In Touch
The Official Magazine of Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE FOR THE PREVAILING ADVANTAGE
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Contents
Issue 23 Autumn/Winter 2020 Articles in blue are indepedant advertorials and not neccessarily the opinions of the Society
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A Message From Our President
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From The Council Chamber
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Wellbeing Tips For The Festive Season
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Acting For Seller and Buyer - The Classic Conveyancing Conflict
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PRO/PLO Report
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Junior Lawyers’ Division
Published November 2020
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Legal Professionals Volunteering at Suffolk Law Centre.
© East Park Communications Ltd.
20 Legacy bodies welcome Government actions to resolve probate backlog
Editor Amanda Timcke Features Christine Kettle Advertising Simon Castell
Design Matt Wood - East Park Studio Accounts Tony Kay
Media No. 1111 Legal Notice
None of the editorial or photographs may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publishers. East Park Communications Ltd would like to point out that all editorial comment and articles are the responsibility of the originators and may or may not reflect the opinions of East Park Communications Ltd. Correct at time of going to press. The appearance of advertising copy in this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the individual advertisers by the Suffolk and North Essex Law Society.
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What Challenges Will 2021 Bring?
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The Expert Witness Institute Virtual Conference 2020 -
“Bridging the Gap”
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It’s Good To Talk...
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Covid-19’s impact: Practice areas by work type
Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
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A Message From Our President
OďŹƒcers of the Society
Vice President Amanda Timcke Birketts Ipswich tel: 01473 406215. Email: Amanda-Timcke@birketts.co.uk Deputy Vice President Louise Goodenough Haywards Solicitors Stowmarket Tel: 01449 613631 Fax: 01449 613851 Email: louise.goodenough@haywards-solicitors.co.uk Honorary Secretary Ivana Radovic Birketts Chelmsford Tel: 01245 211289 Email: ivana-radovic@birketts.co.uk Honorary Treasurer Louise Cardwell Ashtons Legal Tel: 01473 261320 Email: louise.cardwell@ashtonslegal.co.uk Honorary Council Member Roger Buston Birkett Long Colchester Tel: 01206 217335 Mob: 07770 305 977 Email: rbuston@apblaw.co.uk PRO/PLO Louise Goodenough Haywards Solicitors Stowmarket Tel: 01449 613631 Fax: 01449 613851 Email: louise.goodenough@haywards-solicitors.co.uk Education & Training Officer Amanda Timcke Birketts Ipswich tel: 01473 406215. Email: Amanda-Timcke@birketts.co.uk Administrative Secretary Christine Kettle Whitegate Cottage Coddenham Green Ipswich, IP6 9UN Tel: 07749 576193 Email: snels@topcopysec.co.uk
Dear All, Suolk & North Essex Law Society
President Chris Andrews John Fowlers Colchester Tel: 01206 576151 Fax: 01206 761916 Email: chris@johnfowlers.co.uk
I am honoured to be writing this editorial as the newly elected President of SNELS, having taken over most recently from the outgoing President, Matthew Cameron who I would personally like to thank for his extended tenure as President covering the most recent Covid period. I am pleased to say that our AGM video-link took place, certainly a first for the Society and perhaps a sign of things to come with ever changing technology and importantly meeting the needs of our Members. Sadly, at the time of writing this editorial we are again facing Covid lockdown 2.0 and it appears that the Coronavirus Pandemic will continue to take centre stage for many months to come until possibly a vaccine is found and available in 2021. In such a short period of time Covid has completely changed our lives both professional and personal and the uncertainty I know causes us all great concern. The world we knew appears to have changed forever in many ways and importantly for us in the legal profession we have had to find very quickly ways to adapt and to meet the ever changing and growing needs of our clients. I am aware that this has caused difficulties, especially with those who have had to deal with the ever growing backlog within the Court system which does not appear to be abating, but also to those who traditionally have had to see clients in person and to face the difficult decision as to how they can offer services remotely at times whereby people need their legal representative to be there in person. How we adapt will be a question for the future, but I think it clear that adapt we must more so than ever before. During my tenure this year I hope to be able to build on the previous link being built with the law faculties in the two Universities in our regions, both Essex University and the University of Suffolk. Again we will be severely hampered by organising events and attending events, but it is my hope that we at SNELS will still be able to act as the conduit for law students within our regions as we must not forget they are the lawyers of the future. There are also changes afoot with the Law Society on a national basis and many of you may have seen articles and updates from our Honorary Council Member, Roger Buston and I would urge you all to read those and to help keep SNELS exactly as it is now, a union that has worked since at least 1926. For the first year I believe ever we have not had the Annual Dinner in November and this was temporarily moved until Spring 2021. I am sincerely hoping that we will all be able to gather and put Covid behind us at that time and we will keep you updated of course. More so than ever, I do genuinely feel that it is important to keep in touch with your local Law Society and do contact any of the officers if you have questions or concerns, or anything that we may be able to assist you with. The Law Society both national and local is there to represent its members, you, and I hope we will be able to do so for many years to come. Moreover, and most importantly in these troubled times, stay healthy, stay safe and stay well.
Christopher James Andrews President, Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
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From the Council Chamber
SNELS Council Member Report Chancery Lane - November 2020
CM Brief As Law Society Council Constituency Member for Suffolk and North Essex I represent SNELS members nationally both on TLS Council, the Conveyancing and Land Law Committee (CLLC) and on the Property Section (PS) Executive Committee.
CM Activity Attended/ing:
TLS CLLC:
7th September 2020 (Virtual)
TLS PS Exec: 6th, 7th & 8th October 2020 National Property Conference (Virtual) TLS Council:
8th September 2020 & 14th October 2020 (Virtual)
TLS AGM:
14th October 2020 (Virtual)
In order to assist input to the TLS offering to Members I am engaged with Council, CLLC and PS daily, and with the advent of Teams and Zoom supplementing E Mail, there are, further, impromptu meetings and consultations I participate in on a daily basis.
Purpose: TLS is the voice of Solicitors.
Driving excellence in the profession and safeguarding the rule of law
Governance: Meeting and Appointments All governance meetings continue to be held virtually in response to CV19. This is expected to continue at least until the end of the current year. Virtual meetings, assisted by guidance to support Chairs and participants, continue to work very effectively. TLS has concluded that, for the coming year, Law Society committees and the Board will, by default, have a maximum of two face-toface meetings, with the remainder being held virtually. In addition to the very significant cost benefits of this approach, it is hoped that this will encourage wider participation in Law Society governance by members who may have traditionally found it difficult to find time to travel to and from London and attend a day-long meeting at Chancery Lane.
Governance: TLS AGM The Council Meeting of 14th October 2020 was Simon Davis’s last Council meeting as president of the Law Society and warm tribute was paid to him for his leadership in what had been very difficult times. In the subsequent AGM on the afternoon of that day welcome was extended to the incoming Officers for 20 - 21: David Greene (President), I Stephanie Boyce, (VP) and Lubna Shuja (DVP).
Governance: Appointments Appointments due this year as Chairs and members of the policy 6
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advisory committees have been completed. For the first time, bespoke induction for new Chairs as well as a short practical skills-based session, were run both of which were well received, and separate inductions for new members which also received positive feedback. Following discussions with the PRAC Chair and members, some further adjustments to the appointments process are in hand.
Public Affairs This quarter,TLS has continued to focus our public affairs work on addressing CV 19. From June to date, TLS and its campaigns were mentioned 97 times in Hansard and in social media accounts linked to parliamentarians on a range of issues. In June, the President gave evidence to the House of Lords’ EU Services Committee on UK-EU negotiations, and in July provided evidence to the Constitution Committee on the impact of CV 19 on the courts. In the past three months, TLS have also met senior Government and parliamentary stakeholders, including the Lord Chancellor, the Justice Minister, Alex Chalk MP the professional services minister, and Nadhim Zahawi MP.
Digital: Website The first phase of new website was Beta launched at the end of February and My Law Society (My LS) Beta launched in June. Online traffic built slowly, with promotion of particular topics such as CV 19 moving traffic from old to new site and a link from the old website is shown to all visitors, encouraging them to try the new site. The My LS launch enabled gated content, including practice notes and In-house magazine (which require My LS lite registration). Verified MLS Legacy users were invited to move their accounts across, as part of a scaled user testing plan. This testing highlighted a significant data migration issue (from old CRM2011 to Dynamix365) which had to be fixed before the website and My LS could be launched. The site was launched on 2nd July. In July,TLS saw 2,367 member registrations and 2,298 lite user registrations. Whilst it is early days, the almost 50/50 split is an improvement on MLS member/lite registrations (40/60). Registrations are primarily driven by gated content. Throughout Beta, feedback has been taken on board and improvements made to the user experience. Feedback will continue to drive iterative improvements to the site, alongside integration of other digital services.
Learning and Development In October TLS launched to around 50,000 members from three cohorts (in-house practitioners, compliance specialists
Policy Impact 1. Criminal Legal Aid Review (CLAR) The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced its decision on the ‘accelerated items’ within CLAR. As a result of TLS lobbying, they have doubled the proposed fee our members will receive for work on cases that are ‘sent’ to the Crown Court. They have also confirmed that the work on the review on the sustainability of criminal defence practice will be conducted by an independent person, again as we had long wanted. The MoJ also confirmed they will be undertaking a piece of work looking at concerns around the sustainability of civil legal aid work, also something we have been pushing for.
2. Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) TLS has had significant engagement with the SRA and LSB in relation to SQE. SRA has changed its plans in relation to transitional arrangements, in line with our advice. The SRA has also committed to monitor and address the equality implications of the new system. In a written submission TLS has asked LSB reflect these commitments in the requirements they place on SRA in approving the application.
3. Wills After confidential discussions with TLS about the challenges facing practitioners seeking to execute wills, the MoJ announced that video witnessing would be valid for a period of two years, backdated to the end of January 2020.
CV19 business support TLS business support work on the pandemic has focussed on ensuring that the government support measures offered to firms are easily accessible and meet firms’ needs, and in addition, to ensure that barriers to conducting transactions and ongoing work are minimised. Employment: TLS responded to proposals from the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to better equip the employment tribunal for current and future challenges. BEIS sought feedback on issues, including extending the limitation period for employment tribunal claims to six months. Return, Restart and Recover (RRR) TLS incorporated policy asks in this campaign, highlighting that solicitors are ready to play their part in helping to drive the collective recovery from the pandemic and the impact it has had on our economy and communities. Our submission to HM Treasury (HMT) for its Spending Review outlines specific measures UK Government can take that would help the legal services sector - including (1) pursuing a Nightingale-style intervention to boost capacity in our courts system; and (2) restoring legal aid for early advice from a solicitor to help clear the backlog in the courts involved.
Constitutional: Council of The Law Society (TLS) represents the +/- 203,000 members of our profession. Council is made up of elected and nominated Members (CM) who have been successful in being chosen by their constituents to represent them on Council. There are some 97 CM - representing geographical, workpractice sector and particular characteristics. Currently there is no restriction upon who may be chosen by their Constituents to represent them, other than that they are an Admitted Solicitor of unblemished record, or how long they may serve , other than arguably that absolute democratic leveller : the ballot box. A trial visited upon CMs every 4 years.
Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
and junior lawyers). The bite-sized content will be available to purchase to these cohorts. Also released will be year’s iteration of Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS). Aside from delivering enhanced training content via improved course and syllabi design, this year’s CQS course will also deliver other key components to enhance member experience including single sign on, the first stage of integration with My LS, and an ecommerce solution.
Review By CMC: TLS Council Membership Committee (CMC) , made up mainly of Non Council members , but including 3 who are CM, has a standing remit to keep under review how TLS Council is constituted , and makes recommendations to Council in regard to same from time to time, as , over time the need for representation changes. CMC proposals for “reform” were put to Council in February and rejected for further work to be undertaken. The Pandemic arrived. CMC put motions to Council in September for their proposals to go ahead, even making changes on the day in question. Not all CM could be present when amendments were proposed, and Council overran when the votes were due to be taken. The profession at large has not been properly consulted in this fundamental review. The views of the profession, informed by their constituents, noting long term as well as practical democratic and representational concerns, and identifying fundamental deficiencies inherent in the proposals have not be been properly taken into account or even, it seems, heard. CMC’s own views, many Members find to be insupportably narrow, unconstructive, unconstitutional and ill-conceived. The CMC proposals are, in short, to: (1) Reduce representation of Geographical Constituencies (including SNELS) and some Work Practice sectors to the favour of increasing seats in “characteristics” areas, (Resolution 3) and (2) Restrict CMs availability to represent their constituents to 12 years (Resolution 4). Only 172 Members (including the +/- 97 CM) out of our +/203,000 attended the AGM(!) There is in TLS Constitution, thankfully, a safety net: a last opportunity to seek an electronic ballot in order that the questions above may be put to the profession at large to facilitate every member of our profession having a voice and being heard - not just, as above, a select few. On your behalf I and other CM demanded this. Accordingly, separate papers will soon be sent to you for an Online electronic Ballot of all members in relation to these 2 matters. When this arrives please read and vote - it will only take you a few minutes. I, and many other CMs are reaching out to you to oppose the CMC proposals for the sake of the future proper representation of our profession. Any questions, please ask me. YOUR representation in YOUR Law Society is at stake: so please look out for the ballot and vote AGAINST Resolutions 3 and 4 Roger Buston - TLS Council Member SNELS, Mobile: 07770 305977 email: rbuston@apblaw.co.uk www.snels.org.uk
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Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
Wellbeing tips for the festive season The lead up to Christmas and all the festivities are going to be like never before… rather than a whirlwind of dark days, balancing client deadlines, glittery social events and Christmas shopping as we know it; this year the fun stuff is likely to be what’s missing. The over-indulgence of Christmas’ past could leave us feeling sluggish and struggling to sleep. What will the effect of this year be, and how do we handle it? This month we have the StressLess coach, Vikki Pratley, giving us her festive wellbeing tips. So,Vikki, what can we do to look after ourselves during this period? “Many people I speak to are reporting feelings of being over worked, stressed, lacking motivation and generally low. And it’s not even January yet! My top tip? Go back to basics. And what I mean by this is: 1: Prioritise your sleep – we now know from science why sleep is so important. Check out Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep or watch this 4 minute clip (https://youtu. be/Y-8b99rGpkM), to inspire you to commit to creating an eight hour sleep window for yourself. 2: Commit to moving – this doesn’t have to be grand gestures! Stand up and stretch to the ceiling every 25 minutes; get out for a walk every day. If you don’t feel you can justify the time, why not at least try taking some of your work calls whilst on the move? You might inspire others to do the same.
We find it really useful to partner with Vikki as we can help you find the right firm to work in and she can help you find the right mindset and give you the leadership skills to make the most of the situation. In the meantime, enjoy the festive season whatever it brings for you and yours. Go back to basics and enjoy the simple things that not even Covid can take away! Clara Rose Consultancy www.clararoseconsultancy.co.uk 020 3286 7884
3: Eat well – we know what’s good for us and bad for us yet when the pressure is on we tend to reach for the food that does us no favours. Instead plan to nourish your body – have healthy yummy snacks and meals planned and in grabbing distance. As much as we like the naughty stuff, we also like ease! 4: Know your vision - when the pressure is on we can flap and panic and work in a reactive way, meaning long hours and high stress levels. The result? We feel tired before we’ve even started. Instead, get organised. Knowing your vision should also include the small steps to get us to our long-term goals. So know what you need to do each day, week and month. Prioritise your top three ‘must do’s’ each day and ensure they are your focus.
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5: Inject some fun! – block out time in the diary for other activities that are just for fun. For the sociable amongst you, physical distancing doesn’t mean social distancing so get creative! If you need accountability commit to classes or events that have set starting times, book in calls with your friends and family or set aside time for a good book or a bath with candles. And LAUGH!... it is the best medicine after all.” Vikki works with Senior Executives and professionals of all levels to support and challenge them to create healthy and sustainable high performing environments through leadership and self-management skills. If you’re interested to know more contact her at Vikki@skylark.life or check out the website. 8 www.snels.org.uk Doxbond Amended advert.indd 1
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Acting for Seller and Buyer – The Classic Conveyancing Conflict focusing on one of the key areas where risk can arise: acting for both the buyer and seller in a transaction. transaction because it does not want to lose both sets of legal fees, those of the clients.
d act for seller and buyer in the same transaction. This article is written from ensed egime.
actual
act. It may be a cliché, but prevention is better than cure: avoiding a
give this little or no thought.
conveyancing team, of whatever experience, should be encouraged to more senior member of their team. ‘Knowing what you don’t know’ is a
Lorraine Richardson is an experienced property solicitor, author and speaker, and Managing Director of property law training provider, Adapt Law Ltd (www.adaptlaw.co.uk)
transaction and the solicitor concludes that they are unable to continue acting, they should inform the clients accordingly, and cease to act. The solicitor should also advise the affected clients to seek legal
When considering whether it is appropriate to act for the seller and buyer in the same transaction, some solicitors will apply the following criteria: • • separate fee-earners act for the seller and buyer; and • These may look familiar. These criteria are, in fact, the exceptions to the prohibition for acting for seller and buyer which applied in the 2007 Solicitors’ Code of Conduct. They have not been applicable since 2011. While they might be helpful indicators when considering
and buyer in the same transaction. The fee-earners involved should try to justify to themselves why they should act, and note their detailed it should then obtain the informed consent in writing from all affected
But acting for the seller and the buyer in the same conveyancing transaction should be an exceptional event. It is necessary to
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PLO/PRO Report
As with many major events being cancelled, this year’s President’s Annual Dinner has had to be postponed. We are hoping that this will take place spring/early summer 2021. Please keep an eye out on our website and twitter for a new date. Sponsors who were going to sponsor this year’s Annual Dinner will take precedent over any other proposed sponsors for next year’s dinner. However, if there are other businesses who wish to put themselves forward to sponsor the postponed President’s Annual Dinner, please contact me or Christine Kettle so this can be discussed at one of our regular meetings.
effectively stop that, by limiting Council Members to a 12 year term. Would you be happy for such an undemocratic limitation to be forced on Members of Parliament? No? Then
Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
Since the last edition of the In Touch Magazine we have held our AGM which for the first time in history was held virtually. The AGM went well and we even had a virtual presentation with the then Deputy Vice President of TLS. At the AGM new positions were appointed within our Council. Chris Andrews of John Fowlers is our new President. We thank our outgoing President Matthew Cameron for his time and commitment over the past extended year which, as for all, presented an unusual Presidential year for him, and we give a warm welcome to Chris Andrews. Amanda Timcke moves up into the position of Vice President and I have been appointed the role of Deputy Vice President. Let’s hope the next AGM will be back to normal with our Annual Quiz and Fish Supper!
Vote AGAINST Resolution 4 This will be your (only) opportunity to exercise your right to vote on both matters. Please make sure your email and address details are up-to-date on your mySRA and you are not opted out of Law Society membership (non-marketing) communications.
PLEASE VOTE and save your local Law Society.
Louise Goodenough PLO/PRO Officer Louise Goodenough louise.goodenough@haywards-solicitors. co.uk
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ: For those of you who did not attend this year’s Virtual Law Society AGM, you may not be aware that the future of SNELS and other local Law Societies is very uncertain at the moment. The proposals that were voted on at the AGM are vitally important as they will reduce the number of geographical seats (including abolishing the SNELS seat, increasing seats for others groups and introduce a 12-year term limit for Council Members – an important issue for the profession. At the AGM it was approved that as these proposals are extremely important that the vote would go out to a Ballot. The effect and how we wish for you to vote when your Ballot arrives is as follows:
Worldwide from Campsea Ashe We have registered buyers from all of the fifty countries shown below in the last twelve months – what do you have to sell that would benefit from a worldwide audience!
(1) AGM Resolution 3 : The Change in the composition of Council (that includes abolition of the SNELS seat) If you want to retain the SNELS seat on Law Society Council and have Local Society supporting the profession (it has been in existence since 1926!)
Vote AGAINST Resolution 3 (2) AGM Resolution 4: Limiting Council Members to a 12 year term If you want to retain your current absolute democratic right to choose who you want to represent you on Law Society Council, the second AGM resolution (Resolution 4) would
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Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
JUNIOR LAWYERS DIVISION
Hannah Gordon Chair of the SNEJLD Email: jld.sne@googlemail.com
CHARITY
Future Events
The committee have chosen Lighthouse Women’s Aid as the charity we will be supporting and fundraising for this year. Lighthouse provides emotional support to women, young people and children experiencing domestic abuse in the Suffolk area.
In the New Year, we will be hosting a social online event. The event will be advertised via email, on our Facebook page (Suffolk and North Essex Junior Lawyer Division) and on our Twitter page (@SNEJLD) so keep an eye out!
Lighthouse Women’s Aid are hosting a Santa Challenge to help Father Christmas fly from the North Pole to Suffolk in time to deliver his presents for Christmas. Participants are asked to complete a number of miles by either running, walking or cycling to help Father Christmas cover the 2600 miles from the North Pole to Suffolk. The challenge starts on 01 December 2020 and ends on 24 December 2020. Participants are asked to seek sponsorship for their completion of the Challenge. The link to the Virgin Money Giving fundraising page is as follows: https:// uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/ displayEventDetails.action?eventId=35936 Lighthouse Women’s Aid are offering a prize for the highest sponsorship reached and for the most miles completed. As a committee, we are offering a prize to our members for the following categories: 1. Most miles completed walking
Wellbeing The committee understands that there are extremely difficult and uncertain times for all. We are also aware that trainee solicitors and junior lawyers are an at risk group at this time. Please do not suffer alone. If you have any concerns, please do get in touch and we will aim to point you in the right direction.
FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS Peter M Swann FAE FFS MCSFS Independent Consultant to the Legal Profession Established 1987
A FORMER HOME OFFICE ADVISER WITH CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN ALL ASPECTS OF FINGERPRINT WORK
2. Most miles completed running 3. Most miles completed cycling
An Accredited Expert and Fellow of the Academy of Experts, a Fellow of the Fingerprint Society, A Member of the International Association for Identification and Member of its European Division, a Member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and listed in the UK Register of Expert Witnesses.
4. The best outfit – send your pictures in!! We hope you will all join us on this challenge and we look forward to seeing your miles and Christmassy outfits.
EVENTS
The Consultant now provides a full independent fingerprint service to the legal profession, industry and other agencies.
Fiducia Wealth Talk In January 2021, we will be holding a wealth management talk hosted by Fiducia Wealth. Fiducia Wealth will hold a Q&A session covering a range of topics. You will not want to miss this! Further information about this event will be circulated in due course.
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If you would like to join our mailing list, you can do so by contacting us at jld.sne@googlemail.com.
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Geodesys offers free of charge SDLT service as the market bounces back As the property market resumes following the gradual lifting of lockdown measures, figures from HM Revenue and Customs have shown that property sales rose by and incredible 15.6% in August accompanied by a significant increase in house prices(1).
Although experts are predicting that the boom is not sustainable, current sales are also being boosted by the Stamp Duty holiday introduced by the Chancellor in July. This sees the stamp duty threshold increased to £500,000 until the end of March 2021. Although first time buyers were already exempt from SDLT on property purchases up to £300,000, the recent additional reduction of SDLT, has been designed to stimulate the overall market and is certainly playing a role in supporting house sales.
It’s a great time to take advantage of our SDLT offer(2) To help support our conveyancing customers, we are currently offering our simple and efficient Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) service FREE OF CHARGE until 31 March 2021. Our online SDLT solution allows you to quickly and securely submit your SDLT returns from within your case. But, perhaps more importantly, the service provides complete peace of mind as the online returns process is fullycompliant with the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) and Core Practice Management Standards. Our post-completion SDLT solution offers you the following benefits: • Meets the Law Society CQS CPMS 1.2 requirement for an audit trail and third-party review process • Pre-populates the forms based on the information already stored in the Geodesys case file, alleviating the need for duplication when completing the AP1 form • Information is validated before submission to HMRC. This allows you to correct any human errors which would result in rejection.
• Instant SDLT5 certification – no long turnaround times • Has a comprehensive GDPR toolkit allowing you to search, edit, export and mark to delete your client’s personal data • Drafts can be saved at any time - no need to complete in one go • No training is required, and the submission can be made directly and securely from the Geodesys platform. Johnny Davey, Conveyancing Product Manager from Geodesys commented: “We are delighted that the
property market is seeing considerable growth at the moment, following the substantial pause during lockdown. Thanks to our technology-based service, we as an organisation have been able to continue with business as usual throughout and we have a full customer services team in place to support clients. “Now that the market bouncing back so rapidly, we are delighted to offer a little something back to our dedicated customers by offering our efficient SDLT service free of charge.” The SDLT service is just one of a number of tools Geodesys offers to provide a seamless and compliant ordering process for property searches. To find out more about our SDLT and our full range of conveyancing services, please visit www.geodesys.com or email Kay Toon, our Key Account Manager at kay.toon@geodesys.com.
Notes: (1)
The Times, 23 September 2020
(2)
Free of charge SDLT offer ends 31/03/2021.
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What Does Volunteering Mean To You?
“Offering just a little bit of my time can make a very big difference to a client””Michael Booth, Prettys. “As a local lawyer, we are very much a part of the local community. Even more so now, where Suffolk Law Centre are under increasing demand with new enquiries, to be able to volunteer and to help deal with those queries and to point people in the right direction using the legal skills that we have, is hugely important.”Louise Plant, Prettys.
(Suff olk Law Advice Clinics & Tackling Discrimination in the East)
ISCRE - 46a St Matthews Street, Ipswich Suffolk IP1 3EP Tel: 01473 408 111 Fax: 08723529201 web: www.iscre.org.uk
To become a volunteer, you need to complete a short application form (contact details below) so that we can add you to our register to comply with our insurance. Most volunteers do 1 clinic a month (between 1 – 4 client appointments); some also provide additional clinics if we have clients in need of urgent advice. Remote appointments have enabled us to be flexible and set appointment times around your availability. With this level of flexibility, the LAC clinics have been busier than ever during this pandemic, advising a total of 244 clients between March October.
How Does It Help Our Clients? “These people were great, they set up a phone appointment with a lawyer… who had a look at all the details of my case, she advised me what to do and used the information I sent to draft a letter to send to the company I was making the claim against. My claim was successful and was settled with an out of court hearing. Thanks to all people involved, please give my thanks to Elizabeth for her advice” Client August 2020/ VolunteerElizabeth Clazie, Gotelee. For an application form or for more info, please contact:
We welcome all volunteers, but urgently need help with: • General Enquires • Wills & Probate • Employment • Family
Thank you!
We look forward to hearing from you.
Suffolk Law Centre on 01473 408111, or email: office@suffolklawcentre.org.uk
National Pro Bono Week Appeal (2 – 9 Nov) “In this year of unprecedented challenges, for both the voluntary & legal sectors, the role of pro bono legal assistance has never been more important,” Tony Brown, Chair of National Pro Bono Week Planning Committee
Supporting children whose parents serve or have served in the Naval Service.
Suffolk Law Centre provides legal advice, support, and casework to people unable to afford to pay legal costs. Since March we have seen a significant increase in enquiries from people seeking initial legal advice through ourweekly, volunteer-run Legal Advice Clinics (LAC). Due to the flexibility and responsiveness of our wonderful legal volunteers, we have managed to keep waiting lists low. However, with the second lockdown impacting on more vulnerable people, demand is on the increase! We are seeking additional legal professionals to volunteer at our weekly Legal Advice Clinics.
How does it work? We triage all enquiries, send you client paperwork in advance for conflict checks and set up appointments. All LAC appointments are 30 minutes pro bono, to give initial legal advice/guidance and are currently delivered by phone or email.
Naval Childrens Charity, www.navalchildrenscharity.org.uk 311 Twyford Avenue, 023 9263 9534 Stamshaw caseworkers@navalchildrenscharity.org.uk Portsmouth, PO2 8RN Registered charity number: Royal Navy & Royal Marines Children’s Fund 1160182
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27/03/2020 16:08
Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
Legal Professionals Volunteering at Suffolk Law Centre
Legacy bodies welcome Government actions to resolve probate backlog Charity legacy bodies have welcomed a statement from HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), which sets out its plans to resolve the delay and backlog of Wills passing through probate. During the pandemic, rising death rates, an increase in incomplete grant applications and challenges to the usual working practices have all put added pressure on the probate system, which had already been struggling due to a surge in applications in spring 2019, as well as the introduction of a new case management system. These pressures have created a bottleneck in terms of legacy notifications and funds. This has a significant impact on UK charities, many of which rely on gifts in Wills for over 30% of their annual voluntary income1. With 29,000 estates currently held in the system, HMCTS has been working collaboratively with the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) and Remember A Charity to monitor and address the situation and its impact on the charity sector. In this statement, HMCTS announces that several measures have been put in place to address the backlog and minimise future delays. This includes taking on and training more staff, reducing the waiting time on digital applications and trialling a new digital notifications solution with Smee & Ford. Regular progress data on applications and grants will be published on a monthly basis via the HMCTS website.
by Rob Cope
ILM and Remember A Charity will continue to work closely with HMCTS and other partners to ensure that members and the charity sector are kept informed of further progress. For more information, see the HMCTS statement: https://www.rememberacharity.org.uk/media/wxdfn2nn/ probate-hmcts-statement-november-2020.pdf.
Rob is the director of Remember A Charity. He has overseen a growing and vibrant consortium over the past five years, developing partnerships with government and the private sector. He was previously deputy director of marketing and communications at The Prince’s Trust, including the youth charity’s 30th birthday appeal. Rob is a board director of Relief International and a keen runner.
1 Strengthening Charities’ Resilience with Legacies, November 2020 (Remember A Charity, Legacy Foresight, ILM and Smee & Ford)
ILM and Remember A Charity welcome the resolutions and the commitment of HMCTS to continue to collaborate, taking action to ensure that legacy income and notifications can be processed as swiftly as possible.
Registered Charity number 264221
Matthew Lagden, CEO, Institute of Legacy Management, says: “It has been a priority for ILM and Remember A Charity to work closely with HMCTS to keep our members informed, looking at the ways in which we can track and help to resolve delays, particularly during such a challenging year. We are delighted to see that HMCTS has expanded its probate team to help increase capacity, and that Smee & Ford’s digital service is speeding up the current process of notifi cations. These steps give us confi dence that HMCTS has the capacity in place to deal with the backlog and the expected rise in applications through the winter.” Rob Cope, director of Remember A Charity, adds: “Charitable income has been heavily hampered by the pandemic this year, making legacies all the more important in enabling charities to keep their frontline services going. HMCTS recognises how much the sector relies on gifts in Wills and we are hugely grateful for their continued commitment to work with us to resolve the backlog. This commitment not only helps charities to forecast future income, but to plan their vital services going forward.” 20
W
e are a UK charity providing a fantastic selection of high-quality audiobooks to some 50,000 people across the UK who find it difficult or impossible to read due to an illness, disability, learning or mental health difficulty. We charge a membership fee to only half of our members- those who feel they can make some contribution and that is heavily subsidised. The other half need to be fully funded. Listening Books receives no central government funding whatsoever and very little local government funding. The reality is that Listening Books simply could not survive without the generous support of sponsors and the active co-operation of publishers. Whether you have already written your will or are thinking about writing one in the near future, we ask that you consider leaving a legacy to Listening Books. Your legacy will make a vital difference to the lives of our members for years to come.
CALL US NOW on 020 7407 9417 or email us at: bdee@listening-books.org.uk
www.listening-books.org.uk/Legacies 12 Lant Street, London SE1 1QH
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29/10/2018 15:07
Heartbeat Homes For Horses Ltd Providing Life for horses needing a home OUR AIM The Heartbeat Home for Horses Limited is a registered charity, whose aim is to care for horses who otherwise may face an uncertain future. Heartbeat provides a lifeline for homeless animals, allowing them to relax in comfortable surroundings in retirement, with lots of tender loving care.
HEARTBEAT HORSES ARE OFTEN TALLER BREEDS We can provide large Paddocks so Heartbeat horses can retire in herds. We also offer a large American style barn with comfortable stabling.
HEARTBEAT WILL NOT PUT A HEALTHY HORSE TO SLEEP Heartbeat provides a comfortable and relaxed home for as long as the horse is in good health and not in any pain.
YOUR LEGACY LARGE OR SMALL WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE Every pound is life changing for our Heartbeat horses, so any donation will be gratefully received.
To make a donation please contact us at: E: info@heartbeathorses.org Tel: 01394 775 495 Heartbeat Homes for Horses Ltd, Sink Farm, St David’s Lane, Company Number: 5192509 Hollesley, Suffolk, IP12 3JR Registered Charity Number: 1106722
We always have lovely cats looking for loving homes. We rescue 200–300 cats every year. No cat is euthanased except on veterinary advice. We feed the cats a variety of wet food and biscuits and they are kept in heated accommodation, either in large individual pens or a shared area with an outside compound for exercise. Please leave us a gift in your will. Friars Orchard, The Street, Little Whelnetham IP30 0UH Bury St Edmunds
01284 388455
www.burystraycatfund.co.uk www.snels.org.uk
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WE MADE A PACT TO HELP ANIMALS
HELP US
This is Benson 10 years old and very neglected Blind in one eye, large growth on his back, enlarged prostrate, trouble in ears and teeth.
PEASE HELP PACT GIVE HIM A NEW LIFE
HELP THEM
PLEASE REMEMBER PACT ANIMALS IN YOUR WILL
VISIT www.pactsanctuary.org MAKE A DONATION AND RECEIVE FREE NEWSLETTERS
PACT was registered as a charity twenty five years ago in April 1995. PACT makes a difference to over 3000 animals every year including 750 hedgehogs, 500 spend winter with us and over 750 birds and fledglings and some 700 other wild animals. PACT rescues, rehabilitates in their own veterinary unit and rehomes some 1000 domestic animals. Our ambulance, every year collects over 800 animals needing our help, travelling over 25,000 miles. WE BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO EVERY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ANIMAL?
PEOPLE FOR ANIMAL CARE TRUST (PACT) RIVER FARM, WOODRISING, HINGHAM, NORFOLK NR9 4PJ CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1154444 TELEPHONE 01362 820775 www.pactsanctuary.org
Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
Untitled-1 1
16/10/2020 12:13
The Suffolk Punch Trust is a registered charity, whose aim is to promote and breed the critically endangered Suffolk Punch horse. The Suffolk Punch Trust was founded in 2002 to save the historic Hollesley Bay Colony Stud. The Stud brought a rich legacy of equine and agricultural history that deserves to be saved for future generations to enjoy.
The Suffolk Punch horse is the oldest English breed of working horse. The breed dates from the 16th century, but all animals alive today can be traced back to one stallion, called Crisp’s Horse of Ufford, born in 1768.
We are here to help save this Please help us to save our iconic breed facing extinction Suffolks. through our established breeding Your legacy large or small will programme, raising public aware- make such a difference to secure ness and training a new genera- our horses future. tion of professionals to work with this breed.
The Suffolk horse was developed This breed has proven to be very for farm work and gained versatile and is often used for popularity during the early 20th forestry and ridden work. Century. As agriculture became mechanised, the numbers fell and almost disappeared completely.
To make a donation please contact us at: The Suffolk Punch Trust, Sink Farm, St David’s Lane, Hollesley, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 3JR
Email: info@suffolkpunchtrust.org Tel: 01394 411327 Registered Charity Number: 1100596 Web: www.suffolkpunchtrust.co.uk
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Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
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What Challenges Will 2021 Bring?
We predict that the top priorities of firms in 2021 will be reducing costs, the improved use of technology to streamline processes, more innovative ways to provide services to clients, and an increased focus on work/life balance for employees. Increasingly, clients will want law firms to deliver cost effective services, often at fixed prices, but at the same time retain highly experienced professionals able to address their most challenging needs.
To succeed, firms must continually improve their own service delivery methods to surpass client expectations and increase client value, whilst improving profitability and lowering costs. Everyone in the firm, from the partners down must continually seek better ways to deliver services.
Service delivery innovation enhances a firm’s ability to lock in client loyalty through easier buying processes, clearer communication, and an increased ability to meet client needs. The result is that clients will prefer to stay with existing legal service providers. Retention of clients is of course the lifeblood of any business; however, the retention of a talented workforce is critical to client service delivery. Remote working opens up opportunities to engage new talent and adopt more agile working practices.
A forward-thinking employer would be wise to accommodate some employees who want to permanently work from home. They will become more attractive employers, better able to build a resilient workforce. It is unlikely that firms will move to a predominantly home working model, however working from home one or two days a week may become common practice and an opportunity to engage with lawyers who for various personal reasons want to avoid commuting. There will be pressure to reduce office accommodation and associated costs, even as firms gradually transition out of
lockdown with a semi return to office working. Hot desking will become more prevalent provided strict sanitation measures are in place to protect employee safety.
Firms will need to consider whether some practice areas are economically viable, and whether a more flexible resourcing model to cope with fluctuations in demand for services may be necessary. It is inevitable that firms will need to invest in upskilling the digital competencies of their workforce, as video meetings shift from a novelty to the norm.Training in how to conduct multi party meetings effectively, and the use of branded greenscreen backgrounds will project a more professional image. Firms may also need to invest in ensuring their employees have reliable broadband, which remains an issue for some living in more remote parts of Suffolk. Firms who plan ahead will meet these challenges head on and uncover new opportunities in 2021.
Kimberely Williams 0781 4499375 kwilliams@williams-wroe.com www.linkedin.com/in/kimberleywilliamswroe
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Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
It`s been an awful year. Firms were forced to adapt to the threat of COVID19 and suddenly we were all either working from home, furloughed, or facing redundancy. There have undoubtedly been individual and collective challenges across many fronts, but the pandemic has also provided an opportunity to fast track positive changes.
This means implementing more efficient resourcing, and workflow processes. Firms that are successful at this will differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, utilise their resources more profitability, and lock in client loyalty.
Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
“Let’s Hope The Cat Doesn’t Run Over The Keyboard!” The Expert Witness Institute Virtual Conference 2020 “Bridging the Gap” Friday, 18th September 2020 An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE, Richmond Green Chambers
The strange times we live in throw up inventive new ways to conduct our legal business: working from home (WFH). None more so than attending the Expert Witness Institute (EWI) Annual Conference for 2020 held remotely for the first time. And it was a great success with first class speeches, panel discussions and “breakout sessions”.
for 2020, Amanda Pinto QC, and the vice-chair of the Personal Injuries Bar Association, Sarah Crowther QC, opened an interactive session on “Covid-19: How the Pandemic shaped the role of technology in the courts”. There was so much commonsense advice on display that it is worth watching any of the available conference videos to catch the suggestions.
Amanda Stevens, the Conference Chair, began these historic proceedings almost as though they were a regular occurrence. It was a busy and detailed programme aiming as always to cater for current issues which experts face. Predominant is the mystique surrounding “virtual” or “remote” hearings which seem now to be a regular fixture for future litigation.
Probably the most important points which participants will take with them include the need for more than one computer when you undertake remote work. That is because you need one screen for the hearing itself, either via the Cloud Video Platform (CVP) for similar systems such as zoom, skype or teams. You then need a separate screen for the trial bundle which you cannot turn, or cross refer to in quite the same way as the paper version. Finally, always have a mobile phone as (sadly) it is common for one party or another to lose a connection during the hearing.
Networking and exhibitor sessions were useful dividers between the formal discussions. We were lucky to have contributions from Bond Solon, Redwood Collections, and the New Law Journal. The afternoon breakout sessions covered the more “bread and butter” sessions which I am sure the participants found useful for their professional updates, including these areas: improving practice in inquests; in arbitration; and post-Brexit. The final panel session brought back Penny Cooper for a discussion on “Lawyers and Experts: bringing together Experts and Instructing Parties” with contributions from Duncan Hughes-Phillips, Frank Hughes, Jennifer Jones, and Robert Clayton.
To reinforce Pinto and Crowther, we were given “lessons from the courtsa panel discussion” chaired by Dr Penny Cooper, with Alexander Hutton QC, Mrs Justice McGowan, and HHJ Nigel Lickley QC from the Old Bailey. Readers will notice how top heavy the conference was with barristers so far. However, they proved the justification of their invitations with some great forensic tips for our new remote age. And at no stage did any of their cats run over the keyboards of their PCs to disrupt proceedings! Apart from
We missed EWI chair, Martin Spencer, this year although his welcome note was spot on- little did we know how appropriate the conference theme “bridging the gap” might be! We did end the conference knowing how we could improve our practice and develop our skills to make us fit for the future as lawyers and experts. And I think we all now know what to expect for the 2021 and that the next Conference, whether it is virtual or attended, will always remain professionally rewarding for everyone.
We heard first from Lord Kerr in one of his last remaining duties as a Supreme Court Justice giving the keynote address. Brian Kerr was the last of the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary and he holds a life peerage enabling him to remain in the House of Lords on retirement. His reflections on the legal changes he has seen were fascinating, bridging the gap between the Lords as an appellate committee, to the emerging UKSC. And the remote system for the keynote speech worked well. The morning sessions covered what will probably be the most useful for the comments and observations on how we will now use virtual meetings, hearings, and trials for the foreseeable future. The chair of the Bar Council 26
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animals or others contributing to virtual chats, there was also the recurring comments on the appropriateness (or otherwise) of the backgrounds- books rather than beds being the favoured option.
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Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
It’s Good To Talk... None of us know how long the current pandemic will last, but it is clear that it has created opportunities to review working practices and the way services are delivered to meet client needs.
In some respects, Covid19 has precipitated changes that were already beginning to take place in the legal sector; the use of technology and streamlining of processes have resulted in efficiencies which create leaner and more nimble law firms better equipped to help clients irrespective of their geographical location. The ability to work remotely is now a selection criteria for many clients, and a business development opportunity for lawyers no longer bound by geographical limitations. However, business survival and future success requires more than knowing how to use Zoom and other collaboration tools wisely. The sudden onset of a National lockdown meant firms needed to adapt quickly to preserve the needs of their business, clients, andemployees. Many employees had to learn new ways of doing their jobs at a distance in a matter of days, proving just how quickly organisations can overcome resistance to change when they reallyhave to. Changes to working practices introduced as a result of the pandemic have been a positive experience for some people, but more challenging for others. It has heightened awareness that employee wellbeing is essential not only to individuals, but also to the success of the entire firm.
How do you approach employee wellbeing? There is no one size fits all approach to wellbeing. However, to truly thrive, employees need a sense of purpose, an understanding of how what they do matters, how this contributes to overall business performance, and to feel trusted and appreciated. Recent research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in the USA suggests that from a study of 3.1 million people working from home, across 16 global cities, the average working day increased by 8.2% , or 48.3 minutes a day during the early weeks of the pandemic. With longer working days, numerous online meetings, and more emails than 28
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ever before, managing teams remotely can prove far from straightforward. A survey of just under 1000 firms by the Institute of Directors (IOD) shows that 74% plan on maintaining an increase in home working and reducing outlay on business premises and associated costs. The role of an office is to congregate and helps people to work together, so if firms are thinking about reducing their office space, they will need to consider ways to recreate opportunities for the exchange of ideas, and ways to keep employees updated on how the business is doing.
How can managers support employee wellbeing? Creating a culture of wellbeing can be challenging to achieve and measure at the best of times, informal communication that is usually spontaneous in the office will require more effort in a remote setting. However, regular conversations focussed on the challenges thrown up by remote working is now an essential part of any managers role. Managers can expect a wide difference in productivity across employees as some find working from home energising, whilst others are struggling to be as productive as they would usually be under normal conditions.Employees can feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty surrounding all of us, and a fear of being “out of control� can create high levels of anxiety. The usual coping mechanisms may not be working; social distancing requirements mean that there are less opportunities to socialise informally, childcare responsibilities can be disruptive, and exercise can`t be done in the safe environment of a gym, so letting off stress is not so easy. Managers will need to become more trusting of what employees are up to during the working day and empathise with colleagues to understand how best to provide practical professional support. Importantly, managers must know how to encourage employees to be honest about the type of support they actually need.Internal mentoring programmes to encourage colleague collaboration and fostering safe one to one conversations to include wide employee participation will become increasingly critical to employee engagement and wellbeing. When firms are too focussed on their bottom line, they can forget what made them successful in the first place, failing to see the link between employee wellbeing and profitability. Focussing on output and the quality of work rather than how many hours an employee has spent working, will
finally shift the emphasis away from time recording to measuring efficiency and effectiveness, which are after all more important to achieving client satisfaction.
Employee wellbeing is a competitive advantage. Employee experience is now a hot topic, alongside equality, inclusion, and diversity, asfirms become increasingly aware that employee wellbeing can be a competitive advantage. A happy, resilient workforce with the right skills and competencies is key to both client and employee engagement.A happy workforcemakes it easier to retain talent,conversely, an unhappy workforce is less productive, and will eventually reduce productivity and damage client relations. In our experience, very few managers, heads of departments, or team leaders are adequately trained in people management, or given the opportunity to focus on how to become more valuable to their colleagues by learning how to listen properly,and develop effective communication skills. Many firms that want to implement a wellbeing programme simply don`t know where to start and have no clear strategy for employee wellbeing. They often use internal surveys to gauge employeesatisfaction, but then fail to act on feedback. The problem is that employee surveys only provide a snapshot of a specific moment in time, but don`t offer up solutions to any problems or issues raised.There can be a large gap between what firms are offering and what employees actually need.Implementing a successful employee wellbeing programme requires planning, a structure, and a clear employee communication strategy. If your firm needs support devising it`s employee wellbeing programme,we areable to help. Meanwhile, there is no shortcut to gaining trust, managers need to be generous with their time, have confidence in their own abilities, and act with humility.Employers must be prepared to ask what employees need,listen to feedback, and put wellbeing at the top of their strategic agenda.
Kimberely Williams 0781 4499375 kwilliams@williams-wroe.com www.linkedin.com/in/kimberleywilliamswroe
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Covid-19’s impact: Practice areas by work type
Suffolk & North Essex Law Society
By Julian Bryan, Managing Director, Quill
Showing clear signs of recovery in the sector, legal activity in September bounced back to an average of 19% more than pre-Covid levels, according to the legal matters benchmarking tool, Quilldex. At its lowest point, Quilldex reported overall cases dipped by 36% in April 2020, but this has now rebounded to 19% in September 2020, buoyed by family law (25%), private client law (36%), conveyancing (49%) and employment law (49%). Let’s take a deeper look into these areas of rebound.
Family law
The emotional pressures of isolation and lockdown have taken an unfortunate toll on families. Compared to January, we’ve seen a 25% rise in September in family law matters relating to divorce, childcare and financial remedy due to relationship breakdowns. Child protection applications are up and property and investment values are also in flux or freefall. This all makes financial settlements harder to achieve.
Correspondingly, HM Courts and Tribunals Service has seen an increase of 17% in receipts of family and divorce matters. These government figures are based on matters progressed to court, which are slightly fewer due to court closures and halted trials.
According to the latest Law Gazette news, family courts now face a backlog, further exacerbated by complications caused by the drastic altering of financial circumstances and prioritisation of child protection cases, as intimated above. Further upheaval is expected following the summer and Christmas holidays, and not to mention Brexit, as reciprocal agreements around custody remain unclear. For family lawyers, then, it’s a busy time both now and ahead.
Private client law
Quilldex saw a 36% hike in private client matters such as LPAs, inheritance, probate, wills and tax. The reality that we must all confront our own mortality is leading to many using this time to get our affairs in order and plan for the future. Reinforcing the upsurge is HM Courts and Tribunals Service who confirmed an influx of probate applications relating to coronavirus and Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures finding deaths from 7-13 September 2020 were 5.4% higher than the five-year average.
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Conveyancing The upswing in matters is amongst its most apparent in conveyancing. Here, daily new cases fell to around a third of normal levels in April, indicated by a 64% drop, due to the lockdown and mandated halts placed on property moves by our government, but this is now running at 49% above the benchmark. This trend follows a revival in the property market since lockdown restrictions were eased, and chimes with Land Registry data showing that applications in June were 64% higher than in April. In addition to the large-scale reopening of the property space, other ramifications to the housing market come in the form of the current stamp duty holiday, further incentivising buyers to proceed with house sales and adding to conveyancers’ workloads.
Employment law
Employment case numbers correlate to key dates in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme calendar, which defined deadlines for furloughing employees. Said to be costing the government £60 billion by the Office for Budget Responsibility, take up of the scheme relates to claims for almost 10 million jobs. On top of this, the ONS reports that unemployment grew by 4.1% in the three months up to July, leading to a spike in employment tribunal cases from people challenging decisions about lost jobs. The Ministry of Justice has published data showing that 39,093 single claims and 5,915 multiple claims are now outstanding in the employment tribunal. These factors culminate in a heavier-than-usual caseload for employment lawyers. In Quilldex, this plays out in notable highs (average 57% increase in August) and modest lows (average 31% drop in April).
More steady areas – legal aid, criminal and immigration Legal aid is one of the steadiest graphs in Quilldex, although even that showed a rise of 10% at its September average, perhaps better mirroring ongoing cuts to legal aid rather than any Covid phenomenon. The criminal graph is also relatively steady, albeit with a peak of 17% rise in activity in September and trough of 52% in April. Nightingale courts have been opened to alleviate the pressure on the court system in dealing with approximately 550,000 outstanding criminal cases; the backlog of which has grown as a result of coronavirus and the subsequent inability of courts to function safely for much of the year.
While immigration matters dipped by 53% in May and stayed low throughout the summer months, it eventually rose by 11% in September. With widespread travel restrictions including entry and exit bans in the UK, combined with the Brexit effect on employers and universities, immigration has remained a constant source of work for solicitors throughout the coronavirus outbreak and is expected to continue up to the transition period for leaving the EU, which ends on 31st December 2020.
have imagined how 2020 would turn out.
Slower areas to recover: Commercial and civil law
Quilldex is based on new matter openings from a representative sample of Quill’s Interactive software users, comprising 7% of all law firms across England, Scotland and Wales. Current figures are based on average monthly activity rates against January 2020 as a baseline. By launching Quilldex to the market, its data gives law firms assurance of their own recovery as well as confidence to progress with planning and investment initiatives over the rest of 2020 and into 2021. To learn more, visit: www.quill.co.uk/quilldex.
Quilldex suggests commercial law being slower to recover with September rates being 19% lower than January’s, painting a picture of instructions increasing gradually as business activity resumes and contractual relationships become more complicated, thereby demanding input from legal experts.
In comparison, civil law saw a 56% increase in matters compared to January, likely due to the aforementioned complex contractual provisions and ensuing disputes, amongst other civil-related legal affairs.
Planning for the future with technology While the adverse impact of coronavirus has been felt by us all and Covid-19 itself deemed a catalyst for change, the positive is that law firms have adapted well and are in a strong position to secure the future of their businesses.
Technology plays a vital role in optimising operating models and reinforcing strategic plans, and now, accelerating growth during uncertain times. Never before has the digitisation of traditional ways of working been more in the spotlight. Modern, more virtual-friendly law firms are the way forward, and having cloud-based software is one tool to success. The reason for the shift in focus from on-premise to cloud-hosted applications is straightforward. The former is installed on a company’s own servers, and is accessed onsite and nowhere else. The latter is deployed via a cloud computing model for anywhere, anytime, any device access via an Internet connection. Enabling staff to do their work from home efficiently and securely without interruption is now a foremost concern for law firms. Essential technology infrastructure is a crucial part of business continuity and disaster recovery plans for any legal practice keen to weather the storm and keep servicing their clients virtually.
In summary
If law firms have learnt one thing in 2020, it is to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. And not even the most pessimistic individual could
After a difficult few months, it is heartening to see new instructions returning rapidly to pre-pandemic levels in so many areas of law, and in many instances exceeding them. This year has confirmed like no other that the law is a robust sector with plenty to look forward to as the UK continues its journey back to (some sort) of normality.
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