Volume 13 Issue 4 December 2011
/Beswicks Solicitors LLP, Sigma House, Festival Park, ST1 5RY Tel . 01782 205000
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North Staffordshire Law Society NewsMessage from the Editor
Its been a busy year for the North Staffs Law Society as we try to represent our members during these unprecedented times. The profession is facing some of the most noteworthy regulatory changes it has done in recent times and all firms, big or small, have found themselves familiarising themselves with rafts of new regulations.
I wish to take this opportunity, on behalf of myself and the Management Committee to say a massive thank you to Peter Beresford who formally retired as the Society’s Secretary. Peter’s contribution to the NSLS cannot be underestimated and his loyal and dedicated service has helped make the Society what it is today. Peter passes the mantle on to Steve Kirwan and I am sure that I speak for all of the Management Committee and the Society’s members in wishing Peter all the very best.
For the first time we are also sending out the Newsletter by email. We hope that this will improve service to our members whilst also reducing costs. If you have any feedback or comments in respect of this new format then please do contact me.
Best wishes,
Richard Simmonds
Editor
Beswicks Solicitors LLP
Presidents Letter
Welcome to North Staffordshire Law Society’s first e-newsletter!
We hope it is useful – and most importantly that it reaches all of our members. If you are aware of a member who has not received it please ask them to get in touch.
“Tis the season to be jolly..” but your Management Committee is currently working hard on a number of initiatives to move the NSLS forward. The new Articles of Association, with new categories of membership and hopefully streamlined administration, were approved at the AGM and are an important step in the process of developing the Society. The new Articles and the Minutes of the AGM are on the website: www.nsls.org.uk. Those that were at the AGM will be aware that the text of the President’s address that appears below is not precisely as delivered – all references to the Borough Arms have, for example, been excluded - but the salient points are contained within it.
I refer in that address to the challenges facing the profession and it is important, in my view, that we face such adversity together. There will be a number of events throughout the year and I look forward to seeing as many members, existing and new, there as possible.
Kind regards and seasons greeting to all.
Andrea Bruce
President
Knights solicitors llp
Notes from the President
President’s Address to the AGM
Thank you, to you all, for putting me in post as President of the North Staffordshire Law Society.
Many new Presidents have stood in my position at the AGM and referred to the privilege they felt in taking up post. It is – and not a cliché for me to say it is.
I have had the privilege of working with many Presidents and learning from them over the approximately 18 years I have been involved with the North Staffordshire Law Society.
When I arrived at Knights in 1993 I asked Ian White, my training principal, about the local Trainee and Young Solicitors Group. At that time none existed – but there was a ring fenced pot of money sitting in the accounts of the North Staffordshire Society for such a group. What an incentive! With other like minded young professionals and the support of the “senior” Society – Margaret King was President at that time, followed by Ann Morris, we established what was then the “NSTYSG” – now the JLD – and my involvement with the “senior” Society began as I represented my new group on what was then I think the Communications Committee.
Without fail Presidents have referred in addressing the Society to the challenges facing us as a profession – sometimes due to changes in regulation; sometimes due to cutbacks to public funding and sometimes due to the economic climate. Presently we face all 3!
I consider my role is to ensure that the local Law Society supports its members in such times in a way that is relevant to you and in a way that is an efficient use of your membership fee. The proposed new Articles of Association are part of the means of achieving that.
Our membership predominantly comprises solicitors in private practice. There are a lot of “employed” solicitors in our area and in the past in-house solicitors have taken an active part in the Society. With recent funding cuts we have seen this element of our membership decline. There is benefit to both groups in being able to network and share experience and we will be exploring how to resume those links.
It won’t surprise anyone that with my history I am keen to support the Junior Lawyers Division. Many Presidents have spoken of strengthening links and of those in the JLD being the future of the profession. They need our support now more than ever (and they have said as much to me).
As someone who moved to this area in 1989 as an under-graduate at Keele and has never left, I am always surprised when I hear that graduate retention in North Staffordshire is a problem. At the other end of the spectrum much is also said of the lack of aspiration amongst young children and teenagers in the area, particularly within the more disadvantaged areas of Stoke-on-Trent.
These are two areas where I would like to investigate what we, as a local Law Society can do, to assist.
My chosen charity for the year is all about inspiring young people and it does so through the Arts. A small, local charity, you can expect to see Speight of the Art at many of our events throughout the year. You will hear more about them at the January lunch.
These are the outward facing aspects of the Society. Solicitors, and personal injury solicitors in particular, had some bad press in the Sentinel earlier in the year. I would like to see the good news message about our profession out there. In more recent months we have fared rather better. Nicola had an excellent write up in the Sentinel for the monies raised for the North Staffordshire Adventure Playground and was interviewed on Stoke Radio earlier this week. She is to be congratulated for this.
I hope to be able to introduce a short Awards ceremony at the March Dinner and Ball, reflecting the good work I know many of our members do in the local community. More detail will follow on this. As ever, if anyone has any time to support initiatives such as the awards, I would be very pleased to hear from you.
We do need to know what members want. Peter Beresford mentioned at our last Management Committee meeting that people had suggested more training events to him and we hope to respond to this, possibly working jointly with Stafford Law Society.
It remains for me to thank Nicola for her efforts this year. Nicola has thanked Peter Beresford as outgoing Honorary Secretary and I would like to thank the Management Committee generally for giving their time in the way that they do to further the aims of this Society.
Andrea Bruce
President
Knights solicitors llp
EVENTS
Social Scene
DATE / Event / Venue / Time18th January 2012 / Lunch / Bauhinia
Oliver Speight from Speight of the Art will join us. / 12.30-2pm
25th January 2012 / Early Doors Drink / TBC / 5.15-
7pm
23rd March 2012 / Dinner, Ball & Awards / Britannia Stadium
Speaker Tony Scholes / TBC
9th May 2012 / Lunch / Potters Club
Lucy Scott Moncrieff, Law Society Vice-President will join us / 12.30-2pm
September 2012 / Lunch / TBC / 12.30-2pm
I’m looking forward to 2012 Olympic celebrations and all the Gold Medals we will win! How can NSLS get involved? Any ideas for an event? Please let me know by email or telephone me 07964858141.
The next 2 events to look forward in 2012 will be a delicious buffet at Bauhinia on 18th January which is free to all paid up members and if you haven’t managed to sign up by the 18th we have an early doors free drink on 25th January at which we are hoping to welcome all our new members and any prospects. Please come and join us.
Keep an eye out for our flyers there’s lots going on next year.
Nicola Quinlan
Entertainments Officer
Quinlans Solicitors Ltd
Special Thanks to Long Serving Local Law Society Secretary
Peter Beresford from Dicksons Solicitors has retired from his position as Honorary Secretary of the North Staffordshire Law Society after serving in the role for 31 years. His firm Dicksons have fulfilled the Honorary Secretary role for over 85 years since 1926. Peter was awarded with a special gift with thanks for his service and commitment to the Society over the years by outgoing local Law Society President Nicola Quinlan at the recent AGM at The Potters Club. Mr Beresford says he “is honoured to have served the local profession and its members for such a long time” and now looks forward to handing over the role to the newly appointed Secretary, Steve Kirwan.
Jessica Costello
President-Elect
Knights solicitors llp
North Staffordshire Law Society Inaugural Awards 2012
We intend to introduce an Awards Ceremony at the Dinner and Ball this year. It ibis not intended to prolong the “business” part of the evening, but will hopefully provide some entertainment and good publicity for the profession. The categories currently proposed are :
• Lifetime contribution to legal community;
• Lawyer in the community
• Pro bono project
• Undergraduate Essay Competition
More detail will follow in January with the deadline for nominations being around 17 February – so start thinking about those good news stories we can publicise! As a way of linking committed and local undergraduates to local firms it is proposed that those who are shortlisted in the Undergraduate Essay Competition should be hosted by member practices. A discounted ticket price for the Dinner and Ball for the undergraduates will be available for this. Any firms who wish to take advantage of this opportunity should contact me – as should anyone interested in judging a category!
Email me on
Andrea Bruce
President
Knights solicitors llp
Junior Lawyers Division
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as Kate Price, the Staffordshire Junior Lawyers Division president for the 2011/2012 year.
For those of you unfamiliar with the JLD, The JLD was set up to provide support, advice, information and networking opportunities. The Staffordshire JLD is a community for your needs and represents all student members enrolled with the Law Society, trainees, and solicitors with up to 5 years' pqe. We also welcome members who are paralegals and legal executives. The membership fee is £10 per fee earner, which can be paid by each firm, or individually.
Our current committee is also made up of :
· Sarah Harrison, out going president and current vice-president, who works at Stoke City Council as an in house lawyer
· Rachel Hackney, treasurer, and trainee solicitor at Knights
· Holly Voce, social secretary, solicitor at Bowcock and Pursail
Other committee members include Ali Collier and Natasha Clarke from Nowell Meller, Tim Bailey from Bowcock and Pursail, Sara- Jane Davidson from Roger Brooks and Co, Sarah Butler from Thompsons, and Monica Bhakri from Attwood Solicitors, as well as four student representatives currently undergoing their LPC at Staffordshire University.
We recently held at Bingo event at Mecca Bingo in Hanley, which was attended by both committee and non-committee members. Although we had a very good turn out, unfortunately, our winning percentage was not quite so good.
Our upcoming events include a bowling evening in late January which will allow JLD members and the chance to meet the current committee and hopefully attract new members as well. We are also planning an informal ‘tea and cakes’ drop in session at Staffordshire University where students can come and chat to the committee members about any questions they may have regarding training contracts, the legal profession or interviews.
We look forward to working in conjunction with the NSLS for the recruitment drive which will be held on the 25th January 2012.
I hope to see you at our upcoming events, and should you have any queries regarding membership or the JLD generally, please do not hesitate to contact me on .
Kate Price
President
Attwoods Solicitors
This Newsletter has been prepared by members of the North Staffordshire Law Society Management Committee.The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Committee or the wider views of the Local Law Society.
Any correspondence should be addressed to Richard Simmonds at Beswicks Solicitors LLP: Sigma House Office.
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