SNELS - In Touch magazine Autumn 2022

The Pandemic Effect: The Outsourced Transcription Provider as a Resource

The pandemic, and its subsequent lockdown, hit many law firms hard. As a result, this has made firms reevaluate business continuity planning, and to look at what efficiencies can be made to improve the bottom line.

As a sole practitioner it is even harder: not only do you have to provide great service to your clients; you also need to spend time nurturing your business, to make it thrive and grow.

An Immediate Fix

One aspect that has been in deliberation for many years is fee earners typing their own documents and emails. Consider the following:

Did you know that a Grade A Solicitor (at £409 per hour) who spends two hours typing their own documents/ emails could lose their firm (after the deduction of transcription costs) up to £570.30 in chargeable time? Similarly, a Grade D Solicitor (at £138 per hour) could lose their firm up to £163.80.*

Dictation versus Typing

The simple fact is we can all speak considerably faster than we can type: “The average person types between 38 and 40 words per minute” i; and a “good rate of speech [for dictation purposes] ranges between 140 -160 words per minute” i i .

These statistics show that simply dictating a document/email, is approximately four times more cost effective than typing. Add to this formatting and editing, this cost saving could stretch further.

Taking typing out of the mix allows practices more time to concentrate on increasing chargeable hours, whilst leaving more time to deal with WIP, release valuable lock up, social media or marketing.

You will find that outsourcing your typing needs are considerably cheaper than direct employment (i.e. salaries, NI contributions, leave, unproductive time, sickness absence etc.). Outsourced transcription also enables fee earners to work remotely and dictate on the go,

without the need for specialist equipment or software licenses. They also provide a great business continuity solution to enable law firms to access typing support that expands (or contracts) with your firm’s specific needs on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Testing the Theory

Some of the more established transcription companies have smartphone apps that allow you to dictate direct from your mobile phone allowing you to trial without purchasing any equipment.

Why not take five minute of your time to investigate?

*Based upon court approved rates for London. Typing costs deducted using OutSec’s standard rate.

Citations: i https://www.livechatinc.com/ typing-speed-test/#/ i i https://clearly-speaking.com/ what-is-the-ideal-rate-of-speech/

Published by:

EAST PARK COMMUNICATIONS Ltd.

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Tel: 0151 651 2776

simon@eastparkcommunication.co.uk www.eastparkcommunication.co.uk

Editor Amanda Timcke

Features Christine Kettle

Advertising Simon Castell Design

East Park Studio

Accounts

Tony Kay

Media No. 1111

Published October 2022

Legal Notice

© East Park Communications Ltd.

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.

Articles in blue are indepedant advertorials and not neccessarily the opinions of the Society

6 Suffolk Law Care - Colby Beecroft Family Team Paralegal

7 Lovewell Blake - ‘Basis period’ reforms will impact on most legal practices

8 University of Suffolk - Law at the University of Suffolk

10 Dadcheck - Family relationship DNA testing as we emerge from a period of darkness…

Contents North Essex 28

12 LawCare - Maintaining healthy boundaries between home and work 15 From the Council Chamber

16 Index - Compliance audits & PII: Advice & practical solutions are on our doorstep

19 Norfolk’s Cancer Charity - A legacy for future generations

19 Clara Rose - How to get ahead in your legal career

20 Larking Gowen Options for law firms facing pressures on cash

22 Geodseys - Rallying cry for wider adoption of UPRN

25 Remember a Charity - Public appetite grows for leaving gifts in wills to charity

27 Advertorial - Home Care in the UK 28 Essex Law Clinic

30 Book Review - An absolutely essential purchase as the cost-of-living crisis worsens in the 2020s

Officers of the Society

President Chris Andrews

John Fowlers

Colchester

Tel: 01206 576151

Fax: 01206 761916

Email: chris@johnfowlers.co.uk

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

Ipswich

Tel: 01473 921 716

Email: ivana-radovic@birketts.co.uk

Honorary Treasurer

Louise Cardwell

Ashtons Legal

Tel: 01473 261320

Email: louise.cardwell@ashtonslegal.co.uk

Honorary Council Members

Donna Taylor, Council Member for Suffolk Nexa Law Limited London

Tel: 020 7504 7071 – Extension 2127

Mob: 07859 896 640

Email: donna.taylor@nexa.law

Tony Fisher, Council Member for Essex Fisher Jones Greenwood Colchester

Tel. 01206 835231

Mob. 07904 086254

Email: TFisher@fjg.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

Tel: 07749 576193

Email: snels@topcopysec.co.uk

A Message From Our President

Dear All,

Further to my last editorial we have now had the most or one of the most dry periods in modern times with almost no rain, leaving us with the prospect of droughts, something that many of us would not have imagined would happen. However, whatever your view on climate change and how it is occurring, it is certainly here and we must all now do our bit to protect the environment whilst we still can so that we leave future generations with a planet worth living in. We also sadly are still facing COVID and its ever changing variants and whilst far fewer people are falling very ill and dying from it, nevertheless, it is ever present in our day to day lives and we must remain vigilant of those that are vulnerable around us.

More recently SNELS hosted the annual Essex University Law Lecture which was a great success and the guest speaker was our Law Society President, a very emotive and passionate speech indeed and enjoyed by all that attended. We will also be starting to introduce the SNELS excellence awards to recognise those locally that go above and beyond what may be expected and have excelled in their area of specialism.

You will also hopefully be able to come along to the President’s Dinner, this year with a slight change in tradition to benefit the better weather (hopefully) in September. Whilst times have been tough for all and will sadly appear to be so for a while yet to come, every one of us contributes to society in a positive way and with what we do, pushes forward with change that is sometimes desperately needed. I wish you all the very best and hope to see as many of you as possible at the forthcoming dinner.

Christopher James Andrews President, Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

I should also note with immense sadness the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Whatever your political or other views, I am certain that we all appreciate her dedication to this Country over 70 years and on behalf of SNELS offer our deepest condolences to her family.

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

Colby Beecroft

Family Team Paralegal

Suffolk Law Centre

(Suffolk Law in the 46a Matthews Ipswich Suffolk IP1

After completing my undergraduate law degree and going into my Masters of Law, I was looking for employment at an organisation that shared my concern for human rights.

When I landed a job at Suffolk Law Centre, I knew I had found a place where my academic knowledge and personal passion for justice could be put to use in a team of likeminded professionals. As both my undergraduate and masters dissertations focused on issues surrounding domestic abuse and equal marriage within UK law, I knew my position within the family team would be well suited.

I started in the Family Team in November of 2021 and have since worked under the ‘Legal Support for Litigants in Person’ project, (LSLiP) Part of a local, regional and national programme overseen by the Access To Justice Foundation and funded by the Ministry of Justice under their ‘Legal Action Plan,’ which aims to put in place strategies which aid litigants in person to resolve their legal issues at the earliest opportunity. In Family, the two main groups of clients we see are: those who are seeking assistance in securing legal aid and a lawyer and those who do not qualify for legal aid who cannot afford legal advice and representation. With the rise in domestic abuse throughout the pandemic and the setbacks the family court have faced as a result of Covid-19, Suffolk Law Centre has seen a significant rise in family law enquiries.

Our work under the project falls into three main categories: triaging, casework and our volunteer run Family Support Clinic service. Much of our initial contact with clients involves identifying whether we can assist them or triaging them to the appropriate service or agency. In this sense, we act as an educational tool for clients to discover what their next best steps are and where they can be best supported to take them. We have built up an extraordinary external support network, involving many organisations within the charitable and statutory sector – when we cannot help, we try to refer clients where their needs can be best met. We are able to assist clients in making court applications, preparing statements and preparing for hearings in child contact issues. We also host a Family Support Clinic twice a month, which currently is provided by our wonderful volunteers - a retired solicitor and barrister, who offer one hour advice sessions to our clients. The opportunity for some of our clients to be provided with this particular service is vital to those who cannot afford a solicitor. Going through family court proceedings is often highly emotive and having a legal professional’s input can significantly ease a litigant in person’s anxieties, not to mention potentially improving their position within their proceedings. Although we cannot currently represent clients in court, the offer of & North Essex Law Society

education and advice throughout the lead up to court hearings proves invaluable help to clients who have no other means of securing this support.

Clients who require further assistance following their Family Support Clinic appointment, can usually be helped through our casework service. The needs of casework clients can vary greatly: some require short-term assistance, for example those needing help with statements for court, while others require a long-term support service if their proceedings prove to be considerably complex. These clients can range from those who are seeking contact with an estranged child, domestic abuse survivors who lack the evidence needed to qualify for legal aid and family members who do not have parental responsibility and are seeking Special Guardianship or Child Arrangement orders. As a person who is fairly new to family law, I find it a pleasure working with a group of professionals who use their knowledge to help those going through difficult times.

We work in the shadow of LASPO - even those who have suffered domestic abuse can still be affected by the problem of trapped capital when being assessed for legal aid, despite the recent caselaw on this. We help those who would otherwise fall into the ‘justice gap.’ It is amazing to see that other agencies share the same values as the Law Centre, specifically those who aim to dismantle the barriers towards access to justice faced by many clients. Many of our clients come to us whilst experiencing not only family law issues but also significant problems relating to insecure housing, debt and abuse. We are able to offer the client a wrap-around service, securing support from other specialist agencies to help resolve their issues. This approach often proves to be as equally important as the legal advice we are lucky enough to offer. Even when we don’t have capacity, we try to never leave any client without any direction and will signpost or refer wherever possible. Although it is difficult to see so many service users during such challenging times, being able to experience a clients progress from the beginning to the end of their journey with us here, makes this job the most rewarding I have had so far.

At Suffolk Law Centre our Family team is small. We are also dependent on our volunteers, without whom the numbers of clients we could advise would be significantly reduced. However, the work we do and the service we provide is invaluable to the most vulnerable facing family proceedings. I have seen first-hand how our assistance has helped to make a litigant in person’s experience with the Family court a positive one and placed them in good stead for the next stages of their legal journey. There is something so very magical about being within a team who strives in the fight against inequality every day. Our Legal Advice for Litigants in Persons Project has allowed us to create this safe space for our clients and for me, to play a part in this, as someone who is in the early stages of their legal career has been an incredible experience.

‘Basis period’ reforms will impact on most legal practices

The long-delayed HMRC reforms which will see sole traders, partnerships and LLPs assessed for tax on a ‘tax year basis’ are finally due to come into effect in April 2024 – but those practices whose current accounting year-end does not coincide with the tax year need to start thinking about how they are going to cope with the change sooner rather than later.

Under current rules, unincorporated businesses (including LLPs) are taxed on a ‘current year basis’. Now HMRC wants to ‘simplify’ matters (for themselves, at least) so that the results of any given year are taxed in that year, regardless of the accounting date.

The main driver for this is Making Tax Digital which is due to be introduced for income tax in 2024, but it will also mean that profits will be taxed sooner, which of course has implications for cashflow.

If a practice’s accounting year is anything other than 31st March or 5th April, the 2023/24 tax year will be a transitional year when as much as 23 months’ worth of profit will be taxed and from 2024/25 practices will need to report the taxable profits for that tax year, regardless of the accounting period year end.

There are several issues that affected practices will have to consider, amongst which:

• Profits might have to be estimated and then revisited once the accounts are finalised causing additional administration (and costs) preparing or reviewing a later set of accounts every year.

• Overlap profit for each member/partner needs to be researched as it can be used to reduce personal tax payments, though it is often relatively small.

• If profits in 2023/24 are higher than usual, this could have a compounding impact on tax bills and cashflows.

• Additional profits brought into charge are spread over the 5 tax years beginning 2023/24, however a practice can elect not to spread.

• Those practices maintaining tax reserves ought to ensure they are holding enough behind from profits to support future increased tax payments.

One obvious solution is to change a practice’s accounting year end date to coincide with the tax year end. There are special rules about doing this, so taking advice is essential –and timing of the move is also important.

April 2024 may seem a long way away, but these are significant things to think about, and it really is no good waiting until the last minute. Every practice whose accounting year end is not 31st March or 5th April needs to take professional advice sooner rather than later.

By Shaun Mary

Law at the University of Suffolk

Law has been offered at degree level since 2016, but during the last year two exciting developments have taken place.

The first was the opening of our own courtroom. The courtroom was installed by professional court fitters on the top floor of the Waterfront Building in 2020 and includes a dock, witness box and a judge’s bench with the experience further enhanced by legal gowns and lecterns bought by Gotelee Solicitors and the university’s Foundation Board in 2019.

It was formally opened by the Resident Judge of Ipswich Crown Court and Honorary Recorder of Ipswich, His Honour Judge Martyn Levett and those attending the opening included Professor Helen Pankhurst, Chancellor of the University of Suffolk, the then Deputy Mayor of Ipswich, John Cook and the President of the Suffolk and North Essex Law Society.

The courtroom is now in regular use for undergraduate teaching and assessments, mooting and school mock trial days. Secondly, on the 18th May 2022, the University of Suffolk celebrated the launch of the Legal Advice Centre, which provides advice on family law, in addition to legal guidance for new businesses and start-ups.

The full launch of the service comes after a two-month ‘soft launch’ period between February and April 2022, during which the Centre provided assistance and advice to clients on twenty-two matters.

The Legal Advice Centre was established to support individuals and families who may not be eligible for legal aid, as well as those who do not know they are entitled to it.

It is run by a network of volunteer staff and students working alongside experienced supervising solicitors to provide advice to those most in need of it.

Dr Stephen Colman, Senior Lecturer in Law s.colman@uos.ac.uk

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

Family relationship DNA testing as we emerge from a period of darkness…

After a few years of unprecedented change, we are hopefully on the path to repairing society and a semblance of normality. So, rather than our usual in depth article on a “DNA testing” subject we thought it would be a good idea to discuss some of the causes and changes relevant to the professional services sector.

We must first offer some context by discussing firstly the effect of Covid-19 and then secondly, the war in Ukraine. The stresses caused by these events have caused heightened anxiety in the population and of course, significant changes in behaviour which are exacerbated by the use of social media channels. Tolerance and respect have taken a back seat as people seek Maslow’s “Safety and Security” and as a means of self protection, can react irrationally and poorly. Whilst there are still strong memories of the pandemic we have learnt to deal with its conse quences and are growing from it. The real impediment to regaining normality is now the situation in Ukraine.

To put this into context, there have been 15 pandemics since the Black Death (1331-1353) and which recorded at least 100,000 deaths. The Black Death for example, wiped out over 30% of the population. The death toll due to Covid-19 in the UK has been smaller than some other pandemics, due to better public health measures and more rapid communications. The government must take some credit for their prompt action in the early days of the pandemic, when we simply did not know what kind of virus we were dealing with. Lockdown caused a precipitous drop in demand across all sectors and of course then necessitated a substantial government intervention.

In economic terms and from historical data, the effect of pandemics (in general) is to modestly reduce the natural rate of inflation, with actual recovery thereafter taking decades rather than a few years. In the UK the loss of life has been predominantly in the older population although we await to see the unknown effects of long covid on the wider population. Pandemic “survivors” may well be seeking to consolidate their personal security for example by risk aversion, retention of wealth, more modest investments and frugal behaviour.

If we can now please be excused a comment on inflation, then pandemics are in general associated with a reduction in inflation, a more restricted labour force and this in turn leads to an increase in real wages. So having weathered the three or so waves of viral infection, we might have expected to come out of it into a low inflation, cautious environment. A war is a significantly different event, unlike a pandemic, it is both the destruction of life and of capital (crops, land, building, machinery, factories) and is inherently a cause of inflationary increases.

Whilst Ukraine bears the brunt of the economic damage, the inflationary effect in a global economy, reaches rapidly to other nations. It is now the Ukraine war, rather than the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, that is having the most significant effect upon our well-being. It is driving inflation and it is the source of national insecurity as people again seek safety and security.

As a company we played a significant role in outbreak testing for Covid-19 and during this rather intense time, as the government focussed on mitigation and containment, the demand for professional commissioned human identity DNA testing reduced significantly. Social services and solicitors were struggling to keep case work going and home working, in terms of client contact, was simply not the answer. However, the latent demand for DNA testing has now released and significant cost pressures are with us all (e.g. cost of living wage increases, rent, utilities). Pressures on the legal aid system still exist and need attention if we are to mitigate this high inflation en vironment, hold down our costs and still (as a sector) provide great service to families.

There is a specific sector in family services that has been badly affected, by the war in Ukraine. Until Russia invaded, Ukraine was the centre of the surrogacy industry (estimated 25% market share) and of the countries that allow surrogacy, is the most permissive (with clear legal rules) and reasonably priced. It is estimated that before the war, around 2500 babies were born to Ukrainian surrogates per annum. Many surrogates and intended parents were trapped by the war and of course, the immediate reaction was for the Ukrainian surrogate to leave the country.

Some made it, others have remained but have been moved to cities further West in Ukraine. Undoubtedly, the surrogacy clinics are struggling to function in this environment and this is compounded by desires to help the surrogate into a neighbouring country. This course of action may invalidate a surrogacy contract made under Ukrainian law where surrogates do not have parental rights over the children that they carry. Altruistic surrogacy is allowed in the UK, but the birth mother is recorded as the legal parent at birth, until a parental order is made in order to change the parentage – a DNA test is required for this and around 400 of such orders are made each year. Other countries are less permissive regarding altruistic surrogacy and it may even be banned completely. We of course continue to advise our UK clients with DNA testing in this difficult situation.

Global inflationary pressures need to be brought under control and all economies will take a while to adjust. With sensible fiscal policy, predictions of an eventual lower inflationary environment next year seem robust. Post pandemic we see UK society evolving with a renewed evaluation of human connection, family and gainful employment, there is indeed a great deal to be positive about.

About the author: Dr Neil Sullivan, BSc, MBA (DIC), LLM, PhD is General Manager of Complement Genomics Ltd (trading as Dadcheck®gold).

Complement Genomics Ltd (trading as Dadcheck®) is accredited by the Ministry of Justice as a body that may carry out parentage tests directed by the civil courts in England and Wales under section 20 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969.

Please see: http://www.dadcheckgold.com.

Tel: 0191 543 6334

e-mail: sales@dadcheckgold.com

Maintaining healthy boundaries between home and work

Many of us struggle with maintaining a boundary between home and work, especially since the pandemic with the rise in homeworking. Whilst homeworking is great for some, others find it difficult to switch off at a reasonable time, and answer emails at all times of day and night. This can result in burnout.

As legal professionals your greatest asset is your brain, and it is essential you look after and protect your wellbeing in order to do your best work and stay well. It is tempting when we are stressed to bury our head in the sand and do even more work to try and assuage the feeling of panic, but in fact we need to do the opposite – take a break, set in place healthy boundaries between work and life outside of work, teach ourselves to switch off.Here’s some tips to help you regain some balance.

Tips for managing healthy boundaries with work

• Have two phones and email addresses, one for work, one for private use. NEVER give a client your private mobile number or email address.

• Take regular breaks, including a lunch break, and try and get out for a walk every day. This may seem impossible but you will do better work if you do this.

• To avoid overwhelm do one thing at a time and break complex tasks down into manageable chunks. Disable notifications so you can focus.

• Breathe – if you can feel yourself getting anxious try taking ten deep breaths, inhaling for 5 seconds and exhaling for 10 seconds. It can make you feel calmer.

• Work sensible hours –you are not doing your best work at 11pm at night. Working longer hours is often counter-productive.

• Remember you can sometimes say no to clients, colleagues, your superiors, family and friends – only you can effectively manage your time and prevent yourself from

getting overwhelmed. Everyone has a limit and it’s better to say from the outset that you will not be able to do something than leave it until the last minute.

On finishing work for the day

• Write a list of the must-dos for tomorrow each day and leave it where you will see it on return to your desk.

• If you have an office at home shut the ‘office’ door when the day is over. If you have an area in a room to work in consider a screen, curtains or something to cover the space. You want to literally block work out.

• Announce to yourself: ‘The office is now closed’

• Have a shower/bath, put on some music, go for a walk –do something to mark the end of the working day and the start of your evening.

If you are struggling

• It’s easy to let healthy habits slip when we are at stressed but make sure you eat well, get to bed at a reasonable time and find time to do some exercise. These are essential basic requirements of staying mentally healthy and if you let them slide the quality of your work will suffer, as will you.

• Take some time off work. We all need time to rest, relax, recuperate and reset and something to look forward to.

• Talk to someone. Talking your problems through makes a real difference and provides reassurance you are not alone. Contact the free, independent and confidential LawCare support service on: 0800 279 6888, email: support@lawcare.org.uk or access online chat at www.lawcare.org.uk You’ll always speak to someone who works in or has worked in the law so understands the challenges you face.

• If you’re feeling anxious, depressed or not sleeping make an appointment with your GP.

• Put your work phone and laptop in a drawer and lock it in the evenings and weekends.

• Pause, reflect for a minute or so and mark the moment you are ending your working day and transitioning to life outside work.

Join LawCare for their inaugural online conference Building a Better Life in the Law on 28th September to learn more about how to improve the culture in the law & make your legal organisation a happy and healthy place to work. Find out more & sign up at: lawcare.org.uk/conference

The summer months are usually a quiet time in relation to news from Chancery Lane but here are the highlights

• Practicing certificate fees are expected to rise from £266 to £286 from the next renewal date. After a freeze during the pandemic both the Law Society and SRA are seeking increases. The compensation fund contributions will not rise from the existing level of £30 for an individual and £690 for firms holding client money. After a biggest ever consultation with the profession 67% supported the Society’s proposal to increase its share in the practicing fee for 2022/23. The fees have to be approved by the LSB before being introduced. In November the Society will launch a new three year corporate plan to support the membership. Further details will follow in the next newsletter.

• SIF. After the success of the Law Society campaign to retain the Solicitors Indemnity Fund for another year the SRA has announced that it will be launching a new scheme in 2023. Details are currently not available but you can read the discussion paper which they published here: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/ consultations/discussion-papers/solicitorsindemnity-fund-sif-consumer-protectionnegligence-claims/

• Register of Overseas Entities. A reminder that a new register of overseas entities has come into operation from 1st August 2022. This requires anonymous owners of UK property to reveal their identities to make it more difficult for foreign criminals to launder money through UK property. The Law Society has issued guidance with regard to what solicitors should be doing about it and you can read this here: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/ topics/property/register-of-overseas-entities-whatsolicitors-should-know-about-verification

• Bill of Rights. This Bill, introduced in the Queen’s speech earlier this year, sought to fundamentally review and amend the Human Rights Act. The Law Society made representations that the provisions of the bill would:

o damage the rule of law

o prevent access to justice

o reduce or remove rights

o lead to more cases being taken to the ECtHR

o impact devolution

o damage the UK’s international reputation

o create legal uncertainty

By Donna Taylor, Tony Fisher

From the Council Chamber & North Essex Law Society

For the full response drafted by the Law Society and its Human Rights Committee please go to: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/campaigns/consultationresponses/human-rights-act-reform-a-modern-bill-of-rightsconsultation-law-society-response.

The bill has now been pulled in the current Parliament following the election of Liz Truss as the new PM.

• Stamp Duty. The Chancellor has announced further cuts to stamp duty in his mini-budget on 23rd September 2022. The price at which stamp duty is paid was doubled from £125,000 to £250,000.

The rates are now:

• 0%: £0 - £250,000 (£425,000 for first time buyers)

• 5%: £250,000 - £925,000

• 10%: £925,000 - £1,500,000

• 12%: £1,500,000+

The chancellor added that discounted stamp duty for first-time buyers will now apply to properties costing up to £625,000up from £500,000.

The average price of a house in England is £312,000. Whether this will provide another boost to the conveyancing market as the previous stamp duty cuts introduced during the COVID pandemic remains to be seen.

As ever if any members have any particular concerns they would like to address to us please do not hesitate to email us.

Tony Fisher (Council member for Essex) (tfisher@fjg.co.uk)

Donna Taylor (Council member for Suffolk) (donna.taylor@nexa.law)

www.snels.org.uk

A legacy for future generations

Sadly, 1 in 2 of us will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in our lifetime and most of us will know someone who has been affected by the disease.

East Anglian cancer charity, Big C, is committed to providing outstanding support for those in the local community, now and for future generations. Funds received from legacies are a fundamental source of income for Big C and vital to enable the charity to continue the crucial role it plays in supporting those in need.

From its first small, but important, fundraising project providing chemotherapy equipment at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in 1980, Big C has grown into an impressive organisation which funds specialist support and information services, life-saving equipment and internationally significant research projects. This research greatly benefits local people and has a global impact on our understanding and treatment of the many types of cancer.

A recent addition to the charity’s services is Big C’s Virtual Sup port and Information Centre, which enables people to access crucial support from the comfort of their own home. Online help

is offered via Big C’s Virtual Support Centre, offering 1:1 video support, virtual groups and wellbeing classes, or support by telephone for those who do not have online ac cess.

Dr Chris Bushby, CEO at Big C says, “Sadly most people in our local community will be affected by cancer at some point in their lives, whether that be their own diagnosis, or that of a loved one or friend. As a local charity, we are often overwhelmed by how people express their gratitude for the support we offer and the investments we make in research and medical equipment. One of the most significant ways they do this is by leaving a legacy to Big C in their will. The difference that legacy giving makes to Big C cannot be overstated. It is vital to our ability to invest in research and equipment in our region’s hospitals and to provide outstanding and accessible support and information close to where people live. It can literally change the future for people facing cancer now and in years to come.”

Leaving a legacy to Big C is a precious gift for future generations.

For more information on leaving a legacy to Big C please contact Katherine Morgan at: katherine.morgan@big-c.co.uk or call 01603 964490.

How to get ahead in your legal career

With so much competition in the legal market, it can be tricky to get ahead.

The question is how do you differentiate yourself? How do you prepare yourself for opportunities when they come your way?

How do you proactively create your own opportunities? How do you position yourself to bag that next promotion?

Perhaps, most importantly, how do you strive to move forward whilst also taking good care of your mental health and wellbeing?

On Thursday, 6th October we are hosting a lunchtime webinar with Helen Pamely, Career Coach, who will be discussing how to get ahead in your legal career – and fast! Helen started her career at Linklaters and at just 6 years qualified, was promoted to Partner in Dispute Resolution at City of London law firm Rosling King. With a passion for mental health and wellbeing, and a desire to

understand how we can optimise these to reach our potential and perform at our best, Helen retrained as both a psychotherapist and a coach. Helen now helps other lawyers to thrive in their careers, reach the top, and become the best and happiest versions of themselves.

As a former lawyer, having trained and qualified at the Magic Circle, and having made Partner at a top City law firm at just 6 years qualified, Helen knows what it takes to get to the top, and quickly.

In this lunchtime webinar, you’ll learn how to:

• stand out from the crowd and build your personal brand,

• plan ahead and seize and create new opportunities,

• build relationships and network effectively,

• create a mindset for success, and

• take care of your wellbeing in the process, and thrive as a result.

You can book now via LinkedIn or Eventbrite, we look forward to seeing you all there.

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

Options for law firms facing pressures on cash

Many law firms find their cash is under strain and they don’t have the ready cash to invest in improvements. In addition, some have a retirement looming and need to think about succession planning. What options are available to law firms and how can getting business advice help?

Pressures on cash

All businesses need cash, and the pressures on this precious resource are particularly weighty for legal firms, who have:

• High salaries resulting in considerable end-of-month cash outflows

• An unceasing need to make investments in bigger and better systems, to beat fraud and keep up with competitors

• Outgoing partners extracting their equity stake without incoming partners to counter the outflow

Traditional options

Banks

A bank loan may be attractive for its relative ‘cheapness’ when compared with other traditional forms of finance. Calling a bank loan ‘cheap’, however,

might well be misleading, as it will often take time and administrative effort to set up – the costs of such a delay and the involvement of your time may well outweigh the apparent benefits of securing a low interest rate.

Partner equity

The traditional path of a new partner has been to stake their claim with new equity, and in so doing give the business a cash boost on arrival. Today, the ‘lure’ of partnership probably isn’t what it used to be, with a bias towards short-term lending from banks and with a vast array of other important things to spend money on. This could mean that a new partner is not there to counter the outflow when you need it most.

Alternative options

Alongside the traditional options are a range of others that may prove suitable. If you’re hoping to invest in new assets as part of a business development plan, a Hire Purchase arrangement would be worth considering as you may find cheaper rates than a bank loan. There is also the option of a Finance Lease if owning the asset is not a necessity. Peer-to-peer lending such as Funding Circle is increasing in popularity and

availability, and can be quicker and easier to set up than a bank loan. Individual investors or “business angels” may be an even quicker source of finance.

How we can help

Whether struggling to meet monthly outgoings, or looking to invest in new technology to keep up with the competition, speak to us. Our dedicated Corporate Transactions team has a large network of financiers, small and large, and can provide business advice tailored to your firm’s particular circumstance.

For succession planning or general business advice, our Legal specialist team has a wealth of experience, understands the issues facing today’s law firms, and can help you make good business decisions.

For advice and information about any of the issues in this article, please contact Ellis Lake on 0330 024 0888 or email: enquiry@larking-gowen.co.uk

By Ellis Lake

This article is designed for the information of readers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, information contained in this article may not be comprehensive and recipients should not act upon it without seeking professional advice. “Larking Gowen” is the trading name of Larking Gowen LLP, which is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (LLP number OC419486). Where we use the word partner it refers to a member of Larking Gowen LLP. © Larking Gowen & North Essex Law Society

Rallying cry for wider adoption of UPRN

The adoption of Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRN) presents an opportunity to simplify and speed up the conveyancing process, according to Geodesys.

Momentum is steadily growing behind the wider adoption of UPRN across the property industry. Currently, the main barriers to adoption are awareness and the availability of using the UPRN through a transaction with all parties.

But a Today’s Conveyancer survey of conveyancing practitioners at the end of 2021 identified that awareness across the conveyancing sector was growing with 65% of respondents suggesting they understood what UPRN are, and of those 85% suggested they would be “useful in providing a single point of focus for data on property.”

However only 11% of respondents suggested they used UPRN “Every time” or “Often” in the course of a transaction.

In April UPRNs were included in the Buying and Selling Property Information (BASPI) protocol, developed by trade bodies from across the home buying sector to support the digitisation of property information and enable the collation of up front information from consumers. A “single source of truth,” the BASPI has been designed to reduce the huge duplication of information collected in the course of a conveyance and bring it into a single space.

“The idea behind UPRN is to provide greater certainty around the location of property and uniformity of addressing”

Says Ellie Player, Head of Geodesys.

“We have incorporated UPRN search into the Geodesys platform for a number of years, alongside postcode and address look up. The Geodesys system works by linking a UPRN to a title number so you have the benefit of either because of how we match them up.

Property portal Zoopla has announced it is heavily investing in UPRN at a recent conference. It believes that by improving data quality around the home buying process, it is possible to reduce fall-throughs and speed up conveyancing.

Ellie adds that from a search point of view UPRN will also provide greater surety of location.

“How many times have you had to provide more information about a parcel of land or check the plan to ensure you’ve included the full boundary of the property?”

“UPRN will map out property locations, including any additional parcels, and ensure the search covers the full outline of the property.”

There is a risk that wider adoption will become a catch-22 situation. The results of the Today’s Conveyancer survey show that wider adoption amongst property lawyers will be dependent on a demonstrable improvement in the conveyancing process, something only achievable if each side of the transaction is using UPRN.

Indeed a number of comments from the survey indicate that UPRN confuses the issue, with some respondents indicating that title numbers are, in effect, unique.

“Title numbers are unique to the conveyancing process. UPRN are designed to help capture data beyond the home moving process, such as emergency response, HMRC and other govt departments, and have the potential to build a “property passport” or “property logbook” as an immutable single source of truth to tie property data to”

says Ellie

“We must, as an industry, embrace adoption to be an enabler in the digitisation of property data, rather than risk holding back progress and missing this critical opportunity to improve home ownership.”

“It’s another step in supporting the industry wide adoption of UPRN which we believe will bring huge benefit throughout the conveyancing process”.

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

GIFTS IN WILLS TO CHARITY

A record number of people in England and Wales are supporting charities with gifts in Wills. 10,6701different charities received a gift from a Will last year and 37,242 charitable estates were identified – a 10.7% increase on the previous year. This reflects the growing appetite for legacy giving and the key role the legal sector plays in providing impartial information for clients about how to go about it, while ensuring that people’s wishes for family and friends are met.

This news comes at the start of RememberACharity Week (5th –11thSeptember 2022), the nation’s annual public awareness campaign for charitable gifts in Wills. It echoes recent research showing that more than 1 in 5 Wills handled by UK legal advisers (22%)2now include a donation to charity.

The public supports a wide spectrum of charitable causes, from researching treatment for cancer and dementia to supporting vulnerable children and adults, taking care of pets and animals, mental health support, rescue services and many others. Over a third (37%)3of charitable Wills named just one charity, but more than one fifth (21.7%)4contained two.

When it comes to location, the areas with the highest concentrations of charitable Wills in 2021 include Brighton, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Exeter. Areas that have seen the most annual gains in charitable estates are Brighton, Kingston-upon Thames and Ipswich.

Gifts in Wills are a critical source of funding for charitable services across the country, raising more than £3 billion for good causes annually. Generous tax reliefs make gifts in Wills one of the most efficient ways of donating. In the UK, charitable bequests are exempt from the 40% Inheritance Tax and, when clients donate 10% or more of the value of their estate, the IHT rate is reduced to 36%.

Lucinda Frostick, Director of RememberACharity –a consortium of 200 charities, says: “Legal advisers play a crucial role in helping the public understand all the options open to them when they write a Will. Our research shows that even the simplest of references to the option of leaving a gift in a Will to charity can double the chances that a client will choose to do so. And those gifts really can be transformational for UK charities. Today, that income is more critical than ever.”

The consortium works all year round to normalise charitable Will-writing across the UK by raising aware ness of legacy giving among legal professionals and the public.Through its free campaign Supporter scheme for solicitors and Will-writers, it offers promotional resources and useful guidance for referencing gifts in Wills with clients.

To find out more or join the existing network of campaign supporters, see:https://www.rememberacharity.org.uk/advisers

Media queries: Contact Lucinda Frostick, Turner PR; lucinda@turnerpr.co.uk 07712 045 308

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

Essex Law Clinic

In 2019, Essex Law Clinic celebrated its 10th birthday. Like the law clinics which most universities now run, it provides a free legal service to clients whilst equipping students with vital skills and experience to take forward into the work market. More recently, it has, not surprisingly, expanded considerably in areas of law in which clients may otherwise struggle to access advice. This is particularly so in areas most impacted by the cuts to legal aid such as in family, housing and immigration law which are the key areas of work of the clinic.

From its inception the Clinic has benefitted hugely from drawing on the assistance of members of the legal community. We are, however, very keen to further our links with the local profession. Our current team of pro-bono lawyers assist by enabling students to shadow them while they interview clients or by supervising students who conduct the interviews themselves. Students have also gained immensely from local lawyers giving talks about their experiences in the law and from the networking opportunities to students which can arise through contact with such lawyers. This has made a huge difference to many in launching their careers in the local area.

Students volunteer for the Clinic after a rigorous application process. They receive training on skills such as client interviewing, professional communication, dealing with vulnerable clients and ethics. Students initially work on non-client facing projects involving tasks such as legal research and publiclegal education before been trusted with casework. When undertaking case work, students generally interview clients on in teams of two under the supervision of either a clinic staff supervisor or a pro-bono lawyer. Students then provide a practical letter of advice, again under supervision, with a view to enabling the client to take

the steps necessary to help themselves. Student volunteers are also able to observe supervisors and, as mentioned above, pro-bono lawyers provide advice to clients. In order to serve clients with urgent matters either staff, pro bono lawyers or student volunteers with sufficient experience and knowledge,may provide advice on the spot.

The Law Clinic works closely with local charities and not-for-profit organisations to reach those clients unable to otherwise access help. Since covid, most clients have been seen via zoom. This will continue where clients prefer this but in addition to resuming face to face appointments on campus, students are also taken out into the community to provide a service. For example, work is undertaken in Jaywick, Beacon House in Colchester and via schools in the Tendring area.

The Clinic is constantly evolving. It works hard to create for volunteers a supported community to enable them to learn and grow as future lawyers. Initiatives such as Clinic Connect, a monthly magazine about the clinic and the law has developed to encourage this. Likewise, a new Essex Law Clinic Graduates Group is being developed which we hope will be something the many ex-students now working locally, will engage in.

In addition to the Law Clinic there has been a long-standing relationship between the Essex Law School and the local legal community. For many years, the university and SNELS have jointly held the Annual Law Lecture welcoming prominent members of the legal profession to speak to an audience of students, academics and local lawyers. Like so many events, after a covid gap, it was fantastic in June 2022 to welcome the President of The Law Society, Stephanie Boyce, to speak at the resumption of the Annual Law Lecture about her career path to becoming the first female woman of colour as President of The Law Society. The talk was inspirational.

If you are interested in pro-bono opportunities at the Law Clinic or would like more information about this or, as alumni, the Essex Law Clinic Graduates programme, please contact:

Liz Fisher-Frank, Deputy Director, Essex Law Clinic via: elizabeth.fisherfrank@essex.ac.uk

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

book REVIEW

Suffolk & North Essex Law Society

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

In times such as these with a dramatic strain on our everyday expenses, called the “cost of living crisis”, we welcome the new edition of the Legal Action Group’s “Legal Aid Handbook” for 2022/23, edited by Vicky Ling and Sue James. LAG is the access to justice charity.

This handbook arrives for practitioners at just the right time for the fiftieth anniversary of LAG. The Legal Action Group began its excellent work way back in 1972. Advisers and practitioners since the 1970s have come to rely on LAG books, especially in the early years of their practice. All the LAG books remain, for us, just the right practitioner/adviser texts for modern advocacy with their mix of common-sense and detail. They are also easy to read and readily navigable for the legal novice.

It is rightly described as “the only comprehensive guide to the legal aid scheme”. The handbook remains the one book no legal aid lawyer can afford to be without. What we get here is detailed coverage of the legal framework of the scheme, with full discussion of civil, criminal, and family legal aid, and analysis of the leading case-law since LASPO arrived- all those years ago!

The handbook remains easy to read. It offers the following structure and contents set out for lawyers and advisers, giving us a practical, step by step guidance on conducting cases, getting paid, advocacy, and financial and contract management.

There is a comprehensive guidance on performance monitoring and quality standards; specialist chapters on family, immigration, mental health, community care, housing, crime, exceptional case funding and public law; tactics and tips on using CCMS, with useful workarounds; in-depth guidance on costs and a new chapter on IFA and ICA cost appeals; plus, all the latest policy developments which LAG excels at describing!

What we get with the new edition for 2022-23 includes the following legal areas: The Standard Crime Contract 2022; The Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) Covid contingency arrangements where relevant in the handbook; a discussion of the LAA’s new interface with CCMS; the latest available information on the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme; and useful reference to guidance on the LAA’s new training and support website which is well worth reviewing.

The date of publication of this new paperback edition is cited as 28th February 2022. Always ensure you refer to the latest edition when researching legal aid.

An absolutely essential purchase as the cost-of-living crisis worsens in the 2020s