North West Law

The Monthly Publication of the Manchester Law Society

November 2013NewsUnprecedented growth for Weightmans real estate team

page 6Myerson expands Family Law department page 7

Express Solicitors reports 35% increase in turnover page 8

Just Costs Solicitors introduces excitingnew Costs Advance Scheme page 9

FeaturesMediation – The ADR/ODR Directive andthe Civil Mediation Council

page 12

RegularsManchester Law Society ConferencesBook now for the Management Conference &Personal Injury Conference page 4

Members Reward Cardsee your latest offers... page 16The World according to Fran

page 29Monthly CompetitionWin a 2 course meal - including mocktails and shakes at Beans

page 29

Single issue £3.50, 12 month subscription £54.00free to members

continued on page 13

MANCHESTER’S LEGALPROFESSION PUT THEIRBEST FOOT FORWARD!

Manchester’s legal commu-nity certainly put their bestfoot forward when 350 peo-ple turned out for the sixthManchester Legal Walk toraise funds for the NorthWest Legal Support Trust.

Starting at the ManchesterCivil Justice Centre and finish-ing in the heart of Spinning-fields at The Oast House, atotal of 40 teams took part inthe 10km charity walk whichproved to be a great success.Lead walkers included thePresident of the North WestLegal Support Trust, His Hon-our Judge Platts, SucheetAmin, President of the Man-chester Law Society, NazirAfzal, Chief Crown Prosecutorfor the North West, CharlotteBrinsley, Outgoing Chair ofthe Manchester Trainee Solic-itors Group, Tony Cross QC,Representative of the North-ern Circuit of the Bar, GemmaHarris, Chair of the Manches-ter Young Solicitors Groupand The Lord Mayor of Man-

chester, Councillor Naeem UlHassan.

All arms of the Legal Profes-

sion came together to walkand raise sponsorship, includ-ing teams from the Judiciary,law firms, barristers cham-

bers, law students and profes-sional bodies.

Manchester Legal Walk 2013

The Manchester Legal Walk’s Lead Walkers; (Left to Right) Sucheet Amin, Nazir Afzal, Fran Eccles-Bech(Trustee, NWLST), Charlotte Brinsley, His Honour Judge Platts, Dinah Crystal OBE (Chair, NWLST), The LordMayor of Manchester Councillor Naeem Ul Hassan, His Honour Judge Bird, Gemma Harris.

The cost of securing pro-fessional indemnity insur-ance (PII) cover hasspiralled in recent yearsand many law firms haveresorted to acceptingterms from an unrated in-surer as the only alterna-tive to closure.

Insurers have defended cutsto their underwriting bookswith reference to the profes-sion’s onerous minimumterms and conditions andparticularly the obligationto provide six years’ run-offcover. Insurers are also nowfar more discerning aboutthe types of risks they areprepared to underwrite andfirms with poor claimsrecords and primitive riskmanagement systems havebeen among the first to fallvictim to such a methodol-ogy.

This year, the closure of theonly safety net available tolaw firms – the assignedrisks pool (ARP) – coupledwith the collapse of unratedinsurers and the withdrawalof several reputable insurersfrom the market, was pre-dicted by many to be thecatalyst for a significantmarket consolidation and toresult in the demise of manylaw firms.

Those firms who were un-able to find insurance be-fore the deadline weregiven a further 90 days’cover from their existing in-surers to find either a newpolicy or a successor. Duringthe final 60 days, known asthe cessation period, af-fected firms may no longeraccept new instructions, butare responsible for manag-ing an orderly closure. How-ever, it is unclear what

constitutes an orderly clo-sure and whether firms willbe afforded sufficient timeby the SRA to find a solutionthat averts the need toclose, leaving staff unem-ployed and clients withoutrepresentation. The dangeris that a firm may reason-ably believe that it is effec-tively managing an orderlywind-down of the practice,only for the SRA to disagreeand take enforcement ac-tion in order to protectclients’ interests. For evi-dence of this interpretiverisk, we only have to con-sider the SRA’s recent inter-vention record, whichwould suggest that unless adistressed firm can assurethe SRA that cover or asale/merger is imminent,the regulator may take mat-ters into its own hands.

From a commercial per-

spective, the effects of a dis-orderly wind-down are wellknown – bad publicity,angry unpaid creditors, dis-gruntled employees and in-variably bankruptcyproceedings against part-ners. But too often firms failto take decisive action thatcan stop this downwardsspiral. Some firms continueto operate in sectors wherethe fundamental businessmodel is broken, where noamount of professional ad-vice or innovation is likely toalter the fact that demandfor the service offering haswaned or the market ratehas fallen. Recognising theproblem and taking radicalaction, for example throughrestructuring or diversifying,can make all the difference.

Keep Calm and Plan AheadMichelle Garlick and Dominic Vincent of Weightmans LLP Legal Services Team examine the recent PII renewal and offer advice tofirms who have yet to find cover...

continued on page 12

3President’s Column

President’s Columnemail the North West Re-gional Manager of the LawSociety Joanne.McLeod@LawSociety.org.uk sothat improvements can bemade for next year’s re-newal.

At our October CouncilMeeting, we discussed theInternational Festival forBusiness being hosted inLiverpool throughout Juneand July 2014. The ambitionis to create a core number ofbusiness events across anumber of industries withadditional fringe events tostimulate economic growthboth domestically and inter-nationally. The Law Societywill be supporting the eventas soon as the key events forour “Festival Theme” – Pro-fessional & Financial Serv-ices are known.

Our “Festival Theme” isscheduled to start weekcommencing 30th June2014 and having attended arecent committee meetinghosted by Liverpool Law So-ciety, firms and associatedbusinesses are invited toput forward ideas for theirown events. Such eventscould be breakfast or lunchnetworking events or semi-

nars tackling relevant issuesfor businesses. These eventsneed not take place in Liver-pool and with the attractionof Media City being a greatvenue, there would be anopportunity to hold a fringeevent more locally. If this isof interest to you, pleasecontact the Manchester LawSociety office so we canhelp co-ordinate and directyou to the relevant contacts(even if this is to just findout a bit more). More gen-eral information is availableat www.ifb2014.com.

Such’s LifeI recently attended the Na-tional Entrepreneur’s Con-vention 2013. Over 1200people attended the ICC inBirmingham over 2 days tolearn new techniques andstrategies for building a suc-cessful business. The starguest at the eveningAwards Ceremony wasmeant to be David Cameron... however, he had alwaysreserved the right to cancelat short notice and thisevent proved too unimpor-tant for him to keep. Thiswas surprising given thefact that his appearancewas to present Awards toelite business owners,

which quite neatly was heldonly days before the Con-servative Party Conferencein Manchester – surely agreat opportunity for somePR supporting SME businessowners…

Regardless, DavidCameron’s failed appear-ance was more than madeup by Sir Chris Hoy who de-livered an inspirationalspeech about overcomingadversity and challenges tosucceed. Of course, he wastalking about his challengesin sport but as he embarkson his own business sellingbikes “Hoy Bikes” he intendsto take all the hard lessonsover the years of trainingand apply them to business.

What grabbed me mostabout his speech was howhe used “visualization” toimage the perfect race. Thistechnique was taught tohim by Steve Peters the res-ident British Cycling psy-chologist, to suppressnegative thoughts whichwould then maintain astrong mindset.

Whenever a negativethought entered Sir Chris’mind, such as “how am I

going to get out of bed thismorning – my body isaching like mad?” he wouldclose his eyes and runthrough his perfect race. Hehad to do this so manytimes in the run up to theevent that when worldrecords were tumbling be-fore he had even had achance to post a time, hehad the visualisation of theperfect race which true toform, he ended up perform-ing with his own personalbest and new world recordtaking the Gold.

I’m no stranger to “visualisa-tion” having learnt the tech-nique a few years ago and Ican vouch for the strength itcan give a person to over-

come challenges and Iwould recommend it toanyone who has an openmind to these techniques.

I then had the great honourto meet Sir Chris Hoy andhave my photo taken withhim – a moment that willlive with me forever … andwhen I recall being in thepresence of a sensationalathlete and perfect gentle-man, I remind myself thatunderneath it all, he is justlike all of us – the reason forhis success was his unwa-vering determination.

Sucheet AminPresident

In the last few months,firms will have completedthe Professional Indem-nity Insurance and Practis-ing Certificate registrationtasks. No doubt, COLPsand COFAs will be breath-ing a sigh of relief as thosedeadlines passed witheverything in order andeager for the Christmasmarkets to hit the CityCentre to enjoy some welldeserved food and drink.

However some firms faced anew challenge with PII thisyear, if they were unable tosecure cover with no ARPbeing available. Onlyaround the time this Editionis published will the finalnumber of those firms notsecuring cover in the addi-tional 90 day period beknown, although at presentit is hoped that the numberwill only be in double fig-ures.

In the run up to the dead-line, there was significantpromotion from the Law So-ciety about their own insur-ance product – ChanceryPII. The Law Society is keenfor feedback on the productand anyone with an opin-ion, good or bad, should

4 Manchester Law Society News

News from Bridge StreetProactively Managing ChangeChange is a constant and is an unstoppable force which is happening all the time in both ourwork and social lives. As businesses owners, employees and individuals, we need to adapt formany reasons in order to respond to changes in our environment such as advances in technol-ogy, new legislation and customer demands to name just a few. In this seminar, Mike Ode ofPotential Unearthed will introduce you to practical methods and techniques that will ensureyou approach your next change project with a positive mindset.

During the seminar you will:

· Be able to recognise the different types of change· Understand the different ways in which individuals react to potential change· Learn how to manage resistance to change· Be introduced to practical techniques to manage the change process more effectively· Become aware of strategies that help motivate people through change and which lead to a shared vision

Wednesday 6th November 2013 CPD: 1.5Venue To Be Confirmed Registration and Breakfast 7.30am - Seminar 8.00am - 9.30am Member rate £20.00 + VAT (£24.00) Non Member rate £40.00 + VAT (£48.00)

CPD Programme

Manchester Law Society Autumn Personal Injury Conference,

11th November 2013

The Future of Legal Services

8.30 Coffee and Registration- Exhibits open 9.00 Welcome from the President of the Manchester Law Society,

Sucheet Amin, Aequitas Legal9.10 Chairman’s Speech, Karen Jackson, Director Roberts Jackson Solicitors 9.20 Rob Cummings, Senior Policy Advisor, ABI

The Insurers view 9.50 Matthew Stockwell, President of APIL

The Claimants view10.20 Panel debate: The Jackson Reforms, have we gone too far or not far enough?

Rob Cummings, Senior Policy Advisor, ABIMatthew Stockwell, President of APILCraig Budsworth, Chairman of MASSJohn Hyde, Jornalist, Law Gazette Nick Bevan, Founding Director, Enable Law

11.00 Coffee break and Exhibits 11.30 Craig Budsworth, Chairman of MASS

The future of RTA – are we on a collision course?12.00 Mark Stobbs, Director of Legal Policy, The National Law Society

The future of Legal Services, The National Law Society speaks12.30: Panel Debate: Whats next? More reforms, consultations, a swinging pendu

lum of change?Rob Cummings, Senior Policy Advisor, ABIMatthew Stockwell, President of APIL Craig Budsworth, Chairman of MassMark Stobbs, Director of Legal Policy, The National Law Society Nick Bevan, Founding Director, Enable LawJohn Hyde, Journalist, Law GazetteDonald Fowler, Managing Director, Premex

1.00 Lunch 2.00 SRA – Senior speaker TBC

Future challenges faced by lawyers, ABS, financial instability, compliance and the referral fee ban

2.20 Adam Sampson, Chief Legal OmbudsmanIts all about the consumer – How law firms can help themselves in the changing market.

2.40 Lesley Graves Managing Director, Citadel Law & Phillip Grundy, Barrister, St Johns BuildingThe Way Ahead for Profit in Personal Injury Post LASPO

3.00 Panel Debate: How to run a profitable practice and survive in 2013, compliance, financial instability, professional indemnity insurance and the referral fee ban. SRA speaker -tbcAdam Sampson, Chief Legal Ombudsman Lesley Graves, Managing Director, Citadel Law David Vine, Business Development Manager, Allianz PLCChristine Oxenburgh, Partner, Freeth CartwrightMichelle Garlick, Partner, Weightmans LLPRupert Scrase, Chairman, Sole Practitioners Group

The Hilton Hotel, Manchester £150.00 + VAT (£180.00 total) - Member delegates £175.00 + VAT (£210.00 total) - Non-member delegates

Coming soon12th November – Costs Estimating Post Jackson21st November – Corporate/Commercial Conference

For further details contact Victoria Ridge on 0161 241 7472VictoriaRidge@Manchesterlawsociety.org.uk

Manchester Law Society AGMYour attendance is requested at the Annual General Meeting of the Members of the ManchesterLaw Society, to be held at the offices of Eversheds, 70 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester M1 5ESon Monday 2nd December at 17.00 pm PROMPT.

1. Apologies2. Minutes – Annual General Meeting held on Monday 3rd December, 20123. To read, if thought fit, and adopt the Report of the Council for the past year4. Auditors Report5. To pass the Balance Sheet and Income & Expenditure Account for the past year ended31 December 20126. To report that the following Officers have been chosen by the Council for the ensuing

year:-a) DAVID JOSEPH PRESIDENTb) LOUISE STRAW VICE PRESIDENTc) JON HAINEY HONORARY TREASURERd) MICHAEL HARDACRE HONORARY SECRETARY

7. Attendance of Council Members8. To elect seven ordinary Members of Council

(Nomination Sheet has been posted in the Society’s offices, 64 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BN)

9. To elect Auditors10. Any other Business11. Vote of thanks.

A copy of the Society’s draft accounts and a print of the Report of the Council can be obtainedin advance, at the Society’s office.

Your early arrival at the meeting is requested as the Society’s staff will be issuing members withvoting cards (should a vote take place) and checking membership details prior to the meetingcommencing. This will inevitably cause a short delay in entering the meeting.

Should there be a vote please note that solicitors who are not paid up members of the Societyare not eligible to vote. If you are in any doubt about whether or not you are able to vote pleasetelephone Victoria Ridge or Hollie Hurst on 0161 831 7337 prior to the meeting.

Yours faithfullySuch AminPresident

Management Conference 2013 Marketing Client Experience & CultureMonday, 9th December, 2013 – CPD:6At The Hilton Hotel, Deansgate, Manchester

This conference is aimed at Managing & Senior Partners, “rain-makers” and Senior Business De-velopment Executives

“More than ever law firms face the challenges of becoming businesses to survive and thrive. Clientsare King! They are much more discerning and expect much more from a firm. To succeed firms haveto define policies and processes to support new business acquisition, client retention and client de-velopment. That alone is not enough and developing the right cultural behaviour amongst all staffis critical. This conference is designed to address many of the key issues in a pragmatic way so withthe right commitment and desire delegates can make extremely good use of its content in movingtheir firm forward. We have much less to fear and much more to gain by getting the process and cul-ture right.

Conference Chair: Jonathan Gulliford

Programme of Events9.00 – 9.30 Registration, Networking, & Exhibition9.30 – 9.40 Welcome and IntroductionsIntroduction of the chairman and some indicators - Fran Eccles-Bech9.40 – 10.20 Chairman’s AddressThe essentials of putting a client and a prospect first. - Jonathan Gulliford10.20 – 11.20 Understanding the full scope of marketing activity within the law firmClient retention, development and new business. Market segmentation, product marketing, potentialclients, route to market. Strategy through to operations PR, Advertising, Web Site, Collateral, mailing, net-working, events – organisation and resourcing. Mark Hovell, Mills & Reeve & Ruth Shearn, RMS PR11.20 – 11.40 Break, Networking & Exhibition11.40 – 12.40 Social MediaWhat is it? How and why should we do it? What should it be used for? Who do we trust with it – lawyers? Richard Hodkinson, DWF & Steve Kuncewicz, Bermans12.40 – 13.40 Lunch, Networking and Exhibition 13.40 – 14.30 Inbound & Outbound MarketingWhat differentiates the two? How should it be done? How do we structure the firm and processes to capi-talise on it? Using PMS systems at a contact level for managing prospects, sending quotes, getting signa-tures. Using MI to explore the database and create new targets and initiatives. Joanna Kingston-Davies, Lees & Bill Kirby, Professional Choice Consultancy 14.30 – 15.30 Client ExperienceHow important is it? What effect does a poor experience create? Mystery Shopper results. BusinessProcesses to enhance the experience. Joanna Swash, Director, Moneypenny15.30 – 15.50 Break, Networking & Exhibition 15.50-16.40 CultureIt’s all very well having the strategy, the plan and the processes in place but without the hearts and mindsof all staff we are wasting our time – education, accountability, SLAs, team work, buddying Simon Bernstein, Empathy Communications & Tracey Miller, TM Law16.40 – 17.00 Closing RemarksKey message summary - prioritisation - Nick Jarrett Kerr17.00 – 18.00 Wine, Networking & Exhibition

For further details contact Victoria Ridge on 0161 241 7472VictoriaRidge@Manchesterlawsociety.org.uk

Regulatory Affairs Committee UpdateThis month’s round up couldbe more appropriately enti-tled “out with the old and inwith the new” as SOCA, con-sumer credit group licencesand those firms who failed tofind professional indemnityinsurance cover take a bow.On the positive side we havea new crime agency, revisionsto the SRA Handbook, prac-tice notes from the Law Soci-ety and someone to fillAntony Townsend’s shoes atthe SRA as Chief Executive.

A fresh broom…

The SRA has announced thatPaul Philip, the Deputy ChiefExecutive and Chief Operat-ing Officer of the GeneralMedical Council, will take overfrom Anthony Townsend asChief Executive from 1 Febru-ary 2014. It will be interestingto see how this change at thetop affects the direction ofthe SRA and whether or not anew personality will changethe professions perception ofits regulator.

What’s in a name?

SOCA has been replaced bythe National Crime Agency(NCA) which takes over therunning of the UK FinancialIntelligence Unit, the body re-sponsible for receiving andanalysing intelligence submit-

ted through Suspicious Activ-ity Reports (SARs). Other thana rebrand, the SAR OnlineService remains unchangedand you will be able to makeSARs through your online ac-count in the usual way by vis-iting the new NCA website:h t t p : / / www . n a t i o n a l -crimeagency.gov.uk

Along with this changecomes the need to updateyour client engagement doc-uments, office manual andwebsite, as well as any otherdocuments which make refer-ence to your firm’s anti-money laundering (AML)policies and procedures. Re-member that Outcome 7.5 ofthe SRA Code of Conduct re-quires you to comply withlegislation applicable to yourbusiness, including anti-money laundering and dataprotection legislation. In car-rying out these updates, it isalso important to considerthe provisions of the EU’sFourth Money Laundering Di-rective which, published indraft earlier this year, requiredocumented AML risk assess-ments.

Consumer credit group li-cence scrapped

Following a consultation, reg-ulation of consumer credit ac-tivities is being transferred

from the Office of Fair Trading(OFT) to the Financial Con-duct Authority (FCA) with ef-fect from 1 April 2014 andone of the inherent changesmay affect law firms who en-gage in consumer credit ac-tivities, such as debt recoverywork.

Law firms currently benefitfrom the Law Society’s GroupLicence, which enables themto carry out certain consumercredit activities without theneed to apply to the OFT foran individual licence. How-ever, this group licence willcease to have effect once theFCA assumes regulatory con-trol.

The detailed FCA regulationswill be published before theend of the year and the SRAhas confirmed that it will pro-vide further guidance, includ-ing FAQs, to help firms decidewhether they need or wish toapply for an individual licencegoing forward.

Swan song

For some firms it is crunchtime. Any who were unfortu-nate enough to spend themonth of October in the ex-tended indemnity period andwho subsequently failed tosecure cover or find a succes-sor will now have entered a

cessation period (which lasts60 days) during which theymust - subject to obtainingcover - cease practicepromptly and certainly by theexpiry of the cessation period.Whilst some firms will man-age an orderly wind down it isinevitable that we will see amarked increase in the num-ber of SRA interventions thattake place in the New Year asthe SRA steps in and takes en-forcement action where itsees fit. We will be monitoringdevelopments closely giventhat the outcome of an inter-vention for many partners ispersonal insolvency and a re-ferral to the Solicitors Discipli-nary Tribunal. Taking legaladvice as to your options asearly as possible is highly rec-ommended.

New Practice Notes

The Law Society has releasedtwo new practice notes thatwill be of interest to criminaldefence lawyers. These are:

Conflicts of interests in criminalcases which sets out best

practice when decidingwhether or not to act formore than one suspect or de-fendant.

Criminal plea in absence of fulldisclosure which gives guid-ance to practitioners on howto discharge their profes-sional obligations when ad-vising a client how to plea.

And finally…

As if we do not have enoughto read we are now on the 8th

edition of the Handbook. Aswell as including the muchtalked about tweak to therules on reporting non mate-rial breaches this latest up-date includes a newdedicated section dealingwith the overseas rules whichare of relevance to those firmswith international offices. Re-member that the SRA defini-tion of overseas includesthose firms with offices northof the border in Scotland.Those firms who are dual reg-ulated by both the SRA andthe appropriate entity in theirhost country need to ensure

that they balance the require-ments of their regulators andbe aware of how to deal withany jurisdictional differencesthat may affect insurancecover, conflicts of interest andclient monies.

Michelle GarlickManchester Law SocietyRegulatory Affars CommitteeWeightmans

The HM Hubbard Trust is once again inviting applications from solicitors andtrainees. The Trust provides Scholarships of up to £27,000 for a year’s Master’s levelcourse to be carried out in Canada, Spain or France. Preference is given to traineesand solicitors who have recently passed their Legal Practice Course or have beenpractising as a lawyer for up to 3 years.

The Trust was established by the will of the London based solicitor, Henry Malcolm Hub-bard, who had substantial business interests in Canada, Spain and Latin America. It is be-lieved that he worked in Barcelona and was instrumental in bringing electricity to thatpart of Spain.

Commenting on the awards provided by the Trust, Vince Cheshire of TMF Group (the TrustAdministrator) said:

“The funding provides a life changing opportunity for ambitious lawyers. Increasinglylawyers need to have an international outlook. Studying abroad for a higher qualificationprovides a substantial lift in both legal knowledge and cultural understanding both ofwhich are very important when working across national borders.”

Further information on the Trust and the application process can be found at the Trustweb site: www.hubbardlawscholarship.com. Application forms are also available from thesite.

The application closing date is 30th November with short-listed applicants being askedto meet with the Trustees in mid-December.

www.hubbardlawscholarship.com

Substantial Funding for International Study

A Personal Injury law firm inCheshire has become a dou-ble winner at the ModernLaw Awards for its recentlylaunched and industry-leading flight compensa-tion service and the onlyfirm to scoop two awards onthe night.

Bott & Co, one of the largestpersonal injury specialists inthe UK, diversified in the wakeof a number of industry re-forms in 2013 and establisheda new flight compensationservice, becoming the firstlaw firm in the country to spe-cialise in delayed flight com-pensation claims.

Securing more than 7,500clients and almost £3m ofclaims in just seven monthssince launching in February2013, the aviation depart-ment picked up the Team ofthe Year at the Modern Lawawards, and co-founder of thedelayed flight legal service,Coby Benson, took home theRising Star of the Year.

The Modern Law Awards isone of the most prestigiousevents on the legal calendarwith the ceremony held at theDorchester Hotel in London.The shortlisting panel recog-nised the innovation and en-deavour of Bott & Co’saviation team in assisting airpassengers and recoveringcompensation for delayedand cancelled flights.

Coby Benson was awarded for

his part in creating theground-breaking legal servicein the Rising Star categoryopen to solicitors less thanfive years qualified.The service was developedfollowing a ruling by the Euro-pean Court of Justice in Octo-ber 2012 that paved the wayfor hundreds of thousands ofclaimants on delayed andcancelled flights within thepast six years under EU Regu-lation 261.

The firm was shortlisted ineach of the five categories itentered: Innovation of theYear; Team of the Year; RisingStar of the Year; AlternativeBusiness Structure (100 em-ployees); and Compliance Of-ficer Legal Practice (COLP) ofthe Year.

Paul Hinchliffe, ManagingPartner at the firm com-mented, “Considering thetremendous effort it took tomove from concept to launchin just two months, includingthe integration of IT systemsacross two countries, winningthese awards is a much wel-comed recognition of our in-credible team here and theservice they are providing forpassengers unable to recovertheir rightful compensationfrom airlines.

“It was a fantastic and well or-ganised event and with lots offirms taking the upheaval ofthe legal landscape as an op-portunity with both hands, itwas marvellous to be recog-

nised among those businesslooking forward and notback.”

On receiving the Rising Star ofthe Year award, Coby Benson,Technical Legal Manager said:“It’s been a great team effortto get this flight compensa-tion service off the ground,with lots of legal research andcomplex technology in-volved. I’m very flattered thatmy part in this has beenrecognised by such a presti-gious event as the ModernLaw awards.”

Bott & Co attended the cere-mony with partners EUclaim,Europe’s leading flight spe-cialists whose extensive data-bases keep a real time recordof delayed flights and makesthe claims process quick andeasy for affected passengers.It is this partnership and datasharing across Europe thathas enabled Bott & Co to be-come the foremost legal au-thority on recovering flightcompensation under Regula-tion 261.

The Regulation entitles pas-sengers to claim up to ?600for a flight that is delayedmore than three hours afterits scheduled arrival timewhen departing from an EUairport or arriving from out-side the EU on an EU carrier.The compensation is paid outbased on distance travelledwith smaller amounts forshorter distances.

Delayed flight compensation service winlegal awards double

Eventus Legal successfully recruit legal professionals for Private Practice across the North West on both a contract and permanent basis, from Paralegal to Senior Partner level. We are trusted as “the first point of contact”

for many firms to resolve their recruitment needs whether contingent or retained.

Please call us on 01524 542655 or 07970252772 or email siobhan.courtney@eventuslegal.com if you have any recruitment needs or if you are a candidate who would like some honest, straight forward career advice

www.eventuslegal.co.uk

Weightmans LLP has ap-pointed Deborah Rawlin-son to the position ofassociate at the firm’sNorth West offices.

Deborah was formerly withBullivant Jones and latterlyHill Dickinson before joiningWeightmans. She spe-cialises in all aspects of com-mercial property work, witha particular focus on devel-opment and retail work. Shewill split her time betweentwo of the firm's North Westoffices in Manchester andLiverpool.

Said Deborah Rawlinson:"Iam thrilled to be joiningsuch a forward-thinkingfirm. Weightmans is com-mitted to developing astrong property team whichsignifies a confidence insubstantial future growth.

"The firm really values therelationships it has withboth clients and employeesand there is a great ethos ofhard work and innovationthat I am very proud to be-come a part of."

Karl Jackson, Partner andHead of the National RealEstate team at Weightmanssaid: "We are once again de-lighted to be welcoming an-other member to our RealEstate team. Deborah is ahighly respected lawyer andbrings a wealth of experi-ence and specialist knowl-edge. Her appointmentplaces us in a very confidentposition nationally - she is afantastic addition to ourquickly growing team."

Deborah is the latest in a se-ries of appointmentsWeightmans has made totheir Real Estate team. She

follows Associate Tony Parryin August, the promotion ofMatthew Williamson to thepartnership in May and theappointment of Ben Ache-son and James Cullen asPartners in June.

Unprecedented growth forWeightmans real estate team

Deborah Rawlinson

Davis Blank Furniss – theManchester & Glossopbased law firm – has beenannounced as an officialprovider of www.Lawyer-SupportedMediation.com -a new approach for resolv-ing issues arising from di-vorce or separation. LawyerSupported Mediation is agrowing network of seniorfamily lawyers around theUK that was founded by Ad-vantage Resolution Ltd.

The service is aimed at sepa-rating partners who, althoughin disagreement, want toavoid the strain and expenseof more costly court proceed-ings. Choosing Lawyer Sup-ported Mediation means thatlocal North West clients re-ferred to Davis Blank Furnissvia the company will benefitfrom a fixed fee for all thelegal support and advice thatthey will need in order toreach agreement during the

mediation process. When set-ting a fixed fee the firm’s Fam-ily department will take intoaccount each client’s specificrequirements and financialcircumstances.

Lawyer Supported Mediationrequires both parties to par-ticipate so Advantage Resolu-tion Ltd will act as theprofessional go-between toimpartially support both par-ties in deciding if the media-tion process is for them. Ifcalled upon, it is their role toestablish the willingness ofthe separating/former part-ner to participate. There is nocharge for this added service.The aim is to encourage sepa-rating couples to resolve mat-ters without the need forformal court proceedings.

Anita Shepherd, head of theFamily department at DavisBlank Furniss, commented:“We believe Lawyer Sup-

ported Mediation combinesthe best of both worlds: oneof our team of expert familylawyers providing the advicea client would need plus afully trained family mediatorto help reach an agreement ina cost effective, supportedand seamless process.”

Davis Blank Furniss becomes official provider ofLawyerSupportedMediation.com

Anita Shepherd

BARRY FRIESLANDER MCIArbCertified Mediator Complex business & matrimonial disputes resolved

Barry holds Certified Elite Mediator status, compliant with the UK Ministry of Justice, EU &UK Civil Mediation Council Mediator Database and is accredited by the ADR Group.

P: 08448 777 888M: 07973 394 803E: info@dispute-resolve.co.ukW: www.dispute-resolve.co.uk

Based in Hale, CheshireBlackstone Solicitors havejust celebrated their 3rdAnniversary.

Set up by Emma Nawaz in2010 along with a secretarythe business has grown andflourished and now has ateam of 6 and is constantlylooking for high calibre staff.Blackstone Solicitors is aninnovative law Firm, special-ising in dispute resolution.An official launch party wasrecently held at the new of-fices on Cecil Road in Hale.

Since the launch in 2010 theturnover has doubled eachyear. Predictions show thatwithin 3 years the businesswill hit a £1million turnover.Blackstone has a diverseclient base, consisting ofclients from the local area,to both national and inter-national. Issues dealt withrange from relatively small

property disputes to muchmore complex areas of lawand commerce.These include multifariousproperty issues, multi mil-lion pound commercial dis-putes and representationsin the Court of Appeal.

Managing Director EmmaNawaz has an enviable

highly reputation within theindustry and with this expe-rience comes a list of loyalclients. At the recent An-niversary event attended byover 100 guests Emmathanked her clients for alltheir support. “Our philoso-phy is to work hard, deliverresults and provide excel-lent customer service. Ourtenacious approach com-bines an extremely highlevel of academic legal ex-pertise, with a wealth of ‘realworld’ experience.We are thrilled to have

moved to this new locationwhich allows us the oppor-tunity to expand further. Iam so pleased that so manyguests were able to join usfor this special occasion inour calendar.The whole team are veryproud of our success andpassionate about winningcases for our clients.”

Blackstone Solicitors mark 3rd Anniversary asbusiness triples in size

Shelley Barnes, Daniel Thomas, Charlotte Turner, Sarah Townsend,Emma Nawaz and Sophie Freelove

Elizabeth Garus, Simon Ismail, Emma Nawaz, Mark Stebbings andFrazer Fearnhead

Myerson has further ex-panded its private clientservice by the appoint-ment of Family SolicitorNichola Morris, who willassist Jane Tenquist in theFamily Team.

Nichola will help Myersonbuild on its increasing pro-file in complex high valuefamily cases and contestedchildren matters, whichoften involve an interna-tional element.

Jane Tenquist says: “I am de-lighted to welcome Nicholato Myerson. The FamilyTeam has moved fromstrength to strength overthe last year and is nowlisted in the Legal 500 as aleading firm in the NorthWest. We provide excellentclient care service at com-petitive rates.

Nichola is known as a firstrate advocate and negotia-

tor. She understands the family dynamic very well, but man-ages to keep a cool head, which is very important for ourclients.”

Myerson expands Family Law department

Nichola Morris

Specialist law firm, Quali-tySolicitors Abney Gars-den have achieved furthersuccess in this year’sEclipse Proclaim ModernLaw Awards.The awards, hosted bysoftware companyEclipse, were launched tocelebrate and identify tal-ent and success in entre-preneurship, marketdevelopment, businessmanagement and bestpractice in the modernlegal services arena.

Macclesfield based PeterGarsden, Principal of AbneyGarsden McDonald andPresident of A.C.A.L (Associ-ation of Child AbuseLawyers) was Highly Com-mended in the Solicitor ofthe Year category. He hasdevoted the last 17 years of

his professional life to sup-porting the victims of childabuse and has been LeadSolicitor in over 25 differentGroup Actions involvingover 1000 Claimants.The solicitors firm also re-ceived special recognitionin the category of Excel-lence in Innovation for itscase management systemfor child abuse cases.

Commenting on theawards, Managing PartnerPeter Garsden said: “I amvery proud to have beenhighly commended for So-licitor of the Year at theModern Law Awards, lastWednesday - it makes all thehard work more worth-while.”

Earlier this year the special-ist law firm won Small Firm

of the Year at the Manches-ter Legal Awards and havealso been short listed for theLaw Society Excellenceawards to be held in Octo-ber and the Personal Injuryawards in November.

QualitySolicitors Abney Garsden highlycommended in national law awards

Peter Garsden

National law firm Mills &Reeve’s Manchester officehas announced four pro-motions, underlining itscommitment to organicgrowth.

Matthew Chantler of thesports team, commercial dis-pute resolution specialistRachael Mongan, RichardHawkridge of the projectsand construction team, andDavid Hawkins of the insur-ance team have all been pro-moted to senior solicitor.

Over the last five years Mills &Reeve has successfully ex-panded its service provisionand reputation in Manches-

ter, culminating in its mergerearlier this year with Man-chester based law firm,George Davies. The Man-chester office now providesclients with a full servicelegal offering.

Mark Hovell, partner andhead of Mills & Reeve’s Man-chester office, said:

“Congratulations are defi-nitely in order for Rachael,Richard, David and Matthew.Their promotions are verywell deserved, representing alot of hard work and determi-nation.

“The last few months have

been very positive for thefirm, with all staff embracingthe merger and welcomingthe opportunity to build oninternal expertise with newcolleagues and teams. Post-merger, we’ve alreadyrecorded numerous suc-cesses, promotions and newclient wins.”

A full service law firm withnationally renowned expert-ise in the agriculture, chari-ties, education, food andbeverage, health, insurance,private wealth, real estate in-vestment, sport and technol-ogy sectors, , Mills & Reevehas six offices across the UK.

Quartet of Promotions for Manchesteroffice of Mills & Reeve

Richard Hawkridge, David Hawkins, Rachael Mongan and Matthew Chantler

8 Movers & Shakers

Leading North West lawfirm Brabners has an-nounced the appointmentof two new Partners –Lachlan Nisbet andRobert Turner.

Lachlan Nisbet has a wealthof experience in litigationand regulatory matters to-gether with specialist ex-pertise in health and safety,public and administrativelaw, criminal and discipli-nary law, and firearms andfield-sports law, including li-censing and trading stan-dards. Lachlan’s previousexperience extends to pros-ecution work for a variety ofpublic bodies, including theHealth & Safety Executive.

He has acted for militarywitness in the Baha MousaPublic Inquiry and the Al-Sweady Public Inquiry. Hehas joined the firm from HillDickinson, where he was aPartner.

Corporate recovery and in-solvency specialist RobertTurner has over ten yearsexperience in the restruc-turing field and his expert-ise includes dealing withnon contentious and con-tentious insolvency and act-ing for administrators,trustees in bankruptcy andother insolvency practition-ers as well as banks, assetbased lenders and other fi-nancial institutions. He also

has expertise in advisingcompany directors, share-holders and other stake-holders of non-performingbusinesses. He was formerlya Partner at EOS Law, beforewhich he was at Cobbetts.

Mark Brandwood, Manag-ing Partner at Brabners,said: “We are delighted towelcome Robert and Lach-lan to Brabners. Their ap-pointments build on ourongoing investments in ourcorporate recovery and reg-ulatory capabilities and re-flect our commitment toexpanding our offering toclients.”

Two new Partners at Brabners

Manchester-based per-sonal injury law firm, Ex-press Solicitors, hasreported a 35% increasein fee income over the last12 months. End of yearfigures were £5.3 for 2012and £7.2m for the yearend in 2013.

Express Solicitors has alsoseen its caseloads grow by34% over the same periodfollowing a year of signifi-cant organic growth.The firm attributes its suc-cess to increased webspend from £20,000 to£40,000 per month, focus-ing on PPC and SEO, thelaunch two new dedicatedwebsites covering seriousinjury and cerebral palsyand a 53% increase in itsstake in Injury Lawyers 4 USolicitors consortium.

During the financial year,Express Solicitors also fo-cussed on strengthening itsclinical negligence teamwith Nicola Winslett andKathryn Turner appointed atpartner level to lead the de-

Express Solicitors reports 35%increase in turnover

partment of six.Testament to its continuedcommitment to organicgrowth, it has also recentlypromoted seven of its newclient team to junior feeearners and paralegals.

Managing partner at Ex-press Solicitors, JamesMaxey said: “This has been afantastic year for us, despitethe changes in law that ac-tually make it harder for per-sonal injury law firms tosucceed.

“We are an ambitious firmwith a solid growth strategyin place and we’ve beenproactive in both marketingand recruitment to ensurethe firm deals with theenormous changes in thelegal marketplace , withoutfeeling their force finan-cially.

“With a great team behindus, we will look to consoli-date and grow over the nextyear to help us reach ourtarget of £10m turnoverwithin two to three years.”

Express Solicitors currentlycomprises 147 employeesincluding 12 partners and40 earners.The firm specialises in per-sonal injury and accidentclaims, medical and clinicalnegligence claims and seri-ous injury cases.

James Maxey

l-r Robert Turner, Mark Brandwood, Lachlan Nisbet

Hilary Meredith SolicitorsLtd, which celebrates itstenth anniversary in Octo-ber, has appointed militaryspecialist Grant Evatt as apartner.

Grant will be based in thefirm’s London office and joinsHilary Meredith Solicitors Ltdfrom Blake Lapthorn. He ad-vises on a wide range of per-sonal injury claims, with aparticular expertise and inter-est in serious work accidentclaims and those involvingmembers of the ArmedForces in relation to accidentson and off duty, together withadvice on the Armed ForcesCompensation Scheme(AFCS).

Grant has a long-standing as-sociation with the militaryhaving joined the JuniorLeaders Regiment Royal Ar-tillery aged just 16. After 12-months basic training hevolunteered for CommandoForces. Grant and 2 othersfrom a group of 30 success-fully passed the All ArmsCommando Course at theCommando Training CentreRoyal Marines and he wasposted to 8 Battery 29 Com-mando Regiment RA in Ply-mouth.

A qualified Platoon weapon’sinstructor, military skiing in-

structor, parachutist anddiver, Grant proudly servedhis country worldwide for 10years before a knee injurybrought his military career toa premature end.

Grant’s new career as a solici-tor has been equally success-ful. A member of the LawSociety’s specialist personalinjury panel since May 2005,Grant has Senior Litigator sta-tus with the Association ofPersonal Injury Lawyers(APIL), is the co-ordinator ofAPIL’s Military Special InterestGroup and is an HonoraryLegal Adviser to forces charitySSAFA.

Commenting on his decisionto join Hilary Meredith Solici-tors Ltd, Grant, who wasshortlisted in the OutstandingCase of the Year category atthe 2012 Eclipse Proclaim Per-sonal Injury Awards for workin SG v Hewitt at the Court ofAppeal, said: “I am absolutelydelighted to join the team atHilary Meredith Solicitors. Thiswas an easy decision for meon both a professional andpersonal level. Hilary and Ishare the very same honestvalues and strong desire toachieve justice for the injuredand disabled in our commu-nities. I can’t wait to make astart.”

Said Hilary Meredith, CEO atHilary Meredith Solicitors,who has over 25 years’ experi-ence in pursuing legal actionson behalf of the ArmedForces: “Grant is a key addi-tion to our military team andwe are thrilled to welcomehim to the firm. A passionateadvocate for justice he haswon millions of pounds formilitary clients, often over-coming the odds. His drive,determination and passion isclear for all to see.”

Grant Evatt is the second sen-ior military specialist to joinHilary Meredith Solicitors Ltdin recent months. Earlier thisyear the firm appointed for-mer TA Colonel and militarysolicitor Mark Fielding as apartner.

Hilary Meredith Solicitors expands militarydepartment with key partner appointment

Grant Evatt

9Local News

Leading full service Man-chester based law firmJMW Solicitors LLP hastaken on 24 new recruitsin the last 3 months. Thisis in addition to those whojoined from GoodmanHarvey in June 2013.

JMW’s corporate team hasgrown with the recruitmentof three new Solicitors andone newly qualified Solici-tor. Sara Bluston joins fromBrabners LLP and Mona Ni-ayesh joins from Ralli Solici-tors LLP and is joined byKate Wagstaffe who quali-fied as a Solicitor in Septem-ber after completingtraining contract at JMW.Rachel Dudley joins the in-tellectual property teamfrom EMW Law LLP based inMilton Keynes where shespent 6 months on an IPsecondment at SantanderUK Plc.

The commercial propertyteam has seen the arrival oftwo new Solicitors and anAssociate as it continues togrow after the acquisition ofGoodman Harvey in Junewith the arrival of StephenGoodman and then the ap-pointment of Claire Hamil-ton as Partner from Millsand Reeve (formally GeorgeDavies). Julian Rogozinskijoins as a Solicitor from Lin-der Myers and Emma Town-ley joins as a Solicitor fromSoutherns, where sheworked for over 5 years andcounts Handelsbanken as akey client. Paul Burton cameas an Associate from DWFLLP and covers all areas ofcommercial property buthas specific expertise in oc-cupiers’ especially withinthe leisure industry, socialhousing and renewable en-ergy.

JMW’s Commercial Litiga-tion team has taken on twonewly qualified Solicitors,

Stephen Reynolds andNathan O’Connor, who bothcompleted their trainingcontacts at JMW. Nathanlast year won the Rising Staraward at the JCI ManchesterYoung Talent awards. TheDepartment had alreadybeen augmented by the ad-dition of Partners markJones and Alsion Parry fromGoodman Harvey.

JMW’s clinical negligenceteam has recruited a newSolicitor, Ciaran Harper whojoins from Asons Solicitorsin Bolton and FrancescaPowell joins the team as aParalegal. Scott Ritchie joinsthe residential conveyanc-ing team as a Conveyancerfrom Lewis Hymanson SmallSolicitors. Scott works in allareas of residential con-veyancing but specialises inacting for new build devel-oper’s purchasers andcounts Seddon Homes asone of his clients.

JMW’s newly establishedcosts team have grownfrom one person to a teamof five in just 5 months andis headed up by DebbieMonaghan. The team wasoriginally created to assistthe personal injury teambut now also works withJMW’s clinical negligenceand commercial litigationteams. The in-house coststeam ensure a smootherand swifter agreement ofcosts between JMW and thedefendant insurers.

JMW have also recruited sixTrainee Solicitors across var-ious departments.

To keep up with this contin-ued growth JMW has leased9000 ft. of space in the OldSchool House, which usedto JMW’s office until 2006when they built their stateof the art office on their carpark. The firm have now

24 New Recruits for JMWleased the entire buildingover a 5 year period for fur-ther expected growthacross all departments inthe firm.

Commenting on the num-ber of new appointments atJMW, Senior Partner, JoyKingsley commented;

“We are pleased to welcomeall of our new starters whohave joined us over the sum-mer. All our departmentsseem to be flourishing at themoment and we are de-lighted with how the firm iscontinuing to grow and pros-per. It has been a very busytime at JMW over the last fewyears and our continuedgrowth has meant the needfor us to occupy more officespace as we now have over230 staff based in Spinning-fields compared with 150 ,3years ago.”

Commenting on the leaseof the Old School House foradditional office space forJMW, Bill Jones, ManagingPartner at JMW said; “Welooked at several optionswhen we realised that wewould need more officespace to meet with the de-mand for our growing num-ber of staff and Partners. Iwas delighted when it be-came clear that our best op-tion was to lease the wholeof the Old School House,which was our office until2006. It is great news thatwe are all able to stay onone site.”

In May 2013 JMW an-nounced that Income at thefirm was up by 13% from£13.2 million to £15 millionand profit by 25%. This yearhas already seen furthergrowth with revenue up30% on the same 5 monthperiod last year.

Just Costs Solicitors hasjoined forces with a lead-ing litigation funder to re-launch a Costs AdvanceScheme.

This product enables lawfirms to draw down up to70% of their likely recover-able costs once damageshave been settled on theirPersonal Injury, ClinicalNegligence and IndustrialDisease cases, within 48hours.

Mark Hartigan, Client Serv-ices Director of Just Costssays “We ran a similarscheme to this 5 years agowhich was very popularamongst our client-basebut, due to the creditcrunch, the sector sawmany specialist funderswithdraw from the market-place. However, havingworked with a number offunders over the past year,

we are pleased to an-nounce the re-launch of thisimportant product and withthis new facility now inplace, we are delighted thata number of our law firmclients are benefitting fromimproved cash-flow, whichis helping to accelerate theirpractice growth.

Mark goes on to set outsome of the key benefits tothe Costs Advance scheme“there are no personal guar-antees required to set upthe facility, payment is fast(within 48 hours) andmoney is paid straight intothe law firm office accountwith all administration sim-ply carried out via an onlinesystem.

In addition to the Costs Ad-vance Scheme, Just Costs isworking with the funder tolaunch a disbursementfunding product for Clinical

Negligence cases. This willbe launched with in thenext 6 weeks.

For further information,contact Amber Holt, Na-tional Client RelationshipManager on 0161 618 1784or email: amberholt@justcosts.com

Just Costs Solicitors introduces excitingnew Costs Advance Scheme

Mark Hartigan

The deadline for the December edition of The Messenger is 13th November 2013.

Send your stories to j.baskerville@btconnect.com

10 Movers & Shakers

Latest figures released byNorth West firm Just CostsSolicitors reveal it has re-ceived a record-breaking5000 new instructions sofar this year - with thelegal costs specialists alsobeing named as “ABS Firmof The Year (50 to 100 em-ployees)” at the newlylaunched Eclipse ProclaimModern Law Awards.

Just Costs was granted ABSstatus in January 2013 – be-coming the first legal serv-ices provider specialising inlegal costs to become anABS.

“2013 is turning into ourbest ever year,” said Manag-ing Director Paul Shenton,who is dual qualified as a so-licitor and barrister.

“To receive 5000 new in-

structions by the end ofSeptember represents ourstrongest performance yet.The high volumes are as aresult of increased levels ofbusiness from long stand-ing clients and instructionsfrom a wide range of newclients we have attracted tothe business. In total, weare now acting for over 300law firms across the UK.”

Commenting on the firm’saward, which was pre-sented in front of 500 peo-ple at the Dorchester Hotelin London, Paul Shentonadded: “We are particularlypleased to see our progresssince receiving our ABS li-cence recognised with aleading industry award. It isrecognition from a panel ofindependent judges thatwe are adapting to the fu-ture.”

At the same awards cere-mony, Shirley Rothel wasalso highly commended forher role as Compliance Offi-cer for Finance and Admin-istration at Just Costs.

Shirley has the day to dayresponsibilities for the Fi-nance and AdministrativeTeams at Just Costs and en-sures that the business isfully compliant. UnderShirley’s guidance, JustCosts have experiencedclear audits and have neverincurred any SRA breaches.

Just Costs, launched in2006, has offices in Man-chester, London andC h e s t e r f i e l d .The firm has recovered

record levels of costs for itsclients since inception,namely a quarter of a billionpounds to date.

Record levels of new instructions for Just Costs - asthe Manchester firm scoops ABS Award

Altrincham commerciallaw firm, Myerson is verypleased to announce thatKaren Parry has joined thefirm as a Solicitor in itsCommercial Property de-partment.

Karen joins from Brabners,Manchester and specialisesin the sale and purchase ofbusiness premises, com-mercial leases (acting forboth landlord and tenant)and property finance.

Karen’s appointment takesthe Commercial Propertyteam at Myerson to sevenand comes on the back ofanother successful year forthe department. This suc-cess has recently beenrecognised by the Legal500, with the departmentbeing ranked as a secondtier firm ‘Elsewhere in theNorth West’ and individuallawyer recommendationsfor Richard Lloyd, Jeremy

Lee and Andrew Chapman.Richard Lloyd, Partner andHead of Commercial Prop-erty at Myerson, said:- “Iam delighted to welcomeKaren to the team. As withall our solicitors she comeswith many years’ expertisegained at a large city centrecommercial firm and her ar-rival further strengthens theproperty offering which we

are able to offer our clients.We now have one of thelargest commercial prop-erty teams outside of Man-chester City Centre and areable to offer a real alterna-tive to the city centre firms,both in terms of cost andhigh quality service deliv-ery.”

Myerson expands CommercialProperty team

Karen Parry

Aequitas Legal based inExchange Quay has hiredfour new employees tosupport its continuedgrowth based on an 8%increase in new matters in2013.

Suzanne Mason and CarlJones, both experiencedpersonal injury specialistsjoin the team of solicitorsunder the Managing Part-ner, Sucheet Amin who isalso President of Manches-ter Law Society.

Tarandip Lally joins as a

paralegal and Emma Tysonsupports the administrativefunctions as an office assis-tant.

Sucheet says “recruiting theright attitude in people iskey here. We can alwaystrain skills but attitude ishard to change so it is im-portant that we find thequalities in people thatmatch our core values”.

Suzanne commented“throughout the unusual in-terviewing process, it wasclear to me that Aequitas

Legal really did put theclients at the centre ofeverything they did. Thecommitment to ongoingtraining and developmentbeyond the core legal skillswas a strong factor why Iwanted to work here.”

As a specialist personal in-jury practice facing the chal-lenges of adapting to theJackson reforms, the firm isstriving to set itself apart oncustomer service and expe-rienced solicitors to attractnew business in the future.

Aequitas Legal’s growth continues ...

Tarandip Lally, Suzanne Mason, Emma Tyson, Carl Jones

Environmental expertDenise Dowen has joinedStripes Solicitors as Headof Environment, Healthand Safety Law.

Denise has many years ex-perience in complex envi-ronmental litigation havingrepresented waste manage-ment companies, pesticidemanufacturers and nationalconstruction companies.She has developed a partic-ular niche in advising majorinsurance companies onpollution claims affectingthe insurance industry in-cluding advice on the new

Environmental expert joins Stripescontaminated land guide-lines.

Denise also has extensiveexperience in defendinghealth and safety prosecu-tions including fatal acci-dents.

Managing Director AndrewStripe said ‘we are verypleased to have Denise onboard and this addition tothe firm shows our contin-ued commitment to ensur-ing that our commercialclients have access to spe-cialist advice’.

Denise Dowen

The use of DNA testing is a fine example of the devolutionof complex technology into our society, through testingfor ancestry (the recent exhumation of Richard III is a goodexample), to testing for possible criminal activity in foren-sics and the use of DNA technology to identify and quan-tify horsemeat in beef.

But it is the application of DNA testing to family law where thetechnology has found its greatest proponent and televisionprogrammes such as “Trisha”, “The Jeremy Kyle Show” and var-ious soap operas have made DNA testing accessible and ac-ceptable to the general public.

Not unsurprisingly, many family law, inheritance and socialservices cases are now being resolved satisfactorily by use ofDNA technology, as the possibilities for the accurate determi-nation of close biological relationships become understoodby a wider audience.

The majority of cases requiring a DNA test are those where weare trying to prove that a tested male is, or is not, the true bi-ological father of a tested child.

To establish paternity the DNA is extracted from a few cellstaken from the buccal cavity, a painless and non-invasive pro-cedure.

The DNA is then examined for regions of similarity betweenthe tested persons. A DNA test report will then confirm thatthe tested man is (with a certainty in excess of 99.999%) or isnot the biological father of the tested child (with 100% cer-tainty).

The Ministry of Justice provides a list of companies who it hasaccredited for section 20 paternity testing, by virtue of run-ning laboratory services which meet the ISO 17025 standard.If you are intending a DNA test on behalf of a client, for anypurpose, then it is strongly recommended that you choose anaccredited supplier from this list (*see link below).

A key issue is that we have “appropriate and qualifying” con-sent to carry out a DNA test, an activity which is is regulatedby the Human Tissue Act, 2004.

This means that we require such consent from each adultparty to be tested and if the test involves a child under 16,then we must have consent from a person with parental re-sponsibility for that child.

This is generally the mother, but may be the father under cer-tain circumstances or some other body (sometimes jointlyshared with the parents), such as the local authority.

DNA technology can be just as useful for deciphering other bi-ological relationships, e.g. in cases where parents are not avail-able we can establish a presumed parentage via use of

DNA - the true test of any relationshipDr Neil Sullivan gives an update on recent developments in DNA testing

grandparents or uncles and aunties. While the figures for re-latedness will not be as strong as for a direct paternity test, wecan often gain probabilities of relatedness of 85% to 95%,which can be a very useful supporting figure when taken withother evidence.

The use of DNA profiling is now embedded as a key tool forthe legal profession and new applications of the technologywill support case-work for several years to come.

* http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/paternity-testing/pater-nity-test

Dr Neil Sullivan, General Manager, Complement Genomics Ltd(trading as dadcheck®), is a company accredited by the Min-istry of Justice as a body that may carry out parentage tests di-rected by the civil courts in England and Wales under section20 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969.

Website for professional use: http://www.dadcheckgold.com

12 Feature

I am the Law Society’s rep-resentative on the boardof the Civil MediationCouncil (the CMC). TheCMC is a voluntary bodyset up to promote the useof mediation throughoutthe UK. At the moment,individual mediators andmediation providers canbecome members of theCMC.

The CMC, however, only ac-credits mediation providersand there is no official regu-latory organisation dealingwith mediators as a wholeprofession, similar to theSRA which regulates solici-tors and the Legal Ombuds-man which deals withcomplaints about them.There is no obligation to beregistered with the CMC inorder to offer mediationservices, but being accred-ited by the CMC is the pre-requisite of being able toapply to the Find a Civil Me-diator Directory on the Di-rect Gov website. Anyonecan act as a mediator andneed not necessarily have

any professional indemnityinsurance.

The mediator profession isan eclectic one with multi-farious interest groupsclaiming the right to repre-sent them. However, it re-mains to be seen whetherthe current hegemony willcontinue.

These are exciting times inthe mediation world, withthe Jackson reforms havingyet to have their impact oncivil litigation. The recent re-view of the Chancery Divi-sion recommended achange in culture to pro-mote mediation more ac-tively. The impetus istowards increasing thetake-up of mediation, as op-posed to litigating.

The EU is also promotingmediation through the EUdirective on ADR and ODR(“online dispute resolution”)The position is that the ADRDirective is intended to pro-vide for full ADR coverage atEU level. This means that

there will be an ADR proce-dure available for all con-tractual disputes in everymarket sector and in everyMember State (apart fromthe health and educationsectors which will not becovered by the ADR Direc-tive). In addition, all ADR en-tities will have to meetquality criteria which guar-antee that they operate inan effective, fair, independ-ent and transparent way.Those traders who committo, or are obliged to use,ADR will need to informconsumers about ADR ontheir websites and in theirgeneral terms and condi-tions. All traders will need toinform consumers aboutADR when a dispute cannotbe settled directly betweenthe consumer and thetrader.

The ODR Regulation will en-able EU consumers andtraders to submit disputesarising from online pur-chases to ADR online, usingthe EU-wide dispute resolu-tion platform (‘ODR plat-

form’). The ODR platformwill link all the national ADRentities. This single entrypoint is designed to be auser-friendly and interactivewebsite, available in all EUofficial languages and freeof charge. Online traderswill also provide an elec-tronic link to the ODR plat-form on their websites toinform consumers.

Member States will have 24months after the entry intoforce of the Directive totranspose it into their na-tional legislation, whichmeans that it should be im-plemented by mid-2015.

Consumers who encountera problem with an onlinepurchase will be able tosubmit a complaint onlinethrough the ODR platform,in the language of theirchoice. The ODR platformwill notify the trader that acomplaint is lodged againsthim. The consumer and thetrader will then agree onwhich ADR entity to use tosolve their dispute. Whenthey agree, the chosen ADRentity will receive the detailsof the dispute via the ODRplatform.

The ODR platform will beconnected to the nationalADR entities set up and no-tified to the Commission, inline with the new rules ofthe ADR Directive. The newrules will provide for ADRentities to settle a disputewithin 90 days.

The MOJ is likely to be con-sulting about the imple-mentation of the Directivein 2014, but it seems likely

that some overarching bodyis likely to be given the taskof regulating the “ADR enti-ties”, whether an existingbody like the CMC, the Fi-nancial Ombudsman Serv-ice, Trading Standards orsome other body.Whilst not only involvingmediation, it is likely thatsome form of regulation formediators may be in-evitable in an era of con-sumer rights.

It is unlikely, in my view, thatthe current system of medi-ator regulation and accred-itation will continue.The CMC recently issued aconsultation to members

Mediation – The ADR/ODR Directive andthe Civil Mediation Council

Peter Causton

on this issue and the MOJ islooking into regulation ofADR entities under the EUdirective. It is an excitingtime, therefore, to be in-volved in the CMC and I willcontinue to keep the Man-chester Law Society in-formed as to anydevelopments. Likewise, ifany member has any feed-back as users of mediationservices which they wouldlike me to raise with theCMC, please let me know.

Peter CaustonMediatorBerrymans Lace Mawer

The emphasis for thosefirms on the brink should beon designing a route mapfor turnaround rather thanclosure. Time and again it isthe firms that take early re-medial action who avoiddisaster. Similarly, those thatmanage a successful turn-around are very often firmswhere all partners buy in tothe process and remain fo-cused on the task in hand.

Another essential ingredi-ent of a successful turn-around strategy is theapproval of those stake-holders, such as the SRA,banks and creditors, whoseco-operation is paramount.Banks, for instance, willwant to know that the firmhas taken appropriate ad-vice regarding its cash posi-

tion and that the partnersare aware of their obliga-tions to minimise losses tocreditors. This process willinvolve consultation withprofessional advisers, andthe bank will usually be pre-pared to sanction the ex-penditure on such advice.Detailed cash flow forecastsand projections are alsoconditions precedent andthe bank will be more likelyto be supportive if they be-lieve that the firm’s partnersare united and that leader-ship is strong.

It may now be too late toavoid casualties arising fromthe refusal of PII cover and,in light of the fact that amarket correction is unlikelyto be forthcoming, it is im-perative that, going for-

ward, both affected individ-ual firms and the wider pro-fession tackles thefundamental structural is-sues with a view to identify-ing a sustainable solutionand seizing emerging op-portunities.

Michelle Garlick and Do-minic Vincent are bothpartners at WeightmansLLP and member’s of thefirm’s Legal Services Team,which provides legal ad-vice and support – rang-ing from employment toinsolvency - to law firmsthroughout the UK. If yourfirm is experiencing any ofthe issues raised above,Weightmans’ specialistteam can be contacted forconfidential advice on0161 2140590.

continued from front cover

Dinah Crystal, Chair of theNorth West Legal Trust(NWLST) said the funds fromthe walk would help supportthe most disadvantagedmembers of society.“The charities supported bythe NWLST help facilitate ac-cess to justice for the poorestand most disadvantagedmembers of society providingfree legal help to people fac-ing problems such as home-lessness, debt, employment,family issues, discriminationand injustice.”

“Without the involvement ofall levels of the legal profes-sion including the Lead Walk-ers, Members of the Judiciary,Law Firms, Chambers, LegalProfessional bodies and LawStudents this event would notbe possible, and we thank

13Local News

Slater & Gordon

Burton Copeland ‘cops and robbers’ - Laura Ward-Jones, Nick Terry & Gina Clayton

them for their continued sup-port.”

His Honour Judge Plattsmade a speech at the drinksreception after the Walk atThe Oast House in Spinning-fields and urged all the partic-ipants to keep supporting theTrust’s fundraising efforts overthe coming months, to ensurethe NWLST can continue tosupport free legal advicecharities across the region.

The North West Legal SupportTrust is a charity which raisesmoney to distribute to legaladvice agencies throughoutthe North West. The Trust issupported by the Access toJustice Foundation and alongwith six other regional trusts,raises funds that enable it tomake grants to legal advice

charities that offer free adviceto those most in need.

In January 2013 the NorthWest Legal Support Trustmade grants to the followingorganisations;

Blackpool CABCumbria Law CentreIndependent Choices (whosupport victims of domesticabuse)Liverpool Central CABMerseyside EmploymentLawVauxhall Community Law &Information Centre

More information is alsoavailable atwww.nwlst.org.uk

The Chambers UK BarAwards highlight the ex-cellence of the UK Bar.Deans Court was de-lighted to win the awardwhich recognised them asthe best set outside Lon-don. On the 3rd Octoberover 500 attended theevent in London. The pro-gramme for the eveninghighlighted some of theirachievements:

“This set has had a bumperyear. A Lord Justice of Ap-peal, a High Court judge,

two circuit judges and a silkhave all been appointedfrom within its ranks. AChambers of choice in theNorth, it has also hand-somely increased its aver-age earnings and expandedits international and privateclient work”.

The set is proud of itsachievements and qualitiesand promotes the NorthernCircuit. Deans Court addedin its submissions - “London– this Manchester set isknocking on your door!”.

Michael Hayton QC, whocollected the award on be-half of Chambers said: “Thisaward was the culminationof a tremendously success-ful year for Deans Courtbuilt upon the hard work,application and ability of allmembers of chambers andour outstanding clerkingteam. Of course, our clientsdeserve the greatest thanks,as their loyalty to Chambersis the foundation uponwhich all of our success hasbeen based.”

Deans Court Chambers win RegionalChambers of the year Award

Pictured (from left to right) are - James Cowdell, Bar editor of Chambers and Partners, barris-ters Glenn Campbell, Peter Atherton, Rosalind Emsley-Smith, Michael Hayton QC, Senior ClerkMatthew Gibbons and, host for the evening, Clive Anderson.

15Feature

NameElizabeth Hughes

Job roleSenior Associate Solicitor

FirmHugh Jones Solicitors

Area of PracticeCourt of Protection

If you hadn’t gone into the legal profession, what alterna-tive career would you choose?I would have been a doctor. I was good at biology and chem-istry at school and I once worked as a dispenser in a phar-macy.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the pro-fession today?Ours is a small, niche firm and our challenge is to ensure thatthe client and their needs are at the forefront of the servicewe provide. We cannot take the clients we have for grantedand believe that putting client service at the top of our list ofpriorities is vital to set us apart from other firms.

What work gives you the most satisfaction?I imagine it would be dealing with the last email in my inbox

but, in reality, the most satisfying part of my job is seeingsome of my severely brain injured clients achieve their per-sonal goals. Some of them just want to live in their own homerather than in a residential unit and helping them to achieve alifestyle that most people take for granted is very rewarding.

Who inspires you?The parents of profoundly disabled children who have madeenormous personal sacrifices in order to care for and achievethe best possible outcome for their children.

Do you have any advice for anyone considering a career inthe law?Get as much work experience as possible in as many areas oflaw as possible. It will give you better insight into the area thatsuits you and it may not be the area that you expect. That wascertainly true in my case.

How do you relax?I find that spending time with family and friends helps to keepthings in perspective.

Is there a book that had an impact on your life?I tend only to have the time to read when I am on holiday andthe holiday tends to have a greater impact than the book!

Finally, sum up yourself in three wordsHardworking, reliable, helpful

Getting to know you......This month Elizabeth Hughes, Senior Associate Solicitor at HughJones Solicitors talks to The Messenger...

Milestones in life offer achance to look back andreflect on what has hap-pened for better and/orfor worse.

Change can often feel un-comfortable, unwelcomeand unnecessary at thetime. With the perspectiveof time it is far easier toevaluate.

When I joined the prede-cessor to my current firm in1982, there were certainnorms to which everybodyadhered.

Firstly, everybody smoked.The office was permanentlyshrouded in a fog of ciga-rette smoke and overflow-ing ashtrays sat on everydesk.

Secondly, all partners gath-ered in the pub at Fridaylunchtime for 3 or 4 pints.Food was optional.

Thirdly, “Management Infor-mation” was an unknownterm and the only recordswe had were kept in ahandwritten ledger by our

cashier, an elegant ex-mili-tary man with a welltrimmed beard, manicuredhands and a superior atti-tude. Questions were de-flected with the skill andpanache of an expertswordsman. Requests for acheque or worse still cashwere treated with the suspi-cion reserved for a hissingcobra. Unless of course youwere the senior partner inwhich case every requestwas met with an unctuousaffability and instant co-op-eration.

Fourthly, business plansonly existed in your headand budgets were quite lit-erally on the back of a fagpacket.

And finally, almost every-body at some stage in theircareer had been to theMagistrates’ Court anddone a criminal case.

And now? Nobody but aself-selecting few cross thethreshold of a Magistrates’court. The swaggering bigbeasts of the 70s and 80shave almost faded away to

be replaced by anxious ‘feeearners’ obsessed withmaximising their fixed fees.

Business Plans are works ofart spanning five years, con-stantly updated and foundon the central drive; budg-ets are scientific, often chal-lenging, but always realistic,always a carrot and never astick.

The cashier who was abrigadier has been replacedby ‘Accounts’ who engagein a one-way conversationby e-mail transmitting notreceiving. Unctuous affabil-ity has been replaced byemoticons and whilst ‘Cashis King’ it is now nowhere tobe seen. Management in-formation on the otherhand is not only constantlybeing cascaded (down isthe prevailing direction)and in such volume thatdrowning is ‘quite literally’ athreat.

Whereas Friday lunchtimesin the pub with partnersand colleagues was a ritualas important as Mass onSunday, a ritual in a place of

sanctuary protected fromclients, now any ‘socialising’has to have a purpose and abusiness objective: net-working, practice develop-ment, converting enquiriesand achieving a balancedbusiness score-card.

And finally, the ultimatetaboo. Can you imagine theutter horror of this sce-nario?

A newly appointed traineesolicitor on his first dayleaning back in his chair inhis open plan office andlighting up his first ParkDrive of the day? At thepoint I started out in thelaw there would have beenuniversal contempt and dis-gust. Who on earth wouldstoop to smoking ParkDrive?

How things have changed.

By Mike Devlin, partnerand head of family de-partment, StephensonsLLP

Milestones...Mike Devlin, partner and head of the family department at Stephensons LLPlooks at how things have changed over a career spanning 30 years...

Mike Devlin

17Local News

Our City Reporter, Craig Worrall thismonth visited Frankie & Bennies

This month our key for the city reportshows there is always a great opportunityto utilise your card and even when youleast expect it.

This year my regular monthly column onhow to continue to get the best out of your(and my) Key for the City card was truly atthe back of my mind when I was invited toattend an evening by Roberts Jackson forthe firm hitting another one of its monthlytargets.

The plan was to go and watch a film at ParrsWood Cinema in West Didsbury and then tohave dinner at a local establishment to dis-cuss the film thereafter. In total, twenty em-ployees from the firm were able to attendon the night and we had a most enjoyableevening.

The faithful eating establishment chosenwas one of my most favourite chains,Frankie & Benny’s. I dare say that every per-son in the Northern Hemisphere knows thisbranded restaurant well enough to recitetheir most ordered dish from the menu (12oz Double BBQ Cheese burger with herbfries and a diet coke please!), if not all themenu. However on the off chance that youhave been living on the moon for the lastfifty years, F&B is an American style dinnerwhich is instantly recognisable by the bigred neon sign and warm interior. The restau-rant usually boasts informal booths to sitwith friends and eat drink and chat in an in-formal setting.

The evening was exactly what I had ex-pected the restaurant was inviting and thestaff were extremely friendly. The usualAmerican 50’s and 60’s music was playing(Which you can purchase for a very reason-able price) and the food was great!I ensured that each and every Roberts Jack-son employee that attended was able toproduce their card on demand.

Key for the City ReporterThis ensured that my lovely waiter at Frankieand Benny’s was more than happy to reducethe bill and take 20% off the price off the foodat dinner that evening. This made a substan-tial difference to the final cost of the eveningand made me very popular with the ladies infinance (shout out to Kayleigh and Jennie).

So at the end of the evening not only had Ienjoyed a relaxed dinner with colleagues andenjoyed a truly hilarious film (Were theMiller’s, if you’re interested, very funny) but Iwas able to come home and write my columnwithout the pressures of a looming deadline!!Note to self, stay ahead of deadlines.

Should this be the first time that you haveread my amazing article and you feel that youtoo could truly benefit from a Key for the Citycard then don’t delay, contact Victoria Ridgeat the Manchester Law Society offices on0161 831 7337 or alternatively email victoriaridge@manchesterlawsociety.org.ukto ensure how your firm would qualify to beeligible for one.

Right signing off until next month…..

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19Recruitment

Improving conditions

The legal recruitment market in Manchester is slowly improving after a numberof challenging years.

The pace of improvement is steady rather than dramatic and only time will tellwhether it is a sustained recovery, but for the time being the signs are lookingquite positive.

The transactional disciplines of corporate, real estate and banking are pickingup and the demand we are seeing is often for those with up to four years’ expe-rience. The shortage of professionals in this area is largely due to the fact thatmany organisations didn’t take on newly qualified lawyers during the recession.However, the recruitment market is moving back again to being candidaate ledin these transactional areas as well as across a number of other practice areas.

Despite the much talked about Jackson Reforms, the defendant insurance mar-ket has been surprisingly busy and certain pockets of the claimant market havealso continued to hire. In contrast, it has generally been quieter in employment,corporate recovery and to a certain extent in commercial litigation.

The question is whether the general trend of increased demand will lead tohigher salaries.

Newly qualified salaries

Salaries for newly qualified professionals will depend on the type of firm and thesector of the market. Across the North West, in the commercially focused firms,salaries for NQs range from £27,000 to £38,000.

We have found the market receptive to those newly qualified lawyers that havestrong technical skills, a wide range of quality experience during their trainingcontracts but also exhibiting good client facing skills. The outlook for salary risesin 2014 is looking positive as we expect more and more firms to invest in newlyqualified lawyers as they grow their businesses.

The squeezed middle

While most lawyers have seen salaries frozen over recent years, it is those withbetween 2-5 years’ experience who have seen their salaries impacted the mostas the changing legal landscape has caused firms to re-appraise salary structures.

Fee margins have been eroded and there is an increasing trend towards fixed feestructures.

The lid may be lifted on charging rates as the economy improves but the per-ception is that clients and in-house counsel are now wise to the ‘new world order’and will continue to demand transparent and often fixed fee pricing.

This has created a difficult dynamic for law firms.While firms are keen to reward assistants and associates who are performingstrongly, their hands are increasingly tied by the charge out rates they can sus-tain.

We often hear that clients are prepared to have a partner led service on morehigh profile matters but the cost pressures for many pieces of work mean thatthey have to be done at a more junior assistant level or by paralegals.

Addleshaw Goddard has ramped up its Transaction Services Team that is staffedby paralegals working on the less complex matters, thereby freeing up its asso-ciates to work on matters where they can add value.This is an increasing trend in the market and many firms are gearing up their de-

partments so they are appropriately structured with more routine work, or workthat can be commoditised being filtered down to paralegals. Many firms are alsoexploring ‘apprenticeships’ as a means of bringing through new recruits in a costeffective manner.

The insurance and personal injury market has long been working on this basisand most personal injury teams are staffed by large numbers of fee earning para-legals with a small percentage of qualified lawyers and partners.

We may not return to the boom years soon, where salaries were one of the keydrivers in the market, but the improving economic picture and increasing desireof firms to hire lawyers will certainly mean that salaries will rise again.

Rewarding performance not experience

Traditionally salaries have been linked to experience with year on year increasesfor all lawyers.

There is a trend to move away from this system and instead firms are realigningtheir processes so that assistant and associate salary increases will be based ontheir performance rather than benchmarked to experience. Firms see this as thebest way to reward star performers.

Bonuses are another means of rewarding lawyers at all levels and typically rangefrom 10% to 20% of annual salary.

The triggers tend to be based around individual fee/chargeable hours perform-ance, team/firm wide turnover or profit targets and contribution to business de-velopment.

We are not witnessing much change to their structure but they are becomingmore commonplace.

Partners and lateral hires

This part of the market continues to be as busy as ever in terms of partner hires.We are still seeing an adjustment to many fixed share and equity partners earn-ings where their fee contribution is not commensurate with their remuneration.

Typically, when moving, partners are expected to have a client following ofroughly three times earnings. However, the recession most definitely broughtabout more innovative structures that are still being used.This has often involved the incoming partner bearing more of the risk if they arenot able to guarantee their following, with a lower base salary and bonus struc-tured around their fee delivery.

This, of course, requires some flexibility on the part of the moving partner butcan enable them to more effectively manage situations where certain clientsdon’t follow or are much less active than envisaged in the business plan.

Looking forward

The outlook is improving and salaries look set to rise again.What we expect to see though is that these increases will be performance basedand given to those lawyers who are not just technically able but who candemonstrate demonstrable client care skills and work winning ability.

For more information about salaries please visit our up to date salary survey found at: www.hays.co.uk/salary-guidesor speak to Oliver Gibbon, Business Director at Hays Legal, on 0161 228 7770 or oliver.gibbon@hays.com

The future looks brighterfor Manchester’s lawyers

Oliver GibbonBusiness Director at Hays

Legal

Management MattersThis column is now into its fifth year and feedback is still good. We would still like to receive observations and ideas for futureissues. Please mail Bill Kirby at billkirby@professionalchoiceconsultancy.com or the publisher Julia Baskerville atj.baskerville@btconnect.com

20 Feature

CRM Systems – Really?

Be more effective, cheaper and quicker

We are just a month away from this year’s management con-ference – 9th December at The Hilton Hotel Manchester. Thetheme this year is about Marketing, Client Experience and Cul-ture. If we don’t get the last two right then any efforts and ex-penditure thrown at the first item can be wasted.

I still don’t think that everyone is convinced that the mostvaluable asset within a law firm is the client. This is the personor organisation that has accepted the firm as a trusted supplierfor what is often a stress purchase and if he gets good servicehe is likely to stay loyal. Let’s take brilliant legal work forgranted.

He is also very interested in how easy it is to deal with the firmfrom first contact – web site, letters, telephone call, how clearthe service he is going and getting is explained, realistic pric-ing, realistic billing methods, being kept up to date, having ac-cess and the handling issues/complaints. If that is all donewell, effectively and efficiently with a smile on the face thenhe is much more likely to come back for an update of this serv-ice and if we have advised of other services extending furtherwhat he, his family and his wider network are likely to buyfrom your firm.

The instant argument that many put forward is the firm needsto invest in a CRM system but it is complex and costs too muchmoney. CRM systems are potentially good but for many lawfirms not necessary at this point in time. There have been somany failures with CRM projects or also a clear failure toachieve the level of ROI that was expected. Most firms havethe capability to support their developing client interface al-ready on board and within their control but they just don’t seeit.

I was at a conference in October and it was suggested that alllaw firms should start with a 10 year strategy and businessplan. I regarded that as somewhat over the top being more infavour of 3 year strategies, updated annually and annual busi-ness plans/budgets. These of course need to be businessproactive in nature and revenue for the next year not justbased upon number of existing fee earners and with the right

utilisation what they may generate.

I am also going to make a big assumption at this point thatpartners are open with one another, declared their personalaspirations, retirement plans, likes and dislikes (marketing andmanagement) and believe they will step aside and supportthose brave enough and equipped enough to take on man-agement and business development.

At our strategy meeting we need a clear idea of where wehave come from so fee income and gross profit by work typeand location (it is still very scary that many firms do not meas-ure this) and we need an open discussion of the profile of thefirm of where we would like to be in three years and what ac-tions and milestones we need in order to get there. No needfor a CRM system yet.

With this desired profile we need to interface this with – arewe sure that we are going to hang on to our existing clientsfor repeat work – Wills, PI, commercial property. Our businessprocesses and culture are geared to make this happen. Withour current clients (private and commercial) are we going tobe able to introduce them to other services that we offer sothat we generate more revenue from them. Then of course wehave new business. What do we want this to be and how arewe going to go after it. Three key activities that warrant a planfor each of them. Still no need for a CRM system yet.

Maybe also we can introduce private client work to staff ormembers of a commercial client or membership organisation.We have all seen some smarter law firms make a major mar-keting issue of what we all do to potential new clients – thefirst 15 minute FOC consultation before going on the clock.Just about everyone does it only a few sing about it.

We have so many marketing tools available to us. The web site,PR, Networking, advertising (expensive). These all cost a littlebit of money but done well within the strategy and plan offera great ROI. These activities by upping the firm’s image andprofile generate interest from potential clients. It is what hap-pens once interest is generated. How well do we handlephone calls into the firm or enquiries through the web site?Over the last few months we have published information onmystery shopper exercises, demonstrated Moneypenny sta-tistics of up to 20% of inbound calls are new enquiries and stillwe do not overall handle them well.

Most firms are sitting with a PMS/CMS system for which theyhave paid a great deal and followed it up with annual main-tenance payments for enhancements. Most firms will alreadyhave the capability to run a workflow or business process at acontact level but don’t know this and you certainly cannotnecessarily rely on your internal IT man or supplier accountmanager to put this under your nose. Imagine a call cominginto the firm, being received by someone that wants it whocan create a contact, do a conflict check at any time, send e-mails, letters, quotations, even e-signatures and then convertthis contact into a client. Five years ago you would not havebeen able to do this but most of you now can so for this kindof enquiry you could actually ditch your separate CRM system.I have seen firms that have given this sort of activity a good trybut they sit there with thousands of matters with no billingas it was the only way to send someone a letter – not now, Noneed for a CRM system for that. It’s also a very good reasonwhy the line management of a firm should regularly meet withthe account manager from an IT supplier.

So we have our marketing activity underway and we havenow found a way to support that with existing systems so wecan measure business sources and conversion rates to enableus to modify how we market and handle enquiries coming inhouse.

We already concur that our user base is vital. If we speak to anaccount manager from a software supplier unless he is excep-tional he will define the marketing module that if you have theforesight or have been lucky enough to put clients/contactsinto “groups” then you can market to them. CRM products cancertainly do that, as can your PMS/CMS system. What you havethat is pretty unique though is the MI tool within yourPMS/CMS system where you can ask it. Who did I do a Will forin 2009? Who did I do a house sale or purchase for in 2005?

Which commercial clients did I do some employment work forin 2011? Which estate agents provided me work in 2010? –and so on. The whole point is that your existing PMS/CMS sys-tem can give you the data to repeat and cross sell. There arenot too many people capitalising on this.

For years the marketing capabilities of PMS/CMS systems werenot developed as they should be. Techies in the softwarehouses and perhaps clients not aware of the need to drivemarketing within law firms. Both parties have a lot of catchingup to do.

So – strategy, plan, accountability for some within the firm todo business development, accountability within the firm foreveryone to enhance the client experience though businessprocess and above all through attitude and culture.

In Case you missed it

From November 2012. It is not getting better

IT WARNING – CUT THE FAITH

You are all aware that I am a great supporter of hosted IT andin time it will become an even more natural solution – withstrong enforceable SLAs and right remedies.

However, in the interim can I strongly suggest that every firmcarries out an internal audit/check to ensure their systems areas they believe them to be? Whether they are managed byyour own teams or through a managed service/third partymaintenance company.

15 years ago, when I worked for one of those practice and casemanagement suppliers we started to offer a service to ourclients where we would receive their back up tapes on amonthly basis and we then tried to restore from those backups. In 35% of the cases a restore was not possible. Imaginethe impact on your business if this is the case – 15 tears agoalso there were still a lot of paper files.

Please just check a few things out. It is sometimes not enoughto have the procedures and contracts in place.

· When was the last time a test was carried out to restore datafrom back up?

· What evidence is there that back up is being carried out asspecified?

· Is the back up secure and off site?

· Where you have invested in replicating data to another siteis it being verified?

· If your server fails how quickly will the firm be able to be upand running again

o E-mail

o Full systems (7 hours down for 20 fee earners at £200 an hour is £28k – 5 days down £140k – thefirm can decide where in that timeframe its credibility with its clients disappears)

· If there is a power failure will the servers close down prop-erly?

· Where you have more than one location have you back upcomms lines, have they been tested?

· You will have paid out for Microsoft licences – have you thelicences in a secure place and listed on your asset register? Thisis for when Microsoft or FAST put in a visit.

Bill Kirby is a director of Professional Choice Consultancyoffering advice to firms on all things IT from strategy,planning, effective use and outsourcing continuity andDR. He can be contacted at billkirby@professionalchoiceconsultancy.com

MYSG News

The MYSG has over 1,000 mem-bers and we invite qualified so-licitors up to 10 years PQE(excluding Partners) from inand around Manchester to joinour group. We arrange socialevents for solicitors, networkingevents with other professionalgroups in Manchester includingbankers, accountants and sur-veyors, educational and CPDseminars, and other eventswhich we think will be of interestto our members. Membership isfree and the costs of our eventsare met by sponsors. If youwould like to join the MYSG andyou do not currently receive ouremails, please email us atinfo@mysg.org.uk, or contact usthrough our website,www.mysg.org.uk or via ourFacebook page, "ManchesterLawyers".

It is all change on the MYSGcommittee! David Pattersonof Squire Sanders is the newChair of the MYSG and thecommittee are extremely ex-cited about the prospects forthis new era. David has manynew and innovative ideasgoing forward and we aresure that all of the young so-licitors in Manchester willbenefit from the events whichare currently being bookedfor the forthcoming fewmonths.

The outgoing Chair, GemmaHarris, ended her reign with afitting finale with the excel-lent Jeff Banks event. MrBanks proved to be an excel-

lent speaker, with many anec-dotes from his time at St Mar-tin’s college right up to thepresent day. There are pic-tures from the event on theMYSG website and we wouldencourage all of our membersto visit this and the face bookpage to see the photographsfrom this and previous events.

Going forward, the MYSG areplanning many events tokeep the winter blues at baywhich will include both net-working and educationalevents to cater for everyone.Some of the forthcomingevents include a Christmasdrinks event and CPD accred-ited seminars to name but a

few.

The MYSG committee is alsoexpanding as we are ex-tremely keen to encourageinput from a wide range ofPQE’s. If you are interested injoining the committee, pleasedo visit the MYSG website formore information on how tocontact us or find us on face-book by searching for Man-chester Young SolicitorsGroup and liking our page.

21Local News

Whisper it quietly, especially amongst the readership of this august magazine, but quite oftenthe biggest bar to settlement of mediation is ... the lawyers!

You might expect that the parties who would least want settlement are the litigants themselves,the warring factions who maybe can’t even bring themselves to speak to the other side, let aloneto reach an agreement with them. However, experience shows that, quite often, by the time thatthe parties have agreed to mediate, they may actually be desperate to settle – and not infre-quently on terms that involve a very significant compromise.

So, knowing the likely readership of this article, it’s with some trepidation that I say that it is quiteoften the legal representatives who are the main stumbling-blocks to settlement.Why should that be? It may be that the lawyer is so entrenched in the battle with his opponentthat regards any sort of compromise as amounting to a loss of his (i.e. the lawyer’s) face (sorry toused the male pronoun here, but the most dogmatic lawyers at mediation do tend to be male!).It may be that the lawyer simply has such an innate belief in his client’s case that he can’t bear tosee his client “selling itself short”. It may be that the lawyer is enjoying the case so much that hedoesn’t want the case to settle (irrespective of what the client might want!). Or, most cynically,it may be that he has budgeted for the future fee income that the case may bring!

And objections to settlement don’t just come from the solicitors’ end of the table. Counsel canbe just as stubborn – normally on the grounds that there is legal authority that supports theirclient’s case, and that it would be some form of intellectual sacrilege to settle against the back-ground of that convincing authority (interestingly, experience says that that authority suddenlybecomes less convincing on the eve of trial, when the other side’s skeleton argument is received!).

So, having alienated the entirety of the Manchester legal profession with my remarks above, howdoes the mediator cope with overcoming these objections? In particular, if you identify your-self in any of the categories of lawyer mentioned above (and be honest!), does a mediation meanthat you will end up being “overruled” or “browbeaten” by a mediator? Absolutely not. A goodmediator understands the lawyer’s concerns as well as those of the litigant. A good mediator un-derstands that lawyers are human also and that quite often they have invested so much in thecase (in terms of emotion, intellect and, indeed, financial support) that they have a sense of own-ership of the case too. A good mediator will keep the lawyer (as well as the client) onside.

I had a mediation recently where a client was being repeatedly told by her solicitor that she hada very good case and that she should not consider settlement below 90% of the value of her claim.It was only by bringing “reality” to the claim that it became apparent that the merits were, in re-ality, considerably less than 90%. Indeed, it became apparent that so much of the claim was de-pendent upon factual evidence, that in truth, the merits of the client’s claim were probably notmuch more than 50%. At the end of a long day, we reached settlement, and, although it was clearthat both of the litigants were relieved, I feared that I may be met with an unhappy solicitor –never an ideal situation!

After the Consent Order had been prepared and signed, the client left, and I braced myself for arant from the solicitor.

What a surprise: the solicitor thanked me profusely for settling this case, admitting that he hadbeen far too gung-ho in his advice to the client at the start and that he had had difficulty in ex-tricating himself from the positivity of that advice. He also said to me that he hadn’t realised howshaky his client’s factual evidence was until we had probed it during the course of the mediation.Within a few days, I got another appointment as mediator from the same solicitor!

The moral of the story is not to be afraid of the mediator. Mediators understand the dynamic thatexists between client and lawyer, and we want to help that relationship to prosper.

Jeff LewisMediatorNorth West Mediation SolutionsBrabners LLPenquiries@nwmediationsolutions.co.ukwww.nwmediationsolutions

Mediation Matters

MTSG NewsIt’s been a busy month for theMTSG, with a launch party torival all others on 3rd October.Revolucion de Cuba was pos-itively booming on the night,with MTSG members provingthat Thursday really is thenew Friday. Custom cocktails,Mexican fayre and a live bandwere the order of the nightand it was a great opportu-nity for members to get toknow each other and sharetheir first horror stories of theyear. We would like to say amassive thank you to oursponsors without whom itwould not have been possi-ble: Hays Legal, University ofLaw, Express Solicitors andDeans Court Chambers.

The launch party for firmswith eight or less trainees

(FELT) was held on 17th Octo-ber at nearby Revolution Par-sonage Gardens andprovided a further opportu-nity for members fromsmaller firms to network andlet their hair down with aglass of wine and a miniburger. Many thanks to Dou-glas Scott Legal Recruitmentand Heaney Watson Solicitorsfor their support.

This month we’re looking for-ward to the annual DeansCourt Chambers Seminar andthe grand old MTSG quiz. As-semble your teams and we’llsee you there! On the sportsfront, the MTSG football andnetball teams need YOU! In-formation will be circulated tomembers shortly so dust offyour kit and get warming up.

Please visit our website for allthe photographs from eachevent – www.mtsg.org.uk.

Raana Afsarpour, Express Solicitors, Chair 2013-2014

The Manchester Trainee Solici-tors Group provides social, ed-ucational, sporting andnetworking opportunities forjunior legal professionals inand around Manchester. If youwould like to join us as a para-legal, prospective trainee,trainee or newly qualified solic-itor, please visit the 'join us' sec-tion of our websitewww.mtsg.org.uk

Jeff Banks CBE

To advertise in The Messenger please contact

Julia Baskerville on 01253 829431

www.baskerville-publications.co.uk

22 Feature

Im my particular line of work,I come across a lot of jargonand have to remember whatall manner of acronyms actu-ally stand for.

I can be told that the J-Vhopes to be earnings-enhanc-ing by the end of Q1 and if itis, that could provide a boostto local GVA, which would getmore people off JSA.

Of course, however, there willbe concerns that could leadto a period of stagflation.

OMG, this is a serious test ofmy IQ.

There is a danger that devel-opments of real significancecan pass people by as a resultof so much jargon being usedwhen key announcementsare made.

Thankfully, that doesn't ap-pear to be the case with thenews that came out of Chinathis month (which, inciden-tally, was about a J-V involv-

ing BCEG, MAG and GMPF!!).

It all centred around a groupbeing formed to develop the£800m Airport City project onland next to Manchester Air-port, in a move set to create16,000 jobs.

A key feature of the deal is theinvolvement of the BeijingConstruction EngineeringGroup, funded by the biggestbank in China.

This is significant on a num-ber of levels. Firstly, the dealwas announced during atrade mission led by Chancel-lor George Osborne, which isthe first trip taken to China bya senior government figuresince a diplomatic “deepfreeze” set between the twonations after the UK hostedthe Dalai Lama last May.

The fact the Airport City dealis the main announcement tohave been made during MrOsborne's visit, shows justhow important it is.

It was no doubt slightly em-barrassing for London MayorBoris Johnson, who is em-barking on his own Far Eastforay at the same time.

Boris has insisted he is “ab-solutely thrilled” the two tripsare taking place simultane-ously, with the pair set tostand side-by-side at PekingUniversity today, at whichpoint he is eager for them to“talk-up the links betweenLondon and China.”

That jars slightly with thenoises made by the Tatton MPin announcing the AirportCity joint-venture, which hesaid was all about his plan of“making sure more economicactivity in Britain happensoutside the City of London isworking.”

However, away from thejostling within the Tory Party(Boris and George have bothbeen tipped as future lead-ers), it is great Manchester isgrabbing the headlines.

And the fact Airport City isnow set for take off (sorry) isdown to local leadership, justas much (if not miles more)than it is the intervention ofgovernment.

Bosses of Manchester Air-ports Group – in partnershipwith council chiefs – studiedthe success of similarschemes in Amsterdam,Frankfurt and Barcelona andset the wheels in motion toreplicate it here.

The whole idea is to create af-fordable office, warehouseand manufacturing space tobe filled by global companiesthat will benefit from beingnext to an airport.

The Chinese investment an-nounced yesterday has hugesignificance here too.

Firstly, it is hoped Far Eastfirms looking to set up Euro-pean headquarters in thecoming years will be encour-aged to pick Manchester over

other major cities because amajor player from the Orientis already involved.

Secondly, the arrival of busi-nesses with Far East links willfurther strengthen the casefor a direct flight service be-tween Manchester and Chinato be set up.

If all these things come off, itwill mean thousands of jobsfor Manchester and a hugeboost for trade in and out ofthe region.

And on the subject of Man-chester winning out over Lon-don, it was also great to notethat the Manchester office ofEversheds carried out thelegals on the deal.

It pipped firms in the capitalto win the instruction for theAirport City project, which istestament to the legal expert-ise that exists here.

This month Adam Jupp, Head of Business, continues hisseries of articles...

Adam Jupp

23Local News

There may or may not besomething of an identitycrisis among UK law profes-sionals, as they considerwith anxiety the ripplescaused by the collapse ofHalliwells or Corbetts andthe disquiet that permeatesthe legal professions at thesuggestion of one in fivefirms being at risk.

From my perspective, as anOrganisational Developmentspecialist, I am somewhat be-mused by the closedminded-ness of solicitors to otherprofessions as they attemptbravely, but possibly foolishly,to combat their current diffi-culties singlehandedly.

Clearly, inadequately balanc-ing income and expenditureor instances of misconductcan toll the woeful demise ofany firm, legal or otherwise.There are also, what can becollectively called, the perva-sive variables. Things outsidean individual’s or company’scontrol, like the current reces-sion or politically determinedsystemic changes to practice,like the reduction of legal aid,that herald both immediatedemands and a forewarningof further inevitable adjust-ments.

It’s hard to see how smallerlaw firms can face and suc-cessfully withstand the im-

pact of these events. Clientswith generational allegianceto local town centre practiceswill much appreciate theirfamily solicitor’s valiant sur-vival initiatives. Meanwhilethe cry at large is one ofmerger and acquisition, notonly for these small practices,but also for medium sized lawfirms as they marshal suffi-cient critical mass to enhancecapacity.

Despite some firms commit-ting themselves to significantstrategic strides, in respect ofmergers and acquisitions,there’s still a chilling tale re-lated in the new (SRA) Solici-tors Regulation Authorityreport. It identified 55 firms asbeing at high risk of financialinstability, highlighting solici-tors’ practices standing frozenin their inability to either per-ceive, accept or address seri-ous organisational problems,they are both operationallyand strategically inept,demonstrating poor manage-ment, ineffective financial di-rection, and are oftenhampered or hindered byover dominant and mis-guided senior partners.

Members of the legal profes-sion are undoubtedly intellec-tually gifted but today’seconomy requires a variedskills and perspectives to sur-vive. The Legal Support Net-

work website illustrates thebiggest firms utilising thisbroad skill base but invariably,at closer scrutiny, all the jobdescriptions require “experi-ence of professional services”.In other words different skillsare respected but only withincertain parameters. Perhapsat the heart of the SRA reportis an unspoken warning.Don’t try to keep everythingwithin the family. It becomesincestuous and, likely as not,leads to a messy end. To steerthemselves more effectivelysolicitors will need, amongothers, the assistance of Or-ganisational Developmentprofessionals, preferablythose who have experience ofthe broadest canvas of sec-tors, interventions and clientgroups, before it’s too late.

Paul BillingtonOrganisational Development Practitioner

Halliwells, Cobbetts, Harris Cartier - howto avoid being the next for closure?

MANCHESTER PROFESSIONALS’ DINNER CLUB

DATE: Monday, 18th November, 2013 TIME: 6.00 pm for 6.30 pmVENUE: Velvet Central, 2 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5WQCOST: £40.00 + vat @ 20% per ticket – including a welcome drink, three course meal, coffeeand a half bottle of wine (total £48.00)

We are delighted to announce that the next venue for our Manchester Professionals’ DinnerClub is ‘Velvet Central’, bought to us by Mark Cain and Sunni Syal, the team behind the fabu-lous Velvet and Velvet Hotel on Canal Street. There’s a real pavement cafe feel to Velvet Cen-tral with their wonderful terrace, with lunchtime crowds devouring fast-serve salads, andafter-workers missing their buses home to order another bottle of wine!

There’s plenty to like here, whether you’re a fan of the originals or new to the Velvet vibe.Good, crowd-pleasing food, flamboyant decor, and friendly service.

The inside is decked out with mirrors, murals and drapes, and they've opened up the mezza-nine balcony area to create a rococo-styled space for VIP’s or private parties. The menu fea-tures old favourites from the Canal Street Velvet along with a small plates menu and abuild-your-own sharing platter section. Why not come along and see for yourself the de-lights that Velvet Central has to offer?

This is an informal inter-professional social networking event and we hope that it will be anopportunity for:

You to mix and network for both business and social purposes;

Provide a social platform to build professional networks;

Get to know other business practitioners facing the same issues in practice and discussmatters relevant to your business with likeminded people;

Meet people from other professions and practices which may result in cross referral of work;

Enjoy a superb menu and have a fantastic evening with old and new friends!

MENUGlass of Champagne on arrival

~ Starters ~(V) Lightly Spiced Sweet Potato Soup

(V) Layered Vegetable Terrine

Mini Cottage Pie

~ Main Courses ~

Cornfed Chicken Breast with White Bean & Chorizo Stew

Salmon Fillet with Crushed Dill Potatoes & Orange Creamed Leeks

(V) Potato Gnocchi with Goats Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach

~ Pudding Menu ~

Lemon Posset with Shortbread

Raspberry & Chocolate Tart with Crème Chantilly & Berry Coulis

Hazelnut Parfait with Mixed Nut Brittle ~ Filter Coffee/Tea~

Half bottle of wine or soft drinks to the equivalent per person

For further details contact Victoria Ridge0161 241 7472

VictoriaRidge@Manchesterlawsociety.org.uk

‘tis the season to be jolly....In the December edition of the Messenger our Talking Headsquestion will be “What is the best or worst christmaspresent you have ever received?” - please send your responses of no more than 50 words to j.baskerville@btconnect.com no later than 13th November.Please also send a photo, of either yourself, or the present.....

Google is constantly refiningits service. It's just what you'dexpect from an innovativecompany focused on provid-ing the best possible user ex-perience. But for businessestrying to gain visitors andleads via search engine opti-misation, understandingthese changes is vital.

The way Google ranks the re-sults for any search is deter-mined by its algorithm – aconstantly changing set offactors based around code,content and links. The mostrecent change to the algo-rithm is nicknamed Hum-mingbird, and wasannounced in late Septem-ber. It's said to be fast, precise,and another step closer to 'se-mantic search'; providing use-ful answers to searches, ratherthan just matching the wordsthat were searched for.

So what does this mean foryour site? Like countless up-dates before it, Hummingbirdwill reward high quality, in-

depth, authoritative content.It's about the meaning and in-tent of the search, so yourcontent should provide infor-mation and answers ratherthan keyword-stuffed waffle.Of course, SEO experts havebeen saying this for years.

Not ProvidedIf you're working with anagency or have in-house mar-keters, you may have heardthe words 'not provided', usu-ally closely preceded or fol-lowed by a grumble.

For the last two years Googlehas gradually been increasingprivacy for its users. A big partof this is masking the searchterms used to enter a site, pre-venting them from appearingin the site's Google Analyticsreports – returning (not pro-vided) instead. Recentchanges mean that (not pro-vided) is set to increase to100% of Google searches, re-moving a large chunk of thekeyword data that manyagencies and marketers gain

insight from.

It's by no means the end ofsearch engine optimisation,as it has little effect on theway campaigns are run andsites are optimised. What'smissing is the granular, user-by-user keyword data whichprovided transparency as tothe success of those SEO cam-paigns. What this means foryou is minimal, but the smartonline marketing agencieswill already be discussing thiswith you and finding ways tocontinue delivering transpar-ent reporting.

Just as the law sector mustadapt to policy and legisla-tion changes, the marketingindustry must adapt to anyGoogle updates. Strategieswill adapt to Hummingbird,and reporting techniques willadapt to (not provided). Andif you've got a forward-think-ing agency on your side, it'slikely you'll always be onestep ahead of Google's up-dates.

What Google's recent updates mean for you

24 Charity & CSR

Mills & Reeve retains Her-cules cycle challenge title

Legal experts from theManchester office of na-tional law firm, Mills &Reeve, swapped paper-work for pedal power thisweekend to ensure thefirm retained its title aschampion of the HerculesCycle Challenge for thesecond consecutive year.

The annual event saw atotal of 24 Mills & Reeve col-leagues and clients fromacross the firm’s six offices,including five from Man-chester, compete across twocompany teams whichplaced both first and sec-ond in the 100 km racethrough the Surrey hills andinvolving around 3200ft ofclimbing.

The event takes its namefrom the trophy; a vintageHercules bike frame used byteam Hercules in the Tourde France in 1955. The ter-rain was challenging withthe total climb averagingapproximately 1,500m cou-pled with unfavourableweather conditions for theteam as they cycledthrough the impressivescenery on the route. Thetrophy is currently on dis-play in the Mills & ReeveManchester office beforegoing on its own tour of theother participating offices.

Niall Innes, partner at Mills &Reeve’s Manchester office,who took part in the race,said: “Despite a few grazedarms and some very sorelegs, the Hercules challengeis as much about team work

as it is a physical test andthis year we had set our-selves the specific challengeof retaining the trophywhich has been proudly dis-played in our offices for thepast year.

“There was certainly a levelof healthy competitivenessbetween the two Mills &Reeve teams which workedin our favour to secure thetwo top podium places, animpressive feat in itself.”

The Mills & Reeve Manches-ter colleagues taking part inthe challenge includedAmanda Bailey (solicitor),Alison Bull (partner), DavidHawkins (senior solicitor),Mark Hovell (partner andhead of the Manchester of-fice) and Niall Innes (part-ner).

Cycling to success – again!

David Hawkins, Alison Bull, Mark Hovell and Niall Innes.

The Slater & Gordon teamvolunteered for the Bird-house Fund Charity at theManchester Food andDrink Festival 2013 in Al-bert’s Square. The Bird-house fund participates inthe Festival each year,championing the largestselection of home madecakes to be seen in Man-chester.

Charlotte Brinsley, KeithEtherington, Rachel Shafar,Anna Rooney and CharlotteEgan of Slater & GordonLawyers all showed theirsupport on the day helpingto sell the various bakedgoods as well as baking anarray of appetising cakes in-cluding millionaire short-

breads, scones and jam andcarrot cake.

The Birdhouse Fund was setup by Manchester womenfor other local women whoare struggling to achievetheir full potential often be-cause life has dealt themsome nasty knocks.The Fund helps them tomake a new start whetherit’s through training, devel-oping their skills or support-ing them via communityprojects.

Charlotte Brinsley, FamilyLawyer at Slater & Gordonwho is also a committeemember of the BirdhouseFund said “the charity is allabout bringing people to-

gether to raise funds to sup-port women across GreaterManchester who are inneed.

The money raised will makea massive difference andthe charity is delighted withthe efforts of the team atSlater & Gordon in volun-teering their time to help”.

The Birdhouse Fund did awonderful job and over£750 was made on the dayfor this worthy cause. If any-one would like to make afurther donation to thisworthy cause please clickon the following linkhttp://www.justgiving.com/BirdhouseFundCakes13

Slater & Gordon volunteer at Birdhouse Fund Charity

Sale based law firm SlaterHeelis LLP is helping StAnn’s Hospice with a do-nation of £9600 to markthe launch of a series offree Protect Your Familylegal surgeries to assist StAnn’s patients, relativesand staff.

St Ann’s Hospice will receive£9600 to support their es-sential work caring for andhelping around 3,000 pa-tients and their families andcarers every year who are af-fected by cancer and lifelimiting illnesses. Themoney will be used to carryout urgent work replacingsinks for the in-patientwards at Heald Green andproviding new curtains and

blinds. Slater Heelis will alsonow be running regularlegal surgeries in the threeSt Ann’s hospices to advisepatients and their familieson legal issues and deci-sions they may be facingand on how to ensure theirfamilies and assets are pro-tected for the future.

Chris Partington, a Partnerat Slater Heelis LLP andmember of Solicitors for theElderly, is pictured here withFundraising Manager Kat-rina Bury (left) and NickyMonks, Inpatient WardsManager (right). Chris says:“We’re very pleased to beable to help St Ann’s to con-tinue to build upon their in-credibly important four

decades of work in the com-munity. Working with thehospice to launch our freelegal surgeries means thatwe are there to help pa-tients, their families and StAnn’s staff with any legalworries they may have, atwhat can be an upsettingtime.”

Mandy Pope, Major Rela-tionships Manager at StAnn’s Hospice, said: “We’reextremely grateful for thiskind donation from SlaterHeelis. Some of our wardsare in need of freshening upand we want patients to feelthat they’re being cared forin a modern, homely envi-ronment.”

Slater Heelis helps St Ann’s Hospice£9600k donation helps Cheadle hospice and marks launch of free legal surgeries

Send your CSR & Charity news to j.baskerville@btconnect.com

Countdown to Christmas with..

Wrapped in Leather

43 King Street West, Manchester M3 2PWTel: 0161 834 9629/0771 8280672

www.wrappedinleather.co.ukA mail order service is available

Wrapped in Leather is the UK’s largest stockist of The Bridge classic Italian leather products,including ladies handbags, rucksacks and make-up bags, gents shoulder bags and wash bags,briefcases, conference folders, luggage, diaries, organisers as well as stockists of several otherpremier brands including Texier, Braun Buffel, Launer, Becker and Dents.Wrapped in Leather offers some inspirational gift ideas for the coming festive season to suitall ages, tastes and budgets...

Perfect for casual weekends ortravel, this cross body bag has azipped over top, shoulder strap,zipped pocket on back, expandingfront pocket & inside zipped pocket.

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Organise your files and notes withthis A5 or A4 conference wallet.Zipped round 3 sides, 4 inside

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Keep your money safe with thiswallet from the Bridge. Two notesections with additional flap containing an ID or similar panelholding a total of 9 cards

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Classic personal organiser withwrap over front with press stud closure, credit card slots, pen

holder. Sections include diary, A toZ name & address, memo, appointments and notes.

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Business trip? Fabulous and stylish suit carrier

with multigrab handle and detachable shoulder strap.

Don’t forget your toothbrush! Carry all your toiletries in this

stylish washbag with zipped overtop and waterproof lining.

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The only Moorcroft stockistin Manchester

25Lifestyle

Partners Salons are also situated in Poynton and Knutsford

www.partnerssalons.co.uk

£20 blow dry bar available every day withany available stylist please call 0161 425

5206 to book

0161 425 5206We are located on the 2nd Floor, House of Fraser,

Deansgate, Manchester M3 2QG

Spa in the City

Partners Salon is situated on the second floor of House ofFraser, this hidden gem offers everything from hair, nails,waxing and a huge array of beauty treatments, thismonth we are focusing on Germaine de Capuccini the topEuropean skin care house whose premium products arefound in the most exclusive Salons and Spas across theworld.

If you are looking for pure indulgence and total relaxation, we can provide you with a haven where youwill find the most incredible unique sensations, where thebody, mind & spirit converge to feel an unforgettable anddeeply pleasurable experience.

We also retail all Germaine Facial Products and, of course,perfect for presents their divine bath oil and candles,prices from £28 upwards

For further information or to make your bookingplease call Partners on 0161 425 5206

Partners Hair Salons are also situated in Knutsford01565 651819 and Poynton 01625 873112

Partners are offering a 25% discount to readers of the Messenger. Please quote the reference“Manchester Law Society” when making a booking.

26 Lifestyle

The recent recession haschanged the legal marketforever and there is morecompetition for fees thanever before. Dan Gledhill,director of RMS PR, dis-cusses the importance ofdefining and promotingyour brand in order to standout from the competition.

In order to build business intough economic conditionsand in a legal market poisedfor unprecedented change,never has it been so impor-tant for law firms of every sizeto build a strong brand.

Brands are not just the pre-serve of consumer giants. Infact, it can be argued strongbrands have to work evenharder in the business-to-business world, as there areoften more people involvedin the buying cycle.

In a congested and challeng-ing sector there will undoubt-edly be casualties. Lots offirms offering the same serv-ices and clients demandingmore than they ever have be-fore will soon weed out theweak from the strong.

In the simplest terms, brandsexist to simplify choice.Whereas a product or servicedoes something, a brandstands for something andhelps customers narrowdown their shopping list andthen make a final decision. Itis essential that your firm de-fines its brand values and ex-presses them distinctivelyand consistently.

The ideal brand for a law firmis one which incorporatesboth rational and emotionalmeanings. Clearly, it mustguarantee quality and confi-dence in the firm’s ability toprovide commodity basedservices whilst also conveyingan aspiration and perceivedsuperiority.

A strong B2B brand is built onfive pillars, which are ex-pressed through every aspectof your firm’s business and ex-perienced by the core targetaudience. A high awarenessamongst the target, highquality products and services,a distinctive standpoint, a de-fined personality and consis-tent delivery at every touch

point are what makes a brandstand out.

Just about every legal firm wespeak to believes it offers highquality advice and service.But so it should, after all it’swhat you do on a daily basisand quality really should be agiven.

What firms are more likely tostruggle with is how to con-vey their message to achieveclient confidence and desire;in other words, how to posi-tion the firm to be a light-house in a fog of uncertainty.And this is where the fun be-gins.

To achieve a strong brand youmust understand three keycomponents; external propo-sition, internal drivers and thefirm’s personality.

The external proposition isthe key offer to your audi-ence; why they should buyfrom you. And remember, thiswon’t be quality of productand service; every firm will saythey offer that as a matter ofcourse.

The internal drivers are thingswhich drive your actions anddecision making. They’re thelong term vision, the funda-mental values which shapeyour behaviour and your be-liefs – the things which makeyou get out of bed in a morn-ing.

Thirdly, your personality is thestyle and tone with which youcommunicate and manifestthe brand in all applications.In other words, how you be-have, how you look and howyou talk.

When these three compo-nents all come together, insupport of your firm’s core in-tent, you will find you havethe basis of a strong brand tohelp you achieve your busi-ness goals.

If this sounds daunting, youneedn’t worry. All the ideasand vision to bring yourbrand to fruition and to theattention of your target mar-ket will already be in exis-tence within yourorganisation. Remember,you’re not reinventing the

wheel. It is simply a case ofunlocking the ideas, bringingthem together coherentlyand consistently and sharingthem with all employees sothe whole firm lives thebrand.

In practice, this newly definedbrand will have a huge im-pact on the everyday runningof your business. If imple-mented in a structured andconsistent manner, yourstronger brand will conveysuperiority in the market-place, justify your price premi-ums and increase customerloyalty. It will enable you todifferentiate your firm fromthe competition and motivatepotential new clients to in-struct you.

A strong brand does not sim-ply mean a new visual iden-tity or logo for the firm. Manyfirms undertake a brandproposition developmentproject to define or refinetheir position in the marketand to create a relevant, moti-vating and differentiatedproposition. The existingcompany logo and visual

branding may, or may not, fitin with that vision, but thiswill become clear during theprocess.

With more choice than everbefore in the market, thosefirms with the strongestbrands and the clearest vi-sions will have the best op-portunities for success.

Dan GledhillRMS PR

What does your brand say about you....and is it what you’d like people to hear?

Dan Gledhill

28 Lifestyle

7 Reasons You MUST Have Optimal Vitamin D Levels

Vitamin D is one of the most important biochemical markers we aim to optimise with ourpersonal training clients. Why? Read on…

In recent years, vitamin D (actually part vitamin – part hormone) has gone from being theuseless looking kid at the back of class, to centre stage; boasting a host of benefits fromhealth to body composition and athletic performance:

1. Cut your risk of cancer: vitamin D has been shown to reduce risk of cancer in hormonerelated cancers, including breast, cervical, endometrial, prostate, pancreatic and colon.

2. Cut your risk of chronic conditions. Vitamin D is anti-inflammatory, and inflammationis at the root of many chronic diseases. Studies show that risk of heart disease, hyperten-sion, diabetes, and cognitive impairment are decreased with optimal levels. A lack of vi-tamin D is also associated with depression.

3. Vitamin D is essential for muscle growth and male hormone health – even moderatelevels of supplementation have been shown to increase testosterone levels by 20%.

4. Vitamin D has been shown to promote fat loss in women – low levels may pre-disposethe body to fat accumulation, and an association between obesity and low vitamin D lev-els has been shown in the published literature.

5. Need improved strength and athletic performance? In a number of studies those with

higher levels of vitamin D showed significant improvements in strength and performance.

6. Boost your immune system. Vitamin D is essential for immune system health, priming‘T’ cells, which can help keep you healthy.

7. Reduce your risk of osteoporosis and improve your bone health. Vitamin D is vital forcalcium metabolism and bone health!

As vitamin D can be toxic to the liver at high levels (250 nmol/l +), it is essential that test-ing is performed on a regular basis while supplementing. Based on the latest researchthree sixtyº recommends a level of 125-180 nmol/l. The NHS currently recommends a levelof 50nmol/l or above (it used to be 20 nmol/l), but don’t worry, they’ll catch up to the re-search in another 10 years or so.

My vitamin D level? 141.3 nmol.

Vitamin D testing is quick, accurate, easy, and cheap. We supply our clients with testswhich can be performed at home and are processed by our lab for only £25.

three sixtyº Personal Training is based on Bridge St and is a bespoke, private per-sonal training gym dedicated to taking care of Manchester’s busy professionals.

For more information visit www.threesixtypersonaltraining.co.uk, call Matt on07971 192357, or email matt@360personaltraining.co.uk

Manchester Law Society Members receive a 10% discount on personal training uponproduction of their Benefits of Membership Card

Monthly Competition

To win a 2 course meal and cocktail for a family of 4 (mocktails and shakesavailable ) answer the following question:

Q Who is Bean’s named after?

and send to FranEccles-Bech@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk no later than13th November 2013.

Bean's has reopened its door as a new, brighter and can wedare say it, cooler and smoother operator. With a brand newtheme and a swing in our step, we are offering up ourselves ona plate to you. We have taken inspiration from our location withprinting and industry being at the forefront of the design. Cus-tomers can sit cosily in our home-made library courtesy ofparamount books shop on shude hill, can leave feedback onone of our typewriters that are authentic and smell of yearsgone by, can lounge on reupholstered sofas that we have doneourselves or drink cocktails for tin cans to remind us of a timebefore swanky hurricane glasses!. We wanted to put our ownstamp on Bean's...make it about us, where we are and the peo-ple that come to us. Yes we are part of a big company but whatwe do here in Manchester is not about that at all...the ideascome from us and are executed by us. Our company operatewine bars and restaurants....with 2 bean's in the portfolio, weare not a fat cat....we are practically an independent!

We select our butcher and bakers so that only the best foodcomes out of our kitchen.....our staff are passionate about mak-ing and shaking great cocktails. There is no ping ping boil in thebag or topped up premixed cocktails from a carton....this iswhat we care about....a great bar serving great drinks...andsome great food to boot!

Most venues have a history, a background...where the ideacame from...I just looked at where we were and what being inthe Printworks means to me and my team. Henry J Bean's usedto be where Venus is now....it was a small but busy cocktail barthat served wings and burgers and some Americanclassics...but the focus was always on cocktails and a good oldtime... I want that for this Bean's now. And how will we make agood old time? With funky house on a Saturday, 90's dance ona Friday and a compilation mixed tape made by staff for mid-week drinking...we want to cover the bases but stand out fromthe crowd. We want for people to forget about the old fash-ioned name and logo, forget about the location and what theythink they know about us....and to give us a try and see whatwe've got.

The W according to Franrld

Cruisin’...........................

Due to Peter’s accident, thehouse move, catching upwith work, the hormonal,grunting 18 year old (andthe fall out from the massivetelephone bill whilst wewere away) I really haven’thad the time to write a fullcolumn for this month.

I am writing this on Friday,4th October and am due togo away on my 50th birth-day cruise tomorrow morn-ing. As you will have read inearlier editions this was abirthday pressie from Peterand my very good friendKate. Not only am I goingaway with Kate but Peterisn’t coming – god help theother passengers. I amVERY, VERY giddy!

I will write next monthabout my virgin cruise expe-

riences but thought I wouldfill this column with photosof The Messenger in themost obscure places I canfind whilst on my travels.This is the gauntlet to youall for you to send in yourphotos of the Messenger inweird and wonderful places!(PS little tip – don’t take thewhole thing – just take offthe outer pages!)

I have just spoken to Kate,my friend, who is THE MOSTUNORGANISED person Iknow. She hasn’t done heron-line booking for thecruise or got any travel in-surance yet (it is 4.00 pmand we go tomorrow at 5.00am!) but she has got thekids sorted thank goodness!We are flying to Rome andhaving a night in Rome firstthen getting the ship andvisiting Sicily, Turkey andGreece.

I have been to Rome beforeand loved it but Kate hasn’tand so I asked her what shewanted to see – the Vatican,the Spanish Steps, the Coli-seum, Palatine Hill and theRoman Forum, the Capi-tolini Museums or theBorghese Gallery – she said“can we just go shoe shop-ping and are we havingchampagne on the plane!”

29Lifestyle

When in Rome...Ready for the off...

Sunbathing....

In a champagne bar, Crete....

Ephesus, Turkey

The port of Messina

St Peter’s Square, Rome

At the Acropolis

Messenger’s fave drink onthe cruise - but which one?

Expert Witnesses

Commercial Property Locum Solicitor available. Computer lit-erate. Recent experience includes a year’s CommercialProperty Locum work for a lead-ing commercial practice. PhonePaul Bryson at 01457 763340 ore-mail paul.bryson@virgin.net

Senior residential and commercial property Solicitorwith over 4 years continuousLocum experience offers you costeffective solutions for holidaymaternity and sickness cover .NoAgency fees to pay. Please contact Martin Libman on 0161485 1240 or 07939 508543.

18 years as Locum Solicitors inthe North West. Tel JohnBradley/Lynda Greenwood 07790612906 Available to deal withConveyancing and Family.

WHY PAY AGENCY FEES?Senior Residential Property Solicitor with over 30 years coveyancing experience (29 yearsas a sole practitioner) availablefor holidays, maternity and sickness cover. Reasonable rates.If I can help, please telephoneDavid on 07896 617287 (or emaildavidswann8491@hotmail.co.uk) further details and availability.

DUAL QUALIFIED, very experi-enced criminal specialist advo-cate with higher rights. Crimework and Crown Court work.Very resonable rates, short termlocum contract considered. Please contact Christine on01772 741816 or 07967 530138

Mark Mattison, a Mediatorbased in South Manchester isavailable for commercial

mediations and for training onall forms of ADR.

07831 302797mark@markmattison.co.ukwww.markmattison.co.uk

Solicitor with 23 years experience in such matters

available on an Agency basisto assist firms who wish to

keep clients in-house. Please contact by email

harryrosenblum@hotmail.co.ukor telephone/fax: 0161 445 1850

Shareholder Disputes

Classified DirectoryCEDR Mediation

CEDR Mediator

Joe Shammah is a CEDR Accredited Mediator,

undertaking Mediations inCommercial Litigation cases

and Training for Solicitors and Barristersconducting Mediations.

Tel: 07860 844481

email: mediator@joeshammah.co.uk

Contact us....

THE MANCHESTER LAW SOCIETY64 Bridge Street, Manchester M3 3BNTel: 0161 831 7337 Fax: 0161 839 2631www.manchesterlawsociety.org.ukEditor: Fran Eccles-BechE-mail: FranEccles-Bech@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk

Publisher: Julia Baskerville Publications25 Southworth Way, College Farm, Thornton CleveleysLancs FY5 2WW Tel/Fax: 01253 829431 E-mail: j.baskerville@btconnect.comAdvertising enquiresj.baskerville@btconnect.comwww.baskerville-publications.co.uk

All rights reserved, reproduction in whole or part without written permission fromthe publisher is not permitted. Photographic material and manuscripts are suppliedat owners risk, neither the company not its agents accept any liability for loss ordamage.

The Society welcomes articles and letters from members on any topic and items should be sent to the above address

The views and opinions expressed in the Manchester Messenger are those of the individual contributors and not of The Manchester Law Society.

Locums

Notary Public

Notary Public John Cusack

worldwide documents Notarised

accessible & efficient servicehome & office visits

well-established (since 1984)& experienced

tel: 0797 332 9791

jocusa@live.co.uk

Senior Residential Property Solicitor

seeks position (full time or part time).

Over 30 years coveyancing experience

(29 years as a sole practitioner) Anywhere in the Greater

Manchester area.Email: davidswann8491@hotmail.co.uk

or telephone David on 07896 617287

Luxury Spanish ApartmentGolfing Breaks & Family Holidays

l2 Bedrooms (1 Double, 1 Twin)l Pool

lFrontline golf viewslExcellent family facilities

lGated resort with restaurants, pub and shops

Prices start from £125 Per Week / £29 per night (min 3 nights)

www.alhama-golf-rentals.comirarmitage@gmail.com

07748 327062

Holiday Property

Situations Wanted

Couriers

City centre based couriers covering all aspects of courier work and more.

Contact 0161 272 7576 Mike or Steve.

Easedale is a delightful rural retreat set in several acres of wooded hillside groundswhich are graced with the presence of many different varieties of birds, badgers,deer and red squirrels - one in particular who regularly visits the tree right outsidethe front door!

There are some well-known walks from the door including Alcock Tarn, Loughrigg,Fairfield and the Rydal Round. Grasmere village is only a short walk down the hill,where you will find a wealth of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs and the famousGingerbread shop. Dove Cottage and Grasmere lake are also only a short walkaway.

Accommodation: Front door entrance into hallway with space for coats and boots.Door leading off to the sitting room/dining room/bedroom (TV/DVD/CD/Ipoddocking station), which has high ceilings, period cornicing and large sash win-dows with lovely views towards Grasmere lake and Silver Howe beyond. Furtherdoors lead off the hallway to the shower room with corner shower, basin and wc,and also to the well equipped kitchen in a modern shaker style.

Available for short breaks Friday to Monday, Monday to Friday or week long book-ings in October, November & December 2012 and January – March 2013 from aslittle as £200

To check availability please email petershrigley@hotmail.com or call07810 793649

Grasmere in the Lake District Autumn and Winter breaks from £200

To place an advertisementin The Messenger please

call Lee Gilbert on 07971 706 2783

or email j.baskerville@btconnect.comwww.baskerville-publications.co.uk

31ClassifiedManchester Law Society

Kitchens and Bedrooms

· Sliding Mirror Doors

· Laminate Floors

· Joinery Work

· Plumbing and Electrics

Call for a FREE Quote. Telephone Barry on:07789430041 or 01925 657205

10% OFF WITH THIS VOUCHER

3D Designs Available

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Kitchen Fitting Service