Derby & District Law Society Journal - insitelaw

D&DLS Bulletin
Derby & District Law Society
www.derbylaw.net October 09
Banner Jones wins award
Regional Law Firm of the Year 2009 - see p.6
Environmental risk issues - still significant
Report on page 19
Annual Dinner Menu revealed! - see page 8
Also in this issue: Effective Office Technology Management • Training News
This issue sponsored by Landmark Information Group

D&DLS Bulletin
Derby & District Law Society October 09
Contents
3 - Editorial
7 - Skills Triathlon 09
11 -Training News
15 - Recruitment
20 -Severn Trent
4 - List of Officers
8 - Social Events
12 - CPD Programme
16 - Charity
21 - Antiques Valuation
5 - President’s Page
9 - Quiz Poster
13 - Booking Form
18 - Tech Management
22 - Legal Dynamics
6 - Membership News
10 - Committee News
14 - Regional Offices
19- Environmental issues
Editorial
As I write this on the eve of my departure on
2 weeks’ holiday I have decided not to give
the lawns a final cut as they have not grown
much over the last 2 weeks due to the lack
of rain – why is it that it’s miserable while
the kids are cooped up at home during the
summer break, only to improve dramatically
once they are back at school?
As it’s now October thoughts will be turning
to CPD points, as the October 31st deadline
for achieving your 16 annual hours fast
approaches – I hope that you have taken
advantage of the opportunities to do so via the
courses arranged locally by the Society, and if
you haven’t there is still time (just) to do so, so
consult the Training Programme on p12 and
see if there is anything to suite. A number of
new courses have also been added for 2010,
so if you are in forward-planning mode make
a note of any which are of interest, and save
your firm (or yourself) time and money by
avoiding booking more expensive courses
at less convenient venues. If there are any
obvious gaps in the programme, or particular
topics you feel ought to be covered, please
let me know, as you are far better placed to
identify future courses than I am.
On the subject of ‘letting me know’, thanks
are due to all those who responded to the
recent questionnaire – all 2 of them! The
lack of response means that either I and the
Committee are doing a superb job and no-one
can think of anything which we are not covering
or could do better, or Arthur Titterton’s Apathy
Committee is still going strong – only you
know which is the answer.
As we approach the second half of the
Society’s year the social scene is beginning to
stir itself – by the time you read this the DYL
Hollywood Ball will have taken place, and the
Annual Quiz will be getting ever closer, so if
you haven’t already done so start putting your
teams of 4 together, and please display the
poster on p9 to encourage others to do so.
Details of the Annual Dinner on February 5th
2010 are now available and can be found on
p8. Whilst the reduction in numbers last time
was perhaps understandable given the impact
of the credit crunch, those who chose not to
attend will no doubt have been made aware
by those who did attend just what a treat
they missed in Brendan Healy. If you are still
limited in your scope for client entertaining
then surely it makes sense to concentrate on
the one event which you can guarantee will
provide a superb evening’s entertainment for
all concerned, so I hope that we will see rather
more of the usual suspects represented this
time; the main speaker is a past winner of
the American Express After-Dinner Speaker
of the Year award, so our usual high standard
will be maintained – as has the ticket price, in
a further effort to mitigate the effects of the
recession on firms’ budgets.
In fact, with subscriptions having remained
unchanged for 9 years, prices for both the
Dinner and Quiz held, fees for directly-arranged
CPD courses kept highly cost-effective (not to
mention the provision of free advocacy training
for Trainees and newly-qualifieds), and more
agreements such as that with IKON - by which
member firms can obtain advice on the best
configuration of office machinery and systems
aimed at achieving significant reductions in costs
and improvements in internal efficiency together
with discounted prices - in the pipeline, I hope
that you feel that we are doing what we can to
help member firms out on a range of fronts.
If any public-spirited member is interested in a
Non-Exec Board Directorship with Amber Valley
Housing, please see their advert on p15, and
make contact directly with Katy Martin.
Finally, congratulations to cover firm Banner
Jones on their recent achievement of a Regional
Law Firm of the Year award – it is always good
to hear of local success stories, so if you or your
firm has any good news – or if you have any
changes which you would like the rest of the local
profession to know about – please let me know
so that I can feature it in ‘Membership News’.
Well that’s all for now – I’d better get on
with my packing. See you on my return from
sunny Florida.
Peter Ball
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Advertising
Simon Castell
Managing Editor
Peter Ball
Marketing
Denise Challener
Design and Production
EPC.
Accounts
Daniel Glickman
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Published
October 2009
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Legal Notice
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www.derbylaw.net

Officers and Committee Members for 2009
Julia’s jottings
Members of the
Full Committee
President*
Julia Saunders
Moody & Woolley, Derby
Tel: 01332 344221
js@moodyandwoolley.com
Vice President*
Andrew Cochrane
Flint Bishop, Derby
Tel: 01332 340211
Via njrennie@flintbishop.co.uk
Deputy Vice-President*
Christine Ball
OMW Solicitors, Burton
Tel: 01283 530333
christineball@omwsolicitors.
co.uk
Honorary Secretary*
Arthur Titterton
Hardy Miles Titterton,
South Normanton
Tel: 01773 580280
atitterton@hmtlegal.com
Honorary Treasurer*
Julia Saunders
Moody & Woolley, Derby
Tel: 01332 344221
js@moodyandwoolley.com
Immediate Past President*
Nigel Anderson
Anderson Partnership,
Chesterfield
Tel: 01246 220737
nigel@andersonslaw.co.uk
(* = Ex-Officio; Members of Full
and Standing Committees)
Parliamentary Liaison Officer (+)
Mary Honeyben
Elliot Mather,
Chesterfield
Tel: 01246 231288;
mary.honeyben@elliotmather.
co.uk
Public Relations Officer (+)
Vacant
Constituency Council
Representative,
Derbyshire(+)
John Calladine
Tel/Fax: 01332 574259
Mobile: 07802714513
calladinej@googlemail.com
Derbyshire Young Lawyers (+)
Tara Woolley
Smith Partnership,
Derby
Tel: 01332 225225
tara.woolley@smithpartnership.
co.uk
(+) attend Committee by
invitation
Solicitors’ Benevolent Assoc.
area representative
Peter Lord
9 Larkhill, Swanwick, DE55 1DD
Tel: 01773 541753
Fiona Apthorpe
Robinsons, Derby
Tel: 01332 254124 (Direct line)
fiona.apthorpe@robinsonssolicitors.co.uk
Judith Barnes
Timms, Burton
Tel: 01283 561531
judith.barnes@timmssol.co.uk
Lionel Conner
Samble Burton & Worth, Burton
Tel: 01283 565731
lionelc@sbw.cc
Graham Dean
Tel: 01889 591176
grahamandangela@yahoo.co.uk
David Hardy
Hardy Miles Titterton, Ripley
Tel: 01773 747000
dhardy@hmtlegal.com
Mary Honeyben
Elliot Mather, Chesterfield
Tel: 01246 231288
mary.honeyben@elliotmather.co.uk
Karen Hughes
Flint Bishop, Derby
01332 340211
karen.hughes@flintbishop.co.uk
Sue Jennings
Tel: (M) 07946 609436
robskelding@squarise.co.uk
Babul Miah
Chapman & Chubb, Alfreton
Tel: 01773 540480
babul.miah@chapsol.com
Sarah Nash
Robinsons, Derby
Tel: 01332 291431
sarah.nash@robinsonssolicitors.co.uk
Quentin Robbins
Broadbents, Derby
Tel: 01332 369090
alisonlambley@btconnect.com
Lewis Rose, OBE
Flint Bishop, Derby
Tel: 01332 226127
lmrose@flintbishop.co.uk
Louise Wong
Derby CLAC
Tel: 01332 228718
louise.wong@
citizensadviceandlawcentre.org
Susan Woodall
OMW Solicitors, Burton
Tel: 01283 530333
info@omwsolicitors.co.uk
Stephen Woolley
Robinsons, Derby
Tel: 01332 291431
stephen.woolley@robinsonssolicitors.co.uk
Administrator / Bulletin Editor
Peter Ball,
The Old Barn
Hatton Fields, Sutton Lane
Hilton, Derbys. DE65 5GQ
Tel/Fax: 01283 815030
e-mail: admin@derbylaw.net
Sub-Committees
(Secretary in italics)
Professional/Regulatory
Purposes
Subsumed into the Full
Committee –
working groups to be convened
according to the subject at hand.
Finance
Nigel Anderson, Julia Saunders,
Arthur Titterton, Quentin
Robbins.
Civil Litigation
Stephen Woolley,
Nigel Anderson,
Mary Honeyben, Judith Barnes,
John Calladine, David Hardy,
Paul Hackney (01332 331631)
Stephen Savage (01332 559281).
Education & Training
Sue Jennings,
Judith Barnes,
& all Sub-Committee
Secretaries
Family Law
Fiona Apthorpe,
Julia Saunders,
Arthur Titterton,
Christine Ball (01283 530333),
Melanie Bridgen (01283 226444),
Diana Copestake (01332 372372),
Tessa Dunleavy (01332 347300),
Tim Evans (01246 211006),
Naomi Hickman (01332 364436),
Ruth Jones (01332 346084),
Fiona Lazenby (01332 340211).
Criminal Litigation
Quentin Robbins,
Nicola Hunter,
Andrew Cash (01332 372372)
Kevin Waddingham (01332 346111),
Chris Hallas (01332 362509),
Andrew Oldroyd (01332 346084),
Jonathan Taaffe (01246 209773).
Property Law
Vacant, Sue Woodall,
Adrian Crowther
(01332 340211),
Rachel Bale
(01283 561531),
Natalia Delgado
(01246 231288),
Sally Gill
(01246 231288),
Stephen Gordon
(01246 270112),
Michael Taylor
(01773 822333),
Hugh Walford
(01773 823999),
Elizabeth Wallis
(01629 812613),
Andrew Cross
(01629 582308),
Charlotte Rosser
(01332 291431).
Probate/Wills/Trusts incl.
Elderly Client
Sarah Nash,
Duncan Lyon (01773 744744),
Laura Nayler (01332 254168)
Nigel Green (01332 346018)
Fred Parkinson (01246 231288)
Anne Weaver (01332 340211).
Employment and Business Law
Kate Linge (01332 221722)
Jenny Eades (01332 361000),
Michael Copestake,
Andrew Cochrane.
(Last updated 30 th September 09)
I am writing this early, at the
end of September due to another
of the Administrator’s exotic
holidays. I know that it will be
a couple of weeks before it is
published. Autumn is upon us,
the children have gone back to
school and for a couple of weeks
now I have noticed Christmas
items creeping into the shops.
In an attempt to bypass the
Apathy Committee we published
a very simple questionnaire for
you to respond to about what
your Society could do for you.
I am told that Peter had two
responses - and one of those was from a member of
the Committee! However over the last month or so I
have received feedback on the Bulletin from people who
although within the profession I do not see regularly and
are from different branches of the profession including
the LSC. Please keep reading. I am pleased to know that
you do, but please feedback your thoughts even if it is
dropping me or Peter an email or telephoning, both of us
can talk the hind leg off a donkey.
By the time you read this the deadline for professional
indemnity insurance will have passed, there has been
much about in the professional press including headlines
of firm’s shutting down because they cannot afford
insurance. Do any of you have any particular thoughts
or feedback to report which would be of use to the local
profession?
On 10th September 2009 the first advocacy course took
place at Derby University. This was as a result of feedback
from previous Triathlons that the advocacy part of the
competition was particularly daunting to trainee solicitors
who perhaps hadn’t had any experience of advocacy
previously. In the end the course was particularly well
attended and I was able to arrive for the last session -
ironically after a full day contested hearing in the Derby
County Court. The trainees were all enthusiastic although
there were varying levels of nerves and they all decided
that it had been a worthwhile if not scary experience. My
thanks to Graham Dean and Sue Jennings particularly
who organised the event and our learned guest judges
for their feedback and for taking the time to invest in the
next generation of our profession.
As a family lawyer we are having a particularly difficult
time with CAFCASS. On a nationwide basis the service is
in difficulty and by the time you read this our designated
family judge, Judge Orrell, will have put in place interim
(they are supposed to last until March next year) measures
to ease the burden but make the system more efficient
and work both for clients but more importantly for the
children who are left in the middle of these cases often
without a voice. I was concerned to learn at the meeting
of the Family Business Committee that as of September
2009 in Derbyshire there were 96 private children law
cases that had been unallocated - i.e. CAFCASS reports
had been ordered but no practitioner appointed to
compile the report - and even more disturbingly 9 public
law cases where a Guardian had not been appointed. I
understand from reading Christina Blacklaw’s article in
the Law Society Gazette recently that this is the tip of the
iceberg and that in London there are well over 400 cases
of children without Guardians. This is a difficult time
for all of us managing staff levels, budgets and income
- surely there should be a resolution?
Whilst on family law, Fiona Apthorpe is trying to collate
all family practitioners’ email addresses so that we can
send information out more promptly, as relying on the
6-weekly Bulletin sometimes means that news is less
timely than it might be. Please respond.
I also attended the Derby County Court Users Group
and amongst other things learned that there is still a
Buxton County Court which sits on a Tuesday. This will
continue but the administration for the County Court will
be moving to Derby County Court on the 16th November
2009.
I am also pleased to report that Lofty the kitten has
received his first piece of fan mail. As my family returned
from a night away staying at a friends there was a note
through our door asking if anyone owned a very cute
tabby kitten. I went round to the neighbours dreading
the bill that she was going to present me with for the
damage caused. Instead her two children asked if they
could adopt Lofty because he was so loveable and the
neighbour proceeded to show me pictures on her mobile
phone that she had taken of our kitten on their bed on
the Sunday morning. I am looking at alternative income
streams by wondering if I can rent him out on a regular
basis.
Within the Bulletin as always there are various events
such as the Quiz and the Skills Triathlon which is on
Wednesday 25th November 2009 again at Derby University.
Please encourage your trainees and newly qualifieds to
enter.
Julia Saunders
President, 2009-10
www.derbylaw.net
www.derbylaw.net

Membership News
Banner Jones wins award
Banner Jones have been voted Regional Law Firm of the Year 2009
in the Acquisition Finance Magazine Country Awards 2009.
ACQ Finance Magazine is a leading corporate finance publication
which undertakes an independent poll of industry peers, who were
encouraged to vote on those deals and subjects that they think
stood out from the crowd in the last 12 months.
Chris Sellars, Director and Head of Business Legal Services: ‘We
are delighted to be awarded this level of recognition for the work
we do: we have had some high profile, high value deals over the last
few years including advising on the land purchase and construction
contract for Chesterfield Football Club’s new stadium, and this
award highlights the achievements of the team, even in this difficult
market’.
The firm who merged with Cotton and Co in 2007 have continued to
forge a place in the Sheffield legal market over the last 2 years.
Arthur makes the national dailies!
This picture was featured in the Sunday Times Guide to Universities
2010 on September 13, to accompany the article on Derby University.
In the foreground is Vicky Eynon, the overall winner of the first
Triathlon 3 years ago, who is now a trainee at OMW Solicitors in
Burton - and on the ‘Bench’ sits our own Hon. Secretary, Arthur
Titterton.
Does this mean that we shall now see ‘As seen in the Sunday Times’
feature on Hardy Miles Titterton’s letterheads?
News
Important changes to letterheads and
billing notifications
With effect from October 1st, 2009:
• Limited company solicitor firms should show their Companies
House number on their letterhead, fax header, website, email
auto signatures etc
• LLP solicitor firms need to show the number with which they are
registered at Companies House in the same places;
• Unincorporated partnerships must show the number with which
their firm is registered with the SRA in the same places again
• Sole practitioners are subject to a similar requirement to show
their SRA number but they have until 1 January 2010 to make
the change.
Remuneration certificates – abolished!
The Solicitors’ (Non-Contentious Business) Remuneration Order
2009 came into force on 11 August and repeals the remuneration
certificate system. The Legal Services Act, 2007 abolished that
process and these regulations implement that step.
This means:
• Your bills or other notification sent to clients prior to deducting
costs from monies in client account or before commencing
proceedings to recover costs must be amended to refer the
client or other entitled person to their rights in relation to having
the bill assessed by the court under sections 70, 71 and 72 of the
Solicitors Act 1974; and,
• You must inform the client or other entitled person in writing
that you are entitled to charge interest on the outstanding
amount of the bill in accordance with article 5 of the Solicitors’
(Non- Contentious Business) Remuneration Order 2009.
It is essential that any provisions about interest are in your terms of
business otherwise you may only recover interest on non-contentious
costs in accordance with unwieldy processes being the Law Society’s
determination of interest due or the outcome of detailed assessment.
These new provisions are in an “emergency rule” which is rule 2.08 of
the Code and guidance notes 48 and 49A.
We hope this e-mail is helpful. If we can assist in connection with
any of the issues raised or any other compliance or partnership
related matters call either Tony Guise or Sabina Rinker and they
will be pleased to discuss the issues with you.
GUISE
Partners: Tony N Guise, Sabina Rinker
1 Alie Street London E1 8DE
t: 020 7264 0350 f: 020 7264 0351 DX 522 London City
I have been contacted by a member who has unearthed some Law
Society Gazettes and Solicitors’ Journals dating from 1949 to
1960. There are enough to fill a box that would have contained 12
bottles of wine. If anyone is interested in them - (the magazines not
the wine!), please contact admin@derbylaw.net and I will forward
the message on. Otherwise I am told they go to the paper bank.
Skills Triathlon 2009
Last year’s competitors and judges compare notes prior to the awards ceremony
We can confirm that we already have more than the requisite number of 8 Triathlon entries from among the ranks of member firms’
trainees and newly-qualified solicitors - however, as the closing date is Oct 23 don’t let that put you off from making (or encouraging
others to make) a last-minute entry - just make sure that your tie-break statement is a good one!
Perhaps the decision to offer pre-Triathlon advocacy training has helped to remove some of the concerns felt by those who have not yet
gained much advocacy experience - or perhaps firms are beginning to recognise the benefits of allowing their younger members to gain
or practise valuable skills in a risk-free environment - but whatever the reason, thanks to those who have entered and those who have
allowed them to take a day out to do so.
The Triathlon will take place at Derby University on Wenesday November 25th - whether your firm has entered anyone or not, please feel free
to come along and see how the contestants make out.
We look forward to announcing the results in the January 2010 issue of the Bulletin.
✁
Application for Skills Triathlon 2009
DERBY & DISTRICT LAW SOCIETY IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNIVERSITY
OF DERBY’S SCHOOL OF LAW AND CRIMINOLOGY
DATE OF TRIATHLON: 25th NOVEMBER 2009
VENUE: UNIVERSITY OF DERBY
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION: 23rd OCTOBER 2009
NAME: ………………………………………………………………………………………............
FIRM/ORGANISATION: …………………………………………………………………........
……….................................................................................................................
ADDRESS: …………………………………………………………………………………............
……....................................................................................................................
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..............
DX: ………………………………………………..............................................................
TELEPHONE: …………………………………...........................................................
E-MAIL: ………………………………………………………………………...........................
EITHER: (Trainees) EXPECTED DATE OF QUALIFICATION:
………………………….................................................
OR
(Newly-qualifieds) DATE OF QUALIFICATION: ………………………………...
WHY DO YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN THIS EVENT AND HOW DO YOU
THINK IT WILL BENEFIT YOU? (This statement may be used as a tie
break in the event of more applicants than places)
……….................................................................................................................
……….................................................................................................................
……….................................................................................................................
……….................................................................................................................
……….................................................................................................................
Signed: ……………………………………………………………………………………...........
Dated:
…………………………………….
PLEASE RETURN THIS APPLICATION TO :
SUE JENNIINGS, 9B SILVER LANE, ELVASTON, DERBY DE72 3TQ
BY NO LATER THAN 23rd OCTOBER 2009.
www.derbylaw.net www.derbylaw.net

Social Events
Please display this poster on your staff noticeboards
Annual Dinner 2010
Friday February 5th, 2010,
Pride Park Stadium
Arrangements have been finalised for the Society’s premier
social event of the year, the Annual Dinner. As usual it will
be held on the splendidly alliterative First Friday in February,
which in 2010 will be February 5th.
In the face of the credit crunch last year’s attendance was
significantly lower than the normal 425-seat sell-out – in fact
attendance nearly halved, at 225. In recognition of the pressures
which may still face some firms the Society has decided to hold
the ticket price at last year’s £35.00 + VAT, in the hope that we
will se an upturn in numbers this year. Please bear in mind that
the VAT rate is scheduled to rise from 15% back to 17.5% on
January 1st 2010, so if you book before the new year the price to
pay will be £40.25, but if you book after that, or if you send in a
post-dated cheque, the cost will be £41.13.
The format will be the
same as previous years –
black tie for gentlemen,
bars open at 7 pm with a
late bar ‘til 1 am, and 3
speakers all briefed to be
entertaining, and if they
can’t be entertaining, to
be short! In addition to
President Julia Saunders
we will be hearing from DJ
(Mags) Joanne Alderson
and David Gunson.
Joanne is well–known
locally and is a regular
guest at the Dinner who
has now agreed to sing
Main speaker David Gunson for her supper. David
Gunson comes from the
same speaker stable as last year’s Brendan Healy – and those who
missed last year’s Dinner will no doubt have heard what a treat
they missed. He is a former Air-Traffic Controller who served
his time at Birmingham International Airport, and has gained an
excellent reputation on the after-dinner speaking circuit being a
past winner of the American Express Speaker of the Year Award
for his hugely entertaining and unique perspective on modern air
travel – a subject of which we all have our own experiences, and
on which we all no doubt hold our own views!
As usual firms can reserve private rooms or space in the bar
area for pre-Dinner drinks receptions – if you wish to make such
arrangements please do so with Pride Park directly via Events
Co-ordinator Lisa Cundy on 01332 667 564.
Please book your places using the Booking Form elsewhere in
this Bulletin.
MENU
678
Layered sun-blushed red pepper &
Mozzarella with basil pesto
•
Supreme of Chicken Chasseur,
filled with wild mushrooms, sun-dried
tomato & tarragon farcé,
with a white wine jus
Vegetarian alternative:
Tagliatelle with char-grilled vegetables,
sun-blushed tomatoes,
basil & olive oil
•
Belgian Chocolate Mousse
Alternative:
Fresh Fruit Salad
•
Tea, Coffee and petits fours
East Park
Communications
Full solution providers
for sales & marketing
training, event
management & publishing
Tel: 0151 691 4925 simon@epc.gb.com
www.epc.gb.com
www.derbylaw.net
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Sub-Committee news
Training news
Family Law
Fiona Apthorpe
(01332 254124) Secretary
The Family Sub Committee met on 25
August. The next meeting is scheduled
for 19 November and if members have any
issues which they would wish the Committee
to consider would they please advise a
Committee member before that date.
Email Addresses
Matters occasionally crop up which we
would wish to notify Family Practitioners
about promptly and this is not always
possible when Family Committee Meetings
are held well in advance of the next issue of
the Derby and District Law Society Bulletin.
I would therefore ask all Family Practitioners
who are interested in being kept up to date
on matters of interest to let me have their
email address. This will enable me to
distribute information promptly, canvass
opinion where necessary and distribute
direct copies of the minutes of meetings to
interested parties.
Problems with the Fees
Exemption Forms
This issue has not been forgotten. Our
Constituency Representative John Calladine
has raised the matter with the Law Society’s
Family Law Committee and we are waiting
for further feedback.
Representation in the Family
Proceedings Court
Derby FPC has agreed in principle for
suitably qualified and approved non solicitor
representatives providing representation at
all pre trial hearings. This would not however
extend to Final Hearings or contested hearings.
We are in the process of agreeing the format
for a general application form which would
need to be sent to the Court accompanied
by an endorsement from the firm’s senior
partner. Once this has been approved and the
procedure finalised we will notify members so
that they can consider an application on behalf
of relevant members of staff. The idea then is
that the Court will maintain a list of authorized
representatives who will be allowed to attend
pre trial hearings without undue questioning
from the Court.
We should be able to give you a further update
in the next Bulletin.
CAFCASS
For some time practitioners have been raising
concerns about CAFCASS. The length of time
currently being taken to prepare a report is
frankly unacceptable and practitioners have
expressed their concerns but there appears
to be a lack of a coherent strategy to address
the problem.
The Committee were therefore pleased to be
invited to a meeting called by the Derby Family
Court Business Committee to discuss this
issue. Representatives from the Committee
attended together with representatives
from the Bar, the service managers from
CAFCASS Derby and Chesterfield, Clerks to
the Justices and the local judiciary. Further
information is awaited from CAFCASS
Derby but the Family Committee remains
deeply concerned that there appear to be no
constructive plans with which either to deal
with the existing long standing backlog nor
to deal effectively with new cases. There is
no clear indication as to the length of time
CAFCASS will be asking for reports in Derby
although it has been made clear by the
Court that routine requests for extensions
for time will not be granted. Members
should be aware of the President of the
Family Divisions Interim Guidance on this
issue which was issued on 30 July last. This
sets out short term measures to achieve the
necessary improvements to assist CAFCASS.
It is not a Practice Direction but its aim is to
put in place measures which will address
the current backlog of work while preventing
backlogs arising in respect of new work.
Practitioners should be fully conversant with
the contents of the Guidance.
In the meantime we are waiting to hear further
from CAFCASS as to the length of time which
it is realistically going to take for CAFCASS
to prepare routine reports. Practitioners
are asked to review all family cases where
a CAFCASS report has been requested.
Consideration should be given as to whether
there are any other potential methods of
proceeding (withdrawing the request for a
report, direct negotiation, mediation etc). If
there are any cases which have been resolved
in the meantime the Court and CAFCASS
need to be informed immediately.
In the meantime if you let me have your
email address (see above) I will let you have
a copy of the minutes of the meeting as soon
as available.
Local Court Business
A repeated plea from Burton County Court
not to use corners on documents filed with
the Court as these cause Court files to
become unnecessarily bulky.
Burton has also endorsed a point recently
made by Derby that Trial Bundles in family
proceedings are failing to comply with the
Practice Direction. Bundles are frequently
poorly prepared, missing documents and are
regularly being filed late. Practitioners may
want to re-read the words of Munby J in X v
Y (Bundles) [2008] EWHC 2059 (fam). Failure
to comply with the Practice Directions could
lead to public naming and shaming, costs
orders payable by the Solicitors, having
cases put to the end of the list or being taken
out of the list altogether and adjourning to a
future date. You have been warned!!
In addition, could Practitioners please also
remember to serve mortgagees and pension
providers. Failure to do so could lead to the
hearing being adjourned. If this happens
on the morning of the Final Hearing with
Counsel, Solicitors, parties and witnesses
all present, the costs consequences are
obvious.
Christmas Meal
The Sub Committee has it in mind to
organise a Christmas meal for all interested
family practitioners. The plan is to organise
something in Derby, no where particularly
expensive and to invite all family practitioner
members together with any Family Judges,
CAFCASS Officers or Guardians who may be
interested in joining us.
Would anybody who is interested please
contact Fiona ASAP (fiona.apthorpe@
robinsons-solicitors.co.uk) and once we
have gauged potential interest/numbers we
will organise a date.
Fiona Apthorpe
You will note from the training programme summary on p. 12 that a
number of new CLT courses have been added to the Society’s CPD
training programme, as follows;
Family Law Update, October 23rd, Hallmark Hotel, Derby; 6 hours
Prison Law, October 27th, Chesterfield; 6 hours
Sexual Abusers & their Partners – Dilemmas in Assessment & Child
Welfare, March 11th 2010, Derby; 3 hours
Commercial Leases, 2010 Masterclass, April 28th, Chesterfield; 6 hours
Trust & Estate Accounts, May 14th, Derby; 5 hours
Complying with the Solicitors’ Code of Conduct: Regulations, Guidance &
Procedures, May 25th, Chesterfield; 3 hours
Lenders’ Handbook Compliance – Avoiding Negligence Claims,
September 2nd, Derby; 5 hours
Wills Trusts & Probate Planning after the Finance Act 2008, September
23rd, Burton; 3 hours
Mortgage Possession Actions in the County Court – a start to finish guide,
October 5th, Derby; 3 hours
Please make a diary note of these courses should they be of interest, to
avoid booking more expensive equivalents at less convenient locations.
Contact Disputes & How to Survive Them
Tuesday October 27th, 2009; 9.30 for 10 – 12.30: 2.5 CPD hours
Members & support staff £40.25, non-member solicitors £64.50 (both
inc. VAT). Derby University.
We are pleased to arrange this joint seminar with KCH Chambers. The
seminar will cover the following issues:-
• Exploring options available to parents
- Mediation
- Collaborative Law
• The Court process
- Domestic Abuse
- S. 9.5 Guardians
- CAFCASS – Reports, Family Support Worker
- S& & 47 Reports
- The use of other professionals
- Expert’s reports
• Litigants in person:
- McKenzie friends
- Preparation for hearings
• The interface with Public Law Proceedings.
Speakers: Pam Dhadli and Anne Williams of KCH Chambers
Ancillary Relief Proceedings - Getting it Right
Tuesday October 27th, 2009; 1.30 for 2.00 – 4.30 pm; 2.5 CPD hours
Members & support staff £40.25, non-member solicitors £64.50 (both
inc. VAT). Derby University
We are pleased to arrange this joint seminar with KCH Chambers. The
issues to be covered include:
• Options for Settlement Pre Issue
- Mediation
- Collaborative Law
- Negotiation
• Issuing the Application
- Background
- Disclosure
- Form E
- Pension considerations
• Preparing for 1st Appointment
• Preparing for FDR
• Judges’ Tips and Pet Hates!
Speakers: Pam Dhadli and Anne Williams of KCH Chambers
NOTE: If both courses are booked for the same delegate a discounted
combined booking fee of £64.40 / £103.20 will be charged, saving
approximately. 20%.
However please note that lunch will not be provided.
Dealing with Referrals - commercial
opportunity or regulatory nightmare?
Thursday Oct 29th, 2009; 5 for 5.30 – 7.30 pm; 2 CPD hours
Members and support staff £34.50; non-member solicitors £51.76 (both
inc. VAT). Derby University.
Introduction
Referrals are a hot topic both with the profession and its regulators;
whether we like it or not referrals are here, and here to stay for the
foreseeable future. Breaches of the referral rules are viewed very seriously
by the SRA so you cannot afford to ignore them.
This is a key seminar for partners and senior managers who have
responsibility for deciding whether their firms should accept referrals of
work from claims management companies and other organisations.
Content
This seminar will cover, inter alia:
• The referral rules
• Guidance on how you can comply with the rules
• ‘Real life’ examples of what you should be watching out for
when referrers approach you
Presenter
The seminar is presented by Brian Rogers, Operations Director and Head
of Risk and Compliance at Lewis Hymanson Small, who advises law firms
and Claims Management Companies on their referral arrangements. He
has been a senior manager within the legal profession for over 17 years
dealing with all aspects of law firm management, including, risk and
compliance, and has presented training seminars to various organisations
including Law Societies, professional groups, law firms, the Institute of
Legal Practice Management, clients, etc, and provide firms with advice on
various management topics
Any ideas for new courses?
Peter Ball has regular planning meetings with CLT, so if you have any
suggestions for topics to be added to the CPD programme let him have
them before then.
In an effort to keep training costs down the Society is also looking
to run course directly (as evidenced above), usually of between
1 and 2 hours’ duration, to be run at Derby University from 5.30
pm onwards to minimise loss of fee-earning time. Again, if you
have any suggestions for suitable topics and/or suitable sources
of speakers, please contact Peter Ball on 01283 815030 or at:
admin@derbylaw.net.
10 www.derbylaw.net
www.derbylaw.net 11

DERBY & DISTRICT LAW SOCIETY CPD TRAINING PROGRAMME 2009-10
Area
Course
Title
CPD
Hours
Date Level* Venue Book Via**
2009 2009 2009 2009
Civil Litigation
Civil Litigation
Update 2009
6 22 October 09 Update Derby - tbc CLT
Family Family Law Update 2009 6 23 October 09 Update
Family
Contact disputes and
how to survive them
Hallmark Hotel,
Derby
2.5 27 October 09 (am) Intro/Update Derby University Peter Ball
CLT
Derby & District Law Society Event Booking Form
PLEASE SEND THIS ENTIRE FORM TO:
Peter Ball, Administrator, The Old Barn, Hatton Fields, Sutton Lane, Hilton, Derbyshire DE65 5GQ
Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………............................................
Firm: ……………………………………………………………………….…………………....…………………………….....................................................................................
Address / DX: ……………………………………………….…………………………….…………………………………………………………………………….........................................
Tel. No.: ………………………………………………………………..................................Email Address.: ……………………………………………………………….................
Position Partner / Assistant Solicitor / Trainee / Legal Exec / Other (specify): ……………………………………...……………………....................................
Family
Ancillary Relief
proceedings - getting
it right
2.5 27 October 09 (pm) Intro/Update Derby University Peter Ball
Event Date Venue Time CPD Members*
Non-
Member
solicitors
TOTAL
FEE*
Criminal Law Prison Law 6 28 October 09 Intro/Update Chesterfield - tbc CLT
Places @ (incl VAT) Places @ (incl VAT)
Management (e)
Referrals - commercial
opportunity or
regulatory nightmare?
2 29 October 09 Intro/Update Derby University Peter Ball
Contact
Disputes &
how to
survive them
Tuesday
October 27th
2009
Derby
University
9.30 for
10.00 am
- 12.30 pm
2.5 £40.25 £64.50
Family
Ancillary Relief, Debt &
Bankruptcy -
Safe as Houses?
3 12 November 2009 Inter/Update tbc CLT
2010 2010 2010 2010
Commercial
Property
Wills & Probate
Family
Commercial
Property
Wills/Trusts/
Probate
General /
Management
Property
Wills/Trusts/
Probate
Overage - Problems &
Solutions
Wills & Probate
Update 2010
Sexual Abusers & their
Partners - Dilemmas
in Assessment & Child
Welfare
Commercial leases
- 2010 Masterclass
Trust & Estate Accounts
- Getting them right
Complying with the
Solicitors’ Code of
Conduct; Regulations
Guidance & Procedures
Lenders’ Handbook
Compliance - Avoiding
Negligence Claims
Wills Trusts & Probate
Planning after the
Finance Act 2008
3 12 Jan 2010 Inter/Update tbc CLT
5 23 Feb 2010 Update tbc CLT
3 12 March 2010 Intermediate Derby - tbc CLT
6 29 April 2010 Adv/Update Chesterfield - tbc CLT
5 15 May 2010 Intermediate Derby - tbc CLT
3 26 May 2010 Inter/Update Chesterfield - tbc CLT
5 3 September 2010 Update Derby - tbc CLT
3 24 September 2010 Adv/Update Burton - tbc CLT
Ancillary
Relief
Proceedings
- Getting it
right
Contact
Disputes AND
Ancillary
Relief
JOINT
BOOKING
Referrals
– Commercial
Opportunity
or Regulatory
Nightmare?
Annual Quiz
2009
Annual
Dinner 2010
Tuesday
October 27th
2009
Derby
University
1.30 for 2.00
am - 4.30
pm
Suggestions for future CPD courses, especially for support staff:
2.5 £40.25 £64.50
See Above See Above See Above 5 £64.40 £103.20
Thursday
October
29th, 2009
Thursday,
November
26th, 2009
Friday
February 5th
2010
Derby
University
5.00 for 5.30
- 7.30 pm
Pride Park 7 for 7.30pm -
2 £34.50 £51.75
£15 per
team of 4
£15 per
team of 4
Pride Park 7 for 7.45pm - £40.25 £40.25
Residential
Property
Mortgage Possession
Actions in the County
Court - A start to finish
guide
3 6 October 2010 Inter/Update Derby - tbc CLT
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Signature:
Date:
KEY
* Intro =Introduction; Inter = Intermediate; Adv = Advanced; U = Update
** For further enquiries regarding booking or administration of CLT courses please contact CLT COURSE ADMINISTRATOR on 0121 355 0900
** For enquiries/bookings for D&DLS Direct courses, or comments or suggestions for future courses please contact PETER BALL on 01283 815030.
** FOR D&DLS COURSES, PLEASE POST-DATE YOUR CHEQUE TO D&DLS WITH THE DATE OF THE COURSE
Italics indicates new/amended information, or an addition to the programme
D&DLS Members qualify for significant discounts on the above & other CPD courses & will receive details of CLT courses personally 4-6 weeks beforehand. FOR D&DLS Direct
EVENTS SEE D&DLS Bulletin FOR DETAILS AND BOOKING FORM.
PLEASE NOTE: if you are booking a course for more than one person, or for someone other than yourself, please indicate the name,
position and membership status (Member/non-Member) of the attendee(s) overleaf, and ensure that the fee paid is appropriate;
*trainees/Legal Execs/paralegals/support staff enjoy the Members discounted rate NON-MEMBER SOLICITORS DO NOT (try joining
instead!)
*Please make out separate cheques for each event payable to DERBY & DISTRICT LAW SOCIETY
and post-date each to the date of the event.
12 www.derbylaw.net
www.derbylaw.net 13

East Midlands Regional Office
Recruitment / Positions Vacant
New professional
indemnity insurance
helpline
The Law Society has launched a dedicated
helpline to provide information to firms
incurring difficulties obtaining quotes for
professional indemnity insurance.
The helpline number is 020 7320 9545
and you can e-mail the team at PII@
lawsociety.org.uk. Lines are open 08:00-
18:00 Monday-Friday.
Assigned Risks Pool: key information for
prospective entrants
It is clear from calls to our professional
indemnity insurance (PII) helpline, that
a significant number of solicitors are
struggling to obtain financially viable or
indeed any quotes for cover during the
current renewal period. The Law Society
is concerned about this and we are asking
action to address this trend and the
unhelpful market practices of a number
of qualifying insurers, which appear to
have increased the problems inherent in
a hardening market.
However, it appears likely that an
increased number of firms will not be able
to secure PII cover before the 1 October
deadline and will therefore be required to
enter the ARP, find a successor practice
or to go into run-off. The Society has
sought urgent clarification from the SRA
so that firms are fully aware of their
position on:
• entering the ARP
• the 1 October deadline
• the rules governing early exit
For full details on these issues please
visit the website www.lawsociety.org.uk/
professionalindemnity
Qualified to answer:
get free promotional
materials
Due to popular demand we have added
a campaign logo to our list of free
promotional materials which solicitors
can use to promote their practices as
part of our latest national advertising
campaign. The campaign runs from 21
September to 31 November 2009 and aims
to help members attract new business
and retain existing clients during the
downturn.
Find out more at: www.lawsociety.org.
uk/promote
PC fee following
Regulatory Changes
The PC fee will increase from £995 this year
to £1180 for 2009/10. The Law Society’s
spending for 2010 will remain flat following
cuts during 2009, meaning that Law
Society support is provided to solicitors for
a little less than the cost of a daily quality
newspaper. However, capital spending
on the Solicitors Regulation Authority
IT project, a likely fall in numbers of PC
holders and the implementation costs of
the Legal Services Board and the Office for
Legal Complaints has lead to the increase.
To read more about the background to the
increase view: http://www.lawsociety.org.
uk/newsandevents/news/view=newsarticle.
law?NEWSID=421557
Spread the cost of the PC fee
We have launched a new membership
benefit offering you the ability to spread
the cost of your annual renewal fees,
including practising certificate (PC)
and other associated SRA fees, with
a competitive fixed rate loan product.
This new facility has been created in
conjunction with E B Commercial Finance
and Premium Credit, a Bank of America
Company. More details can be found on
the website.
Co-operative and Britannia Building
Society
The Law Society was alerted on
Wednesday 19 August that the building
society intended, immediately, to
serve one month’s notice on 3,600
sole practitioner conveyancing panel
members. The Society has requested an
urgent meeting with the Chairman Bob
Burlton and has written to the building
society to express its deep concerns
about the impact this move will have on
these businesses and access to justice.
You can read the letter at: http://www.
lawsociety.org.uk/new/documents/2009/
lettertobritannia200809.pdf
Following discussions between the Law
Society and the newly merged Britannia
and Co-operative Financial Services,
sole practitioners will remain on the
Britannia/Co-op conveyancing panel until
4 October.
Abbey and new Santander
Following negotiations with Abbey, panel
firms with pipeline instructions have
been reinstated to Abbey’s mortgage
panel and a new procedure for the
appointment of new and existing firms
has been initiated. Abbey and Alliance
& Leicester are requesting you sign up
to an aligned Santander UK Panel. We
were aware of their intention to revise
their standard terms and conditions but
were not consulted on the details or the
contents of the standard letter.
British & German Legal
and Accountancy Match
Making Event, 5 - 6
November
UK Trade & Investment is organising
an event to bring together British and
German partners or senior managers
with the aim of building alliances and
links between German and English
accountancy and law firms from London
and the East Midlands. The event is aimed
at British and German firms with clients
investing or setting up companies in each
other’s countries or needing a partner to
handle cross border transactions.
Places are limited to one person per firm
and 4 law firms and 4 accountancy firms
from the East Midlands, so book now to
avoid disappointment. Please contact
Samantha Rankin for further details.
If you have any questions regarding the
information above, or regarding any
other concerns please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Samantha Rankin
Regional Manager, East Midlands
Samantha.rankin@lawsociety.org.uk
T: 0116 232 5168 / M: 07976 182 177
Advance Legal is a modern and progressive law firm
focusing mainly on personal injury, conveyancing and
employment law, but also other areas.
Due to on-going expansion we are seeking to fill the following
positions:
Personal Injury Solicitors
We are looking for solicitors from newly qualified upwards, to
run files and/or to supervise. Note that we obtain all our own PI
work directly from clients and do not use any referral companies
whatsoever.
•
Trainee Solicitors / Legal Executives / Paralegals /
Trainee Legal Executives
To work in our personal injury department. ILEX qualifications are
desirable though not essential. Further training will
be given.
Those seeking a training contract are always initially set on
as paralegals.
•
Please apply in writing enclosing a CV,
directly to:
Mrs Pauline Spence, Advance Legal Solicitors,
Suites 1-13, Imex Business Park,
Shobnall Road, Burton-upon-Trent,
Staffs, DE14 2AZ
Solicitor required at our DERBY
Office to take over and develop
existing caseload with particular
emphasis on ancillary relief.
Enthusiasm, a sense of humour and
a willingness to develop marketing
initiatives are essential.
Robinsons are regulated by the Solicitors
Independent Board Director
Amber Valley Housing is a not-for-profit local
housing company, registered with the Tenant
Services Authority, and belongs to Futures
Housing Group. It has over 5,500 properties
in the Amber Valley area. We have a vacancy
on our board for an Independent Board
Director, and we are particularly interested to
hear from legal professionals to ensure the
appropriate balance of skills on our Board.
Board Directors are central to the decisionmaking
process of the business. The Board
meets at approximately 7 times per year, in
the evening.
Currently, Board Directors are unpaid, but
out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed.
Family Law Department
Regulation Authority (54424) and are an
Equal Opportunities Employer.
Closing date: 13 November 2009
Please apply with cv to :
Rob Styles Practice Manager,
Robinsons Solicitors,
St James Court,
Derby DE1 1BT
Consideration is being given to the
remuneration of the Board, and a decision is
likely to be made in early 2010.
If you are interested in being part of this
forward-thinking, customer-focused, growing
organisation join us.
For an information and application pack
please contact:
Katy Martin, Governance Officer
Amber Valley Housing Limited
Asher House, Asher Lane
Ripley, DE5 3BF
Email: katy.martin@futureshg.co.uk
Tel: 0845 094 8314
Closing date for applications: Monday 2
November 2009.
Mediation Matters Ltd specialises in Employment Mediation.
Based centrally within the East Midlands,
we operate throughout England.
Associate opportunities exist for
Accredited Employment Mediators
We are seeking to expand our network of self-employed associates
to undertake employment mediation on an ad-hoc basis. An
accredited Employment Mediator, you will be able to demonstrate a
proven track record through the provision of relevant case studies.
We undertake a vetting process to ensure that all of our Mediators
are suitably skilled. We also carry out observed mediations
periodically to ensure that the continued high quality and
impartiality demanded of our associates is maintained.
In return our associates have access to a mentor scheme and the
opportunity to meet with other professional mediators to discuss
continued best practise, exchange ideas and aid their development.
Please note that mediation opportunities are based on demand
and geography.
For further information please contact Julia Chisholm, Director,
Mediation Matters Ltd, 11 Sycamore Road, Matlock,
Derbyshire, DE4 3HZ
tel: 01629 888269 email: info@mediation-matters.co.uk
ROBOTHAM & CO.
are looking for an experienced solicitor for
PRIVATE CLIENT WORK
Full or part time considered
Apply in confidence to:
Nigel Green
3, St. Mary’s Gate
Derby
DE1 3JE
Tel: 01332 346018
Family Mediation Forum offer private and
publicly funded mediation to clients in and
around Derby and at a number of outreach
centres. As a result of recent expansion we
are looking to recruit LSC approved mediators
from either a legal or therapeutic background
to work on a sessional basis.
Applications should be made with
accompanying CV to:
Liz Guyler, Rodin House,
Ivy Grove, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3HN
or email: lizguyler@eglegal.co.uk
14 www.derbylaw.net www.derbylaw.net 15

Pledge, Volunteer, Adopt...
“Fundraising activities are not just oneoffs.
They go on month after month and
year after year. We are so grateful to the
people who organise these events and
the money they raise. Each pound raised
helps to ensure a happy life for retired
greyhounds,” he added.
The Retired Greyhound Trust, the national
charity dedicated to finding homes for
greyhounds at the end of their racing
careers, has homed more than 45,000 dogs
since it was set up in 1975. The tireless
commitment and hard work of thousands
of volunteers and an array of fundraising
activities, sponsorships, donations and
legacies left by generous supporters are
key to the success of the Trust’s work
(www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk).
This powerful combination – dedicated
volunteers giving their time freely to
the Retired Greyhound Trust’s 70 or so
branches across Great Britain and a
myriad initiatives raising much-needed
funds to house and home these dogs
– means that around 4,500 retired
greyhounds went to live with caring
owners and families last year.
Around 9,000 greyhounds retire from racing
each year, most at the age of around three
or four. This means that after their racing
careers, greyhounds have around 10 good
years left in them and need to find homes to
enjoy a happy life. While some owners will
adopt greyhounds, many are left needing
homes. After retirement, greyhounds
undergo a transformation. They change
from being the fastest breed of dog to
‘couch potatoes’ that love lolling around
and sleeping in a comfy place. Retired
greyhounds are peaceful and calm and
need just two 20 minutes walks a day. The
much-needed funds ensure these dogs are
16 www.derbylaw.net
housed in kennels until a home is found for
them with a caring owner or family.
Without funds, the charity will struggle
to continue its great work in caring and
finding homes for retired greyhounds.
With funds, the Retired Greyhound Trust
can carry out checks to ensure homes
are safe and secure for the dogs. Funds
also ensure that the greyhounds are fit
and healthy before they arrive at their
new home – the dogs are neutered,
vaccinated, wormed and flea treated.
The Retired Greyhound Trust is incredibly
grateful to volunteers who throughout
country every year come up with ways to
raise money.
Ivor Stocker, Director of the Retired
Greyhound Trust, said: “We never cease
to be impressed by all the hard work
which our volunteers do to look after the
dogs and raise funds.
“Our greyhound lovers work so hard to
come up with new ways of securing money
- some run marathons, others arrange
raffles, sponsored walks, special events,
outings and community walks. There
are garden fetes, kids clubs, dog shows,
raffles and parades – and even a Pet-a-
Porter fashion at Harrods. We have also
seen a naked Lady Godiva on a horse in
the West Country! And, on Easter Monday,
scores of greyhounds wearing Easter
Bonnets gathered in Walthamstow!
However, it’s not just about these fantastic
fund-raisers. If a person or family is unable
to take a greyhound into their homes or
organise a fundraising event but would still
like to do their bit to support the charity,
they can help out by volunteering to walk a
retired greyhound at a local branch. They
can help by sponsoring a greyhound. Or,
some generous supporters leave a legacy
for the Trust. Greyhound sponsorships and
legacies provide vital financial support for
looking after the dogs – ensuring clean and
safe kennels, and a healthy life.
Providing funds for retiring greyhounds,
in turn, paves the way for the dogs to give
back something back to society. Owing to
their affectionate and gentle nature, for
example, greyhounds around the country
are working as PAT (pets as therapy) dogs,
visiting the elderly in care homes, children in
schools, and patients in hospitals. Because
they are so fit and healthy, greyhounds are
also excellent candidates for canine blood
donation. Their natural patience ensures
that they lie calmly and happily while they
give blood.
To leave a legacy, help out by walking a
greyhound, to sponsor a greyhound, to
raise money for the Trust or if you would
like to provide a home for a greyhound,
contact the national office on 0844 826
8424 and they can put you in touch with
your local branch.

What can be achieved through effective office
technology management?
Environmental Risks are still Significant
colour without permission or restricting the number of copies that can
be printed in a day. Secure print systems increase security and reduce
waste as documents are only printed when authorised there and then
by the user; it will also enable you to gain control of ordering associated
consumables such as paper and toner.
Effective document workflow management helps firms achieve cost
savings, increase productivity and reduce their environmental impact.
The cost of printing and photocopying is a growing problem for many
organisations. At a time when costs are being scrutinised like never
before, organisations continue to squander resources around print.
Annual print spending typically accounts for 1 to 3% of an organisation’s
annual revenue.
Focusing on identifiable costs such as equipment, paper and consumables
can return considerable savings, but this approach misses the larger
opportunity. To realise the true benefits you must be able to look beyond
print devices and get to grips with your document workflow.
1. Assessment
The first step is simply to pay attention to your whole environment. Many
companies struggle to understand just how many printers reside in their
business, how many pages are printed each month, or the cost of each
sheet of paper that passes through their fleet.
Audit your fleet of printers with an assessment of your organisation’s
print activities, indentifying all devices by model, specification and
location. More detailed audits can also quantify the volume and cost by
each device. The challenge is to understand your workflow.
2. Optimise technology
Once you have this information you can start to optimise your technology.
Think about replacing desktop printers with shared multi-functional
devices that can print, copy, scan, and distribute documents. Balancing
devices can improve performance, maximise return on investment and
reduce total cost of ownership. The requirements of your printing and
copying environment will also change as your business evolves, so it
makes sense to periodically re-evaluate your needs. Often, features that
once seemed important are no longer needed.
4. Document management
Document management is not just for large companies, organisations of
all sizes can benefit. By moving to a more widespread use of electronic
media, you will be able to secure your documents, increase office floor
space and improve communication through shared files. Document
management will help reduce the total cost of ownership for your print
and copiers, as well as reduce energy consumption and environmental
impact through consolidation and optimisation.
Case Study:
5 partner firm with 2 offices
The award-winning, single sign-on document management system is
easy to operate, reduces waste and improves document security as well
as cost-accounting.
Challenge
• Meet demand for integrated print, copy, scan and fax
• Reduce waste and increase document security
• Provide cost-tracking software to record every document produced
Solution
• Multifunctional Devices (MFD’s)
Result
• Single sign-on, swipe card system or PIN coded access with instant
authentication
• Centralised print pods with MFD’s
• Secure document release from any MFD when user swipes their
ID card
• Integrated software instantly attributes every
document to correct cost code
To find out more and discuss the content of this article please contact:
David Wright
Corporate Account Manager, on:
0113 244 5050
or dswright@ikon.com
NB: To obtain the special D&DLS members’ discount on any subsequent
purchases, quote reference DDLS02.
If you are not the person in your firm who is responsible for your office
equipment, please pass this article on to whoever is.
Environmental risk issues continue to maintain a
high profile in the media. The recent High Court
decision linking a cluster of claimants suffering
birth defects to reclamation of a former steelworks
received extensive coverage. Although the case
related to negligence, public nuisance and breach
of statutory duty rather than the specific law on
contaminated land, it is an important reminder of
the potential consequences of living in the vicinity
of sites presenting environmental risks. This
demonstrates the importance of providing the
client with information and advice which enables
them to make an informed decision regarding the
environmental issues associated with a property
that they are looking to purchase.
One of the key questions that this presents is how
can you be certain that a property which a client
wants to buy is not likely to be situated close to a
landfill site or other contaminative use? Accurate,
reliable information is the key. As a consequence,
conveyancers need to be vigilant when carrying
out due diligence on environmental, flooding and
planning issues to ensure that their clients are
protected and aware of the key issues associated with
the property that they are purchasing. Landmark
Information Group is the market leading supplier of
environmental, flood risk and planning reports to
help conveyancers in achieving this aim.
Although most solicitors routinely commission
an environmental report as part of their searches
and enquiries on all transactions, some still rely
on local knowledge or simply fail to recognise the
need to carry out an environmental search. The Law
Society’s Warning Card relating to environmental
issues provides guidance on what constitutes best
practice with regard to dealing with environmental
risk and contaminated land in particular. The
Warning Card indicates that solicitors should
consider the applicability of advice on environmental
liability and contaminated land in particular in
relation to each transaction that they deal with.
Environmental searches are used as a means of
providing information and guidance on the level of
risk associated with a property.
Environmental risk will remain on the agenda
for the foreseeable future. It is vital that legal
advisors are aware of the tools available to carry
out effective due diligence. This facilitates the
provision of essential information to client and
protects the position of the legal advisor’s firm at
the same time.
In the coming months Landmark Information Group
will be working with Derby & District Law Society
to present a CPD seminar on environmental and
flood risks. Further information regarding date and
venue will be available shortly.
Peter Riddleston
Training & Development Manager
Landmark Information Group
3. Control Print
Ongoing control of your print is essential to ensure it continues to operate
at peak performance. Print management tools can place restrictions on
printing rights to help manage costs, like removing the ability to print in
18 www.derbylaw.net www.derbylaw.net 19

Severn Trent Searches
High Prices in 2009 for Gold & Silver
New Utilities Package in our commercial search portfolio
Severn Trent Searches now provide gas, electricity and telecoms products, as
part of our commercial search portfolio. We’re offering these as a valuable
utilities package together with our Commercial Drainage & Water search – all
for just £260 plus VAT!
This new utilities package is made up of gas, electricity and telecoms searches,
along with our drainage & water report. These utilities products can be purchased
as a bundle package, saving our customers both time by providing detailed plans
for all utilities to a commercial property, and also money – at a competitive price
of just £260 plus VAT!
The Electricity Search is provided by Central Networks, the electricity distribution
business of E.ON UK. It gives a copy of Central Networks’ plan of the property
and immediate area, showing the position and voltage of overhead lines,
underground cables, substations and LV distribution boxes. The search includes
a written report with advice, guidance and useful contact details for commercial
conveyancing customers.
The Telecoms Search is provided by BT Open Reach and details where apparatus such
as poles and overhead cables, kiosks, underground routes, inspection chambers,
jointing chambers and distribution points are situated. It also provides details of any
easements and way-leave agreements that affect the commercial property.
Utility Search provide the Gas Mains Search, which gives a plan showing the
approximate position of all pipes to which a connection may be made. It also
includes details of grants, way-leave agreements and any other statutory notices.
To complete this Utilities Package, we include our Commercial Drainage & Water
search in with this bundle. Our drainage and water report contains 24 questions
– including all of the detail in our HIP-compliant residential CON29DW drainage
and water search, plus any trade effluent information. This report covers all
water and sewerage queries from water pressure, sewer flooding and water
quality, as well as advice on the connection status, adoption agreements and
the location of pipes. The report states who’s responsible for all the water and
drainage facilities, and determines whether or not existing pipes or works could
affect planning consents.
Severn Trent Searches provide a one-stop shop for commercial conveyancers
and developers, with a wide range of reports in our commercial search
portfolio. We’re able to carry out searches on everything from subsidence and
contamination through to council planning applications, drainage and water and
chancel liability – all under one roof.
We always look at ways to make our service even better. By listening to our
customer’s feedback we have found that commercial conveyancers often require
plans on all the utilities at a property, by purchasing each search separately
incurs both time and cost. General Manager, Mark Jarvis says; ‘Our customers
tell us there is a need for a full utilities offering from known providers and at a
great rate. This is exactly what we hope to offer.’
Mark continues; “We have done the hard work for our customers, by scaling the
market to find great products from known providers offering detailed reports.
And we can offer all 4 reports for just £260 plus VAT”.
As a further enhancement to our commercial portfolio we’re also pleased to
be able to offer a new local authority search from Onesearch Direct - personal
search using data collected directly from local authorities. It guarantees accuracy,
covering all findings with a comprehensive Information Accuracy Warranty and
full professional indemnity cover.
Combine this new local authority search addition to our wide range of commercial
searches, our extensive customer support and you’ll find we’re the only search
provider you need. Mark says; “We’re always improving our service to bring
customers even more useful searches. We think these new additions to our
range offer just that.”
For more information about any of our commercial searches:
Call 0115 962 7269 or visit www.severntrentsearches.com
NB: The Utilities Package is only available within the Severn Trent region
Maximise the value of your antiques
for your clients
Antiques often come on the open market from deceased
estates and it is as an Independent Auctioneer and Valuer I
firstly prepare a Probate Valuation and then advise the client
on the most appropriate place to sell them in order to achieve
the maximum price for them.
Current trends for Silver & Gold
As I write this I see the price of gold and silver have gone up again.
As an Antiques Valuer when I talk about the price of antique silver
and gold it is always much high than the price quoted for scrap
only. The scrap value of silver is over £8.26 per troy ounce and
£521.01 per ounce for 22ct gold at the present time. There is a
great danger when precious metal prices are very high that those
with collections of silver and gold think they will get a higher price
for them if they sell them for scrap. This is not the case, most items
of silver and gold which I value have an intrinsic value of their own
and Continental silver in particular can often be over looked as the
marks are very often unlike English silver hallmarks.
Other areas of interest at the moment are Russian, Indian and
Oriental items. The strength of the market for Oriental items such as
porcelain, jade and works of art is better than it has ever been. The
changing economic climate in these countries together with the live
bidding facility at specialist auctions means that Russian and Oriental
items in particular are now making more than ever before.
Vivienne Milburn valuing a silver dish worth £3,000-5,000.
As these items are selling so well, my advice to clients and
collectors who are thinking of selling is to do it now and optimise
on the market whilst it is strong. Russian items are at a premium
as with this collection of Russian silver gilt and cloisonné enamel
ware, (below) dating from the early 20th Century period. The large
pedestal bowl or Bratina made £2,090; the cream jug by Orest
Kurlyukov, only 10cm high made £2,340; and the Kovsh enamelled
with a Russian Palace made £3,900.
DLC CASE STUDIES
DLC Investigations is a reputable firm of Private
Investigators with offices based in Cheshire and
Manchester city centre opening shortly.
We have been in the security industry for over 25 years and
have a highly skilled and experienced team of both male and
female Private Investigators and Surveillance Personnel.
DLC offers a full range of services tailored to individual needs
for both private and corporate clients, including:
1. Business Partner Issues
A corporate client telephoned our offices late one Wednesday evening
requesting an urgent meeting due to the fact that he suspected that his
business partner was using their offices, facilities and finance to launch
his own business.
DLC were tasked to carry out an in depth investigation into this individual,
his personal finances and to obtain intelligence via investigation and
electronic surveillance in order to obtain leverage to force a resignation
or face prosecution.
We were able to obtain information from our client’s computer and
telephone system, thus providing recordings of conversations and also
emails proving that the target was indeed going into competition with his
(at the time) business partner.
Items like this require a specialist
sale, so if you would like a valuation
and advice please contact Vivienne
Milburn FRICS on:
• Blackmail Issues
• Undercover Operations
• Surveillance & Vehicle Tracking
• Missing People & Tracing Individuals
• Corporate Investigations
• Security Services
• Fraud Investigations
• Debt Collection
DLC Investigations Limited
Cheshire House, 3-5 Market Street,
Disley, Cheshire SK12 2AA
Tel: 0844 277 2500
Fax: 0844 277 2501
Email: cheshire@dlcinvestigations.co.uk
As a result of our investigations we were able to provide enough evidence
to force the Director to resign. He willingly took that option rather than
going through lengthy legal channels.
2. Garden Centre Theft
A client with several garden centres enlisted the help of DLC Investigations
to investigate allegations of theft among its workforce at one site, even
though the company had security guards and CCTV at all sites. We
installed several hidden cameras and eavesdropping equipment one
evening at the problem site. We also placed a covert investigator within
the team that was under suspicion to obtain evidence to aid legal action
and dismissal of three employees.
Our young female investigator was able to (with the aid of electronic
eavesdropping devices, hidden cameras and physical evidence) gain the
intelligence needed to support a prosecution.
The result in this case was prosecution of both security and company
personnel. Some of the stolen property was also obtained and returned.
01629 640210
or 07870 238788
vivienne@viviennemilburn.co.uk
www.viviennemilburn.co.uk.
20 www.derbylaw.net
www.derbylaw.net 21

The dynamics of the legal sector
Practitioners could certainly be forgiven
for seeing rain approaching.
Mirroring his 2007 prediction of 3000 firms disappearing, Stephen
Mayson, of the Legal Services Policy Institute, has recently
reiterated his bleak outlook with lawyers’ over-focus on autonomy
cited as a primary cause. Tony Williams, of the consultancy
Jomati, has similarly referenced the sector’s pending fundamental
transformation whilst legal “futurist” Richard Susskind confidently
predicts some services disappearing from view altogether.
The dynamics driving this forlorn outlook out are well rehearsed.
“Generation Y’ers” viewing “geographic proximity” as to a PC rather
than a High Street; the evolving “customer journey” dragging online
and offline providers into hand to hand combat; IT facilitating “white
label” services and Legal Process Outsourcing; the rise of legal
“factories” for standardised offerings… and, of course, a certain
supermarket…
But is the outlook really so bleak and the legal sector’s current
position so unique? For those willing to act, the answer is “no”.
First some reality. What is happening is called competition and if
there is competition there is opportunity. “But this is different”
I hear. Really? Change is endemic – just ask Polaroid, the corner
shops, the “national carrier” airlines, employees of town centre travel
agencies…
Secondly, the services provided by lawyers, save at the most
standardised end, have much greater scope for personalisation than
many supermarket offerings. The reality too is that mass providers
cannot do everything and typically struggle to mass produce products
lacking a fast turnover. Don’t believe me? Well buy some steak from
your supermarket, then from your local butcher and then decide.
Thirdly, are the market’s dynamics really flowing only against current
participants? That sounds similar to computers heralding the entry
of the paperless office (they didn’t!). What about outsourcing IT
platforms so avoiding capital outlays and reinforcing relationships
and brand promotion through IT-enabled virtual networks? What of
automated cross-selling and tailored delivery of personalised services
for (increasingly well-informed) customers’ personal affairs? If they
look like opportunities and smell like opportunities…
Finally, time is still, just about, on your side. As the strategy specialist
Markides notes in “Fast Second”, and proven dramatically by Apple
and Amazon, second really can be best. Let the trailblazers plot the
map and find (get eaten by?) the dragons and then follow. It may not
be intrepid but it can certainly prove effective.
So the future’s unequivocally bright?
I wouldn’t go that far. It will be tough and there will be losers. Some
sectors may well have changed forever but, in a market, reward
necessitates risk. So where do you stand?
The management guru Peter Drucker noted that the biggest danger
in turbulent times is acting with “yesterday’s logic”. That is the key.
Challenge your assumptions about tomorrow’s world. Look outside
your “tunnel vision” view of tomorrow born of years of stable regulation.
What is approaching? What if the supermarkets do enter? What if
your two local rivals merge? Stop, think, plan for varying scenarios,
monitor and implement as the future unfolds. Don’t firefight. Act
systematically, create a formalised process of challenge and managed
innovation and begin your transformation now.
Amidst those storm clouds I promise there really are rays of
sunshine. You just need to look.
James Dunning
Geotrupes Consulting
www.geotrupes.co.uk
Applying Law Exceptionally
22 www.derbylaw.net www.derbylaw.net 23