From the Chairwoman

I look forward to a happy and productive 2022 for all our members!

I write to update members on what has happened since the last Executive Committee meeting on 2 November 2021.

Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF)

This remains an important issue for our members and our Secretary Clive Sutton continues to take an active lead in this area along with fellow executive committee member Lubna Shuja who is also the Vice- President of the Law Society.

The SPG and Law Society held a online roundtable on 13 January 2022 to discuss the SIF fund issue with members to assist with our engagement in the SRA’s SIF consultation process.

The SRA is currently seeking views in a consultation on the options for the post six year run-off insurance cover and the Solicitors Indemnity fund.

This affects all solicitors whether you are sole practitioners or work in a firm, or are a consultant. I would urge you to engage with the consultation and let your views be known to our regulators the SRA and the LSB.

The consultation ends on 15 February 2022 and the consultation online response can be accessed at https://www.sra.org.uk/

sra/consultations/consultation-listing/ solicitors-indemnity-fund/

Annual Business Growth Summit Carden Park

I am pleased to inform members that the SPG Business Growth Summit is confirmed as being at Carden Park the weekend of 24-26 June 2022.

Our Regulators the SRA and LSB are expected to attend as well as the Law Society, Legal Ombudsman and the Land Registry.

We are also inviting the Chairs of other Associations with SP members to attend as the guest of SPG to improve interaction between us.

I recommend you book early for this to secure your place as the venue is a luxury Hotel & Spa in the heart of Cheshire’s countryside with interesting speakers, a range of exhibitors to assist in your practice as well as the opportunity to engage with fellow SP’s and have some fun too .

Pastoral Care/Health and Wellbeing

I believe it is increasingly becoming more important that we provide access and assistance to our members in this area.

Dorcas Falode heads this new area for the SPG and will be engaging with people/ firms in this area to provide information and assistance for our members both ongoing and at our Annual Business Growth Summit at Carden Park in June.

New Committee Members

Andrew and Zoe attended our National Executive Committee meeting on 2 November 2021 in London. They were invited to join the Executive Committee and to my delight they both agreed.

If any SP would like to attend the National Executive Committee meetings as an observer please contact me at joanna@spg.uk.com and I will arrange it for you.

Engagement with Members

We have maintained contact with our members via Mail Chimp with seminars, consultations and other items that may be of interest you.

The Yorkshire region meeting I was due to attend with Dorcas Falode in Harrogate on 10 December 2021 was postponed due to the new Covid issues. The meeting is now due to take place early February with a date yet to be confirmed.

The SPG website is in the process of having a members private interactive forum added to it. I hope it will go live shortly. Members will be able to engage with each other and access useful information in their areas of practice (and other areas).

Attendances

I have attended externally the following since my last Chair Report 1. Legal Ex Event – 9 and 10 November 2021 2. SRA Compliance Officers Event –

Birmingham 22 and 23 November 2021 3. SPG Birmingham Regional & West

Midlands meeting 6 December 2021

Joanna Connolly SPG Chair 17 january 2022

Have you ever attended one of our Regional Meetings? Would you like to attend one?

Sometimes being a Sole Practitioner can be a little bit of a lonely place. Regional Meetings are a great way to network, meet other SP’s and catch up with SP’s you already know. It’s a great way to find out what out what the SPG Executive Team are up to, voice any issue you are having that we can support you with and interact with other SP’s.

We have a number of regions who hold meetings, these used to be in person, they moved to the virtual world due to the recent pandemic. If you would to attend a meeting for your region please visit our website and become a member for free.