Tag Archives: legal

Law, Midlands News, News

Talbots Law’s recruitment campaign gathers pace with ten new trainees

Talbots Law has marked the next stage of its 150-strong recruitment campaign in 2022 by setting ten members of the team on their pathways to becoming qualified solicitors.

Adeela Ali, Cindy La, Denielle Chatta-Sandhu, Dominic Bowen, Emma McIntosh, Sharon Garcha, Shaye McInnis and Zara Rafiq became Trainee Solicitors earlier this month, each undertaking a Training Contract which will see them specialise in their chosen area of law, with the end goal of qualifying and joining the national roll of solicitors.

This is the second intake this year at the employee-owned Midlands law firm and brings the total number of current Trainee Solicitors to seventeen, with a commitment to offering a further twenty positions to other colleagues in 2023 and 2024.

The new Trainees are joined by Abbie Danks and Ethan Davis, who both started their highly sought-after Solicitor Apprenticeships. This will see them progress through a work-based degree pathway whilst working at Talbots, earning the qualifications and experience required to become solicitors.

“We are really pleased to have so many colleagues starting their Training Contracts and Solicitor Apprenticeships. This is testament to the commitment, quality and ability of the amazing people that are part of our employee-owned business,” explained Rachel Pardoe, HR Director at Talbots Law.

“Investment in staff is so important to our business; we want to support and encourage them to be the best they can be, and our track-record of career development and high retention rates speak for themselves.”

She continued: “Our new Trainees and Solicitor Apprentices should all be incredibly proud of themselves, and we hope they’re enjoying the well-deserved celebrations that mark the start of the next chapter of their exciting journey.”

Back in 2018, Talbots pioneered a new SRA-approved approach to Training Contracts which allowed Trainees to undertake thorough training in their chosen area of specialism pre-qualification.

The company, which invested £400,000 into a new HQ at The Waterfront earlier this year, builds its approach to career development uniquely focused on the individual; professional qualifications such as Training Contracts, SQE, Apprenticeships, CILEx, CLC are factored into career progression plans for existing employees alongside workplace learning and what the firm refers to as ‘role-related progression’.

In addition to professional qualifications, it has celebrated role-related promotions for over 150 of their 375 staff in 2022 alone.

The philosophy underlines part of Talbot’s ‘train to retain’ approach, ensuring Trainees are specialised and experienced enough to take on a NQ Solicitor role on their qualification and to move forward on the next step of their career progression journey.

Denielle Chatta-Sandhu, a new Trainee Solicitor with Talbots, said: “It has long been my dream to become a Solicitor and I feel incredibly grateful to Talbots for giving me an opportunity to achieve it.

“Through my legal work today, I have found a real passion for residential conveyancing and knowing I’ll now have the opportunity to specialise, build experience and, ultimately, qualify in this field has given me so much motivation to crack on and make my career everything I believe it can be.”

Abbie Danks, an Apprentice Solicitor with Talbots, added her support: “I got good A-levels, but the traditional university lifestyle and pathway just never appealed to me, despite the fact I knew I wanted to be a lawyer and that going to university was the widely accepted route to achieving that.

“At Talbots, I’ve been told since day one that I can make my career what I want it to be, and it feels incredible to have that promise fulfilled, enabling me to earn my degree and qualify as a solicitor in a way that feels so much better for me as a person. I’ve been given a unique opportunity and I’m so grateful for it.”

Going forward, Talbots will continue to recruit aspiring solicitors into permanent Legal Assistant and Paralegal roles with a view to them undertaking their Training Contracts or SQE qualifications.

The company is also actively recruiting for new positions in four of their eight offices, with opportunities becoming available throughout the year.

Rachel concluded: “A lot has happened in 2022 and this includes the launch of the prestigious new Talbots Training Academy, offering aspiring property lawyers the opportunity to join an initial intensive six-week work-based training programme before joining our National Conveyancing Department in a Legal Assistant role.”

International News, Law, News, North of England

Taylors Solicitors advises iconic sailing brand Henri-Lloyd on its sale to ODLO

A Switzerland-based performance brand is to acquire iconic UK sailing and lifestyle brand Henri-Lloyd Group.

A team at north west law firm Taylors Solicitors has advised the owners of Henri-Lloyd on the sale to ODLO, a specialist sport and outdoor clothing brand which is owned by Monta Rosa Capital.

The acquisition, for a substantial undisclosed sum, is expected to be completed shortly.

Taylors’ team of advisers was led by corporate partners Andrew Livesey and Matthew Catterall and the firm’s head of commercial property, partner John Lomax.

Andrew said: “Henri-Lloyd is an iconic British brand, and we are delighted to have been able to work with the business over the past few years, culminating in the current deal with ODLO.

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to be associated with such a dynamic business and team of individuals, and a brand that is instantly recognised worldwide. This was a particularly pressurised deal, with a substantial amount of detail to be dealt with in a short timescale.

“There were plenty of early starts and late finishes, with all of the professional team fully focused on the task in hand.”

Taylors advised Henri-Lloyd when it last changed hands in 2018, when the brand and valuable assets were acquired out of administration by a group of investors led by Hans Eckerström with the aim of re-establishing the company as the premier brand for yachtsmen and sailors around the world.

Henri-Lloyd was established in Manchester in 1963 and has 85 staff in its UK retail business.

Hans Eckerström, chairman of Henri-Lloyd, said: “The acquisition of Henri-Lloyd by ODLO opens up tremendous opportunities for the brand to reach its true potential to the benefit of all shareholders, both current and future.

“Joining a family of successful companies that share values and goals will accelerate our growth. Most importantly that journey will be based on quality, innovation and striving for sustainability – principles that the Henri-Lloyd team hold dearly.”

Henri-Lloyd was founded by Henri Strzelecki, who set out to create the world’s best and most durable waterproof clothing. He created several world-firsts within technical clothing that have today become industry standards, including seam taping garments for waterproofing and the invention of the nylon non-corrosive zip.

The Henri-Lloyd team will continue to be located in Manchester, and will collaborate with the ODLO group in the development of the brand and a new generation of innovative products.

ODLO chairman Hugo Maurstad said: “We are excited about including Henri-Lloyd into our family of brands. It is an iconic brand with a proud history. Together we aspire to further expand its product range and geographic footprint.

“Henri-Lloyd and ODLO are both companies that originated from technical innovations in outdoor sport apparel and they will complement each other going forward.”

ODLO chief executive Knut Are Høgberg said: “By leveraging ODLO’s comprehensive infrastructure, we can concentrate investments towards the Henri-Lloyd brand and its customers while progressing on the ambitious sustainability agenda of all brands within ODLO International.

“We warmly welcome the Henri-Lloyd team to the ODLO family and look forward to working together going forward.”

AI, News

ThoughtRiver announce risk management revolution with the first AI contract review tool developed specifically for the construction industry

Legal tech pioneer promises faster review, negotiation, and approval of construction and engineering appointments, using industry-specific AI.

Cambridge, ENGLAND, May 2022. ThoughtRiver, one of the UK’s leading legal technology companies, has announced the development of a tool tailored to reviewing construction and engineering appointments. The tool is already being used by leading law firm Shoosmiths LLP and Engineering Consultancy Hoare Lea.

ThoughtRiver’s contract acceleration platform, which uses a combination of Natural Language Processing and Semantic Matching to automatically generate a checklist of key risks and recommended actions in moments, is already used by multinationals across the globe including Schindler, DB Schenker and 3 of the ‘big 4’ accountancy firms. This latest development, however, is the first time the AI aficionados have turned their attention to developing a specific solution for the construction industry.

“Contract risk management has become an acute priority in recent years because of increased insurer scrutiny of liability clauses when determining whether to offer cover and at what price. For consultants, this can squeeze profitability and in extreme cases threaten viability. It was clear that our unique technology and content can offer significant benefits when applied to the review of construction and engineering appointments,” says Tim Pullan, CEO, and Founder of ThoughtRiver. “There is such an obvious synergy between what the industry needs in terms of contracting consistency, cost savings and portfolio risk visibility and the capabilities we can offer. We are delighted that we’ve been able to develop a much-needed tool that is also a market first.”

Hamish Gray, Director of Legal and Commercial at Hoare Lea, said “We scanned the market for an AI capability capable of being trained to review our appointments and found a clear winner in ThoughtRiver with a compelling business case supporting the investment. It is no surprise that they lead the way in contract acceleration for larger enterprises. The platform generates its first pass risk review in minutes which is a fraction of the time it takes a human to read through a typical appointment.”

ThoughtRiver have good reason to be confident in the construction industry: their Head of Legal Content, responsible for developing and training the tool, is Iain Murdoch – a well-known figure in the construction law world and ex Head of Construction Law for Practical Law. “I built the tool I would want to use.” Iain says, “ThoughtRiver analyses an appointment and produces a report of key issues very fast. I’m certain that it will prove its value to anyone who uses it!”

Hamish Gray adds, “Working with the ThoughtRiver team has been a really positive experience. I’ve been impressed by their AI technology and their in-depth knowledge of our industry. We were already mature in our risk processes, and they’re developing a tool that should enable us to go to another level.”

The tool works out of the box and is continually trained against a large basket of relevant documents, and coms pre-configured with advice notes and drafting suggestions. It can also be tailored to an organisation’s playbook to create a bespoke review. Anyone interested in seeing ThoughtRiver’s new construction and engineering appointment contract review in action for themselves can request a demo through their website at thoughtriver.com or register for their upcoming webinar: https://content.thoughtriver.com/acceleratingappointments

Law, Midlands News, News

Talbots Law embarks on 100 jobs drive with new trainee appointments and qualifications

One of the West Midlands fastest growing law firms has announced the next stage of a recruitment push that is creating more than 100 new jobs across its offices in Birmingham, the Black Country and Worcestershire.

Talbots Law, which became an Employee Owned Trust in 2021, is celebrating the qualification of two new solicitors and the start of five new training contracts as the company looks to execute its five-year plan to grow to £25m in annual fees.

Based in the Halesowen and Stourbridge property teams respectively, Terri Keenan and Ben Puplett have both come through the unique training programme that allows trainees to specialise in one area of law for the duration of their contract, as opposed to the traditional rotational model of working across different disciplines.

Hoping to emulate the duo are Amy Steventon, Ella Ward, Parris Williams, Pav Suraj and Shabina Khatoon, who all began their training contracts on April 1st.

Offering a significant number of training contracts is part of Talbots Law’s ‘Train to Retain’ initiative, which ensures that trainees receive extensive experience in the specialism of their choice. This means they are ready to continue in more senior, full-time roles immediately on completion of their training.

Rachel Pardoe, HR Director at Talbots Law, commented: “We’re very proud of all our employees and to have so many trainees both qualifying and starting their training contracts is testament to the hard work and quality of the people we have supporting them.

“We invest heavily to ensure employees are work-ready and a retention rate of 98% speaks for itself.

“They should all be incredibly proud of themselves, and we hope they’re enjoying a well-deserved celebration of their achievements.”

Terri Keenan, a newly qualified solicitor with Talbots, added her support: “I’ve had a fantastic educational experience while learning how to be a solicitor, but for me it’s also the personal development that’s made such a big difference.

“I started as a paralegal and have been able to progress consistently thanks to the support I’ve received, and I’ve seen a huge development in my confidence and self-esteem as a result.

“Being offered a permanent role following the completion of my contract is fantastic. I’m now working full-time as a solicitor alongside friends and colleagues who’ve been with me every step of the way – that is the realisation of my dream.”

Talbots Law will be hosting a Careers Event later this month for students and career-changers who are interested in learning more about the firm’s recruitment drive.

Due to be held on April 27th at the company’s Waterfront offices in Brierley Hill, the open evening will provide an insight into the careers and job opportunities coming up, with existing members of staff on hand to talk about their own experiences and achievements.

Rachel Pardoe concluded: “If we are going to more than double the size of our business by 2027, we need to attract the best aspiring talent and our Heads of Departments have all committed to increasing the number of training contracts we are planning to award.

“Trainee positions are currently available at our Birmingham, Dudley, Stourbridge and Wolverhampton offices, with more set to be announced shortly. There’s never been a better time to be joining Talbots.”

Education, Law, News

The University of Law launches SQE 1 Preparation for Legal Professionals course

The University of Law (ULaw) has launched a new course for professionals working in the legal industry who are looking to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales using the SQE pathway. 

 

The new course is designed to ease the pressure of studying and working full time and is spread out over 40 weeks, with 10 hours of study per week. The SQE1 Preparation for Legal Professionals course is flexible, allowing students to pause their studies, allowing maximum flexibility around professional workloads.  

 

ULaw’s SQE programmes focus not only on preparing to take the SQE but also on enhancing the commercial and personal skills and behaviours needed to equip lawyers for the world of work.  

The aim of the SQE1 Preparation for Legal Professionals is to provide candidates with the detailed knowledge they will need to pass the SQE1 assessments, while taking into account their existing knowledge and skills. 

 

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is the new centralised way to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. It is replacing the current Legal Practice Course (LPC) route to practice and the QLTS. SQE1 and SQE2 are centralised assessments mandated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority SRA. 

 

Peter Crisp, Deputy Vice Chancellor Law at ULaw, said: “Our programmes build on our heritage of outstanding teaching and support for our students. They incorporate the latest learning technology and flexible study options which we are confident will ensure exam success in the SQE for those aspiring to become solicitors, as well as supporting those who are already working in the legal profession to qualify.  

 

“The introduction of our SQE1 Preparation for Legal Professionals course will enable those already working in the legal profession to continue the great work they do whilst furthering their legal education and readying them for the new SQE route to qualification.” 

 

For more information about ULaw please visit www.law.ac.uk 

 

Legal News, News

Zylpha celebrates the launch of document bundling software for NetDocuments

Zylpha (www.zylpha.com) today announces the launch of a new NetDocuments integration for their flagship electronic document bundling platform.

This new integration will make legal document bundling faster, more efficient, and more affordable for NetDocuments users. In an industry first, law firms and legal teams, that use the NetDocuments document management system, can now use Zylpha’s affordable ‘Pay As You Go’ document bundling software platform to create even the most complex court compliant bundles in just minutes.

By using Zylpha’s easy-to-use drag and drop toolset and streamlined single-view dashboard, NetDocuments users can access records, matters, and data to create court-compliant electronic bundles professionally and affordably, in a fraction of the time required to prepare them manually. The unique pay-as-you-bundle price plan means that the days of expensive software acquisition are not something organisations that use Zylpha have to worry about.

Commenting on the launch, Zylpha’s Head of Marketing David Chapman said;

“We know from speaking with clients that there was a space in the market for a well thought out and professional NetDocuments connector that takes full advantage of the changes made to the NetDocuments API. As a technology business we have always focussed on ‘making lawyers’ lives easier’ and for the first time ever, organisations that use NetDocuments can build Court compliant bundles and deal bibles in minutes on a consumption-based price plan.”

To find out more contact the Zylpha Team

Legal News, News

Zylpha Announces 2022 ‘Legal Innovation Award’ Winners

Leading UK Legal systems developer Zylpha (www.zylpha.com) has announced the winners of its annual ‘Legal Innovation’ Awards. The annual award scheme recognises legal practices that have demonstrated innovative solutions and working practices over the previous 12 months.

Commenting on the 2022 Awards, Miranda Evans, Zylpha Marketing Manager had this to say; “We set out to highlight the benefits that can be achieved through having a forward-thinking and innovative mindset. The legal landscape changed dramatically in 2020 and we noticed a lot of organisations challenging the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset and opting for more intuitive and process efficient solutions.

“Many of our products such as Zylpha Bundling are now widely recognised as “best practice” solutions, and we, therefore, felt it was time to recognise and honour the achievements of those who are leading the way. The awards show our appreciation for their loyalty but also their dedication and ability to keep going during challenging times.

“We would like to be able to present the winners with their awards in person, but government guidelines, particularly with the Omicron variant of Coronavirus, may mean this isn’t always possible. We will however ensure that the awards are received safely by each of the worthy winners.”

There are five Legal Innovation Award Categories:

  1. Outstanding Achievement:

This year the award winners were a firm that demonstrated a clear plan for innovation that was driven by their goal of delivering exceptional client care. We have been continually amazed by their commitment to delivering a top-tier service.

The winner of this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award goes to Burstalls Solicitors

  1. Commitment to Technology:

This award was won by an organisation that wants its employees to have access to the best technology solutions available whilst providing a considered and well-thought-out plan for delivering these applications, so they achieve maximum value and longevity.

The winner of this year’s Commitment to Technology Award goes to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

  1. The 2022 Bundle of the Year:

As a business that prides itself on its market-leading electronic bundling platform, we wanted an award that celebrated the largest electronic bundle produced over the last 12 months.

The winner of this year’s Bundle of the Year Award goes to Bluebird Support Services

  1. Outstanding Individual Achievement:

For an individual recognised by their employer for going above and beyond what is expected of them in the last 12 months.

The winner of this year’s Outstanding Individual Achievement Award goes to Katie Philpot – South London Legal Partnership

  1. Most Innovative Law Firm of the Year 2022:

This award was presented to a law firm that has gone above and beyond across all metrics despite difficult trading conditions caused by the pandemic.

The winner of this year’s Most Innovative Law Firm of the Year Award goes to JWP Solicitors

Everyone at Zylpha would like to congratulate all of the winners at this year’s awards, as well as all of the finalists too.

Law, News, North Wales

North Wales law firm selected for inclusion in Chambers & Partners

A leading North Wales law firm has been selected for inclusion in a prestigious global legal guide.

Gamlins Law is the only law firm in the region to have made it into the Chambers & Partners directory for 2022.

Each year, the Chambers & Partners team carries out detailed research to enable it to identify the “most outstanding” firms across almost 200 jurisdictions throughout the world.

The research includes interviews with businesses and other legal professionals.

Gamlins Law’s Crime Department and Head of Criminal Law Dafydd Roberts have been chosen for inclusion.

The Chambers & Partners guide, which was first published over 30 years ago, is regarded as a benchmark of excellence within the legal industry.

Ron Davison, Managing Director of Gamlins Law, said: “It is a great honour to have been chosen for inclusion in Chambers & Partners. It is recognition for the hard work, dedication and expertise of our Crime Department which regularly represents clients in Wales and the wider UK.

“I am particularly proud that we are the only law firm in North Wales to have been included in the directory.”

Gamlins Law’s selection for Chambers & Partners follows its success at the end of last year in being chosen for the global legal network LexisNexis Experts Wales Panel.

Dafydd Roberts, along with colleagues Ron Davison, Elissa Thursfield and Sion Llewelyn Williams were all selected for inclusion.

Gamlins Law, which employs 75 people, recently moved to a new 10,500 sq. ft. head office at Morfa Hall in Rhyl. It has additional offices in Mold, Ruthin, Denbigh and Holywell.

Gamlins Law offers a comprehensive range of legal services including commercial, commercial and residential property, employment law, family and matrimonial, children, personal injury and clinical negligence, criminal, regulatory, litigation, inheritance tax, wills and probate.

 

News

Law firm expands to offer full service in the Wirral

Law firm Aaron and Partners has expanded to offer full commercial and private client services in the Wirral, with the opening of a new base at the recently refurbished Egerton House in Birkenhead.

The firm, a strategic partner of the Wirral Chamber of Commerce, is now welcoming current and new clients to face-to-face appointments at the premises, which will act as a base for its Wirral-based solicitors as well as an extension of its Chester headquarters.

Aaron and Partners, which has been listed in the prestigious Legal 500 since its inception, marked its arrival at Egerton House with an exclusive drinks’ reception, welcoming local businesses including Cammell Laird, Oculus, and Lyjon Group.

The move also builds on a long-running association with the Wirral region, following on from a series of well attended legal workshops delivered by the firm’s solicitors in recent years – both in person and online throughout the pandemic.

Helen Watson, Head of Employment Law and Partner at Aaron and Partners, said: “We’re delighted to announce that we’ll now be offering our full legal services from the heart of the Wirral, having enjoyed close ties to the area through our teams and our clients for several years now.

“This is an important step for us and represents the next phase in the evolution of our work in the region. Egerton House is a wonderful setting, and it allows local clients to visit our teams for personal appointments in line with Covid restrictions, as well as offering us a practical working space for a growing number of solicitors who call the area home.

“We’re pleased to be working from a stunning space overlooking the River Mersey, and with huge international development projects such as Wirral Waters underway, we’re excited about the potential to provide even more support to businesses and people in the area.”

Law, News

Bridge Law Solicitors strengthens team with latest appointments

Marple Bridge based firm, Bridge Law Solicitors Ltd has expanded their team for the fourth time this year, with two new recruits, Paralegal, Dammy Uthman and Legal Assistant, Valerie Chirnside.   

The new team members, Dammy and Valerie are playing an integral role in supporting Bridge Law with their ambitious growth plans for the future.

Paralegal and aspiring solicitor, Dammy Uthman who completed her Legal Practice Course in 2018 has joined the firm following a number of years gaining a wealth of experience in large in-house legal departments and law firms across Manchester. She now joins Bridge Law to further her litigation career, specialising in debt recovery and contentious probate matters. 

Dammy Uthman commented: “Joining the Bridge Law team has helped expose me to working on a variety of different cases and particularly build my experience in contentious probate matters. The team have been so welcoming and supportive, I’ve already gained a wealth of experience since joining and worked on really interesting cases from all over the UK. I look forward to developing my career further over the coming years with the firm”. 

Bringing with her over 20 years of legal secretarial and office management experience to the team, Valerie Chirnside has joined the firm’s Marple Bridge team to provide key support to the solicitors, as well as being the first point of call for clients. 

Valerie Chirnside added: “After a few years working as a Personal Assistant for different sectors, I’m really pleased to be back in the legal sector, in a lovely local firm. I’m glad to be back in a position where I can put my many years of experience in the sector to good use to support the solicitors and clients who are often going through really stressful and emotional cases. The team have been very welcoming and I look forward to getting to know everyone better over the coming weeks”. 

Claire Stewart, Founder and Director of Bridge Law commented: “I was absolutely delighted to welcome Dammy and Valerie to the team. Both have settled into their roles straight away and become hugely valued members of the team that we are lucky to have onboard”.  

Dammy and Valerie’s appointments come after a fast-paced period of growth for the firm, which has seen the company’s dispute management team double in size over the past year, whilst also doubling the size of their team in their second office in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire which recently moved to larger premises.