BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY
BULLETIN ONE PROFESSION
ONE REGION
BALANCING DUTIES TO CLIENTS & THE COURT BEACH
READY
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INSIDE
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DISABILITY IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
BLS IT’S A KNOCKOUT! Your monthly update from the
Birmingham Law Society.
JULY / AUGUST 2018
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THIS ISSUE
ADVERTISE HERE THE BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY BULLETIN IS PUBLISHED BY FRASER URQUHART MEDIA. To advertise your business to Birmingham Law Society members call Fraser Urquhart Media on 0116 2533445 or email carey@ fu-media.co.uk or kevin@fu-media.co.uk BLS NETBALL COMPETITION WINNERS IRWIN MITCHELL LLP
4. Society News. What’s happening at the society 6. Law and at members’ Practices. Practice. Jayne Willetts returns to the Bulletin 12. Best to discuss balancing duties to clients and the court. Practice. Kirsty Richards on male victims of 14. Best domestic abuse – The Forgotten Victims Practice. Iyanu Onalaja on The Legal 16. Best Profession and Disability. Events Roundup. A look at some of the member’s 18. events and activities last month. Out of Hours. All the gallery pictures from recent 20. BLS events, beach wear and BMW’s new X2. President’s Letter Birmingham Law Society’s President, James Turner, on crisis in criminal justice.
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Disclaimer: Copyright Fraser Urquhart Media. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy in compiling this publication, the Publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, omissions, breach of copyright or otherwise since compilation. The Publisher cannot be held responsible for any material submitted to the publication, not excluding advertisements. The views expressed within this title are not necessarily the views of the Publisher. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply recommendation by the Publisher. © Fraser Urquhart Media 2018
CONTACT US Birmingham Law Society Suite 101, Cheltenham House 14-16 Temple Street Birmingham B2 5BG Tel 0121 227 8700 info@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk @birminghamlawsociety Officers April 2018 - April 2019 President: James Turner Vice President: Linden Thomas Deputy Vice President: Inez Brown Joint Honorary Secretaries: Chaitali Desai and Sophie Samani Board of Directors 2017 - 2018 Chairman: Eileen Schofield Ex-Officio: Andrew Beedham Vice Chairman & Director: Prof. Bernardette Griffin Finance Director: Ben Henry Director: Caroline Coates Director: Laura Daly Director: Catherine Edwards Director: Dee Kundi Director: Tony McDaid Director: Regan Pegg Ex-Officio: James Turner Contact c/o Birmingham Law Society www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 3
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
A CRISIS POINT FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE
On 6 June 2018, young human rights lawyer Stephen Davies tweeted David Gauke: “I am a young legal aid lawyer working in central London. I am absolutely horrified at the state of the criminal justice and criminal legal aid system. You are a solicitor. You are the Lord Chancellor. You have a crisis. What are you doing about it?” He did not receive the courtesy of a response. The Bar, in protest at the proposal to revise the fee scheme for advocates refused publicly funded work from 1 April 2018. As I write the Bar narrowly voted in favour of accepting the Government’s revised fee proposal. Angela Rafferty QC, chair of the CBA, has made clear that the discontent the issue caused has not been quelled. It was as predictable as it was disappointing that the government chose to meet with the Bar without representatives of The Law 4 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
Society, LCCSA, CLSA, AMCLF, or Local Law Societies present. The Law Society and those representative bodies were very much available for comment and remain so. Concerns go far beyond the income of lawyers but to the quality of the justice system and issues such as achieving parity of arms between the prosecution and defence. The increasing number of trials collapsing due to failures in disclosure highlight the importance of bringing to bear the critical skills of lawyers to ensure a trial fair to all parties. It ought by now to have become apparent that if the police, Crown Prosecution Service and defence are not properly resourced it erodes the quality of justice. If it is to protect the rule of law government must urgently review spending on the criminal justice system (CJS). At present the state of the CJS is such that young lawyers are put off a career in criminal law. There has been no rise in legal aid rates since the mid-1980s, irrespective of inflation and wholesale changes in procedure which directly affect practitioners. Rather there have been systemic cuts to hourly rates, introduction of fixed fees and reduction in the scope of both civil and criminal legal aid.
The numbers of firms specialising in criminal litigation has reduced rapidly and continues to fall. Where once high street practices would have had a criminal law department as a matter of course, firms offering advice in many other areas have ceased to offer criminal defence services. The fact that the surviving firms struggle on hides the looming succession crisis. The Law Society published its heat map demonstrating the ageing demographic of duty solicitors in England and Wales. It is concerning that even in large cities, including Birmingham, between 42 and 51% of duty solicitors are over the age of 50. In rural and non-metropolitan areas the figures are as high as 70% For the aspiring lawyer the costs of education and training are significant. Successful candidates reach the labour market with tens of thousands of pounds in debt and can ill afford to place their vocational interest in criminal litigation above the practicalities of repaying their loans. Opportunities for traineeship or pupillage at the Bar have halved in recent years. The Law Society’s survey shows the number of newly qualified solicitors specialising in criminal law has fallen a further 9.4% since 2014. A recent Bar Council survey highlights the impact this is having on the morale of those
As it stands we face the risk of further costly failures in the process, a two tier CJS favouring those able to afford to pay for their representation and a reduction in social mobility for aspiring applicants. The judiciary is drawn from the pool of our talented advocates. Damaging the CJS reduces that talent pool and will impact on diversity. It might be tempting to think these are the concerns of the defence community alone. Ask any police officer, probation officer, youth offending service officer, crown prosecutor, associate crown prosecutor or prison governor about the state of the CJS. You will hear a familiar report of low morale, rising costs and reduced funding. Our chief constable reports numbers of officers in the West Midlands have been reduced to levels last seen in 1974. This in the wake of public concern regarding the murder rate, the preponderance of knife and gun crime in our community. Government would do well to focus on the “value” as well as the cost of the CJS. The quality of justice in England and Wales is fundamental to the international perception of the rule of law in the UK. 48% of business contracts worldwide are arbitrated under English and Welsh law. Legal services remain our most valuable export. With less than a year before Brexit we face substantial competition from other legal centres close at hand providing English speaking courts. What is required is a fundamental review of funding of the criminal justice system. Government must properly consult both branches of the profession when it considers changes in fee rates and revisions to the general criminal contract, not aim to sow division between solicitors and barristers. The time is overdue for government to come clean and publish detail of the cost savings achieved by two decades of cuts. persevering in practice, with one third of barristers specialising in criminal law polled indicating they are considering leaving the profession. When the current crop of duty solicitors retire who will take their place? Such is the paucity of replacement solicitors that recently in discussion of the issues I, in my late forties, was referred to as being a “young” criminal defence lawyer! Lawyers like Stephen Davis are the exception that proves the rule. If you follow Stephen’s twitter feed you will forgive him his preoccupation with championing the future of his chosen career. The Law Society warns that the erosion of this sector is such that in only five to ten years’ time there will be advice deserts in England and Wales, areas where one won’t be able to access publicly funded representation. The view of the Treasury appears to be that the government will not know the true cost of the legal aid system until lawyers have left in their droves, firms have closed and those prosecuted by the state increasingly appear as litigants in person. The difficulty being that by that stage the damage done to the supplier base of criminal defence lawyers will have been profound. It will not prove possible to tempt lawyers back with the offer of a rate rise once they have left the sector.
The profession understands that to continue without change, expecting a different outcome is not sane. The time is at hand when government will face the wholesale withdrawal of services by lawyers in this sector unless it heeds their concerns, then acts to safeguard the CJS. I encourage all members who share my concerns to raise them with their MP. If you would like to take action to support The Law Society with its ongoing campaigns, visit www.lawsociety.org.uk/policy-campaigns/
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SOCIETY NEWS
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IT’S A KNOCKOUT! BLS held its first It’s a knockout event that included inflatables, a wobbly sausage competition, a disco dome and an obstacle course challenge. The weather held out and the event included a BBQ with summer drinks. There was a great competitive atmosphere and BLS team beat the Oosha team to the top spot by one point. The teams taking part in the event were Higgs and Sons, Irwin Mitchell, No5 Chambers, Oosha and Rutherfords. The Netball event raised a grand total of £1462 and the It’s a knockout event raised over £700 for the President’s chosen charities, Headway, the Brain Injury Association and the Jeff Astle Foundation. BLS hope to continue with these tournaments in future years. A big thank you goes to Tony McDaid and his Marketing Team at No5 Chambers for their help in organising the events.
Peppermint is pleased to announce today that it is now providing seamless integration with InfoTrack. This function-ality allows law firms to access and automatically populate the InfoTrack platform with matter data from their Pep-permint solution in real time. This saves firms time and drives increased margin when performing their conveyanc-ing, particularly during pre and post-completion tasks, including SDLT and AP1 forms. Importantly, PeppCX works seamlessly with InfoTrack to automatically send documents and results back into PeppCX for contacts, clients or matters, including the automatic creation of documents into SharePoint. This means that firms no longer have to manually create and save these documents, increasing speed and efficiency in their pro-cesses. Firms can embed this integration into their existing processes using the out of the box collaboration tools in PeppCX such as Workflow, Dialogs & Matter Case Plans. This means firms can benefit from using the integration without having to alter their existing business processes, reducing disruption. Find out more by visiting www.pepperminttechnology.co.uk or by calling 0115 838 9300
NEW OFFICES FOR STONE KING After a year of recruiting and building its presence in the West Midlands, national law firm Stone King has opened a Birmingham office in the city centre at Colmore Gate.
basis, alongside its offices in Bath, Cambridge, Leeds and London. The initial focus of the Birmingham office will be on schools in the city and West Midlands region.
The new office is a key step in the firm’s strategy to provide its national education expertise on a local
Stone King began to expand in Birmingham in 2017 with the appointment of Senior Associate
6 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
and employment law expert Surinder Dhillon, who launched a BAME Headteachers and Senior Leaders Forum in Birmingham in February, and Senior HR Consultant Baljinder Nizzer. So far in 2018 the firm has also welcomed Senior Associates Esther Maxwell and Charlotte Melhuish to its Education Team from Harrison Clark Rickerbys, and Amrick Saggu, a Consultant in the Commercial Property Team who joined from Birmingham City Council, among other appointments.
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SOCIETY NEWS
EXPERIENCE KEY SAYS NEW SURVEY Following its 2018 salary survey, legal recruitment specialists Clayton Legal report that law firms are facing serious challenges thanks to a lack of experienced solicitors. The survey, conducted in February and March of this year, is the most comprehensive of its kind in the UK and reveals a snapshot of the legal profession: challenges, remuneration, use of support staff, and how firms plan to hold onto talent.
“The salary survey has captured what firms and partners have been telling us for some time: the lack of experienced candidates poses a genuine challenge. Our clients tell us that they are not simply looking for law graduates – they need solicitors with skills developed in real-world situations. Qualifications are impressive, but commercial know-how and the ability to think outside of the box is far more valuable to firms,” commented Lynn Sedgwick, Managing Director at Clayton Legal. The shortage of conveyancers was a common theme among survey respondents and this fed into larger concerns about the property market, including Brexit. Lynn explained: “Law firms are really in a difficult position. On the one hand, the demand for property experts exceeds supply yet on the other hand, partners and leaders in the sector are acutely aware that an economic downturn after Brexit would mean that residential and commercial property work would grind to a halt.” While the survey highlights some key areas of concern, there was also good news. 78% of survey participants felt that attrition rates had decreased, up from just 51% in 2016. Many of the firms surveyed employ individuals with qualifications such as CILEX, FILEX and CLC, and the majority (70%) of firms employ paralegals. It appears that law firms are becoming more adept at retaining star talent and that the make of law firms is growing more diverse. “Pay is always going to be an issue for solicitors, as it is for anyone in employment. What the survey does reveal is that non-monetary benefits are of increasing importance to solicitors – and the firms that want to retain them. 66% of firms offer flexible working, second only to pension contributions as the most popular benefit offered”
FOUR YEARS OF FOOTY AT NO5
No5 Barristers’ Chambers has renewed its groundbreaking partnership with Birmingham City Football Club for the fourth-consecutive season in a link-up that has helped to raise thousands of pounds for regional charities and sees the firm’s logo emblazoned on the back of both the Blues’ home and away kits.
The partnership, which started in 2015, saw the central Birmingham-based chambers break new ground. Tony McDaid, CEO and Director of Clerking at No5 said: “When we set off on this journey, it was, and remains, a first for a barristers’ chambers and, as with all firsts, it was speculative. Three years on we have developed a mutually beneficial relationship and bond with the Blues, and many of its partners, that goes beyond mere business. “The collaborative relationship we have formed with Birmingham City has led to us creating numerous initiatives to the benefit of local and national charities. This is something both No5 and the club are particularly proud of and we are in active discussion as to what we can do together over the coming season.” During the past three seasons, there have been several fundraising initiatives and this year’s World Cup will be no exception as No5 and BCFC are working in conjunction to host a charity event in support of Cure Leukaemia. The World Cup Cook-off will see Michelin star chefs Glynn Purnell and Luke Tipping create a World Cup themed menu ready for the England v Tunisia opening group game on June 18, which will be shown live on a big screen in the Jasper Carrot Suite. Former international Blues players will also join the event.
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE CHALLENGED ON INTERPRETING TECHNOLOGY The Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) has countered assertions by the Lord Chief Justice at the Sir Henry Brooke Annual Lecture that technology developments will mean court interpreters are no longer required “within a few years”. In an open letter to Lord Burnett, the Institute cited the most recent scientific evidence showing that machine interpreting is nowhere near ready to substitute for human interpreters. Unless significant time and resource were put into testing, developing and trialling systems for use in legal cases, there would be miscarriages of justice, increased cost for the taxpayer and disadvantage to those without English 8 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
proficiency in their dealings with the legal system. The Institute also highlighted the current unsatisfactory working conditions for interpreters. Commenting on the Institute’s response, ITI Chair Sarah Griffin-Mason said: “At the Institute we regularly hear about instances, in this country and overseas, in which legal cases have been delayed, complicated or compromised because of poor quality language services. There is no situation in which inaccuracy or imprecision is less acceptable – and this includes interviews and statement taking, as well as court proceedings themselves. And in light of current limitations of interpreting technology, achieving a quality service with human interpreters has to be the number one priority.”
SPECIAL FEATURE
I HAVE A POTENTIAL INVESTIGATION? Naturally there can be concern for any Solicitor when considering a surveillance and observations investigation. The investigation could be based around a family issue, fraud, employment, all aspects of litigation or debt recovery. WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER?
KEY TIPS
J PLAN
There are a number key factors to consider when choosing an investigation, including ensuring you are acting lawfully and you have the correct service provider.
JUSTIFY: Can you justify the investigation? You have information goods are being stolen, a fraud is being committed, someone is falsely absent from work, your data is being stolen and used by a former employee or you need to prove a cohabitation. You need evidence to confirm or disprove the allegation. Your enquires have only revealed so much, you now need proof. This makes the investigation justifiable. PROPORTIONATE: Is what you are planning proportionate to you needs? 3 days surveillance to prove a skiving absent employee is working elsewhere? 5 days surveillance to prove a theft and misuse of your stolen data? A computer forensic examination to prove data has been emailed to the employee’s home? A period of surveillance to show one of the former matrimonial party is conducting undisclosed employment. This is all proportionate for your investigation. What you are doing is reasonable for what you wish to achieve and is proportionate to confirming or disproving the allegation/information. LAWFUL: Is the investigation lawful? You may need to use this evidence for use in an internal discipline investigation, a civil recovery exercise or criminal investigation or to disclose in any legal requirement. Investigation evidence is lawful and will not breach Human Rights or Regulatory Investigatory Powers at Work Acts, if procedures are adhered to correctly. Public
Landmark Chambers is delighted to announce the launch of a new office in Birmingham. Our members have been involved in several of Birmingham’s pivotal regeneration projects including the Library of Birmingham, Midland Metro expansion and the development of new offices at One Snow Hill. Landmark has also given advice in respect of The Bull Ring, Selfridges and Grand Central, and have led the promotion of Phase 1 of HS2 through Parliament.
Authorities have to adhere to specific legislation, but generally outside the Public Authority arena you can conduct virtually all investigations without falling foul of legislation. The simple marker post is “Is what I am doing reasonable for what I wish to achieve?” AND NECESSARY. You have the allegation/information, what you are suggesting is reasonable and in a proportionate manner, you need the evidence assist and have closure. The investigation is necessary. It is not a ‘fishing’ expedition. CAREFULLY CHOOSE YOUR SUPPLIER. In the UK the investigation industry is unregulated and encourages an associate system whereby investigations are sub contracted out, often to unknown providers, who are uninsured and have no accreditations in place. ARE YOUR SUPPLIERS? Insured Yes/No ISO /similar accredited Yes/No ICO (May 2018 GDPR compliant) Yes/No Members of Trade Bodies Yes/No Criminal Record Bureau Checked Yes/No Inhouse investigations Yes/No Named referrals Yes/No Staff with proven investigation skills Yes/No Proven track record of viable experience. Yes/No The protection of your reputation and integrity is vital. Please contact me directly on 02476 630498 or email davidkearns@expert-investigations.co.uk for any enquiries and to arrange a time and date for your free, 45-minute presentation to enhance your knowledge and allow you to support your clients in the most compliant, proactive and costeffective way .
“Landmark’s opening in Birmingham is another critical piece of evidence in the renaissance of the West Midlands. The legal sector has become a hallmark of Birmingham’s strength as a professional services centre and Landmark’s arrival adds a new dimension. We look forward to welcoming the Landmark team here and seeing them thrive as the region goes from strength to strength.” Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor
For more information on the services we provide please contact a member of the practice management team.
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t: +44 (0)20 7430 1221 | e: clerks@landmarkchambers.co.uk www.landmarkchambers.co.uk @Landmark_LC
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SOCIETY NEWS
LEGAL TEAM SUPPORT LET’S FEED BRUM Putting its legal expertise into practice for the benefit of Birmingham, Harrison Clark Rickerbys, is taking care of the all the legal paperwork for Let’s Feed Brum, which works with local bars, cafes and restaurants to feed people living on the streets, in addition to providing support to signpost them to existing services across the city. Volunteers run morning and evening walkabouts in the city, with a nightly soup kitchen, the initiative combines help for those who need it most and a reduction in the city’s food waste. Corporate lawyers Mandip Riar and Hannah Maidment have been guiding Let’s Feed Brum towards charitable status – trustees and local businesspeople Tara Tomes, Richard Peachey and Rupert Cross joined them and the firm’s clients and guests to celebrate the official opening of its offices at 63 Church St. The firm’s senior partner Richard Knight, with head of office and leading family lawyer Kevin Harris-James, welcomed guests. Having given some facts and
figures about the firm and its growth, he also stressed that behind the numbers were some extraordinary people, showing their commitment to their communities by raising money for charities close to their hearts.
Kevin said: “I’m a proud Brummie myself and it’s great to see so many people here who we have worked with in the city and who we will go on to work with.”
LUXURY CITY LIVING
Birmingham’s most exclusive apartment development, St Martin’s Place has launched offering a lifestyle option previously only seen in prime central London.
lounge and cinema, with an attractive courtyard garden sitting at podium level in the centre of the development, providing sought after outside space, a real luxury in the city.
This pioneering build, by leading UK property developer SevenCapital, is set to feature 228 spacious one, two and three-bedroom apartments, all of which will benefit from full use of hotel services provided by the neighbouring Park Regis Hotel.
Director Andy Foote, who heads up the residential distribution arm of SevenCapital said: “St Martin’s Place is a very exciting development. It’s a first for Birmingham and is set to become the sought-after address in the city.
Designed to cater for the growing demand for executive spec city centre apartments, St Martin’s Place should appeal to the city’s legal and professional community, offering a one of a kind opportunity for buyers and investors alike. The apartments are generous in size, ranging from circa 500 sq ft (one bed) to 1397 sq ft (three-bed penthouse suite) with on-site amenities including a private gym, WiFi 10 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
“We’re seeing a huge trend in people wanting to live within walking distance of their place of work, and within equally easy reach of transport links and all retail, leisure and entertainment amenities. St Martin’s Place offers all of that and more, providing residents with a truly unique living experience that is rarely seen outside London.” Find out more at www.sevencapital.com
ONLINE P RO B AT E PILOTED Talbots Law is one of a select number of invited law firms chosen to work with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) Probate Reform Team to launch a pilot version of a new digital service designed to simplify the application process and to allow for applications to be handled digitally. Currently, the process can be lengthy and cumbersome, requiring Oaths to be sworn by clients, and papers and documentation submitted to the Probate Service - the new service aims to make applying for a grant of probate as smooth and simple as possible. The trial will ensure that the application is thoroughly tested, and any issues fixed before release. At the same time, it will allow for any additional functionality needed to be built into the application. Once the digital service is up and running, the ambition for the Ministry of Justice is for the turnaround and issuing of grants to be within seven working days.
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BEST PRACTICE
court. The SRA Principles 2011 provide that in the event of conflict between two Principles, the Principle that best serves the public interest in the administration of justice takes precedence. Mr Ip’s case could be viewed as an example of this long-established requirement. What is more enlightening is the Law Society’s Code. However, it does demonstrate in a more subtle way the difficulty of balancing the duties to the court and the client. There can be no doubt that Mr Ip was doing his utmost for his clients. There were no complaints there but wider interests were in play. The Administrative Court noted that “Spurious or merely hopeless applications to courts and tribunals add to the burdens on the justice system and to the costs of government” By taking advantage of the existing rules for his clients, Mr Ip had failed to maintain high professional standards and comply with his duties to the court. However, our clients expect us to act without fear or favour. Do we now see political influences interfering with our abilities to represent our clients? Two recent examples of political interference are the stamp duty land tax anti-avoidance tax schemes and the Iraq war cases. These were cases where solicitors were doing their utmost for their clients. HMRC in the first case and the Ministry of Defence in the other took exception to the work undertaken. Complaints were made to the SRA and disciplinary proceedings followed.
BALANCING DUTIES TO CLIENTS & THE COURT Written by Jayne Willetts, Solictor Advocate at Jayne Willetts & Co Solicitors The recent decision of the Administrative Court in Vay Sui Ip v Solicitors Regulation Authority [2018] EWHC 957 (Admin) is a timely reminder of the duty to act in a professional manner towards clients but also towards the court. Mr Ip, an immigration solicitor admitted in 2009 and based in Manchester, had been reported to the SRA by a High Court Judge. The complaint was that Mr Ip had issued meritless judicial review applications to delay his clients’ removal from the UK. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (“SDT”) heard that Mr Ip’s method of frustrating deportations was to make representations shortly before the client’s removal from the UK was due to take place, then apply for an injunction within judicial review proceedings, to prevent deportation pending the Home Office’s decision on the representations. When an injunction was granted, the client was generally released from detention and had the opportunity to abscond. With these “apparently good results” Mr Ip’s practice had flourished. 12 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
One of the specific allegations was that Mr Ip had decided not to go “on the record” on some cases despite the fact that he was professionally assisting individual clients with injunction applications. The Administrative Court found that the fact that he was not on the record did not affect his duties to the court and he was still required to observe a duty of candour to the court. Solicitors who undertake unbundled services for litigants in person where they have little or no ultimate control over the documents lodged with the court should take note. The SDT found that three of the six allegations made against Mr Ip were proved and ordered him to be struck off the Roll. Mr Ip appealed but the Administrative Court upheld the SDT’s decision. The SDT recognised that there was a “weak spot in the administration of the immigration system” which had been exploited by Mr Ip to his clients’ advantage, but concluded that acting in his client’s best interests did not take precedence over Mr Ip’s duties to the
So, where does the duty to act in your client’s best interests’ end and your wider public interest duty begin? The politicians see us as gatekeepers for our clients’ cases. It does no harm, of course, to remind the profession of the high standards required. But, are we to act as paragons of virtue or hired guns? Delving into the past for enlightenment, the duties are detailed in the Law Society’s old Code for Advocacy published in 1993 from the 1999 Guide which states that: “you must not engage in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice” and that “advocates have an overriding duty to ensure in the public interest that the proper and efficient administration of justice is achieved”. What now constitutes conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice differs radically from conduct 25 years ago. Consistent with the SRA’s quest for simplicity, the new Handbook due to be introduced in 2019 will contain even less guidance for the profession than the present edition. It is not always possible to identify in advance the ethical standards that are required especially for the younger members of the profession. The SRA is happy to criticise conduct on an ex post facto basis. Raising awareness within our firms and amongst the legal community of the importance of ethical practice can only be a step in the right direction.
If you own residential property and you suspect you might not be up to date with all of your compliance, give us a call and we will review the details, pro bono. Your role in the legal profession demands that you cross every t and dot every i, but the demands of your job probably mean you just don’t have time when it comes to your property. It’s what we do every single day and we are known for being particularly hot on this issue. Don’t take the risk, don’t make assumptions. Let us check for you and put your mind at ease. Give us a call today and arrange a quick review; we will provide the coffee at your convenience. Ask for Nicola Fleet-Milne or Anton Foster. 0121 366 0456
BEST PRACTICE
MALE VICTIMS OF DOM THE FORGOTTEN VICTI I have recently written an article about male victims of domestic abuse wherein I focussed on the difficulties practitioners face when representing male victims, in terms of the prejudice that seems to exist, on occasion, in the Family Court. I want to focus here on some of the wider considerations that arise when male victims are trying to get their voice heard within the context of other family proceedings (where domestic abuse is an ancillary issue, for example, within care proceedings). Before I do so, it is worth remembering the journey and positive change that we have seen in respect of domestic abuse such as the widening of the crossgovernmental definition of domestic abuse to include “any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.” Such abuse includes but is not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional behaviour. 14 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
There is also the Domestic Abuse Bill that is going through its consultation phase at the moment (the consultation period for which ended on 31 May 2018). The purpose of that Bill is to address legislative proposals as well as a package of practical action so as to address domestic abuse at every stage from prevention through to rehabilitation. There are four main themes of the consultation (1) promoting awareness; (2) protection and support; (3) pursue and deter – in respect of perpetrators of domestic abuse and (4) improving performance – across all agencies and sectors. (Full details of the consultation can be found at www.gov. uk/government/consultations/domesticabuse-bill-consultation). We have also seen the much needed relaxation of the Legal Aid Agency’s rules around gateway evidence (post LASPO) which was widely covered by the media – clearly then, it can be accepted that there is a strong forward drive towards domestic abuse being understood by all? Does that apply to the concept of male victims of abuse?
The name Alex Skeel will be familiar to anyone that follows the news and in particular, follows domestic abuse updates as it concerned a 22 year old male victim of longstanding abuse from his female partner. The gravity of the abuse he suffered was such that he was advised by medical practitioners he was 10 days away from death when finally received help. His former partner was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison having pleaded guilty to GBH and coercive controlling behaviour. It is the first conviction of its kind in the UK for coercive abuse. Actually, Alex suffered a wide range of horrific abuse including multiple physical injuries; being denied food and isolation from his friends and family and he has bravely spoken out about his abuse in the hope of helping other male victims come forward and raising awareness to the fact that domestic abuse can and does also occur against males. Those specialising in this area of law know only too well that domestic abuse can exist across all varieties of relationships but why does it still seem
pieces of the evidence together. Even if the wider facts do not concretely prove the male has been a victim of abuse, they can certainly cast doubt on the historic circumstances that paint him to have been the abuser. There are lots of statistics and data about female victims of abuse but, whilst I appreciate that the figures seem to show that within the number of reported matters the majority of victims appear to be females, how reliable are those figures really? We have already discussed that many male victims are not forthcoming about discussing let alone reporting that they are victims of abuse because of the stigma and disparity in treatment that there appears to be in practice. Mark Groves, CEO at National Centre for Domestic Violence (www.ncdv.org.uk ) has confirmed his statistics to me from 2015 to 2018 for the male victims who have been referred to the organisation to get assistance in respect of domestic abuse and they are as follows:
YEAR % MEN 2015 6.5% 2016 6.4% 2017 6.7% 2018 7.8%
MESTIC ABUSE – IMS Written by Kirsty Richards – Head of Family and Director at the National Legal Service
incredibly difficult to open the eyes of other practitioners, some judiciary and social work teams when you are trying to establish a case for a male victim of abuse?
existence of an order as evidence and fact, that the mother is the victim of domestic abuse and therefore concluding that the father must be lying in his assertions and cross allegations.
By way of illustration, I have one particular case in mind as I write this next part but it has occurred within many different cases that I have worked on over the years. What I refer to is the case in which a female parent within care proceedings alleges to be the victim of domestic abuse by the child/ren’s father and has, at some point in the past, obtained an ex parte non molestation order (which was not challenged at the return hearing) and so remained in place for 12 months. Fast forward to that same family now being subject to care proceedings and when the father is asked about past domestic abuse, he firmly denies being abusive towards the mother and alleges that she is the violent partner and that he has been the victim of her abuse. There are many factors of that particular case that points towards the father’s account being viable but I can see that the local authority is struggling to consider the father as the real victim of violence, relying on the fact that the mother has a non molestation order against the father – almost as though they are treating the mere
The factual matrix of that particular case is very complicated but the core issue is what I want to explore within this article. Why is it so hard to believe a male has been the victim of domestic abuse? More often than not, the difficulty is the lack of corroborating evidence for the male victim. He has not reported the abuse to the police ever (may be has reported some harassing behaviour but none of the violence or wider abuse); he has not reported it to his GP, family or local authority. Why not? Some males that I have spoken to about it describe their reluctance as being centred around feelings of shame, embarrassment and fear of not being believed and thus facing further torment if they are brave enough to raise it, only to have it literally thrown out of the court room as false accusations. There is a real problem around male victims not reporting their abuse but as practitioners we should have open minds and should consider all the facts of each particular case as more often than not, there are ways to pull
Those figures go some way to demonstrating just how real an issue this is for male victims as whilst there are various references online to 1 in 6 males being victims of domestic abuse, there seems to be a much lower number actively seeking help from domestic abuse specialists. I would even suggest that the statistic of 1 in 6 males is an under reporting of the true number of males that are affected as I think that whilst the law is there to assist them in the same way as other, most particularly, female victims, they are not always treated as equally in the family courts. Despite the difficulties that the male clients I have worked with have endured whilst facing up to the reality of being a male victim of abuse, I will never discourage them from coming forward and issuing family law act applications for their own protection as the law is there to offer protection to all victims irrespective gender. We need to ensure that, as practitioners, we are able to navigate all vulnerable clients through the legal system and get them as much help and support as is needed to enable them to move on and begin their healing process. That also means that whenever working within the wider fields of family law, if the issue of domestic abuse arises we have the responsibility to ensure that we are being forensic in our evaluation of the evidence before the court and are not just taking things at face value. We have to probe the issues and ensure that we are confident as to extent of abuse within the family at the heart of proceedings as things are rarely as simple as they first appear to be. Support for male victims of domestic abuse can be found at: www.mensadviceline.org.uk www.mankind.org.uk www.refuge.org.uk
BEST PRACTICE
THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND by Iyanu Onalaja, Commercial Property DISABILITY Written Solicitor at national law firm, Shoosmiths LLP Instead I have someone to assist with those aspects, so I can focus on the job at hand. My PA is funded through Access to Work, which is a Government initiative to assist disabled people in the workplace. The building manager at my current employer knew a lot about Access to Work and even attended the initial assessment at the building to discuss any changes that needed to be made to the environment. This input was invaluable and is one of the reasons why I’ve been able to integrate into work so seamlessly. As a trainee I didn’t have a clue about Access to Work and neither did my training provider, so it was an opportunity missed. The legal profession would benefit from working alongside Access to Work to greater utilise disabled individuals within the business. Disability involves a lot of “how” questions that can pre-occupy the day and if I’m spending time thinking about answering those questions then I’m not thinking about my job (which is incredibly mentally involved in itself). So anything that provides support to my disability in the workplace enables me to focus more sufficiently on my role as a solicitor and if the employer understands this then I believe they will be far more willing to accommodate the adjustments.
As a bright eyed young student, I wasn’t going to let my wheelchair hold me back and fortunately it didn’t. Going straight from a law degree, to the LPC and LLM followed by a training contract is the dream for most law students and is one I experienced first hand. It wasn’t until I started my training contract, however, that I discovered my career would be slightly more challenging than anticipated. Upon qualifying I realised that I hadn’t approached the career being completely honest about the support I needed in order to do the job to the best of my ability. Throughout my education I was constantly bombarded with organisations/individuals providing suggestions as to how they could make my life easier so that I could focus on achieving the grades. This stopped when I started work and I assumed I could do it all by myself. I was wrong and as my training provider didn’t “plug” the gap, my two years of training were incredibly difficult. My training contract failed to be accessible because far too often I remained silent and once I did speak up it was too late. As I’d been doing the training contract without support for 6 months, my employer didn’t understand why I now needed it. 16 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
Once I secured my NQ job, I made it abundantly clear the support I needed and decided that if the employer couldn’t adapt then it wasn’t the job for me. Often you hear that a disabled individual needs support but they never clarify what it looks like, so it doesn’t provide an example for the audience. For me, as a wheelchair user, the support I require to do my job involves using a PA to do the tasks that would take me a lot of effort and time (i.e. carrying my bag, files and laptop from my car to my desk, making me a cup of tea, helping me get my lunch and escorting me to network events or client meetings). Whilst it’s nice to think colleagues will do this, the law profession is often a pressurised environment and the last thing I want to be is a nuisance especially when I can employ someone to do those specific tasks. Other reasonable adjustments include starting later and working from home regularly. All things I didn’t have as a trainee. As a result of all this support, I’m still with my current employer and enjoying my job. I had a PA throughout my education and this assistance was sorely missed when I was a trainee. My PA is a useful and integral part of my ability to do the role of the solicitor because I spend little time thinking about how I’m going to manage my disability in order to work.
Is the legal profession accessible when it comes to disability? Yes, if the said individual makes it clear what they require in order to meet the targets of that role. The legal profession isn’t a mind reader and it will never know what support I need to do my job efficiently if I don’t specify. Each person’s disability is unique and the law profession is unable to provide a one size fits all universal adjustment. However, what it can do is make employers listen to disabled professionals in order to create an environment that will allow them to flourish together with their non-disabled colleagues. Sharing stories of employers working with disabled individuals to reach a satisfactory working relationship is rare and needs to be done more to help others in similar situations. It will also be a useful learning tool for other employers who might be struggling to get the most out of their disabled employees to initiate a collaborative process in a safe environment. By being open my employer has come to understand that I work best when my systems of support and adjustment are in place and the legal profession would be a lot more accessible if it gave room for such individuals to open up about the way they work in order for them to reach their optimum potential thereby making a useful contribution to their place of work.
BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY
20 0 T H AN N I V ER S A RY
BICENTENARY GALA DINNER
THURSDAY 4TH OCTOBER 2018 Hall 3, ICC Birmingham 6:30pm Champagne Reception Sponsored by:
Individual tickets and tables of ten are available to book via the website: www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk or email: gala200@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk for further information.
Raising money for:
We invite you all to celebrate 200 years of the Birmingham Law Society at their Bicentenary Gala Dinner. From £120 +VAT for singular tickets, the night promises to be filled with celebration, dancing, live entertainment and surprises too. With help from a Birmingham based Michelin star Chef we also provide you with a exquisite four course meal experience. The Event Host Rory Bremner
JOIN US ON THIS NIGHT OF HISTORY AND HELP CREATE A STEPPING STONE FOR THE FUTURE.
EVENTS ROUND UP
LUNCH WITH JESS PHILLIPS MP
On Friday 8th June, Birmingham Law Society members and sponsors enjoyed lunch with Jess Phillips MP. Jess, a Labour Party politician who became the MP for the constituency of Birmingham
Yardley at the 2015 general election, spoke with humour and passion about her commitment to promoting rights for women and her of experiences of life in Westminster.
Birmingham Law Society attended the Law Societies Presidents’ and Secretaries’ Conference that took place at Chanecery Lane, London on the 11th and 12th May. Friday and Saturday
BIRMINGHAM LEGAL WALK This year’s Birmingham Legal Walk was the most successful walk to date, seeing around 450 walkers walking to raise essential funds for local advice services. Around £14,000 was raised with the hope of raising an additional £6,000.
NETBALL TOURNAMENT TRIUMPH As part of the Bicentenary year, BLS have organised a number of sporting events and the Netball Tournament was the first of the events. There was an excellent turnout and a real sense of team spirit. Irwin Mitchell came out on top beating the Benussi Flyers in the final game. Netball Tournament Results: 1. IRWIN MITCHELL LLP, 2. BENUSSI FLYERS, 3. DLA PIPER UK LLP, 4. No5 CHAMBERS, 5. ESLE SOLICITORS, 6. GATELEY PLC, 7. CORNWALL STREET BARRISTERS, 8. HCR ROCKETS, 18 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
OUT OF HOURS
BEACH READY
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1. Bikini Top £74.95, Bikini bottom £54.95 www.jetsswimwear. co.uk, 2. Khaki tie front swimsuit £24.99 New Look. 3. Mood Fly Earrings £10.00 Debenhams. 4. Mini Circle Straw Bag £26 Next. 5. Platform Mule £65 River Island. 6. Aqua One Piece from £134.95 www.jetsswimwear.co.uk 7. Sliders £65 Dune. 8. Red cateye sunglasses £10 Next. 9. Faith shoes £39 Debenhams. 10. Satchel, J by Jasper Conran £45.00 Debenhams. 11. Black One Piece £159.95 www.jetsswimwear.co.uk Footwear 12. Cat Eye Style sunglasses £129.95 TK Maxx. 13. Loewe X Paula’s Ibiza Fringed Flatform Sandals £590 Harvey Nichols. 14. All from Accesorise.
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1. SANJUAN_beachboxer £66 Hom. 2. Geo Shorts £18 River Island. 3. Hugo Penny Loafers £74.99 Office. 4. Sunglasses from £9.50 MArks and Spencer. 5. Colourblock Trilby £12 Next. 6. Cactus Beachboxer £66 Hom. 7. Linea Wave Shorts £30 House of Fraser. 8. Ruben Black Rubber Sliders £160 Harvey Nichols. 9. Dsquared Logo Shorts £180 Harvey Nichols. 10. Double Waistband Shorts £65 Calvin Klein. 11. Paul Smith Shorts £59. 12. Splash Shorts £66 Hom. 13.Retro Round Sunglasses £15 Next. 14. Tesco £10.
www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 21
OUT OF HOURS
SPECIAL FEATURE
HEALTH MATTERS WITH DOCTOR JANE:
CAN YOU IMAGINE A FUTURE WITHOUT SEX?
pain on intercourse, dryness, itching, burning, irritation, recurrent infections, laxity and stress incontinence. These can be extremely distressing and can cause extreme strain on intimate relationships or prevent new relationships forming due to sexual difficulties. How can vaginal atrophy be treated?
Can you imagine if you were told you could never have sex again? How would that make you feel? Do you think your relationship would be strong enough to cope with the implications of this? Would fidelity become an issue? Would you be able to form new loving relationships? Unfortunately, this is the reality for many women with a condition known as vaginal atrophy. It is a condition caused by oestrogen deficiency and until recently women have been too embarrassed to talk about it. But we should! It affects our partners too. If a man suddenly developed a condition, which caused his genitalia to shrivel up and dry out like a prune, Donald Trump would declare it “fake news” should it happen to him (maybe it has??), the stock markets would crash, the world would hold a two minute silence and the NHS would suddenly find a budget to rectify the problem. What causes oestrogen deficiency? The biggest culprit is the dreaded Menopause. 50% of menopausal women will suffer symptoms of vaginal atrophy. Looking on the positive side of menopause, we no longer need to worry about contraception, tampons, sanitary towels, white trousers and period pains. On the negative side, leading up to the menopause and for some years after, we can experience hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, aches and pains, tiredness, annoying partners, teenage children. Medical research states that only hot flushes 22 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
and night sweats, along with irregular and sometimes heavier than normal periods are actually due to decreasing levels of oestrogen. HRT is used for the treatment of hot flushes, night sweats and the prevention of osteoporosis in women with a strong predisposition to this terrible debilitating disease. For more information on osteoporosis visit www.nos.org.uk. Other causes of oestrogen deficiency include anti-oestrogen drugs in the treatment of breast and uterine cancer, removal of ovaries following ovarian cancer, ovarian failure resulting in premature menopause, damage to the pituitary gland and/or the hypothalamus in the brain. What is vaginal atrophy? The vagina is a muscular structure lined by the mucosa. The mucosa is made up of layers of connective tissue. It has an layer of epithelial cells which keep the vagina moist and protects it from infection. Situated below the epithelial cells are another type of cell called fibroblasts which produce elastin, a network of highly supportive fibres and collagen. When there is a deficiency of oestrogen the mucosa thins and all the good work provided by the epithelial cells and the fibroblasts disappears. What are the symptoms of vaginal atrophy? These can vary from woman to woman and can vary in severity. Symptoms experienced include
Until recently, I too, as a GP could only offer my patients HRT and topical oestrogen in the form of gels, creams and pessaries applied directly to the vagina. For many of my female patients, the outcome of treatment was not entirely satisfactory, a bit messy and as soon as they stopped using their oestrogen, symptoms returned quickly. They were unhappy and I was frustrated. I started to research the concept of “vaginal rejuvenation” with CO2 laser therapy. After much reading, research, lectures, a conference and direct observation with a leading gynaecologist in this field, I decided to offer the Mona Lisa Touch CO2 laser therapy for the treatment of vaginal atrophy. The laser acts directly on the mucosa activating fibroblasts to produce more elastin and collagen and increasing the thickness of the epithelial cells, restoring the vagina to the function of its younger years before oestrogen deficiency. What is the treatment like? It is a painless procedure, which takes approximately 5 minutes to perform. A thin metal probe is placed inside the vagina and gently withdrawn as the laser acts directly on the mucosa. Normal activities can be resumed immediately. You must be period free and have an up to date, normal smear. Sexual intercourse can be resumed after 3 days. The procedure is repeated twice one month apart and the best results are seen at month three following the last treatment. It is time for women in the UK to start talking openly about the impact that the menopause is having on the quality of their lives and their relationships. This is a discussion for both men and women. There are many men who love our vaginas. It is time to love your vagina! You can contact Dr Jane for a free consultation at YU Clinics to discuss your concerns and treatment options in more detail. Call her direct on 0121 2706085
FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOUR APPEARANCE - FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF T: 0121 455 6974 or 0121 270 6085 M: 07885 752 638 E: info@yugen-clinic.co.uk W: www.yugen-clinic.co.uk
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OUT OF HOURS
THE X FACTOR
Mondeo Man is dead. The practicality and style of the SUV killed off the traditional saloon years ago and it looks like our love for a high driving position and allusions to a sporty, active lifestyle is killing off the coupe and hatchback market as more and more manufacturers raise their ride height, widen their track and bolt on a shiny undertray to these urban offroaders. The latest of the crop is the BMW X2 which is said to break new ground for BMW thanks to it’s xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system that is designed to deliver the ideal balance between sporting dynamics and efficiency.
BMW are old masters at the urban offroader. Next to its bigger brothers, the BMW X4 and X6, the BMW X2 makes a distinctive impression thanks to its exterior design that combines the low-slung proportions of a coupé with the robust core of an offroader. The BMW X2 is two centimetres shorter and more than seven centimetres lower than the BMW X1, yet has the same wheelbase. Featuring short overhangs, it also has a stretched, coupé-style roofline and slim window graphic. The kidney grille has always been an identifying feature of a BMW. On the X2, however, its outline is wider 24 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
at its base than at its top. The X2 is the first modern BMW to feature this design cue, and it gives the new car a broader, more distinctive and sportier appearance. Below the grille, the hexagonal surface treatment in the bumper further reinforces this impression.
Full-LED headlights as standard on Sport, M Sport and M Sport X models. The bi-LED light for low beam and high beam is highly effective at illuminating the road, while also accentuating the BMW X2’s sporty character. The M Sport and M Sport X models are available with wheels in sizes up to 20-inch, side skirts contribute to its rugged good looks and protective body cladding, black on the SE and Sport models and Frozen Grey on the M Sport X, are a chunky, purposeful addition. At the rear, a spoiler provides a flourish to round off the BMW X2’s roofline and contributes to the BMW X2’s drag co-efficient of just 0.28. M Sport models feature a diffuserlook cladding inlay in Dark Shadow metallic whilst M Sport X models get a bespoke diffuser insert in the contrast colour Frozen Grey. Inside the class quality of the BMW X2 and its levels of equipment, even in the SE model, are both instantly apparent. The instrument panel has
contrast stitching as standard, while the centre console features materials including Sensatec also with contrast stitching. Eye-catching highlights can be added by opting for the new perforated Dakota leather in Magma Red or the Micro Hexagon fabric Anthracite/Alcantara combination upholstery with yellow contrast stitching. It’s practical too with the boot having a capacity of 470 litres, meaning it can handle leisure activities, from shopping sprees to a skiing weekend or mountain-bike tour. Large storage pockets in the doors add to interior useability. The cabin is driver-focused, with the design of features such as the instrument panel binnacle directed at the road ahead. All controls are positioned to allow the driver to assimilate their information with a single glance and operate them with ease. All functional controls in the centre console are set in high-gloss black as standard, giving the interior a touch of sophisticated elegance (excluding SE). An optional lighting package within the Plus pack allows drivers to set a stylish lighting mood for the interior by choosing from Orange, Lilac, Mint, Bronze, Blue and White lighting. The LED lighting in the trim surfaces of the instrument panel
and door panels forms a continuous band that extends all the way around the cabin to the rear. One of the most distinctive options on the list is the panoramic roof, which adds to the sense of spaciousness inside. The front section of the panoramic roof tilts and slides open, just like a conventional sunroof. Standard specification for every BMW X2 includes a 6.5-inch Touch Control Display with navigation system. The display concept is designed to provide the driver with a quick summary of the most important information at any particular time by means of, for example, the live tiles that appear in the display’s main menu. Its operation emulates the intuitive touch control principles familiar from smartphones. For even greater safety and convenience in the BMW X2, there is the option of the full-colour BMW Head-Up Display, also featured within the Technology Pack, projects all important driving information and navigation/assistance system readouts onto the windscreen and therefore into the driver’s field of view – in high resolution.
choose between default COMFORT mode, efficiency-enhancing ECO PRO mode and SPORT mode. The pre-programmed set-up available via SPORT mode gives the car even more dynamic steering and powertrain responses. The M Sport suspension fitted as standard on the BMW X2 M Sport and M Sport X includes tauter spring and damper tuning. BMW X2 M Sport and M Sport X models offer suspension which is 10mm lower than the standard suspension. Not only does the BMW X2 offer drivers a wide selection of driver assistance systems, it also comes with highly advanced technologies.
On the road the TwinPower Turbo engines within the BMW X2 range team with the car’s refined chassis to endow it with the handling qualities and exceptional agility you expect from a BMW.
The optional Driving Assistant (within Drive Pack) includes Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info display, anti-dazzle High Beam Assistant, as well as Collision Warning and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function. We love the sound of the Traffic Jam Assistan which, at speeds up to 37mph,takes over both proximity control and lane-keeping tasks from the driver. The Traffic Jam Assistant uses steering assistance to keep the car reliably in the middle of its lane, but this isn;t full autonomy; the driver needs to have at least one hand on the steering wheel for the system to work.
The car’s driving responses can be adapted by using the Driving Experience Control switch, allowing the driver to
The BMW X2 is on sale now with prices starting from £33,980 OTR for a BMW X2 xDrive20d SE. www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 25
OUT OF HOURS
SPECIAL FEATURE
CONNECTING BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY AND SUCCESS There has been little change in the way estate agents have operated since the introduction of the internet. But while the day to day running remains the same, its advertising platform has broadened from the conventional shop window and newspaper editorials. Alongside this the negative reputation has lingered, shrouded in years of mistrust. A change was needed; an innovative approach. Our ethos has always been that we are part of the community we serve and we stand by our shared values. Sikhism teaches us to serve humanity as one, with love and no discrimination. It was a simple message of peace, and reminder, that ‘love conquers all’ in the face of adversity. The faces and words of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji, and other brave Sikhs, appeared on screens in prominent cities across the UK such as Birmingham, London and Edinburgh. A peaceful reminder of the Sikh genocide of 1984, raising awareness of the lives lost and the on-going, powerful legacy left behind. Within days, through the power of social media, Love Your Postcode had reached out across the world; inspiring the Asian community and beyond. Love Your Postcode is not corporate yet it's not an online agent either; it is a Performance&™ driven brand with global reach. It belongs to the people it serves. This allows the unconventional style that we have created to be tailored and individual to those that we assist. It is understanding the person in front of you, or over the phone, and taking the time to carefully consider what their requirements are and adapting accordingly. So what does this have to do with developing, buying, selling and renting properties? Our core beliefs link closely to the way in which we operate and filter through to those we serve. Love gives the strength to overcome all obstacles. This saying is found in the works of the ancient Roman poet Virgil. It is a common theme found and felt by all, and is synonymous with care and kindness. It is always a great place to start. Truth forms the cornerstone of our business. Estate agents are often seen as untrustworthy, but we put forward a fresh approach with honesty and truthfulness at the core of our values. Truth cannot damage a cause that is just. Justice plays a significant part in the way we work. Where others may not be able to justify their fee, we strive to provide a five-star customer service led approach. Achieving our sellers required selling price within 21 26 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
days*. We can stand boldly by this with our worth and expertise. Freedom must play a part. With a waiting list of qualified clients looking to purchase on the confidence of our recommendation, we offer the freedom to move to a desired postcode, or even country, sooner rather than later. Strength portrayed by the soldiers in the images on our screens mimics our brand, which stands powerful and proud because it respects its unique identity and pole position in the industry. We don’t see this as a marketing campaign; this is a movement, which has allowed us into the hearts and minds of our community around the world. We don’t have clients anymore, they’ve become fans. They can see the message is that of open dialogue with a chance to learn from the past to make a better future. Our values are shared by all who pass through our doors. We are inclusive and keen to spread the ideas in every aspect of what we do. Within a matter of days, we have become the strongest Sikh owned property brand; shown by the fact that a judge has decided to make transparent all documentation related to the 1984 genocide. With a brand based on justice and truth, there can be nothing more humbling than this. The industry is changing, there is no place to stagnate and fall by the wayside. We believe that by using such a strong starting point, as our values above, there can be only one direction for the brand. With the support and understanding of our existing and new members, we can only build in strength and improve further. We are changing the role of estate agency into something far more meaningful. Due to this campaign reaching millions of people worldwide, Love Your Postcode will now be creating a superhero day so if you would like to see your superhero on our digital screens, please contact our group. www.loveyourpostcode.com
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