Birmingham Law Society Bulletin June 2019

BULLETIN

THE MAGAZINE OF THE BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY

JUNE 2019

ONE PROFESSION... ONE REGION... ONE VOICE

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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 Editorial enquiries to info@fu-media.co.uk and editorial@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

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 2019

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 2019 - April 2020 President – Linden Thomas – University of Birmingham Vice President – Inez Brown – Harrison Clark Rickerbys Deputy Vice President – Stephanie Perraton Squire Patton Boggs Hon. Secretaries – Chaitali Desai – Eversheds Sutherland & Sophie Samani – Shakespeare Martineau The Board 2019/2020 Chair: Regan Peggs Director: Karen Bailey Director: Caroline Coates Director: Laura Daly Director: Catherine Edwards Director: PJ Ellis Vice Chair: Professor Bernardette Griffin Finance Director: Ben Henry Director: Dee Kundi Director: Tony McDaid Ex Officio: Linden Thomas Ex Officio: James Turner Contact c/o Birmingham Law Society

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 4.

President's Letter. Somewhere to turn when life gets bumpy.

6.

News. A round up of what's been happening at the Society and members' news.

Report. Jayne Willetts on money laundering 14. Regulation compliance and what the SRA expects.

16.

Best Practice. Birmingham Law Society champions access to social justice.

18.

Best Practice. Pro Bono Article

of Hours. The sun is out so it's time to start 20. Out barbecueing! of Hours. Fresh Berry Tarts - the perfect post 22. Out barbecue desert! Try our recipe.

24. Out of Hours. Perfect Penang. Come travelling with us.

26. Last Word. Quill on how to solve the back office puzzle. www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 3

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

SOMEWHERE TO TURN WHEN LIFE GETS BUMPY

If anyone were to ask how my Presidency is going so far, I would have to confess that it got off to a bumpy start. Quite literally. A couple of days before I took over from my predecessor, James Turner, I was knocked off my bike.

The result was a bout of whiplash and concussion which took longer than I would have liked to shake and resulted in me having to spend a few weeks alternating between bed and the sofa as I gave my body a chance to heal. Little did I know when I wrote my inaugural article for this magazine (featured in the last month’s edition), in which I espoused the value and strength that comes from our local legal community, that I would have to rely on that community so heavily and so soon.

I am pleased to say that I am now on the mend. However, my time spent convalescing got me thinking. It doesn’t matter who we are, how cautious we are, how well-educated or how wellpaid we are. The reality is that we all experience times when life delivers us an unexpected and unavoidable blow and we need to turn to others for help and support.

In the weeks that I was out of action, I was lucky enough to have colleagues who stepped in and eased my workload and an employer that paid my wages in full. I have a partner who ferried me to doctors’ appointments, made me three meals a day and kept the house running and I have friends and family 4 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

who came over to keep an eye on me, so that I wasn’t home alone whilst I was still shaky on my feet. But what if I hadn’t been so fortunate? What if my employer hadn’t readily paid my wages and as a result I hadn’t been able to pay my mortgage this month?

What if my recovery had taken longer than a few weeks and I hadn’t had a support network that was able to step in and care for me? Where would I have turned to find out what my options were?

For those who face such hardship, clear and impartial advice and expert representation can make huge difference as they navigate their way through complex processes and procedures at an incredibly stressful time in their lives. That is why my chosen charities for this year are Citizens Advice Birmingham and Birmingham Community Law Centre.

They engage in enormously valuable work which enables people in our region to understand and enforce their fundamental rights and entitlements. In doing so, they also keep Government and other decision makers accountable for their decisions.

Having somewhere to turn when times are tough and an ability to understand how to enforce one’s legal rights should not be a luxury open only to the few.

Yet, well publicised cuts to Central and Local Government budgets mean that both of these charities have to work tirelessly to secure funding just to keep their lights on and their doors open to the people who need them. In the

pages of this month’s magazine, you will find an article by Janice Nichols and Sue Bent, the Chief Executives of these organisations, in which they describe the impact of the work that they do and the challenges they face delivering their services in the current climate.

Over the coming 12 months Birmingham Law Society will be working to raise funds and awareness for these organisations. On 27th October, we will be hosting our ‘Stand Up for Justice’ comedy night at The REP theatre, where you will get to see some fantastic comedy acts and hear more about the services that the charities provide.

Later in the autumn, we also hope to bring together the brightest minds in Birmingham to ‘hack’ possible solutions to some of the biggest challenges these charities face in delivering their services, at Birmingham Law Society’s first ever hackathon.

Please do watch out for further details as to how you can get involved.

Linden Birmingham Law Society is proud to work in partnership with our sponsors:

LAWCARE LAUNCHES NEW WEBCHAT SERVICE Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of LawCare, said: “We are very excited to be launching webchat in July. More and more people in the legal community are reaching out to us for support every year so it is vital we expand our support service.

We also know that many young people are more likely to seek help online than pick up the phone. Our webchat service will allow anyone working in the legal profession to contact one of our trained team members online for emotional support on any issue that is troubling them.”

Legal mental healthy charity LawCare have announced that they will pilot a new webchat service from July 1. The charity, which offers emotional support to legal professionals and staff in the UK and Ireland through a free confidential helpline and peer support network, received their highest ever number of helpline calls in 2018.

LawCare works to raise awareness of wellbeing issues across the legal community and tackles stigma surrounding mental health. The charity also offers training and talks to legal organisations, and information, resources and factsheets.

Webchat will be available from July 1 at www.lawcare.org. uk or www.lawcare.ie The helpline is 0800 279 6888 in the UK and 1800 991 801 in Ireland.

UPCOMING EVENTS MINDFUL BREATHING 4 June 2019 12.15PM – 1.00PM, St Philips Chambers, 55 Temple Row, Birmingham, B2 5LS LINKEDIN FOR SOLICITORS, FEE EARNERS AND TEAMS WITHIN LAW FIRMS 5 June 2019 8.30AM – 12.00PM, (June session) Clarke Willmott Solicitors 138 Edmund Street Birmingham, B3 2ES WEEK 4: MINDFUL MIND 11 June 2019 12.15PM – 1.00PM, St Philips Chambers, 55 Temple Row, Birmingham, B2 5LS NEW*** SOLICITOR ACCOUNTS RULES, HALF DAY, 26 June 2019 1.30PM – 4.45PM, Clarke Willmott Solicitors 138 Edmund Street Birmingham, B3 2ES SUMMER QUIZ 2 July 2019 5pm – 9.30pm Bank, 4 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2JB ANNUAL COMPLIANCE UPDATE 2019 3 July 2019 1.30PM – 4.30PM Anthony Collins, 134 Edmund Street, Birmingham, B3 2ES CONVEYANCING LAW UPDATE 2019 10th July 2019 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Clarke Willmott 138 Edmund Street Birmingham, B3 2ES LUNCH CLUB WITH NICK EASTWOOD, CEO WASPS, 12 July 2019 12.00PM – 1.30PM, Revolucion de Cuba ADVOCACY TRAINING 26 SEPTEMBER 2019 *** LIMITED SPACES 26 September 2019 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM St Philips Chambers 55 Temple Row Birmingham, B2 5LS

To book: www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk or email: events@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF WOMEN IN LAW

NETWORKING @ MARCO PIERRE WHITE, THE CUBE THURSDAY 13 JUNE Join us for Prosecco & canapés on the Terrace! All welcome!

2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act being passed, which paved the way for women to practise law. Join Birmingham Law Society on Thursday 13 June for an evening of networking and festivities at Marco Pierre White’s in The Cube, as we celebrate the progress that has been made in the last 100 years and recognise those who have been part of the story so far.

The event will also launch a number of exciting Birmingham-focused initiatives, aimed at ensuring that we continue to move forward together towards greater equality.

Find out more at www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 5

NEWS

PRESTIGIOUS EHRC PANEL APPOINT FIVE EXPERTS FROM NO5 BARRISTERS’ CHAMBERS

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has announced its list of preferred counsel, instructed to support the Commission’s equality and human rights work through strategic public interest litigation in the UK and European courts.

Five counsel appointed to the panel are from leading set No5 Barristers’ Chambers, Philip Rule, Ian Brownhill, Jack Feeny, Jessica Smeaton and David Gardner whose areas of expertise include public law, civil liberties, immigration and employment.

As panel members they will be providing the EHRC with legal advice and representation in domestic and European courts.

The Commission said the appointments were made “following an open, robust and transparent competition.”

Tony McDaid, CEO and Director of Clerking at No5 Barristers’ Chambers, said: “We are delighted that five counsel from No5 Barristers’ Chambers have been appointed to the panel.

“It is a prestigious appointment for them and testament to their excellent skills and knowledge that they have been selected to serve until 2023.”

The Commission uses a range of powers including providing advice and guidance, publishing information and undertaking research. When such methods are ineffective, it also has a

range of enforcement powers set out in the Equality Act 2006.

The legal or enforcement powers are used when that is the best way to achieve change, such as: To clarify the law, so people and organisations have a clearer understanding of their rights and duties To highlight priority issues and force these back to the top of the agenda To challenge policies or practices that cause significant disadvantage, sometimes across a whole industry or sector The aim is to secure binding, positive judgments that reinforce, strengthen or expand people's rights. Its legal actions secure widespread and lasting benefits, positively influencing the everyday experiences of millions.

The Commission has the power to provide legal assistance to victims of discrimination. This can include legal representation and can extend to discrimination cases with a human rights element.

If it believes that a public body has acted in a manner that breaches the Equality Act 2010 or the Human Rights Act, it can issue proceedings for judicial review.

The Commission may apply for a judicial review on any grounds, so long as the

subject matter of the claim relates to a statutory function of the Commission.

In human rights issues the Commission does not need to be a “victim” affected by the alleged violation – a requirement that otherwise applies to those wishing to bring judicial review proceedings under the Human Rights Act. Examples of situations where the Commission, rather than a victim, might bring a claim include: If the government announces that it is going to introduce a change in the law which the Commission believes will lead to violations of people’s human rights, the Commission can threaten judicial review before the legislation is passed or within 3 months of enactment. For example, when the government proposed extending the time for the detention of terrorist suspects to 42 days without charge, the Commission threatened judicial review and the proposal was dropped.

Where the subject matter of the case is one where the Commission is best placed to bring the claim because of its history, statutory duties or particular expertise.

Where there are multiple victims whose experience can be used to illustrate a problem but where a claim brought by any one of them would not tell the whole story, and where the actual or potential victims do not have access to lawyers or cannot fund a claim themselves.

KANG & CO SOLICITORS SUPPORTS W.A.S.U.P Kang & Co Solicitors to support this worthy cause”

Prof Gatrad, the founder of the charity said “it is only with the help of people like Manjinder Kang that I am able to do the work I do. I founded WASUP 2 years ago. WASUP is about raising awareness of the scourge of plastic, educating schools and the community, and encouraging litter clean both on the streets and the canals.

Kang & Co Solicitors, a specialist law firm with offices in Birmingham, Milton Keynes and London has supported a local charity, W.A.S.U.P. (Walsall Against Single Use Plastics) by making a donation of £500 to the charity which campaigns against plastic waste which is causing damage to the local environment and wildlife.

6 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

Manjinder Kang, Solicitor said “I am a keen supporter of local charities and when I was contacted by W.A.S.U.P and saw the good work the charity is doing to promote awareness of the risks caused by plastic waste, and how small changes in our daily lifestyles can significantly reduce plastic pollution I was keen for

To date we have many schools that are part of WASUP as are WHG, Homeserve, McDonalds, the Walsall College and the Manor Hospital. In addition all faith groups help clean up litter at least once a week and this has helped community cohesion no end.

It is my hope that the Walsall model is replicated in all parts of the country." www.wasupme.com

A DV E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

A R E YOU RU N N I N G T H E R I S K O F OU T L I V I N G YOU R S AV I N G S ?

I N A WOR LD O F LOW IN TE RE S T RATES, EV ER- C H A N GIN G L EGIS L AT IO N A N D IN C R EAS I N G LIF E EXPEC TAN C Y, U S EFU L GU IDAN C E ON R ET IR EM EN T P L A N N IN G IS A N EC ES S ITY.

A recent Work and Pensions Committee report identified that 32% of people who withdrew their retirement pots in full chose to save the largest share of it in standard savings products like cash bank accounts and Premium Bonds. These are likely to have lower rates of return than pension savings as well as potentially higher tax liabilities.1 Indeed, concerns continue to grow for those who choose to draw on their pension savings without taking advice. Drawdown demands a different mindset to that needed by those who retire with an annuity, as it requires individuals to plan their own investment strategy and ensure that withdrawals are sustainable.

And while the majority are taking a sensible approach, the minority are withdrawing pension funds at rates that would see this money run out in a decade or less. And if they’re relying solely on the State Pension to see them through their later years, they will have to accept that their standard of living is going to drop significantly.

The State Pension provides a limited income (£168.60 for a single person, per week, based on a full NI record in the 2019/2020 tax year), which falls drastically short of what is really needed to fund a comfortable lifestyle.

So how do we avoid poverty in retirement?

First, decide how large a fund you will need. One method is to multiply your target retirement income by 25. For example, if

you think you’ll need £25,000 a year, aim for a fund of £625,000. Next, select the most appropriate investment vehicles to achieve your goal. Property, investment bonds and ISAs have all proved popular over recent years but don’t offer the same degree of tax breaks as a pension.

“Retirees with a drawdown pension should seek advice when calculating withdrawals.”

To help avoid running out of money, selecting a balanced and well-diversified investment portfolio is critical, but knowing how much money to take from a drawdown policy is arguably of greater importance.

Andrew Whiting is based locally and will be running surgeries in and around Birmingham.

For further information, or to arrange a no obligation meeting, contact Andrew Whiting on the details below.

To discover the benefits of professional financial advice or for more information, call 0121 215 0926, email andrew.whiting@sjpp.co.uk or visit www.andrewwhiting.co.uk.

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds selected and may fall as well as rise. You may get back less than the amount invested.

An investment in equities does not provide the security of capital associated with a deposit account with a bank or building society.

The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time and are generally dependent on individual circumstances.

1

Work and Pensions Committee Report – The effects of pension freedoms, March 2018

0121 215 0926 | andrew.whiting@sjpp.co.uk | www.andrewwhiting.co.uk The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.

The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

H2SJP32044 05/19

NEWS

MEMBER

OFFERS

B OT T E G A Bottega Prosecco Bar & Restaurant, is an Italian restaurant specialising in authentic cicchetti (Mediterranean small bites), pizza, pasta and BOTTEGA Prosecco that offers Birmingham Law Society Members a 10% discount on total bill (food and drinks) if they mention Law Society or show a business card when they book a table, order food or drinks at the restaurant.*

LAWYER APPOINTED DEPUTY DISTRICT JUDGE An experienced clinical negligence lawyer at West Midlands’ law firm Higgs & Sons has been appointed as Deputy District Judge on the Midlands Circuit. Sue Allen successfully completed the rigorous application process and following in-depth training and ‘sitting in’ days – shadowing an experienced DJ – hopes to preside over her first case before the end of the year.

“I was delighted to receive the news that I had been selected,” said Sue. “It is a highly competitive process which actually began in Spring 2018, and involved online assessments, an interview, role playing and background scrutiny. Everyone here at Higgs has been incredibly supportive, and I am especially grateful to Andy Shaw for his encouragement and backing.”

Associate Solicitor Sue joined Higgs & Sons more than 10 years ago with a background in advising defendants in clinical negligence claims. She previously worked as a solicitor based at Royal & Sun Alliance. She is an accredited member of the Law Society clinical negligence panel, which recognises expertise in this area of law, and a CEDR trained mediator.

Partner and head of PI and Clinical Negligence at Higgs Andy Shaw said: “This is a wonderful achievement for Sue, but also extremely pleasing for Higgs as it is a recognition of the experience and quality we have here at the firm.

“We look forward to Sue sharing with us the knowledge and insight she gains from sitting as a civil judge.”

Outside of work, Sue is a volunteer leader for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at a local youth group in Dudley, which takes young people from bronze through to gold and she has even attended Gold Award ceremonies at St James’ Palace and Buckingham Palace.

Deputy district judges are appointed by the Lord Chancellor through the Judicial Appointments Commission and sit in the county courts on civil rather than criminal cases. Sue’s is a part-time role that will run alongside her existing ‘day job’ at Higgs, where she supports those who have been injured by clinical negligence. Sue will sit for up to 30 court days a year.

8 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

Showcasing eight different types of Prosecco, the impressive bar is sure to have something for the discerning connoisseur. It features an outside seating area, with canalside views overlooking the Birmingham's Old Main Line Canal. If you are looking for a true taste of Italy come and try their hand made pizza, made onsite, from scratch in their stone bake pizza oven.

For lunch and afternoon snacks, they offer customers a variety of finger foods, salads, hot and cold appetisers and dishes using only the best and freshest ingredients. In addition to the original food selection, there is a selection of the best Italian Bottega products, such as sparkling Prosecco and superb wines from Chianti, Valpolicella and Piemonte. Combined with the vast selection of Italian super wine houses, there is something for all tastes in the wine selection.

Bottega is at Unit 1, Arena Birmingham, Canalside, King Edwards Road, Birmingham. B1 2AA www. bottegabirmingham.co.uk *Not to be used in conjunction with any other offers.

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NEWS

THE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION our clients receive the best experience from finding us on Google, throughout the transaction and even any aftercare provided? In further discussion of high street stores, one key reason cited for the failure of Toys R Us was down to the experience within the store.

There is a fantastic story about the American electrical engineer, Nolan Bushnell. For those who don’t know him, he founded Atari and for a while, had Steve Jobs as an employee. Some years after Jobs left to start Apple, he returned to offer Bushnell a third of the company for just $50,000. Bushnell turned him down and has stated “I was so smart, I said no. It’s kind of fun to think about that, when I’m not crying.” writes Adam Bullion – General Manager Of Marketing, InfoTrack.

Missing this opportunity must be very painful for Bushnell with Apple now valued last year at US$1trillion!

This is just one example of a missed

opportunity in the world of business and there are plenty more examples where businesses could have achieved greater commercial success. While missing opportunities will not necessarily send a business bust, it does prevent a business from growing faster and placing value in their business.

There is a plethora of research readily available to law firms who want to be commercially successful and achieve growth. A customer 2020 report recently stated that by 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.

More than ever before it’s important to separate experience from what it is you do. The expertise and knowledge legal professionals have is not in doubt.

However, can we all honestly claim that

85% of customers want to interact without a human by 2020, according to Gartner research. The truth is customers are demanding digitised solutions, especially when it comes to dealing with matters. Much of that is simply because we are busier people.

So, consider how we send out care letters, property information forms or even simple questionnaires – if your expectation is that your clients have printers and scanners at home, then you’ve misunderstood your clients. They don’t. That means delays in sending back information to you, the law firm.

We need digitised forms that negate the need for printing and posting in today’s world. Digital is not the future, it is now.

Firms most likely to succeed are taking advantage of this research and keeping an open mind are affording them an opportunity to compete on a different level, able to market themselves as a forward-thinking technology-driven firm. That’s a real benefit for firms of all shapes and sizes whilst it also ensures better efficiency for staff supporting their customers. Ultimately, law firms must think hard about how their clients want to interact and remain open minded to new technology that the workforce of today wants to use. Understanding your own customers will help you scale your business and avoid missing opportunities.

BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY FIVE A SIDE The annual Birmingham Law Society five a side Football tournament took place at Goals Birmingham and delivered a fantastic day of sport for both fans and players. This year it was the team from Irwin Mitchell’s time to lift the cup, winning 3 and drawing 1 of their 4 matches.

Many thanks to No5 Chambers for their support and sponsorship of the event.

10 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

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NEWS

TAKING TIME OUT: BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY MARKS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK On Tuesday 14th May, Birmingham Law Society hosted an event to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2019.

We were delighted that so many members joined us to discuss this important topic. Attendees heard from Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Dr Helen McCarthy, who shared insights into the art of being happy, based on her years of experience working with busy and successful professionals who find themselves wrestling with stress and anxiety. She encouraged the audience to recognise that self-care is not an act of selfishness, but rather one that is essential. We cannot take care of others, she explained, if we do not first take care of ourselves.

Next, members heard honest and inspiring insights from panel members, Lorna Gavin of Gowling WLG, James Farmer of Cornwall Street Chambers and Arron Snipe of St Philips Chambers, who each spoke about their own experiences of managing their mental health and shared what they had learnt over the years. Finally, the evening culminated with attendees having the opportunity to pick up some practical tips on looking after themselves, with interactive workshops that included office yoga, neuro linguistic programming, mindfulness and exercise, nutrition and wellbeing.

We are grateful to all of our speakers for sharing their experiences and expertise with us and to our sponsors Serve Birmingham, Cornwall Street Chambers and St Philips Chambers for helping to make such an important event possible.

BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY AT PRIDE 2019

Birmingham Law Society was proud to be a part of Birmingham Pride 2019.

Around 30 members represented the Society in the parade, demonstrating our commitment to equality for our LGBTQ+ members, friends, colleagues and clients.

There was a record number of businesses involved this year and the parade will now be a part of the annual BLS events calendar, so we look forward to doing it all again in 2020. A big thank you to Anthony Collins Solicitors who sponsored the t-shirts this year.

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THE COLMORE FOOD FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR SUMMER! The annual Colmore Food Festival, sponsored by law firm DWF, attracts more than 30,000 visitors each year. This year’s event takes place on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6, in Victoria Square.

Arranged by Colmore BID, the Festival showcases the brilliant food, drink and hospitality venues in the area. All food is capped at £4 and drinks at £5 at the Festival, ensuring visitors can enjoy a bite to eat or drink without breaking the bank.

The event is free to attend and has a variety of live music acts and wandering performers, making the Festival the perfect weekend outing for all the family.

Colmore Food Festival is continuing its ambition to become one of the most sustainable events in Birmingham with a mission to achieve zero waste to landfill and a total ban on plastic drinking straws. Recycling experts First Mile will be at the Festival to offer advice on business

sustainability and the latest recycling initiatives.

In addition to recycling stations, specialist sustainability schemes will include coffee recycling, where all coffee grounds will be recycled into pellets to use in wood-burners and stoves; plus food waste will be taken to a stateof-the-art plant where it can be recycled into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser.

There are around 30 venues participating in this year’s Festival, including two Michelin starred restaurants, Adam’s and Purnell’s. There are also three new participating venues: Pint Shop who will be serving their Dirty Burger, Chicken Tikka Flat bread and Halloumi Flat Bread, Dirty Martini who will be bringing a selection of cocktails from their summer menu and Hookway’s with Halloumi Fries and a selection of salad scoops! Of course Festival favourites such as Chung Ying Central and OPUS will be back!

Follow Colmore BID on social media for the latest announcements for this year’s Colmore Food Festival.

Colmore Food Festival 2019 Friday 5 and Saturday 6 July 2019 11am - 7pm Victoria Square, Birmingham

Free Entry!

All Food under £4!

Live Music!

Featuring 30 local venues!

@ColmoreFoodFestival @ColmoreBID @ColmoreBusinessDistrict @ColmoreBID #ColmoreFoodFest19

REGULATION REPORT

REQUIRED ACTION Although the recent report confirms that there was no evidence of any such illegal activity occurring within the firms that were inspected, the report was nonetheless critical of the degree of compliance with the Regulations. To address such concerns, not just in relation to trust and company service provision but more generally, a practice that is subject to the MLR should ensure that it does the following.

First, and as highlighted by the report, it is essential to have conducted an AML risk assessment which itself needs to be kept under continual review within the firm (r.18 MLR). This exercise is core to the operation of the MLR and, in turn, the EU Directive on which the Regulations are based. Logic dictates that greater checking is required in high risk situations and less where the risks are low, but the nature of those risks must be determined by each “obliged entity” for itself. When conducting a risk review, reference must be made to the supervisory body’s risk review for its sector and its guidance (to be found in the Legal Sector Affinity Group’s AML Guidance).

Crucially, a written record of the outcome of the review must be made available for inspection (r.18(6) MLR).

MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE WHAT THE SRA EXPECTS Jayne Willetts, Solictor Advocate at Jayne Willetts & Co Solicitors

The recent warning from the SRA that “too many firms are falling short on anti-money laundering” will have caused many a shudder on the part of money laundering compliance and reporting officers.

The news release, published on 7th May, reported on an initial exercise to survey the degree of money laundering compliance and stated that of the 59 firms surveyed almost a half – 26 firms – had “entered the disciplinary process”. The news release was accompanied by an SRA Warning Notice which although not part of the SRA Handbook would be relied upon by the SRA in any disciplinary investigation.

First, to gauge what should be in place in your firm some basics about the legal and professional requirements. There is more to ensuring compliance with firms’ anti-money laundering obligations than simply ensuring that no money laundering or terrorist financing activity is undertaken by the firm. One of the enduring complications of this topic is that there are criminal offences that can be committed under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Terrorism Act 2000, some of which are limited to the “regulated sector”(i.e. those firms that are subject to the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (“MLR”)) but the MLR have to be complied with in any event and it is an offence not to do so.

14 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

In turn the MLR do not apply to all law firms – merely those that undertake, broadly, transactional work as listed at regulation 12(1). In addition, a firm will be caught by the MLR if it qualifies as a “trust and company services provider” under r.12(2) by providing trust or company formation or related secretarial services. A firm would also be caught by the MLR if it were to provide tax advice under r.11(d).

Trust and Company Service Providers The recent SRA review concentrated on firms that are trust and company service providers - an area of concern for some time for HM Treasury which is the Government department with responsibility for AML enforcement. The HMRC is the supervisory body for trust and company service providers, but professional firms do not have to register with them if they are regulated by one of the other accountancy or legal bodies designated as such by the MLR, including the SRA. Law firms are not therefore required to register with HMRC if they are authorised by the SRA and in turn the SRA has to show to Government that it is an effective regulator in this regard.

As to the MLR themselves, it is important to stress that it is a criminal offence not to comply with the regulations where they apply, regardless of whether any money laundering or terrorist financing is actually occurring within the firm. Despite recent pressure from HM Treasury for more prosecutions for non-compliance with the Regulations it remains much more likely that disciplinary measures will be taken at a professional level, as evidenced by the recent SRA review.

Secondly, the whole point of conducting the risk review is that the firm’s policy should be based on its findings in what is described as an “independent collection of policies and precedents”. It may well be that a one-size-fits-all approach to AML compliance within the firm is not the best arrangement and that additional controls are appropriate within the higher risk departments such as conveyancing as opposed to family or employment work.

It is also essential that the firm’s policy is demonstrably up to date: references to the MLR 2007 (now repealed) or to SOCA as the predecessor body to the NCA to report actual or suspected money laundering activity will immediately count as noncompliances.

The review report also highlights insufficient evidence in many cases of checking for particular risk factors such as politically exposed person (“PEP”) status.

Here, depending on the nature of the instructions received, greater checking is likely to be required to assess the source of not just the client’s funds but also their wealth if they do qualify as such.

Finally, continuing training in this topic is a requirement of the MLR at r.24 and was another common failing in the review.

Jayne is also a director or Infolegal Ltd www.infolegal.co.uk which provides compliance support services including template AML compliance forms and precedents. For details, and also to purchase a copy of “Money Laundering Compliance for Solicitors” by Infolegal director Matt Moore and Diane Price email mattmoore@infolegal.co.uk.

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BEST PRACTICE

BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY CHAMPIONS ACCESS TO SOCIAL JUSTICE incorrectly advised that they were not entitled to benefits for three months.

BCLC were able to correct this and get their benefits paid. Staff at SIFA have since been able to use this knowledge to prevent others being made homeless.

• Pre-action correspondence was sent on behalf of seven clients challenging Birmingham City Council’s (BCC) decision to stop paying electricity bills at a block of flats used exclusively to accommodate No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) families. BCC agreed to pay the bill for the entire block as well as reviewing its NRPF policy and consulting widely with service users and other stake holders which has led to 36 families receiving at least £15 per week in extra income.

Whilst BCLC is making steady and planned growth in its capacity, it is still fund raising to cover core operating costs. Its budget for 2019/20 predicts a deficit of approximately £26,000. It is fundraising to close this gap and build some reserves to create stability.

President of Birmingham Law Society, Linden Thomas, has selected two independent advice organisations as her chosen charities for this year: Citizens Advice Birmingham and Birmingham Community Law Centre. Below, the Chief Executives of those organisations, Janice Nichols and Sue Bent tell us about the invaluable work that the charities do and the challenges they face.

Birmingham is ‘lucky’ in that it still has a Law Centre and a local Citizens Advice offering a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable people in the city – people excluded by poverty, long term illness or disability or who are destitute or threatened with homelessness.

In recent years, funding for such services has been drastically reduced, both as part of cuts to legal aid in 2013, and also as a result of austerity measures that have led local authorities to make cuts in their funding for advice services, as well as other support services.

This has been a disaster for those who would otherwise have been helped, but what is less understood is that it has also seriously damaged what remains of the advice sector by removing an income stream and causing a drain in expertise.

Our client groups are being hit very hard by the same austerity cuts, and the ‘hostile environment’ for migrants is leading to many people (incorrectly) being refused services. Universal Credit 16 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

is being rolled out across Birmingham and we are already seeing an increase in sanctions and in people being evicted for rent arrears, exacerbated by the benefits cap or bedroom tax making it very difficult for them to manage on reduced funds.

Birmingham Community Law Centre (BCLC) has been operating since September 2013. Services include •

benefits/debt advice work

•

immigration and asylum

•

community care

• housing • employment •

public Law

It started with two caseworkers and has grown to 11 (including two newly qualified solicitors whose training contracts were sponsored by five commercial firms in the city). In the five years since it opened, BCLC has helped 5,800 people, and, in the last year, increased the income and entitlements of its clients by £204,000 as well as bringing £320,000 of debt into management.

These examples give a flavour of the casework it covers: • SIFA Fireside had been supporting several Irish citizens who were sleeping rough who had been

Citizens Advice Birmingham (CAB) is an independent local charity which came into being in September 1939, at the outbreak of World War II. It has been continuously serving the people of Birmingham for the last 80 years.

It provides free, confidential and impartial advice for anyone who needs it, but most of its clients are vulnerable and have problems that are complex to tackle. CAB helps clients to understand both their rights and responsibilities, ensuring they are able to make informed choices about the problems they face so they can lead independent and healthy lives.

Last year CAB assisted over 30,000 people, almost half of whom needed help with welfare benefits closely followed by debt advice. In the last 12 months alone CAB has secured £9,463,661 in additional income for clients and succeeded in getting £2,800,851 of debt written off. CAB also provides advice on a range of other issues and, where it is unable to help, it can refer people to agencies better placed to assist.

CAB’s work is funded via contracts with local government, the NHS, central government, grants from charitable trusts and through donations and other fund raising. It has 50 paid staff and 40 -50 volunteers at any one time, whose efforts are equivalent to around 15 full time advisors.

There is always more to do, with people not being able to get the advice they need because CAB doesn’t have enough capacity. Which is why it is constantly striving to raise more money for its services, but it also tries to find new ways of providing services to ensure it can reach as many people as possible within its resources.

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BEST PRACTICE

This kind of work is so important for the local and wider community and for the ethos of legal professionals. The profile of pro bono work should be raised wherever possible, which is where the Birmingham Law Society Pro Bono Committee steps in.

The Birmingham Law Society Pro Bono Committee was founded with the purpose of encouraging, supporting and even facilitating pro bono in and around Birmingham city centre. This is done through numerous avenues, including: hosting events; signposting members of the public; and building links with third sector legal organisations.

The Committee is comprised of representatives from both law firms and in-house legal teams alike.

They support a roster of projects, notwithstanding those mentioned above, including the Justice First Fellowship which has funded two training contracts at the Central England Law Centre for aspiring solicitors who wish to pursue a career in social welfare law. This has been supported by a number of law firms in Birmingham who also assist in providing training for the trainees.

THE BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY

PRO BONO COMMITTEE Pro bono in its most basic form involves providing legal support free of charge to the community’s most vulnerable people, who are often those that need the assistance the most but are the least able to afford it.

Pro bono projects can take on a variety of forms and Birmingham is a hub of pro bono activity. There are dozens of projects run in and around the city.

For instance, there is the Birmingham Legal Advice Clinic (“BLAC”) which is an advice clinic that takes place once a week at Birmingham Library providing clients with initial, on the spot advice. The service is predominantly for those with consumer, housing and welfare queries and is supported by four national law firms. There is also Birmingham Free Legal Advice Group where solicitors supervise students in attending an interview and drafting a letter of advice to the client on a range of legal matters. Not all projects are about providing legal advice, as demonstrated by Streetlaw, which delivers sessions to secondary school children to provide them with an insight into the law and is designed to encourage an awareness of how the law relates back to them.

18 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

2018 saw the start of the Employment Litigants in Person (‘ELIPS’) Scheme set up at Birmingham Employment Tribunal to assist those litigants in person who are unable to afford representation or access legal advice.

2018 also saw the start of a number of new clinics and projects including Aston University’s new Employment Law Clinic and the pilot of the Personal Support Unit’s telephone advice line run from a local University.

Various law firms within Birmingham are also involved in clinics which cover both Birmingham and the wider country. One example is the Kids in Need of Defence Nationality Clinic, run under the supervision of Central England Law Centre, through which lawyers assist children and young people with nationality applications to obtain British citizenship. The clinic has a profound impact on the lives of those who are given assistance and is a great demonstration of how legal professionals can get involved in pro bono in areas of law in which they do not usually specialise with the assistance of an expert (in this case CELC).

One key event the Committee runs is their annual pro bono week event. In past years it has been an opportunity for pro bono in Birmingham to be celebrated and to assist in raising awareness of projects going on around Birmingham. This year’s event will be taking place on 7 November 2019, so keep your eyes peeled for this!

To assist in raising awareness of pro bono in Birmingham and encourage engagement in opportunities and projects, in December 2018, Committee member Rachel Sutcliffe and her colleague Mischa Howell set up the Birmingham Pro Bono Network. The Network releases monthly content exploring pro bono initiatives in the local area and is run in conjunction with the Committee. If you are interested in joining the conversation on pro bono in Birmingham, the Network can be found on Twitter (@BrumProBono) and LinkedIn. The variety of pro bono schemes available means that there is something out there for everyone. Each project varies in terms of individual time commitments, knowledge and activity.

Pro bono benefits more than just the public, those who contribute will almost certainly vouch for the rewarding aspects of participating – from broadening expertise, personal confidence and putting your efforts into helping a good cause.

If you would be interested in joining the Committee or hearing a bit more about the type of pro bono work that you can get involved in in Birmingham, please contact the Pro Bono Committee on probono@ birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

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OUT OF HOURS

GRILL OUT! Summer is finally here and with it comes barbecue season but with so many barbecues to choose from, just how do you select the ideal barbecue for you and make your perfect barbecue match? Are you perhaps a barbecue purist where only traditional charcoal will do, or is the speed and efficiency of cooking on gas more your thing? How about a bit of both – charcoal and gas, or will it be an all singing and dancing model with multiple cooking surfaces? The options are endless!

20 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

BARBECUE CHECKLIST

COOKING ON GAS If it’s instant, efficient and adjustable heat you’re after then cooking on gas is the fuel for you.

4

Convenience is key with a gas barbecue and you’re more in charge as you can easily adjust the temperature.

BEFORE YOU BUY ASK YOURSELF: 3

1. How often will I use it?

2

If you’re a barbecue guru, it’s worth investing in a top of the range model whereas a more basic instrument will be suitable for the occasional barbecue.

2. How much space have I got?

CHARCOAL FOR THE PURIST Charcoal is the fuel of choice for true barbecue aficionados who lean towards the purist approach when it comes to al fresco cooking. Integral to the barbecue ritual is lighting the coals, waiting for them to get white hot, and the distinctive smell. The authentic smoky flavour of chargrilled food is how all barbecued food should taste.

5

6

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GAS AND CHARCOAL THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS If you can’t make up your mind between gas and charcoal, how about enjoying the benefits of both?

Or how about a fan assisted charcoal BBQ for rapid cooking?

3. What will I be cooking?

If you are aiming for a selection of burgers, sausages and kebabs then a standard grill, either gas or charcoal will suffice.

However, if you’re more ambitious, then trading up to a barbecue with extra features such as a hood, griddle, side-burner, pizza stone or warming rack might be more appropriate for you.

4. Who will I be cooking for?

9

HAVE BARBECUE, WILL TRAVEL

8

You don’t want a barbecue to take up all your outdoor space and also think about storage. Where will the barbecue live when it’s not cooking up a gastronomic storm?

Take your BBQ on the road with one of these small but mighty meal machines!

If it’s for friends and family then a standard barbecue may be fine but it you like to entertain and love parties, your multi-faceted grill might be a lovely talking point.

5. What’s the ease of assembly and quality of construction?

Buy a reputable brand where you can understand the instructions and have money-back guarantees.

11

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6. Smoke control areas. Do you live in a smoke-controlled area?

Ensure you read the government advice on using barbecues in these areas.

10

1. Weber Spirit E-220 2-Burner Gas BBQ with Side Burner & Poultry Roaster £510.00 John Lewis. 2. Char-Broil X200 Grill2Go - Portable BBQ Grill, Aluminium £180 Argos. 3. Outback Apollo 4 Burner Gas BBQ - Red £349 Homebase 4. 4 Burner Gas BBQ £200 Wilko. 5. Outdoor Outlaw Charcoal BBQ with Smoker £395 Cuckooland 6. Kambla Charcoal BBQ £20 B&Q 7. Weber Smokey Joe Premium Kettle Charcoal BBQ £74.99 John Lewis. 8. Rockwell Charcoal Gas Hybrid BBQ £347 B&Q 9. Lotus Grill Charcoal Fan BBQ £145 Cuckooland 10. BBQ Bucket £10 Sainsburys Home 11. everdure by heston blumenthal CUBE Portable Charcoal BBQ, £134.10 John Lewis 12. Folding BBq £85 Harvey Norman.

7. Safety is paramount.

Ensure your barbecue is in good working order and for a full list of safe barbecue practice it’s worth reading the advice provided by the UK Fires Service. www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 21

OUT OF HOURS

FRESH MIXED BERRY TARTS TO MAKE THE CRÈME PATISSIERE:

• In a saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla and bring to the boil. Meanwhile in a bowl, mix together the egg yolks, sugar & cornflour.

• Once the milk has come to the boil, add to the yolk mixture, little by little, whisking as you do so.

Don’t add the milk too quickly or the egg will cook into lumps! Once all the milk is added, place the mixture back into the saucepan over a medium heat, stirring all the time. Bring to the boil and continue to boil for 2 mins.

• Pass the creme patisserie through a sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps.

Put cling film across the mouth of the bowl and pop it in the fridge.

TO MAKE THE TARTS • For the pastry. Preheat your oven to 180 - 160 fan. Grease your tart rings and set them aside.

• Combine together the flour, butter & icing sugar and, using your fingertips rub in, until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.

• Once you have a breadcrumb texture make a well in the centre and add the egg and water and, using your hand, mix to form a dough.

Be careful not to over work this. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 mins to allow the pastry to rest.

• Once rested, on a lightly floured surface roll the pastry out and line each tart ring, trim any excess from around the edge and prick the base with a fork. Place cling film over each tart ring and fill to the top with baking beans. (Yes, cling film! It works great for blind baking!)

An elegant sweet treat perfect for the summer months! For this recipe, we’ve used a mixture of berries, but if you don’t fancy a mixture of berries you can pick your favourite fruit instead! You can make the • Place the tarts in the fridge to rest for vanilla Creme Patissiere & pastry in advance but assemble the tarts last 15 mins, then into the oven for around minute and decorate with the fruit to avoid them going soggy!

10 mins, until the edges around the top

INGREDIENTS: For the Pastry:

For the Creme Patissiere:

250g plain flour 125g unsalted butter, cubed (plus extra for greasing) 50g icing sugar 1 egg, beaten 1/2 tbsp water

4 egg yolks 75g golden caster sugar 20g cornflour 300g full-fat milk 10g unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

22 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

should just start to be golden. Then take the tarts from the oven and remove the baking beans and cling film, return to the oven for a further 5 mins or until the base has dried. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

• Once the tart cases have cooled to room temperature, turn out from the tart rings.

Fill the cases right to the top with the creme patisserie. And arrange the fruit on the top.

entertainment venues in the world – so members won’t be short of shows to choose from. Whether it’s music, sport, comedy or family entertainment you’re looking for, there’s a choice of more than a hundred world-class events a year in which to use a Premier Lounge membership.

Sally Walder, General Manager of Amplify, said of the new space: “We are thrilled to be able to extend our hospitality offering at Arena Birmingham with the new Premier Lounge.

AMPLIFY OPEN NEW PREMIUM HOSPITALITY LOUNGE AT ARENA BIRMINGHAM A brand new premium hospitality lounge, Premier Lounge, has opened at Arena Birmingham. Brought to you by the Arena’s VIP hospitality arm, Amplify, the new exclusive contemporary lounge offers panoramic views across Arena Birmingham from luxury balcony seating.

Premier Lounge also has its very own bar, from which in-house caterers Amadeus serve up an exclusive range of drinks (including a selection of cocktails), alongside a range of deli-style platters designed by their award-winning chefs. Drinks can even be ordered right to your seat with Amadeus’ bespoke Qjacker app created for the venue - so you won’t miss a moment of the show.

Premier Lounge brings with it a new debenture-

style of membership, similar to a football or rugby season ticket, where each membership purchases access to 1 seat for 20 performances. This makes it the perfect choice for relaxed corporate hospitality in a premium setting, or the live event lover who finds themselves becoming a regular at the Arena.

“Over the past year Amplify has been in incredibly high demand, and ever more people are coming to us looking an exciting alternative to the traditional corporate hospitality that just isn’t suiting their diverse client base. Premier Lounge still offers the premium experience that you’d expect with Amplify, but is perfect for those looking for something a little more relaxed than a sit down meal.

Sally’s team recently won the prestigious accolade of “Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Business of the Year” at this year’s awards ceremony. The six-strong team were praised for their “mindset of continuous improvement” and the award judges were impressed by their growing performance from modest beginnings.

Members also receive a welcome drink at every performance, access to Amplify member events, exclusive discounts for future shows and will soon have access to their own online portal to purchase tickets.

Amplify offers a portfolio of hospitality packages at the two NEC Group Arenas in Birmingham, Resorts World Arena and Arena Birmingham.

Packages range in levels from Freestyle single event packages to their most premium annual membership, Air.

For the ultimate way to personalise your event in style, members will also receive the unique opportunity to put their name, or company name, on their very own seats.

Arena Birmingham is one of the busiest indoor

Prices for Premier Lounge membership start at £2500+VAT. To find out more about the Premier Lounge visit www.arenabham.co.uk, or to receive a tour of the space from the Amplify team, give them a call on 0844 338 0333.

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OUT OF HOURS

PERFECT PENANG

Cross the bridge into Penang Island and you can immediately see why this stunning state of Malaysia is a UNESCO world heritage site writes Jonathan Fraser.

We were staying in George Town, named after George III, which features street after street of stunning Victorian and Edwardian buildings, many in disrepair but all, we are told, highly valued. Penang was shaped

by British colonialism, beginning with the acquisition of Penang Island from the Sultanate of Kedah by the British East India Company in 1786. Penang ripples with history from the canon lined waterfront, the wooden stilt houses of the Clan Jetties and the many ornate ex government buildings with perfectly manicured cricket pitches that sit before them. You can fill days just wandering round George Town’s historic streets, bustling with rickshaws and Teh Tarik (a delicious sweet tea made with condensed milk) stands on every corner.

We were lucky enough to stay within one of these historic buildings; The Hotel Areca has been created from a row of shops with each of the ground floor rooms still featuring the heavy oak shop door and beautiful, coloured, pressed glass windows. High ceilings, ornate tiled floors, ceiling fans, dark wood furniture and long plumed palms adorn this beautifully calm hotel that’s perfectly positioned for those who want to explore the old town around them.

Penang has an incredibly strong vintage vibe, shops, cafes, restaurants and bars all look back to their colonial roots and the huge amount of street art, many of which integrating 3D props like vintage bicycles 24 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

for a retro ride; perfect for a selfie stop or two. You can continue the vintage feel by travelling up Penang Hill by traditional funicular, although the old wooden trolleys of the past have now been replaced by modern, ultra-fast carriages. Penang Hill was home to the British Army due to it being cooler in the clouds than in the town and many grand old residents still exist.

Nowadays Penang Hill is a spectacular place to view the city from and home to every form of entertainment you could possibly imagine. From afternoon teas to snake handling lessons and earthquake simulators, Penang Hill has it and is sure to keep family visitors amused. We visited The Habitat, a jungle reserve area and eco visitor centre home to a vast array of exotic wildlife including giant black squirrels (sweet!) and tarantulas (less sweet). The centre point of the Habitat is a giant walkway above the treetops which offer amazing views across the city.

If Penang Hill has given you a head for heights make sure you head back into George Town and the visit The Top at the KomTar tower. An entertainment resort, that has an amazing glass floored walkway that overhangs the 86th floor for you to terrify yourself with. For those feeling even braver the GravityZ experience lets you walk and zip wire round the outside of the 86th floor of the building – weather permitting! Less Daredevil entertainment is available in the rest of The Top including some amazing ride on dinosauars that we all had our eye on but were sadly too old to play on! Best bring the kids to this one.

The trend for Hidden bars continues in Penang with the George Town area

offering a huge array of places to discover and enjoy. We particularly enjoyed 63 Magazine, a sumptuous space with live music, hidden away behind what appears to be an abandoned shop front; press the wooden panel on the left and a door will open…

Other night time highlights include the incredibly friendly Bar Seventy Sevenwith live guitar accompanied open mic sessions – or karaoke when we got up to take part- and we’d also recommend dinner at Mews Café, a small informal eatery with excellent cocktails and deliciously spicy satay.

Penang, and George Town itself, was the perfect place for us to end our Malaysian adventure. As a tourist destination it ticks every box and is suitable for backpackers, intrepid explorers, laid back couples and family adventurers thanks to the huge range of activities and experiences on offer. We’ve fallen for it, hard, and we think you will too.

Get the cocktails in, we’ll see you at 63 Magazine…

USEFUL LINKS www.arecahotelpenang.com www.thetop.com.my www.georgetownheritage.com/mews-Cafe www.thehabitat.my www.mypenang.gov.my www.asianoverland.com www.tourism.gov.my www.britishairways.coma

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LAST WORD

Browse through our multiplying number of case studies online and you’ll see how our clients wax lyrical about our personable, long-serving employees who are ambassadors for Quill; ethical stance evidenced by multiple accreditations and charitable giving; technologically advanced software that’s won awards; and catalogue of outsourced services which allow them to concentrate on their business-critical responsibilities without distraction.

Clients repeatedly tell us that, simply by choosing Quill as their principal business partner, they’re able to become “digital by default”, “compliant to the letter of the CLC Accounts Code”, “free to do what I do”, “a successful, profit-making firm”, “focused on matter management and business development”, “revolutionised”, “100% assured of regulatory compliance”, “more economical and productive [with] use of resources – both human and material”, “able to work flexibly when out of the office”, “committed to the cloud concept” (note: their words, not ours!) and much more besides.

SOLVING THE BACK OFFICE PUZZLE By Julian Bryan, Managing Director, Quill True professional ‘cradle to grave’ solutions are difficult to find. It’s rare that suppliers to the legal sector offer everything needed in a modern-day law firm’s back office – that’s software to manage accounts, matters and documents, and outsourced services to take over core administration functions.

At Quill, however, that’s exactly what we do – provide a single platform that combines the applications and outsourced support required to operate a high-performing legal business.

You only have to look at our website’s home page to meet the entire series of software and services available from Quill. Users can pick and choose from: Interactive – case management, legal accounts and document management software with in-built risk management functionality; Pinpoint – outsourced legal cashiering service using Interactive; Payroll – outsourced payroll and pension management service; Type – outsourced typing service delivered in association with Document Direct; Precision – outsourced legal cashiering service on any software; and Bookkeeping – outsourced bookkeeping service for all sectors.

But before diving into more detail about our software and services, we’d like you to join us on a mini history tour of Quill in order to show you how this full service provision has come about. You see, we actually first started out in business way back in 1978 – over 40 years ago. Right from these early days, our systems were being designed to help practices avoid unnecessary repetitive 26 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

paperwork tasks for which the law is renowned.

In the intervening 40-plus years, the legal industry remains our absolute focus, our technology has developed to the current complete cloud-based practice management system it is today, and our offerings have been extended to also include outsourced cashiering, payroll and typing services. 1978 to 2019 has been a truly remarkable journey.

To quote some statistics from the present day: our Interactive software has earned over 7,000 current users; our Pinpoint division posts over 2 million transactions every year; our Payroll team processes over 100,000 payslips annually and last year transferred over £54 million in salaries as an accredited BACS bureau; every other department just keeps growing.

Going back to why Quill’s so unique, our lengthy heritage, privately owned status and one-stop-shop portfolio really set us apart from our competitors. Few of our contemporaries can boast a comparable expansive background. Fewer still can make claims about independent ownership. And even fewer can proffer a total back office product range.

Moving on to our clients, many of our users have been with us from the very beginning.

Their continued loyalty speaks volumes about the close relationships we’ve formed together over a period of four decades and the quality of our various solutions which they use on a day-to-day basis.

Nick Timmings, Partner at Petersfields LLP, perfectly sums up what clients think about Quill: “By relying on Quill for all our main software and service needs, we have one monthly payment, one point of contact and one primary store of our electronic files. It’s so convenient and so much easier to run our business in this totally integrated way”.

Allan Hunt, Senior Partner at MPP Solicitors, expresses similar sentiments: “[With] Quill we have trusted relationships. [We use] Payroll as a bolt on to Quill’s Pinpoint service and Interactive software which we already subscribe to. With Quill firmly behind us, our back office operates smoothly and integrates seamlessly.”

By utilising our extensive time-saving, efficiency-enhancing, cost-reducing, security-boosting, compliance-assured products, an ever-growing list of benefits are achieved. Through heavy investment in R&D, we ensure this is the case. Our ongoing software and service development is a future-proofing promise that, whatever changes and challenges are faced by the legal profession, Quill’s got every client’s back.

We know that not all firms are the same.

Each has differing demands which are best overcome with a differing mixture of software and services. It’s our role to ascertain what this is, thereby providing the proper tools to take control of processes and optimise performance, both now and into the future.

We find nothing more satisfying than empowering law firms to do just that.

To discover more about Quill, please visit www.quill.co.uk, email info@quill.co.uk or call 0161 236 2910.

Julian Bryan joined Quill as Managing Director in 2012 and is also the Chair of the Legal Software Suppliers Association.

Quill has been a leading provider of legal accounting and case management software, and the UK’s largest supplier of outsourced legal cashiering services, to the legal professional for over 40 years.

Practice management & accounts software

Outsourced cashiering using Interactive

Outsourced cashiering on any software

Outsourced payroll service

Outsourced bookkeeping service

Outsourced typing service

Don’t puzzle - choose Quill 0845 226 2587 info@quill.co.uk quill.co.uk

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