President's Letter. Access To The Profession and this year's Birmingham Legal Awards shortlist

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

insights from practising lawyers. In return, our member firms and chambers are able to raise their profile with the legal talent of the future.

As a Society, we are keen to help ensure that our profession is open to all those with the necessary skill and ability. That is why we have signed up to the Social Mobility Pledge, an initiative which encourages organisations to be a force for good by making a commitment to social mobility a key part of their focus. In her article, Alice Kinder, member of the Society’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and chair of the Social Mobility Sub-Committee, explores how law remains a profession that is more open to some than to others and the role that one’s socio-economic background can play in this. She outlines some of the initiatives that Birmingham Law Society is working on to address these barriers and ensure our legal community is a place where success relies on ability rather than background.

Around 6,500 newly qualified solicitors are admitted to the roll and nearly 500 barristers complete pupillage each year in England & Wales. Entrance to both branches of the profession remains highly competitive, with more than 60,000 undergraduate students studying law in this jurisdiction at any one time.

The future of our profession; how we determine who is permitted to be part of it; what knowledge, skills and attributes those newcomers ought to have; and the means by which they acquire these are matters that will inevitably affect us all, as well as our clients.

Therefore, in this month’s edition of the Birmingham Bulletin, we have a particular focus on access to the legal profession. Birmingham Law Society’s Learning and Development Director and Chair of the Education and Training Committee, Catherine Edwards, has provided an update on the latest developments in relation to the Solicitors’ Qualifying Examination (SQE). The SQE is still expected to come into effect from September 2021 and will replace the current requirements for a Qualifying Law Degree, Legal Practice Course and traditional ‘training contract’, with a requirement for a degree in any discipline, successful completion of a series of centralised legal assessments (a significant proportion of which will be multiple choice exams) and two years’ of qualifying work experience, which can be completed with a number of different organisations in voluntary and/or paid roles. Any organisation that recruits new entrants to the profession, whether at trainee level, or newly qualified, will need to be familiar with the implications of these changes and consider how they will affect their recruitment practices.

A significant proportion of Birmingham Law Society’s members are undergraduate law students, currently studying in this city, many of whom wish to remain here and work within the legal profession upon graduation. In his article, Paul McConnell, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the University of Birmingham Law School, explores how law schools help to develop graduates with the skills and attributes sought after by the profession through employability programmes delivered in partnership with employers and discusses the difference that exposure to such opportunities can make to aspiring undergraduates.

For its part, Birmingham Law Society works closely with our university members to extend opportunities to their students to network with and gain Also in this month’s magazine, Jayne Willetts discusses the SRA’s consultation on the future of its compensation fund, which has provided protection for those owed money by solicitors since 1941. The consultation proposes to cut costs by limiting who is able to rely on the fund, a move which could have a detrimental impact on public trust and confidence in the profession. The Birmingham Law Society Consultation Committee will be preparing a response to this consultation ahead of the deadline on 21 April. Please do get in touch with the committee and share your views on the proposals.

Finally, I would draw your attention to our ‘practitioner alert’ announcing that the Solicitors’ Indemnity Fund (“SIF”) will close on 30 September 2020. This will potentially expose former principals of firms that closed after 31 August 2000, their estates and even individual employees to personal liability for losses. Firms that undertook conveyancing, wills and trusts and child personal injury are particularly at risk. Further details can be found opposite. Please share this information with former colleagues who no longer have access to the Bulletin, as they may need to take action to ensure they are protected.

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

The shortlist for the 2020 Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards has been announced, celebrating the successes and achievements of the Midlands’ legal community over the past year.

Widely known as co-host of BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live and for his guest appearances on everything from Have I Got News For You to Strictly Come Dancing, Richard first found fame as one half of 1980s band The Communards.

Selected by a panel of judges from the professional and academic legal sectors in the region, the shortlist represents the best of the entries received across 12 award categories by nominated firms and individuals practising in Birmingham and the surrounding areas.

PRACTITIONER ALERT

CLOSURE OF SOLICITORS’ INDEMNITY FUND PRACTITIONER ALERT FOR FIRMS CLOSED SINCE 31 AUGUST 2000

AVOID PERSONAL LIABILITY

The Solicitors’ Indemnity Fund (“SIF”) will close on 30 September 2020. The current position is that when a law firm closes, it is protected for claims by six year run off cover from its insurer. Insurance after the six-year period is known as supplementary run-off cover and is funded by SIF. Once SIF closes, this will no longer be the case. Without cover, former principals of firms that closed after 31 August 2000, their estates and even individual employees may be personally liable for losses. Firms that undertook conveyancing, wills and trusts and child personal injury are most at risk.

The Law Society recommends contacting your current broker to extend cover beyond the mandatory six-year period. See Law Society alert https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/supportservices/advice/articles/closure-of-the-sif/.

Further guidance will be published but all those associated with firms that have closed need to act now to protect themselves from personal liability.

Former solicitors may be difficult to track down and contact so please pass on this information to former colleagues who might have retired and not have access to the Bulletin.

Jayne Willetts Chair – BLS Consultation Committee Shortlisted nominees will be interviewed by a series of judging panels over the coming weeks, with the overall winners announced at the 2020 Legal Awards ceremony on Friday 27 March 2020 at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.

Now in its 19th year, the annual Legal Awards event has become a permanent fixture in the Midlands business calendar, attracting a capacity crowd year-on-year to showcase the successes and achievements of the region’s legal community over the past 12 months.

Guests at the black-tie event will enjoy a drinks reception, followed by a four-course meal and entertainment from broadcaster, writer and self-professed ‘modern vicar’ Reverend Richard Coles.

LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (NATIONAL) Sponsored By St Philips Chambers DWF Law LLP Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP Gateley Legal Pinsent Masons LLP Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP Law Firm of the Year (Regional) Landmark UK Enoch Evans LLP QualitySolicitors Davisons Sydney Mitchell LLP The Wilkes Partnership

LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (SOLE PRACTITIONERS AND UP TO 5 PARTNERS) Sponsored By Index Property Information Adcocks Solicitors Limited Averta Employment Lawyers KJ Conroy & Co TRP Solicitors

EXCELLENCE IN CLIENT SERVICE - BUSINESS CLIENTS Sponsored By Gallagher Funding and Finance (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP) Real Estate Team (DLA Piper UK LLP) DWF International Arbitration and Litigation (DWF Law LLP) Business Services Team (Harrison Clark Rickerbys - Birmingham) Employment Team (Irwin Mitchell LLP) Dispute Resolution Team (Sydney Mitchell LLP)

EXCELLENCE IN CLIENT SERVICE - PRIVATE CLIENTS Sponsored By Executor Solutions Private Client Team (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP) Clinical Negligence (Irwin Mitchell LLP) Personal Advisory Division (Shoosmiths LLP) VWV Private Client team (VWV) Wills, Trusts, Estates & Court of Protection (Weightmans LLP)

PARTNER OF THE YEAR Sponsored By Common Purpose / Quantuma Martino Giaquinto (Mills & Reeve LLP) Kirsty McEwen (Higgs & Sons) Karen Moores (Sydney Mitchell LLP) Richard Morgan (Harrison Clark Rickerbys) Clive Read (VWV) Emma Rush (Irwin Mitchell LLP)

The multi-talented Richard has since turned his hand to everything from writing and presenting to penning music for film and TV.

He is also a Church of England priest, a Fellow of King's College London and Chancellor of the University of Northampton.

The event compere will be Phil Upton, radio presenter at BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.

A balloon raffle will be held on the night to raise money for two charities selected this year by the President of Birmingham Law Society: the Central England Law Centre and Citizens Advice Birmingham.

Book tickets for the 2020 Legal Awards at www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk

Spaces for the event are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so book early to avoid disappointment!

This year's shortlisted entries are listed below:

BARRISTER OF THE YEAR Sponsored By Birmingham City University Esther Gamble (No5 Chambers) Jason Hadden (St Ives Chambers) Elizabeth Isaacs QC (St Ives Chambers) Vanessa Meachin QC (3PB) Iqbal Mohammed (St Philips Chambers)

SOLICITOR OF THE YEAR Sponsored By Cornwall Street Barristers Kishma Bolaji (Shoosmiths LLP) Christina Georgiou (Squire Patton Boggs [UK] LLP) Simon Grimshaw (Hogan Lovells International LLP) Alice Kinder (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP) Samantha Miller (Eversheds Sutherland [International] LLP)

TRAINEE SOLICITOR OF THE YEAR Sponsored By The University of Law Anna Dearden (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP) Mischa Howell (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP) Demi Hughes (Squire Patton Boggs [UK] LLP) Jastinder Samra (Mills & Reeve LLP) Rachel Sutcliffe (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP)

PARALEGAL OF THE YEAR Sponsored By Michael Page Legal Jess Allan (Irwin Mitchell LLP) Rebecca Kennedy (Pinsent Masons LLP) Isha Khatun (Shoosmiths LLP) Emily Morris (DWF Law LLP) Marie Newton (Irwin Mitchell LLP)

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR Sponsored By Sharp Business Systems Michelle Blackwell (Bevan Brittan LLP) Laura Brown (Irwin Mitchell LLP) Aimee Haden (Bevan Brittan LLP) Brogan Maxwell (Irwin Mitchell LLP) Beth Walters (Eversheds Sutherland [International] LLP)

PRO BONO AWARD Sponsored By Midlands Air Ambulance Birmingham Legal Advice Clinic (Squire Patton Boggs [UK] LLP, Eversheds Sutherland [International] LLP, Bevan Brittan, Gowling WLG) The Birmingham Pro Bono Network The Litigation Programme (The University of Law) Emma Hardman (Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP) Nadine Mansell (Capsticks Solicitors LLP)