Birmingham Law Society Bulletin February 2019

BULLETIN

THE MAGAZINE OF THE BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY

A M A Z I N G

MALAYSIA

NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS

– WHERE NEXT?

LATERAL MOVES:

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN MOVING TO A NEW PRACTICE INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN CELEBRATED

RESIDENTIAL

CONVEYANCING: STATE OF THE NATION

ROUNDTABLE

FEBRUARY 2019

Get to know the world of SieMatic and discover the most beautiful style for a kitchen: Your Own

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 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 Peggs Ex-Officio: James Turner Contact c/o Birmingham Law Society

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Letter Birmingham Law Society’s 4. President’s President, James Turner.

News. A round up of what's been happening 6. Society at the Society and members' news.

Best Practice. Deliberate Breach Of Restrictive 9. Covenants May Not Always Be Forgiven Practice. Residential Conveyancing: State Of The 11. Best Nation Roundtable Report. Jayne Willett's asks Where Next 14. Regulation with Non Disclosure Agreements.

Practice. Lateral Moves: What To Consider When 16. Best Moving Practices.

Practice. New tech white paper - How law firms 18. Best can ensure they keep pace with technological advances 20. Out of Hours. AmazingMalaysia Explored.

22. Out of Hours. Inspirational Women Celebrated 24. Out of Hours. Animal Instinct; New Years' Trends Feature: Petersfield LLP gains complete back up 26. Special from Quill. . www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 3

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

GETTING INVO One of my themes for this year was to revisit and review how we engage with our members.

On a number of occasions in the first half of my term I have been asked by potential and existing members what the Society has to offer. The answer varies given that different organisations and individual members engage with the society in different ways.

The common thread is that the Society offers the opportunity to be more involved in your community.

Notwithstanding the vast amount of effort put in every year by the staff, officers, council and board of the Society the benefit a member receives depends on how they choose to engage.

The Society engages with decision makers in firms and Chambers but I am keen to ensure that we also reach individual members in those organisations. With that in mind I have written to all member organisations to ask that they nominate a representative 4 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

to act as a point of contact with the Society. The aim is to create a network of contacts to provide a two way channel of communication. We can ensure our efforts to communicate what we are doing are not lost in the in-tray but also seek crucial feedback to enable us to better prepare future events. If your organisation has not yet nominated a representative please do so or better still volunteer yourself (you can e-mail me (president@ birminghamlawsociety.co.uk) to get more involved.

I appreciate that our members are phenomenally busy in their practice areas and that the pressure on us in practice does not diminish, whether that is the constant pressure to win new contracts, bring in new clients, perform to the latest onerous SLA or find new efficiencies in the face of demoralising cuts. The Society aims to offer a sanctuary from those pressures and a reminder that life in law is not defined by struggle.

2018 was one of the most varied in the history of the Society, not just to reflect the celebration of 200 years in the business of representing our members but in response to your demand for bigger and brighter entertainment. We strive to provide you with interesting and varied ways to engage with us and network with one another.When asked “what have the Roman’s ever done

for us?” I could cite the hours spent in response to consultations, lobbying MPs, government, SRA, Legal Services Board, thousands of hours of Pro Bono work, Justice First Fellowship, ELIPS scheme, liaison with the national Law Society and partnership with multiple agencies in every aspect of our local legal community. My shorter answer is “What are you on about? You are a Roman!” So my call is to get involved.

Forthcoming events include the Legal Awards to be held on 14 March 2019.

There are some new awards to join the established categories. We have booked Huw Edwards as our compere and speaker to build on the success of the Gala dinner held in October 2018 to make it a glitzy, entertaining evening, in partnership with All in All Events and the ICC. Birmingham Law Society has entered a team for the Velo 2019 cycle race in Birmingham. Although applications to participate are closed if you are a member, have registered and would like to take part in the team preparation for the event there is still time to get involved.

We have a host of events pending including the ever popular Lunch Club with a variety of speakers including the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. Reuters sponsor a development event on 23 January which will be hosted by 3

KANG & CO SOLICITORS SUPPORT CITY DOGS HOME understand and appreciate the hard work carried out by other volunteers and staff members at the dogs' home”

The home is a charity which can only survive through the generosity and support of the general public and benefactors from the local community.

Without this Birmingham Dogs Home would be unable to carry on the vital work of rescuing and rehoming abandoned dogs.

The tremendous help given over the years has allowed the home to improve and extend its facilities and, therefore, its ability to care for these unfortunate former pets.

OLVED

Paper Buildings focussing on Automation and the use of AI in the legal profession.

We are in the process of booking Tony Edwards to provide his update on Criminal Law, ethics and advocacy which I expect to take place in January 2019 at a venue to be advised. We also have a number of networking events scheduled including our annual Legal quiz co-hosted with BTSS and BSG on 7 February 2019 at Revolucion de Cuba. There is an event aimed at every section of the membership but our ears are always open should you have suggestions for our team.

I hope to meet many more of our members in the final part of my year as President and hope you will stay involved with your society.

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

At the start of 2018 the lawyers at Kang & Co Solicitors chose Birmingham Dogs Home as its charity partner for 2018 and the company is delighted to have supported the charity throughout the year, by volunteering, raising awareness and finishing the year off with a donation of £1,000.

Manjinder Kang, Director and Solicitor said, “We were

delighted to have chosen Birmingham Dogs Home as our charity partner for 2018, we were keen to choose a local Birmingham based charity, given that our head office is based in Birmingham City Centre.” He added, “in June 2018 some of our lawyers attended the dogs' home for the day and volunteered with cleaning the kennels and assisting with other general duties, it was a great opportunity to really

Rachel Frost from the Dogs Home said “We can’t thank the team enough for all their support throughout 2018.

Having the team come in and see first-hand just how hard our team work and how their support is vital is really important to us.

Without support from companies like Kang & Co we would not be able to carry out the vital work across the West Midlands and South Staffordshire Area. It was a real pleasure meeting the team and with their help we can now give our dogs a great start to 2019 – Thank you.”

UPCOMING EVENTS LEGAL EAGLES QUIZ NIGHT 2019 7th February 2019 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Revolution De Cuba 8 Temple Street Birmingham, B2 5BN

HM LAND REGISTRY DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME 25th February 2019 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM 3PB The Colmore Building 20 Colmore Circus, Queensway Birmingham, B4 6AT

CONTENTIOUS PROBATE UPDATE – PITFALLS FOR PRIVATE CLIENT PRACTITIONERS 27th February 2019 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM Freeths 20 The Colmore Building Colmore Circus Birmingham, B4 6AT

CRIMINAL LAW UPDATE SPRING 2019 9th April 2019 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM BPP University 32-34 Colmore Circus Birmingham, B4 6BN

HINTS AND TIPS ON MAKING SUCCESSFUL PUPILLAGE AND TRAINING CONTRACT APPLICATIONS 4th February 2019 4:30 PM -7:00 PM Cornwall Street Barristers 85 - 87 Cornwall Street Birmingham, B3 3BY GIN & NETWORKING @ BANK 6th February 2019 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Bank Restaurant & Bar 4 Brindley Place Birmingham, B1 2JB

ADVOCACY TRAINING *** LIMITED SPACES 19th March 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 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 5

SOCIETY NEWS

OUR LEGAL COMMUNITY LAUNCHED

TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF THE BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY illuminates a huge part of Birmingham’s history.”

Dr Craig Errington, Wesleyan Group Chief Executive, added: “We are delighted to have played a part in Birmingham Law Society’s 200th anniversary celebrations. There are not many organisations that can claim to have a longer history in Birmingham than Wesleyan’s 177 years.

“Our recent history has given us cause to work more closely with BLS as they supported us when we extended our financial services offering to the legal profession, launching initially in Birmingham in 2007.

The launch of a book to celebrate 200 years of the Birmingham Law Society (BLS) took place at an event hosted

by Wesleyan, the specialist financial services mutual who have also sponsored the publication.

Our Legal Community – Two hundred years of the Birmingham Law Society by local historian Dr Sally Hoban, forms part of BLS’

bicentenary celebrations and charts the organisation’s history from its foundation in 1818 through to present day and its impact on the region’s legal community.

Dr Sally Hoban, the book’s author said: “I was the first historian to be given access to Birmingham Law Society’s archives and it was absolutely fascinating. It is the country’s oldest law society and their story really

They have provided valuable support and insight and helped us to build the strong relationships we have today with the legal profession across the UK.” During the event guests heard from speakers including Dr Sally Hoban, James Turner, President of the Birmingham Law Society, Betty Webb MBE, Administrative Secretary of BLS 1970 to 1986 and Ahmed Farooq, Chief Finance Officer at Wesleyan.

Specialists at Wesleyan also provided sessions on savings and investments, risk management and cyber risk awareness.

NO5 BARRISTERS’ CHAMBERS PANEL ON RACE PAY REPORTING

Race pay reporting fell under the spotlight for a panel discussion for the employment law group at No5 Barristers’ Chambers annual employment seminar in Birmingham.

The debate “Mind the Gap! What might the government’s proposals for race pay reporting look like and will it make any difference?” highlighted the value of reducing the equal pay gap based on ethnicity, not just for social justice but for economic benefit – estimating its value at £24bn.

The panel consisting of Mugni Islam Choudhury, Gemma Roberts, Tom Perry, Naomi Owen, discussed Government plans for race pay reporting with more than 120 delegates from legal firms local authorities and leading businesses.

The debate opened with concerns about how employees’ ethnicity can and should be defined in order to gather appropriate data.

Mr Islam Choudhury explained that the NHS currently recognises five ethnic groups, while the census defines 18 groups, but that to develop a true picture ethnicity, colour and nationality must all be considered.

“It is important to drill down beyond the five headline groups,” he said. “It is also important that these reports come with a narrative which will allow further measurements and improvements to be made if necessary.”

Mr Perry added: “The data you recover 6 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

depends on how granular the analysis is. If you take the NHS model of five ethnic groups you will get very different data than if you go into the more detailed groupings.” He added that there are three potential options for firms reporting the data, adding: “Option one is the headline figure, where firms will report that minorities are paid x per cent of the hourly rate of white British workers, which clearly lacks nuance.

“Option two is to split the white British rate against either the five broad groupings, or the 18 identified by the census, or option three which is the same as the gender pay gap reporting, where the pay bands are broken down into bands of £20,000. The danger

with this is the risk of individuals becoming identifiable and it may be considered too intrusive.”

Mr Islam Choudhury added: “There is a need for a narrative to be supplied with the statistics.

This allows for truer measurement and helps reduce unconscious bias by spotlighting training and progression for employees. Broad ethnic mix brings diversity new ideas and innovation to business.”

Ms Roberts also warned post-Brexit regulation may see a fall in recruitment for lower ranking jobs as migrants may have to be qualified in their profession before they are employed in the UK.

Evans Derry Solicitors Busy practice in Coleshill and Marston Green require:

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SOCIETY EVENTS

SOLICITORS

ASSISTANCE SCHEME

A LIFELINE FOR SOLICITORS

LADY HALE LECTURE Birmingham Law Society and the University of Birmingham Law School welcomed guests to an evening with Baroness Hale of Richmond to celebrate the occasion of Birmingham Law Society’s 200th anniversary and the 90th anniversary of Birmingham Law School and its student law society, the Holdsworth Club.

Baroness Hale is the Holdsworth Club President in 2018-19 and this, her Presidential address, took place at the stunning Barber Concert Hall at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston Campus. Baroness Hale delivered a lecture in which she reflected on the experiences of women under the law and within the legal profession in the last century. Thank you to our sponsors BPP University and Lexis Nexis for supporting this event.

Jayne Willetts helping Linda Lee Chair of the SAS on the stand at the recent SRA Conference in Birmingham Life as a solicitor can be tough especially when faced with a professional problem. The usual calm approach to a client’s crisis disappears and is replaced by blind panic. Knowing that there are fellow practitioners who will provide pro bono advice can be a great source of comfort.

Often it is the help and guidance in the early stages of a problem that is of most benefit before it becomes insoluble.

That is where the Solicitors Assistance Scheme (“SAS”) can frequently help. The SAS offers free and confidential advice for all solicitors in England and Wales and for their families and staff. Advice is provided by around 80 volunteers from around the country, the majority of whom are practising solicitors.

The SAS volunteers cover regulatory and disciplinary issues as well as partnership, employment and insolvency. The need for different types of advice varies according to the economic climate and to the regulatory environment.

I have been a volunteer for the Solicitors Assistance Scheme (“SAS”) for thirteen years. During that time I have advised on a wide range of predicaments. Some of my discussions have been confined to regulatory advice but more often they have also included a mixture of practical and pastoral guidance – it helps of course to have been in the profession for a few years.

Hopefully our BLS Bulletin readers will never need help from the SAS but the Scheme is there just in case.

Further details can be found at www.thesas.org.uk Jayne Willetts.

REGIONAL CONSULTATION MEETING ON LEASEHOLD REFORM Over 70 delegates registered to attend the fifth and final Regional Consultation meeting, held by the Law Commission in Birmingham at the Hotel Du Vin on 10th December.

It is perhaps not surprising that the meeting generated such interest, given the radical and sweeping changes which are being proposed in 8 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

the Consultation Paper published in October.

Mark Adcock, who is a solicitor in private practice and a part time lawyer with the Law Commission said; “We had some challenging and searching questions from the audience about the Consultation Paper, which has helped to contribute

to the consultation exercise, and we are grateful to all delegates who attended in giving their time to this important subject.”

It is not clear, at present, how long it will be before legislation is introduced, but the government regards the review of leasehold law as a priority.

DELIBERATE BREACH OF RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS SPECIAL FEATURE

MAY NOT ALWAYS BE FORGIVEN

In light of recent court decisions, Stewart Title’s Commercial Business Development Manager, Robert Kelly, considers how Property Lawyers can protect their clients against losses arising from restrictive covenants.

A recent decision of the Court of Appeal shows that Courts will give equal weight to the need to uphold contractual rights, like restrictive covenants, and any public interest reasons for releasing covenants.

The Alexander Devine Children’s Cancer Trust (“Trust”) v Millgate Developments Limited (“Millgate”) and Others [2018] EWCA Civ 2679 concerned a development of luxury housing by Millgate on unencumbered land, but the planning permission granted required the building of social housing on land which was subject to a restrictive covenant in favour of the Trust prohibiting residential development. Millgate was aware of this covenant and negotiated a variation of the planning permission allowing payment of a commuted sum of £1,639,904 to the planning authority in lieu of the requirement to build the social housing. Millgate then proceeded with the original development and it was only after completing the social housing that they made an application to the Upper Tribunal (Lands

Chamber) under s84 of the Law of Property Act 1925 (“s84”) to release the covenants.

The Upper Tribunal found in their favour saying that the provision of social housing pursuant to a planning permission was in the public interest and that the covenant should be released. The Trust appealed and the Court of Appeal issued its judgement in December 2018 rejecting the Upper Tribunal decision and reinstating the covenants. This means that the Trust can now apply for an injunction requiring demolition of the housing.

LAWYERS NEED TO TAKE NOTE, AS THE COURT HELD THAT: The requirement to provide social housing did not automatically mean that the development was “in the public interest” The preservation and enforcement of private contractual rights like the covenant was also “in the public interest” A developer must use the rights granted by s84 fairly and where a prospective application to release covenants could have been made before a development commenced, the Upper Tribunal should consider why a developer chose not to do so

Where there was an alternative way to allow the planning permission to be implemented (such as by payment of a commuted sum) then this should be taken into account All of these factors need to be considered when advising a client on how to deal with covenants hindering a proposed development even if planning has been obtained. If there are commercial reasons why a prospective s84 application can’t be made, then consideration should be given to obtaining a Restrictive Covenant Indemnity Policy which will provide cover for the developer, their lenders and any occupiers against losses arising from the enforcement of the covenants in the future.

Stewart Title has wide experience of underwriting this type of risk and our growing Underwriting Team can be contacted for more information: brokers@stewart.com or 02070107820.

www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 9

SOCIETY NEWS

HUW EDWARDS TO HOST 2019 BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY LEGAL AWARDS qualities that Birmingham Law Society values most: integrity, tenacity and professional excellence. His involvement in this year’s Legal Awards reflects the reputation of Birmingham and the wider Midlands region as an increasingly key feature of the national legal landscape.”

Birmingham Law Society is proud to announce Huw Edwards as the host of the 2019 Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards, scheduled for the evening of Thursday 14th March 2019 at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.

Huw Edwards anchors Britain’s most popular TV news bulletin, the BBC Ten O’Clock News, and has led the broadcast commentary for some of the world’s most prestigious events including the spectacular opening ceremony at the London Olympics in 2012.

Now in its 18th year, The Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards event has become a permanent fixture in both the legal and business calendars, attracting a capacity crowd year-on-year to celebrate the very best of the region’s legal talent.

Awards will be made to firms and individuals who have displayed exceptional performance over the last 12 months, including in the new category of Excellence in Client Service (for both business and private clients).

President of Birmingham Law Society, James Turner, says: “Huw Edwards represents many of the

IN BRIEF...

There are a limited number of corporate sponsorship opportunities available to businesses at the event - those interested should contact Becky@ birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

MEMBERS

A full list of award categories for the 2019 Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards is as follows:

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For more details or to book tickets, visit:www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk/ legal-awards-tickets-2019 Birmingham Law Society congratulates Dr Malcolm Dick who was recognised in the New Year Honours list with an OBE for services to local history.

Dr Dick worked closely with Dr Sally Hoban in relation to her production of the Society's history: "Our legal community: Two hundred years of the Birmingham Law Society 18182018" Deputy Vice President Inez Brown attended the annual Headway awards for Birmingham Law Society held at London's Dorchester Hotel in December.

The society presented a cheque for half of the money raised so far during the current presidential year.

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BEST PRACTICE

RESIDENTIAL CONVEY STATE OF THE NATION ROU

In December, property and environmental data specialists, Landmark Information hosted a roundtable in Birmingham. A group of property law experts gathered to discuss the opportunities and issues facing property conveyancing today, and into the future. Here we report on the key points discussed during the session.

1. WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES CURRENTLY FACING CONVEYANCING PROFESSIONALS? Denise Watkins (DW): I would say client expectations: the internet and email means we receive constant inbound communications and clients expect an immediate answer. It used to be you’d open the post and DX and knew what was there; now the influx is such that “post” is filtering by way of emails all day long.

The danger is that those clients who are more persistent are being answered to the detriment of those who are patient. More conveyancers are now recognising this and dealing with emails as they would with post.

12 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

Martin Priest (MP): Today, people are living on their mobile devices and so send emails at 11:30pm at night and expect an answer first thing the following day.

Clients don’t necessarily understand the complex legal process that we have to work to.

Martin Allsopp (MA): I have a client who has paid for searches and received a mortgage offer, and doesn’t understand why she can’t move next week. It’s important to explain in real terms how our conveyancing process works.

Neil Stockall (NS): Before we can even start the matter we have money laundering regulations, personal identification requirements; this can hold up the process before we even get started.

MP: As an industry, we need to be educating our clients into what the conveyancing process entails. As soon as clients have an offer accepted, they just want to know when they can get the keys.

MA: The client expectations are “how much” and “when will I move”. In my 45

years of working, this has always been the case. We have our hands tied as client care letters need to be answered, with ID and AML checks before we even start; our process is being slowed by regulation.

2. WHO WOULD YOU SAY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATING CLIENTS ABOUT THE CONVEYANCING PROCESS? MP: Education is important and it really is down to us, although clients are not interested in the technicalities of what we have to go through before they embark on a sale or purchase.

MA: The difficulty here is that every transaction is different: you just don’t know at the outset what will be involved with each, particularly where there is a chain of sales and/or purchases.

DW: We have a letter in which there is a ‘property transaction jigsaw’. This explains the different pieces that are needed to make a transaction happen. The difficulty comes when the estate agent then jumps in to try and ‘push things though’ and they provide different timescales to the client,

YANCING: UNDTABLE

SPECIAL FEATURE

deemed to be with us and not the other professionals. To a certain extent, we are our own enemies as we have pushed our prices down to compete, yet estate agents haven’t to the same degree.

3. WHAT ABOUT THE PRICING TRANSPARENCY RULES? TR: For me, I see the silver lining being the marketing opportunities to differentiate yourselves from other firms. You can set your stall out to show what value you are providing.

Stephen Ward (SW): What we as an industry are being asked to do by the Competition Markets Authority is perhaps unusual; we’re usually focused on outcomes, and in making sure clients are dealt with honestly, effectively and standards are maintained, whereas transparency is much more rules-based and specific.

The way we, and the SRA, have implemented the pricing transparency is to give firms as much flexibility as we can to be as transparent about pricing, service and quality, as possible.

An online quote generator can still be used but with caveats, for example, if we discover it’s a leasehold and not a freehold, or there’s a right of way that needs sorting out, you can have a further discussion.

The new rules give firms an opportunity to explain not just what you do, but also the value of what you do and so set a clear context for price.

TR: It’ll be interesting to see how firms react to it. We always had a ‘gold standard’ with our environmental and planning reports here at Landmark and clearly demonstrate what is included in the price. Others don’t have the same content or aren’t clear on prices, and it’s a battle we have had to face in our own business area.

Tom Ansell (TA): Rather than focus on price transparency, shouldn’t we instead concentrate on service transparency? Driving people to look just at prices shouldn’t be the focus. Amazon is a great example – they are acknowledged by the service they provide, yet people will pay more for Prime. It feels that for us, the service is an afterthought.

as they don’t know the detail behind the legal transaction.

Tony Rollason (TR): This is likely down to the estate agent doing their work by connecting the buyers; they just then want to see the sale completed and the revenue finalised for the month-end.

NS: I don’t want to be critical, but estate agents often give clients the wrong expectations, which puts solicitors in a difficult position. We often hear agents say the sale will be completed in a matter of weeks, and then when we set boundaries based on the detail of the transaction, we’re deemed the bad guys!

MP: There is a potential for conflict of interest; we have clients, estate agents and lawyers all starting to copy all parties in on one correspondence, which is a risk. The potential here for conflict of interest is certainly higher than before.

DW: Agreed - and as we are in the days of Data Protection and GDPR I cannot understand why it is allowed.

NS: But what are the implications if the transaction goes wrong? The liability is generally

have been registered?

NS: Yet, we don’t need to do this for Nationwide, as it happens automatically. If it is acceptable for them, why not for others? More consistency is needed.

Robert Sanderson (RS): For us, our case management workflow technology, Intelliworks, is already helping Conveyancers automate a number of processes, such as form filling, plus it automatically updates the legal library and process when regulations change. Automation is increasing – and it shouldn’t be legal firms needing to manage this in-house – this is where specialist third-parties come into play.

MP: Technology is there to remove duplication of effort. For example, you only have to look at anti-money laundering and ID checks. We have to do this, as do agents, brokers, lenders. If there was a way for more integration so duplication could be removed, that’s what I want my technology to do.

We’re at the stage now where we’re able to get introducers directly into our system; brokers can put information into our system over the weekend, this opens up the matter, a client care letter is automatically created, protocol forms are emailed to the client for signing online. By Monday morning, we have a new job ready to go.

RS: One of the major problems we need to solve is the use of unsecure email. I’m not aware of a commercially-viable solution that works for all – practitioners and consumers - that offers secure email. For me, this is the biggest thing we need to solve to help reduce transaction time and the fraudulent misdirection of funds.

SW: Ultimately, demographics are changing.

Consumers are today buying groceries through Ocado or shopping on Amazon. The way we handle transactions is increasingly digital.

NS: It’s certainly moving away from 9am– 5:30pm Monday to Friday hours; the younger generation expect 7-days a week. We’re going to struggle as a profession, unless we find a way around this, and I think technology will play a role in supporting this.

4. WHAT TECHNOLOGIES DO YOU PREDICT WILL DISRUPT THE SECTOR IN THE COMING YEARS, AND WHAT EFFECT WILL THESE HAVE ON THE CONVEYANCING SECTOR? SW: I think that IT could be valuable in freeing up more time of the qualified conveyancer. For example, there are some transactions that are very straight forward but then you come up against more complex cases. That’s where the real value of the trained professional comes in; the IT, used properly, will free up the time of the qualified conveyancer so they can focus on the more complex areas.

TA: I think we’re crying out for a bit of crossindustry collaboration to overcome key pinchpoints. Average transaction times are increasing, yet so are expectations for quicker completions, which creates pressure straight away. We have to register sales through LMS and, when I complete on a Friday, I receive reminders on Monday to upload the AP1, yet we haven’t even got the documents yet. It needs to be realistic!

DW: Perhaps we need technology so Land Registry automatically informs the mortgage company straight away when the documents

PARTICIPANTS: Stephen Ward, Council for Licenced Conveyancers Tony Rollason, Landmark Information Martin Priest, Glover Priest Martin Allsopp, Blackhams Robert Sanderson, Ochresoft Neil Stockall, Higgs & Sons Denise Watkins, Gordon Jones & Co Tom Ansell, Brethertons With thanks to DWF for hosting the roundtable at its offices in Snowhill, Birmingham.

www.landmark.co.uk

REGULATION REPORT

NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS – WHERE NEXT?

Written by Jayne Willetts, Solictor Advocate at Jayne Willetts & Co Solicitors The recent publication by the Law Society of its Practice Note on “Non-disclosure agreements & confidentiality clauses in an employment law context” provides a salutary reminder that this remains a regulatory issue. The SRA’s focus on the use of NDAs began in late 2017 after the Harvey Weinstein allegations and launch of the Me Too campaign in the United States which then spread across the Atlantic to the Parliamentary Women & Equalities Committee and to the UK press.

The SRA reacted to this political and media storm by issuing a Warning Notice in March 2018 highlighting the risks of using NDAs. The Notice was primarily aimed at the profession’s duties as employer but also related to client advice to ensure that signatories to these agreements should not be prevented from reporting misconduct that might otherwise be reportable. Firms were also reminded of their duties to report misconduct to the SRA where identified within their own firms.

The risks identified in the Notice were those perceived as being risks by the SRA. They were not risks that had been identified as a result of any consultation process with the profession and/or other interested bodies. They were purely based on the views of the SRA. This Notice (as with all Warning Notices) does not form part of the SRA Handbook but can be relied upon by the SRA during a disciplinary investigation and also before the SDT. Whilst the SRA is entitled to draft warning notices and guidance, there is a wider concern here that the SRA may be 14 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

crossing the line and imposing professional duties as a reaction to political and media pressure which are outside the confines of the Principles & Code – in particular, the emphasis on acting in the public interest.

It is acknowledged that the SRA itself is required under the Legal Services Act to promote “the public interest” but this is an aspirational objective for the SRA as a regulator as opposed to a rule of professional conduct for the rest of us.

Allegations of professional misconduct must be based on the Principles & the Code and not on a duty to some populist ethical standard described as “the public interest”. It is only when two or more Principles conflict that we are required to follow the Principle which best serves the public interest – this in turn is directly referable to the proper administration of justice i.e. our duty to the court.

Another interesting side issue is the use of warning notices and guidance at a time when the SRA is about to significantly reduce its rules to lighten the regulatory burden for firms. It is removing all guidance from the new Codes of Conduct so that the guidance is not part of the rules and is, therefore, not mandatory. How does this square with warning notices and other stand-alone guidance?

In the workplace, the Notice has led to a flurry of self-reports to the SRA of potential misconduct both sexual and otherwise.

Some reports have been made by firms before there has been a full internal investigation and these have caused significant injustice to the individuals concerned. Some reports have been made by firms without the prior knowledge of complainants, again causing distress when the complainants realise that they might be required to give evidence before the SDT.

The Chief Executive of the SRA reported to the Chair of the Women & Equalities Committee in September 2018 on what the SRA was doing “to tackle workplace sexual harassment”. In particular, he stated that there had been a steady increase in reports about sexual harassment and improper use of NDAs. Before the Warning Notice there were 23 reported cases and afterwards there were “over 50 ongoing cases” – as if the increase were a badge of honour.

Whilst one would never condone sexual harassment within the workplace, one questions the extent to which the SRA is sufficiently experienced to investigate such allegations. Are these type of investigations better left to experienced human resource professionals and/or in serious cases to the police? Do such allegations constitute professional misconduct where there is no criminal conviction?

Would the SRA’s resources (as funded by the profession) be better focussed on the management of law firms and the delivery of legal services to the public? Especially with the advent of unregulated firms and freelance solicitors later this year. Since the abolition of the Practice Standards Unit some years ago which ensured that the majority of firms received a visit from the regulator every 5 years there is no regular monitoring of firms even though the risks to the public are higher than ever before because of the diversification of the legal services market.

The SRA has estimated that there will be 25 of these cases before the SDT during 2019 which will require an additional 81 hearing days. One can foresee that there will be considerable argument before the SDT on how the Principles and Code apply to this latest minefield for the profession.

SPECIAL FEATURE

involvement in this specialist sector for almost 20 years.”

“The integration of the two teams will benefit law firms looking for specialist insurance and Risk Management services and will provide access to literally decades of experience in the legal sector.”

He continued: “We have offices based all around the country, so we have a more widespread localised presence coupled with the ability to get full insurance market access whilst offering a diverse range of relevant and important products and services for our legal clients.”

Ged Wood, Regional Director of QPI Legal, agreed: “This is an exciting development. It is a coming together of the two teams, which will demonstrate not only the expertise and experience within the PIB group, but also the quality within the legal sector synonymous with the QPI brand.”

BROKERS MERGER TO HELP PROTECT SOLICITORS AGAINST RISING RISKS QPI Legal and PIB Insurance Brokers are announcing a merger which will join the two teams of legal insurance experts to offer a comprehensive suite of services for solicitors.

The move will see colleagues from PIB’s Solicitors team joining with QPI’s market leading experts to trade together under the QPI Legal banner.

Phil Edwards, Managing Director of QPI Legal, welcomed the merger and said it would mean a further enhancement of the team’s collaborative

services to solicitors in England and Wales. He added that the merger of the two teams would further benefit the legal sector by providing solicitors with even greater access to enhanced services, extensive expertise and experience across a wide range of subjects.

Edwards said: “We are delighted about this latest development within our business and this collaboration can only be a positive move for our existing and prospective clients in light of the combined buying power and expertise of PIB coupled with the knowledge, experience and reputation of QPI’s long established

“This is an exciting merger of all the talent we have within the business and we are all very much looking forward to bringing that enhanced, specialist service to our existing clients and also to be able to offer it to prospective new clients.”

“QPI is regarded extremely highly in the legal sector by the insurance market, by law firms and by the Law Society and we believe that the quality and expertise of the combined team will offer a very compelling proposition.”

For more information contact Jason Mole at QPI Legal, 43 Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 1TS. Telephone 0333 400 9481 or email pii@qpilegal.co.uk QPI Legal is a trading style of PIB Risk Services Limited. PIB Risk Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Reference Number 308333. PIB Risk Services Limited is registered in England and Wales. Company Registration Number 2682789. Registered Office: Rossington’s Business Park, West Carr Road, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7SW

BEST PRACTICE

LATERAL MOVES: WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN MOVING TO A NEW PRACTICE

SPECIAL FEATURE

vital to consider any associates, paralegals, secretaries, or even other partners who are instrumental in client retention and ongoing business development; anyone that is integral to the guarantees of portable business made to the new practice or likely to defend against your move is left behind. It is important for partners to work to find the right balance between their personal preferences for staff, and justifying their book of business.

RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS In addition to fiduciary duty, the originating firm may also include more direct and specific restraint of trade, which must be taken into account before making a lateral partner move. It is important to remember that restriction on competitive activities may be more enforceable for partners than for associates, due to the higher bargaining powers that come with the position. The originating firm is entitled to protect their legitimate business interests, and may include anti-team move covenants.

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL LATERAL MOVE There are strategies that can be deployed to mitigate the risks highlighted above and the likely success of a lateral partner move can be increased significantly through the creation of a strong and strategic plan. Here are some tips for building a plan for a lateral transition: • Prioritise what is important in a move and understand why you’re looking into lateral transition. Money? Reputation? Opportunity?

Balance? Determine what you want, what you need and what you’ll accept.

• Do your research; ensure potential practices have the resources, scope, reputation, client base, and practice breadth to enable you to achieve what it is you, your clients and your team want from the move.

Written by Colin White, Managing Director, Ortus Group.

Lateral partner hiring is regularly referred to as ‘buying a book of business’, and it’s fast becoming one of the most effective ways for law firms to strengthen performance at a time when financial cuts are becoming necessary for many. In fact, the majority of law firms view lateral hiring as a growth strategy within itself.

Partners themselves may have a myriad of reasons to consider a lateral move to a new practice; to increase compensation, to boost reputation, to develop more business, or to find a more suitable work/ life balance. Anecdotally, we estimate that each year, as many as 5% of partners make a lateral move.

Of course, for anyone thinking about making a lateral move, there are considerations to be addressed. For associates, for example, one of the primary considerations is how a lateral move would affect existing track to partnership. However, for partners, there are a whole new set of aspects to take into account. So before sitting down and completing that lateral partner questionnaire (LPQ), here’s what to consider: MOTIVATION AND AMBITION The Up or Out: When Partners Have to Go report by ALM Intelligence suggests that between 40 and 50% of lateral partner moves don’t work out, and fail within the first 3 years. Additionally, more than one third of laterally transitioning partners have been with the originating firm for 10 years or even more. This highlights the risk of moving from a long term position into an opportunity that may not pan out, so there must be solid 16 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

motivation and ambition behind making such a significant career leap. Carefully consider why you’re thinking about change, and what benefits you are expecting from moving.

• Maintain secure means of communication with law practices and headhunters during the early stages and uncertainties of a lateral move, to prevent unnecessary rumours/ gossip.

BUSINESS CASE Once there is a clear and firm rationale supporting and backing the decision to make a lateral move as a partner, there is a need to consider whether or not there is also a business case. Fortunately, it is becoming easier to obtain financial records and other valuable information which can help to create a solid business case for a lateral transition.

It is essential to form a strategic plan for the move which should always make sense from a business perspective; not just yours.

• Honestly analyse what went right — and what went wrong — at your current firm.

Seek to replicate the good stuff and avoid the problems to maximise the chances of lateral success.

CLIENTS While partners have a fiduciary duty to the originating firm, the nature of this duty is often unclear, and the act of making a move with clients is relatively commonplace. A guarantee of ‘portable business’ is often used as a selling point by partners looking to move to a new practice, but how portable business really is depends on the relationship with existing clients. Consider a client’s right to choose, and don’t assume your clients will always choose to move with you; take into account that personal or legal conflict, or dissatisfaction with new billing and collection practices can affect decisions.

Despite reports that law firm lateral hires dropped by 7% in 2016, and by 8% in 2017, there were still 445 recorded lateral moves in London alone throughout 2017. Lateral partner moves are certainly showing no signs of dying out, as firms are increasingly looking into growth opportunities while partners continue to seek out optimal environments.

When done well, a lateral partner move can prove to be highly successful, pushing both firms and individuals to another level.

However, it is essential for partners to honestly consider many aspects beyond personal desires and take appropriate measures to increase your chance of success.

STAFF Once again, while fiduciary duty to the originating firm is expected, there is something of a grey area when it comes to including others within the lateral move. It is

• Consider the risk of remaining with your current firm; there are reasons you are considering a move. What if this never changes or you decide to ‘put up’ with a suboptimal environment which leads to a lack of ambition and stagnation?

To download a free copy of Ortus Group’s Guide to Making a Lateral Move, visit www.ortusgroup.com

A W E A LT H O F E X P E RT I S E O N YO U R D O O R S T E P We specialise in providing face-to-face wealth management advice that is tailored to reflect individual circumstances. We place you at the heart of everything we do, and are committed to building and sustaining longterm relationships based on trust, superior service and the quality of our initial and ongoing advice.

We can help you throughout your various life stages, providing a comprehensive range of financial solutions to address a multitude of needs and objectives. This includes investment, retirement, tax and estate planning. Our experience is that everyone has their own personal concerns, responsibilities and ambitions, and that the solutions that work for one simply would not work for another. For further information, or to request your complimentary guide to wealth management, contact Jan Bloomer on:

TEL: 0121 215 0926 WEBSITE: www.andrewwhiting.co.uk St. James’s Place House, Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Business Park, Solihull, B90 8AR

The Partner Practice 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 title ‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing term used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

H2SJP30732 12/18

BEST PRACTICE

SPECIAL FEATURE

NEW TECH WHITE PAPER HOW LAW FIRMS CAN ENSURE THEY KEEP PACE WITH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES

SpeechWrite Digital today released a white paper for the legal profession on the rise of tech innovation within the legal sector, and how firms can futureproof themselves.

SpeechWrite has released a white paper for the legal profession entitled Dictating the Pace of Change. Containing a foreword by James Turner, President of the Birmingham Law Society (of which SpeechWrite is a sponsor) and insights from Gateley plc and Aaron & Partners, the paper outlines the extent to which the UK legal market is starting to keep pace with technological advances, and how law firms can take advantage of these in order to optimise their practice and remain competitive.

“Chief executives, senior partners, directors and members will benefit from an introduction to the technology involved and analysis of where future developments will take us.” James Turner (President of the Birmingham Law Society & Senior Partners at Tuckers Solicitors).

THE RISE OF THE MEGA LAW FIRM – AND THE ‘VIRTUAL’ FIRM The past 20 years has seen the rise of the mega law firm, with a growing number of practices going public. The most notable, to date, being regional firm Knights Group, which broke records for the largestever UK law firm listing, being valued at £103.5m.

In addition to this, the growth of the ‘virtual’ law firm, which bring together groups of self-employed lawyers sharing IT and marketing systems, along with overheads, has further transformed the face of the legal profession – and this is unlikely to stop.

This special report analyses the changes successful law firms have made, and will need to continue to make, in order to remain competitive and relevant: firms such as Knights Group, which became the fifth UK law firm to float in June 2018.

It also outlines what steps IT delivery managers have taken to secure better collaboration both internally and with clients, while ensuring cyber security.

18 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

From time and billing, document assembly and client relationship management, through to proposal generation, matter management and beyond, technological innovations have transformed the traditional processes through which firms have previously operated. The report demonstrates how fast adopters, such as Gateley Plc (the first UK law firm to float, in 2015), have been able take advantage of technology in order to provide positive outcomes for both their firms and their clients. According to Jas Bassi, IT solution delivery manager at Gateley, technology must now form a central pillar of any law firm’s growth plan.

STEPS TOWARDS BECOMING TECH-SAVVY With clients becoming increasingly techsavvy, the report looks at ways legal firms can meet in-house teams halfway. It also highlights the ‘weapons’ every law firm should have at their disposal if they are to keep up with their competitors.

Cloud computing, for example, is one of the easiest changes to implement.

Allowing for more agile working and the ability to keep in touch with clients while on the move, this is already revolutionising the way parties communicate with the court in criminal cases, according to James Turner. Additionally, the report demonstrates how subscription based models allow firms to avoid the cost of hosting these types of infrastructures internally. Such systems are also infinitely scalable – organically growing as a firm grows.

The report also explores how implementing a hybrid solution, combining on-site and cloud-based solutions, can allow users to pick and choose between applications. In fact, Nick Thornton, IT Specialist at top 200 firm Aaron & Partners LLP, sees this as the future, as it offers both resilience and flexibility (borne out by a 2017 poll which showed that cloud adoption rates in the UK have risen by 83% since 2010).

Digital tools, such as voice recognition and digital dictation systems, have also taken off, replacing analogue formats, thanks to providing almost unlimited storage capacity, clearer playback, editing

options and additional transcription services if required. Such systems also provide greater mobility, allowing for ad hoc dictation by lawyers when they are out of the office. Furthermore, they can be accessed and shared remotely.

The latest generation of digital dictation solutions is also explored within the report.

These devices are currently freeing up even more fee-earner time – allowing them to dictate from any device, send in real time and even track and edit remotely; eliminating the need for transcribers to type up copy. According to James Last, practice manager at Broadbents Solicitors, integrating voice recognition into digital dictation systems has allowed them to “dictate and distribute any letter, statement or court application within an hour.”

THE HOW’S AND WHY’S The report also explores the main barriers to legal firms’ adoption of technological advancements (including security concerns, historical under-investment and cost concerns) and focuses on how these can be overcome. For example, SpeechWrite 360 has been proved to significantly reduce a firm’s workflow and dictation costs, while the AWS cloud infrastructure is now the most powerful, flexible and secure cloud-computing environment available – even used by the UK’s Ministry of Justice.

MEETING THE FUTURE HEAD-ON As new technologies continue to be adopted by law firms, the Law Society predicts a rise in automated legal service functions, which could see output per person grow from the current average 1.2% per annum, to 2.4% within the next decade. And when you factor in that, in the last five years alone, the number of solicitors has grown by 15,000, it’s clear to see that there is going to be an increased pressure on productivity; and firms will need to find new and innovative ways to stay ahead of the game.

HOW TO GET THE REPORT The full white paper can be downloaded online from the SpeechWrite web-site www.speechwrite.com or you could request it by e-mailing whitepaper@ speechwrite.com

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OUT OF HOURS

AMA

MAL

A melting pot of religions, cultures and communities, Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage, cosmopolitan and contemporary nightlife culture, stunning national parks and the world’s oldest tropical rainforest make it the perfect destination for those looking for exploration and entertainment writes Jonathan Fraser.

Arriving in Kuala Lumpur after a comfortable 13-hour flight from London’s Heathrow with British Airways you’re immediately hit by the vibrancy and chaos of the city. Cars and scooters intertwine on the city streets as traffic police in traditional uniform attempt to conduct the dance. Neon signs blink, billboards rotate and what look like the ruins of Victorian architecture snuggle up against structures of steel and glass that announce that this is a city of history and of progression.

Kuala Lumpur – or KL as you’ll see on every baseball cap and bumper sticker- is Malaysia’s capital and its largest city. Named after the point where two rivers join together, Kuala Lumpur means muddy confluence, the city originated as a trading and provision point for Chinese tin miners who would work further up river. In the late 1700’s Malaysia was colonized by the British and the winding alley ways of wooden shacks that made up the town were replaced with brick buildings and wide walkways in the style of the Empire much of which, as in other parts of Malaysia particularly Penang, is in evidence today 20 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

despite the country being under Japanese control during the second world war.

Must visit remnants of the city’s past include Merdeka Square home to the stunning neo Nughal and Moorish Revival designed Sultan Abdul Samad Building where Malaya declared itself independent from colonial forces in 1957, becoming Malaysia. History fans should also make sure they take time to see the Tugu Negara national monument dedicated to the Malaysians who laid down their lives in the fight for Malaya’s independence. It’s centrepoint is one of the tallest freestanding bronze statues in Asia and the monuments garden, full of fountains and pavilions, is a peaceful place to take in the city scape beyond.

Shoppers will delight at the Central Market, remodelled in Art Deco style but home to shopping in Kuala Lumpur since 1888 and packed with over 300 shops that celebrate Malaysian arts and crafts. The nearby Petaling Market in the city’s China Town is and a counterfeiter’s delight and worth a stroll.

For those looking to explore the more modern side of Kuala Lumpa the stunning geometric styled National Mosque of Malaysia is a must see as is the imposing Petronas Twin Towers with connecting Sky Bridge, one of the world’s top 20 tallest skyscrapers and available to visit – but make sure you book

ahead for some unforgettable views.

At night Kuala Lumpur offers a mix of western style tourist pubs, swanky rooftop hotel cocktail bars and restaurants and nightclubs where the DJ keeps the decks spinning until the early hours of the morning. By far our favourite aspect of afterhours Kuala Lumpur are the huge array of Speakeasy or Hidden Bars around the city. Opium Den styled destinations await behind fake shop frontages and hidden doorways – tip a top hat to the right and a door will open, press a panel on the left and an enigmatic entrance will be revealed where some seriously good cocktails await– perfect!

WE STAYED AT...

Centrally located and excellent value, the Hotel Istana offered us a huge room with an amazing view of the city and an excellent breakfast to start us on our day.

Much more than just a stopover hotel, Sama Sama is conveniently located at the airport and offers guests multiple restaurants and lounges, a fabulous outdoor pool to relax in and well equipped gym.

Leaving Kuala Lumpur behind us we set off by boat along the Tembeling river to Tamar Negara national park, the world’s oldest Rainforest and Jungle. The magical journey passing Water Buffalo, Kingfishers, Macaque

AZING

LAYSIA

TREND EDIT: GET KNITTED!

Thankfully, what with the cold weather being well and truly en route, men’s knitwear is fashion’s biggest story for at the moment. Comfy knits are the perfect antidote to all the black tie glamour post party season and are the perfect choice for cosy lunches and afternoon strolls at the weekend. From Fair Isle and embroidery to chunky intarsia and logo-heavy, here’s our pick of this season’s jumpers from HARVEY NICHOLS.

Alexander McQueen Argyle wool-blend jumper, £850

monkeys and Hornbills, takes around two hours and in incredibly comfortable sat two abreast in a lowslung river boat with tin top to keep off the sun and let the breeze in. Cruising through the rainforest is an incredibley emotional experience, sometimes overwhelming as you realise the epic scale of what surrounds you.

We were lucky enough to be staying in the heart of the jungle itself in the only rainforest resort in Malaysia – the Muriata resort. Made up around 100 wood and bamboo air-conditioned huts high up above the waterside along with restaurant, reception building, spa, shop and activity building the accommodation is functional but supremely well located for the sights and sounds of jungle life.

Walk out of your hut, past the Macaque monkeys laying on your lawn and the jungle is literally all around you. The resort employs a large number of excellent guides who took us through readymade rainforest paths both in the black of night – this is one place where there really is no such thing as light pollution- and in the midday sun. The jungle at night sings with unknown life and although, thanks to an earlier rainstorm, much

of its residents kept well out of our way, we still got to meet speckled huntsman spiders, giant stick insects and centipedes as well as the odd snake or five. Daylight allows for a closer study of the exotic flora and fauna of the region as well as a walk across the treetop canopies – an amazing adrenalin fuelled treat and another great way to experience and enjoy this amazing location.

If your hankering for some more time on the river then why not take an open boat to Lata Berkoh for a spot of river swimming? Call in on Malaysia’s tallest tree on the way and switch the engines off for a relaxed drift back to camp listening to the jungle life around you. Keep your eyes peeled as Tigers, elephants, deer and macaques all still live within the jungle.

Givenchy logo-intarsia wool jumper, £505

Kenzo dragon-embroidered wool jumper, £325.

Maison Margiela Fair Isle Argyle-knit wool jumper, £455.

Norse Projects Birnir Fair Isle-knit wool jumper, £180

Polo Ralph Lauren crest logo-intarsia wool jumper, £345.

Two nights at the Mutiara Tamar Negara resort including some meals and guided activities cost from around £148 per person. Visit mutiaratamannegara.com to find out more.

Useful Links -www.tourism.gov. my, www.hotelistana.com.my, www. mutiaratamannegara.com, www.britishairways.com

McQ Alexander McQueen embroidered jumper, £350.

Moncler Genius 1952 logo-intarsia wool jumper, £350

www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk 21

OUT OF HOURS INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN CELEBRATED A new book celebrating 30 inspirational Birmingham women has been brought to life by a stunning collection of portraits created by an all-female team of illustrators.

Once Upon A Time In Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is published as part of Birmingham City Council’s campaign to mark the centenary of women’s right to vote.

Aimed at pupils aged 11 to 16, the hardback book recounts the compelling stories of female pioneers from all walks of life and is designed to inspire the next generation of children and young people to fulfil their ambitions.

The story of each of the women who “dared to dream” is accompanied by a specially commissioned portrait, created by a team of seven female artists with strong links to Birmingham, either through work, education or living in the city. The illustrators have taken distinct approaches to their subjects and they include a quartet of visual

communications graduates from Birmingham City University (BCU).

The team behind Once Upon A Time In Birmingham… are keen for the book to stand apart from traditional local history publications with an engaging, storybook approach, including a vibrant package of artwork to make the personalities and their achievements leap from the page. Women featured within the book include the world’s first female computer programmer Mary Lee BernersLee, women’s rights activist Jessie Eden, girls’ education and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and the Birmingham-based structural engineer who contributed to the rebuild of the World Trade Centre post-9/11, Asha Devi.

Once Upon A Time In Birmingham…is available from book shops across Birmingham.

TAKE A COFFEE BREAK WITH SMEG With its stylish curved edges and space-age design, Smeg’s DCF01 drip filter coffee machine is the perfect addition to the luxury Italian brand’s iconic range of 50’s retro style appliances.

The DCF01 boasts the same popular, iconic design as Smeg’s existing small appliance range, ensuring you can mixand-match models for a colourful chic kitchen set-up.

Available in six colour options to complement every kitchen, Smeg’s new coffee machine offers a user-friendly control panel with options for auto-start and multiple cup options. There’s a tencup glass carafe and a 1.2 litre water tank – so regardless of how much coffee you need to get going in the morning, Smeg has you covered.

The Smeg DCF01 Drip Coffee Machine is £179.95. www.smeguk.com 22 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

Simplify your search pack RiskView, the all-in-one report that assesses 12 key environmental risks and has the most detailed flood analysis available in its class, incorporating manual expert reviews for more first time passes Built for the digital age, test drive our unique online viewer now landmark.co.uk/RV4free

Š2018 Landmark Information Group

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ANIMAL INSTINCT Time to change your spots; we’ve always loved Leopard...

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1. Outfit By Skiim, 2. Leopard Print Silk Scarf £45. Mint Velvet, 3.

Altuzarra Shadow Print Tote £2105 Selfridges, 4. Boden Aria Shearling Leopard Print Loafer £120 John-Lewis, 5. Abstract Animal Print Dress £169 Whistles, 6. Derss By Preen £199, Debenhams, 7. Faux Fur Animal Print Scarf £69, Hobbs, 8. Gloves £19.50, M&S Collection, 9. J

By Jasper Conran £85, 10.Forever-Unique Green Velvet-Dress £165, Selfridges, 11. Alice And Olivia Kylie Leopard-Print Faux Fur Coat £815 Harvey Nichols, 12. Wrap Dress £36, Next.

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BEST PRACTICE

SPECIAL FEATURE Nick Timmings at Petersfields LLP

PETERSFIELDS GAINS COMPLETE BACK-UP FROM QUILL Long-time Quill client, Petersfields LLP, utilises the full range of software and outsourcing services from its trusted supplier. Subscribing to Interactive for case and document management, Pinpoint for outsourced cashiering and Payroll for outsourced payroll and pension management, Quill provides a complete back office support structure for the busy twin-site law firm.

Nick Timmings, Partner at Petersfields, comments: “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.”

In terms of Interactive, Petersfields was first introduced to Quill’s software by way of a printed software guide and they now use Interactive for case management with add-on links to Microsoft Word and Outlook for advanced document management capabilities.

“We’ve created a library of template documents in Interactive, available to all staff, for each of the common stages within our area specialisms,” explains Nick. “Enhanced by cloud access, this allows employees based at both Cambridge and Haverhill to progress matters from either office, at home or on the move. With staff routinely moving between 26 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

locations and occasionally working remotely, Quill gives us the technology platform necessary to operate in this truly flexible manner.

“Having been aware of security breaches affecting some cloud solution companies, it was vital to ensure that our data would be completely secure. We know Interactive is safe. Of equal importance is the integration with Microsoft Office so that everything – emails included – is captured and stored within our matter files. Post is scanned onto the system too. Interactive literally hosts hundreds of our documents.”

The benefits of Interactive’s comprehensive digital storage facility are manifested not only in remote working capabilities and cybersecurity, but also in substantial reductions in hard copy filing.

“Our policy is to put every piece of paperwork onto Interactive,” continues Nick. “Sometimes this is a manual process involving scanning of inbound correspondence and other times it’s automatic because Interactive detects emails displaying the case reference and automatically files correctly. We avoid printing documents as much as possible and have destroyed lots of paper records. We do still maintain off-site storage, as dictated by legal requirements, but overall our storage requirements are now smaller than before. In the old days, we’d sometimes have to retrieve

documents from storage when preparing court bundles which inevitably took time. Now we can find and print documents straight from Interactive. It’s instant and takes a fraction of the time it used to.”

In addition to Quill’s software suite, Petersfields receives outsourced cashiering and payroll support from its one-stop-shop provider.

“With Pinpoint, there’s always someone covering our accounts and we’re always compliant with regulatory guidelines,” concludes Nick. “These are likely to be the two biggest headaches of any law firm operating an in-house cashiering function whereas we don’t even have to think about it. The same applies to payroll. There are none of the usual concerns about staff absence or compliance.

“The latter – compliance – is a big issue in relation to payroll. The introduction of automatic enrolment pension reform impacted every single company regardless of size. With Quill’s payroll service, we simply set up our pension scheme with Nest then authorised our Quill payroll clerk to do the rest. Quill sorts out our pension contributions and advises of any changes to these, assuring absolute compliance with stringent pension rules throughout.”

For more information about Quill telephone 0161 236 2910, email: j.bryan@ quill.co.uk or visit www.quill.co.uk

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