Opinion. Alice Kinder on Social Mobility

OPINION

By Alice Kinder, Solicitor at Anthony Collins Solicitors SOCIAL MOBILITY

Birmingham has much to be proud of. The combination of a young population, rich cultural diversity and unprecedented growth and transformation means it is a fantastic place to live and work. With these strengths come opportunities, but sadly, these opportunities are not as accessible as they could be. Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the top earners in Birmingham take home more than six times as much as the lowest paid. It remains the case that 40% of Birmingham’s population live in areas which are amongst the most deprived in the country. Unfortunately, this means that the relationship between income inequality and low levels of social mobility becomes even more pronounced.

These trends are mirrored within the legal profession. Research from the SRA has shown that 22% of all lawyers attended fee paying schools, compared with 7% in the general population. Corporate firms have the lowest proportion of state educated solicitors at 56%. This shows that parental background is still a strong determinant of an individual’s prospects of accessing and succeeding in a legal career. In a city filled with positive change, these trends are concerning. It is very important that we as Birmingham lawyers work together to break down the social and financial barriers to a career in the legal profession. Not only will this help talented individuals to access the opportunities required to move forward, but it will also ensure that the success and development of our legal community is not restricted by its socioeconomic profile.

18 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk has been established to develop knowledge and understanding of the importance of improved social mobility within our profession. The sub-committee aims to organise events and disseminate guidance to ensure individuals from all backgrounds have access to the resources and advice to make an informed decision about a career in law and progress their aspirations. The sub-committee meets once a month at Anthony Collins Solicitors and currently has ten members from a range of backgrounds and levels of seniority in academia and legal practice.

Since its creation, the sub-committee has worked proactively with stakeholders to address identified needs both in terms of accessing the profession and progressing in a legal environment. These stakeholders include education providers, legal professionals, regulatory bodies and related network groups. In November 2019, the sub-committee ran a successful speed networking event entitled “Raising Aspirations in Law” to assist students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to understand the range of available opportunities in the legal profession and obtain the connections they need to access those opportunities. The event was hosted by Aston University and attended by representatives from over 20 organisations including corporate firms, high street firms, barristers’ chambers and the Solicitors Regulation Authority. This year, the subcommittee hopes to build on its achievements by rerunning the Raising Aspirations in Law event, encouraging stakeholders to share ideas for best practice and hosting a further networking event targeted at first-generation junior lawyers.

Birmingham Law Society’s efforts to improve social mobility are not limited to the Social Mobility Sub-Committee. Other related committees within the Society, such as the Education and Training Committee and the Student Committee, regularly consider social mobility issues as part of the projects they deliver, and the sub-committee collaborates with these groups to ensure a joined-up approach is being taken. For example, representatives from each of these groups are currently working together to produce a video for local universities in which a range of first-generation lawyers will share the challenges they faced in accessing and progressing in their career and offer advice to students in the same position.

Whilst the social mobility challenge is great, we have every reason to be optimistic about the future. With a range of ongoing initiatives and passionate volunteers, Birmingham Law Society is working to make our legal community a place where success relies on ability rather than background or birth. By diversifying the range of experience and talent in our legal profession, Birmingham can truly make the most of the opportunities that await.

If you would like to learn more about social mobility initiatives within Birmingham Law Society and are interested in becoming involved or collaborating with us, please email me at Alice.Kinder@anthonycollins.com.

THE EVER-PRESENT RISK OF FLOODING

Sadly the topic of flooding is never far away from the headlines. In November 2019, significant flooding occurred across the Midlands and north of England, which was said to affect over 2,400 homes and businesses writes Tony Rollason, Regional Manager, Landmark Information (Legal) www. landmark.co.uk.

Fast forward to 2020 and Storm Ciara and Dennis have brought a great deal of devastation across the country, with the Midlands region impacted once again. Statistics from insurance firm Aviva have shown that there was a 285% surge in insurance claims to repair damage caused by the storms, with Birmingham listed as one of the worst-hit cities*1.

Flooding is said to cost the UK approximately £600m a year to manage flood defences alone, without considering the economic and emotional damage caused by flood waters.

Due to the increasing concern about flood risk for property owners, the Law Society has recently updated its Flood Risk practice note – the first revision in four years. The practice note provides guidance relating to information sources that better help clients understand the risk that flooding may pose, as well as offer steps that can be taken with regards to insurance and searches.

The practice note includes information relating to the types of flood risks that have the potential to affect property owners. For example, a property doesn’t have to be located next to a river for it to be located in a high risk zone. Flooding from surface water or groundwater is increasingly common and something that should always be researched in advance of a house purchase. If flooding is a concern, it is important to investigate whether appropriate insurance cover can be arranged before a property transaction completes, to satisfy the risk criteria of the client’s mortgage lender.

On top of this, the Law Society has also published an updated TA6 Property Information Form and guidance notes. In particular, four areas of property information have been updated relating to Flood Risk, as well Japanese Knotweed, Radon and Septic Tanks. The update provides additional information about a property to prospective buyers and is designed to provide greater transparency.

Yet, while there is a plethora of guidance and support out there, unfortunately, recent research conducted by YouGov for Landmark Information has shown that the majority of consumers in Great Britain are still not checking the flood risk of their homes, despite the increased incidents of flood events happening across the country.

The survey found that 62% of people stated that they have never checked the flood risk level of their home.

When looking at regions, the survey found that people in Scotland are the least likely to have carried out any checks with 77% confirming they had never researched their flood risk. This was followed by those in London (71%), 65% of those in the North West of England and 63% in Yorkshire and Humber. In the Midlands, 59% of people said they had never checked their flood risk.

More than a third (36%) admitted that they do not have a flood plan and wouldn’t know what to do if they were to experience a flood, while almost half (46%) said they didn’t have a flood plan, yet felt they would know what to do in the event of a flood.

The survey clearly shows that the public is not necessarily making flood checks part of the research they personally conduct when moving into a new home; just over a quarter (26%) of respondents from the Midlands said they checked the flood risk of their home before moving in, with 12% saying they checked afterwards.

The results of the survey show a worrying disconnect. The majority of people across the country – 88% – believe their property is not located in an area considered ‘at risk’ of flooding, yet 62% have never checked whether this is the case or not.

According to the Environment Agency, over five million properties are considered to be at risk of flooding – of which 2.4 million properties are at risk from the sea or rivers, and a larger share of 2.8 million properties are at risk of surface water flooding, which isn’t always visibly apparent.

With future projections suggesting that we will witness drier summers and wetter winters in the future, we are urging people to be far more aware of any environmental risk that may affect where they live, particularly when buying a new property as part of the conveyancing process. After all, reliable search reports – which include assessment by environmental consultants – are widely available and provide a wealth of intelligence, that ensures homeowners are aware of potential risks and can prepare accordingly.