726. article

**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimism_bias

Sarah White Underwriting Manager, HDI Global Specialty SE

Deputyship and Statutory Will Applications: How does a probate genealogy firm help?

As all Deputies and Court of Protection specialists will know, applying for a Statutory Will can be a complicated and time consuming matter. As part of the duty of care, and requirements for making a Statutory Will, it is necessary to hold a copy of the person’s existing Will, a draft of the proposed Will, details of their family, assets and income, as well as medical evidence of their incapacity in order to provide these to the court, together with any other evidence the court requires.

Anyone who would be potentially affected by the application (perhaps a beneficiary who would lose out, for example) will be a party to the court proceedings. Finders International specialises in researching P's next of kin, providing a verified family tree and a full report of the required findings to support your Application to Court.

Here are some of the ways in which a probate genealogist can help:

1. Verifying Family Tree Information:

We can conduct thorough research to trace and identify all of P’s next of kin according to intestacy rules. We can do so with little or no contact with the family, at the authority of the Deputy, and ensure that our research is backed by documentary evidence. The court or the deputy may receive information about P’s family from various sources, including family members. This information can often be inaccurate; therefore, we can verify the accuracy of any information already held, ensuring that the family tree is comprehensive and reliable.

2. Resolving Complex Family Scenarios:

In cases where the family structure is complex or unconventional, a probate genealogist can provide expertise in unravelling intricate family scenarios. This includes stepsiblings, half-siblings, or other unique family relationships. With modern families spread across the globe our international expertise can assist in even the most complicated of family make ups, and wherever people may live.

3. Ensuring you are aware of P’s existing Will & financial assets

Ensuring you know of any Will P may have made in the past is crucial to this process. Finders can assist by conducting a comprehensive Will Search to identify any Will that may have been made before P’s affairs were managed under Deputyship Order. Additionally, a full missing asset search can also be conducted for P, ensuring that you are aware of the full financial picture.

4. Providing Evidence for the Court:

The findings of a probate genealogist can be presented as evidence to the Court of Protection. This documentation helps validate the accuracy of the family tree and ensures the correct family members are notified of the process.

Insights into the research process

A question that we are often asked is, ‘How do you do it?’ Many

who have researched their own family tree will know that birth, marriage, and death records are essential in confirming findings. At Finders International, we also have in-house databases, local representatives, and a network of international researchers to assist with our research. Each case comes with its challenges, including children born out of wedlock, overseas research and common surnames. Our team work on cases with these elements on a daily basis and carry out research for Court of Protection teams all over the country, so have the experience to overcome these research hurdles.

Case Study

At the point of our instruction, the only information held was that P had a deceased partner and one living cousin.

Our research first confirmed that P had no children and was an only child.

Extensive research using all available genealogical resources confirmed that P had no living Paternal family. However, we confirmed that P’s maternal family was larger than expected.

During the course of our research, we identified 6 maternal aunts and uncles who left descendants, identifying a number of living cousins.

As part of our verification process, we obtained birth, marriage and death certificates and identified current addresses for all P’s next of kin. This information was provided to the Deputy in an easily digestible family tree and report, with appropriate supporting documentation. In this case, at the Deputy’s request, no contact was made with the family before our report was submitted.

Our involvement in this case was key, as we identified three more family members in addition to the cousin previously known. This full picture enabled the Deputy to proceed with the Statutory Will Application and notify all the correct next of kin.

Our expertise in genealogical research ensures a thorough and accurate representation of the P’s family connections, enabling confidence in the information provided to the Court for the purposes of obtaining a Statutory Will.

Finders International can assist pre-deputyship application if the court requires you to contact family, friends or neighbours of P. We can also assist with Statutory Will Application research, Missing Will and Assets searches, Administrator searches and Unoccupied Property Insurance. If you have a case like the above or have any questions regarding our services, contact us today at quotes@ findersinternational.co.uk, call 0800 085 8796 or visit our website www.findersinternational.co.uk

D&DLS Bulletin 113 - June/July 2024

D&DLS Bulletin

Contents

Derby & District Law Society June / July 2024

Editorial

Officers and Committee Members for 2024-25

President’s AGM Speech

Outgoing President’s Address

Oberoi Business Hub Pledges Support For DDLS

Family Law Sub Committee Annual Report for the AGM 8th May 2024

Meetings

Local Courts

Database

Local Family Justice Board

CAFCASS

Issues Raised

Education and Training

Conclusion

Regional Corporate Heavyweight Joins

Rothera Bray’s Derby Office

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee Annual Report 2024

Derby Junior Law Society Report 2023-2024

Coleman Cup 2024

Situations Vacant

Vacancy – Business & Marketing Manager

Residential Conveyancer Required

Firm in Focus: Alexander & Co

Invitation to event on 24th July on behalf of Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre

Local Lawyers Choose SV2 As Charity of the Year

Interview with Kavita Oberoi

Legacies on the rise: tracking study out now

Will-writing trends

Mental health allies: champions for a supportive legal sector

Hostage taking and mediation –what’s the difference?

Eureka! The may 2024 EWI online conference

A Word from Our Sponsors

Phillip Taylor MBE

Book Review

Law Society News

Solicitors’ Professional Indemnity renewal: insights from an underwriter

Deputyship and Statutory Will Applications: How does a probate genealogy firm help?

Case Study