The Messenger June 2016

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20 In today’s online, competitive world, it can be easy to overlook some of the tried and tested (often free) marketing activities that law firms can benefit from. We all want to make it as easy as possible for customers to engage with us, so here are a few tips that may help your firm. 1 PR and editorial • Great for building credibility. • Promotes a positive reputation of the firm and how others perceive you. • Demonstrates why you are the "go to" firm of choice. • Educates the sectors in which you work on key issues affecting them. • Remember anyone can advertise – not everyone gets published! Consider : • Writing an article for inclusion in leading publications read by your clients. • Select significant, topical, relevant issues that affect them. • Comment on the effects of a change in legislation/case outcome which may have significant implications for the industry. • Have you won a pitch which can be publicised? • Build relationships with the media – you want them to come to you as the experts on future pieces they’ll be writing. 2 Legal and Trade Directories • Rankings against your competitors in independent directories are still important to many firms. • They cement your place in the market and also to inhouse counsel. • The process is straightforward and involves researching key cases, writing up entries and interviews with directory journalists. 3 Apply Online for Business Awards Most industry sectors have business awards you can win Marketing CILEX Big ideas, small budget ? Marketing needn’t be expensive… ! "#$%&'$(')*+,)%-! $ ! • D1&'.!>:1!,-#+%# ! # • E1:*:.&(!'!6:( ( • F&*:3(.1'.&(!= • H%-#1:*B ! ! ! &3$'$&!=#.?!-()!(:!?& ! !(: !?& 7 Keep in touch - make that call • Great result on a case? Client care letter all done, and file wound up? • Now is the time to ask for a testimonial. • Use it on your website and in pitch documents. 8 Online/digital/Web • Publish and recycle great content. If you can create it yourself, all the better. ! Even if writing isn’t your strong point, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting volunteers to write articles. •Create business accounts and participate in the big social media sites – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest. • LinkedIn is a major social media site for law firms, and is often under-utilised. It can be a great place to promote your content, share ideas, and build your network. Don’t just add network connections and sign out – join groups, enter into dialogue with connections, and share your posts. • Keep the Website relevant and up to date so visitors have a reason to come back. These are just a few of very many free and small budget marketing tactics that your firm can utilise. As someone once said to me “Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.” Linda Coppell www.lcimarketing.co.uk 5 677-8$9&-)&($:+,$; $ $ 0:(.!#3%-(.1;!(&
Local News 21 Wilmslow lawyer's lifelong campaign succeeds Hilary Meredith, founder and CEO at Hilary Meredith Solicitors in Wilmslow, has achieved a lifelong ambition after a Parliamentary Inquiry agreed that the Ministry of Defence must be held more accountable when soldiers die in training exercises. The Defence Committee has decided said that the Ministry of Defence should be subject to corporate manslaughter charges and lose its crown immunity when there is a blatant disregard for life – according to a groundbreaking report, Beyond Endurance? Military exercise and the duty of care. Hilary Meredith, CEO at Hilary Meredith Solicitors Ltd, gave evidence at the Parliamentary Inquiry. She said: “For all the families who I have represented over the years and have lost loved ones in training accidents this is an acknowledgment of their losses and at last a recommendation for corporate responsibility to apply to the MoD. "I think many members of the armed forces accept that if they are in wartime situation and they are either injured or killed then that's part and parcel of their employment. But if there are on manoeuvres or training they don’t expect to be injured or killed.” The 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act, which is meant to cover all employees, also applies to the armed forces. However, the MoD has been exempt from criminal prosecution for serious breaches of the rules through a privilege called Crown immunity. Hilary has long campaigned for this to end. She continued:“As a lawyer, having given evidence at the Inquiry and been involved in investigating accidents and deaths while practising for War, for over 27 years, I applaud the Select Defence Committee on understanding the seriousness of these issues. “Making its recommendation that the MoD should be subject to corporate prosecution when there is a reckless disregard for life is a major leap forward in recognising that, like everyone else in modern society, when mistakes happen the buck should stop at the top.” Added Hilary:“For too long, the MoD as a corporation has hidden behind crown immunity. “It is a fact that more men and women die whilst training for war than in war - and this cannot be acceptable on any front. We acknowledge that training has to be realistic but not to the point of death. There is, and always has been a lack of understanding in the military from the top, that systems have to be in place to reduce death and injury whilst training.“ “We are not talking about unfortunate accidents here - we are talking about a blatant disregard for life. Only this week we heard of another fatality on a firing range due to the lack of safety officers on the ground. “In the Brecon Beacons, three men lost their lives in one incident. That is atrocious. The MoD should hold its head in shame and accept responsibility. It is far too easy to blame the individual on the ground. The MoD can no longer hide behind Crown immunity, painful lessons will be learnt. 27 years on and at last there will be change.” Hilary Meredith VFS LEGAL FUNDING RELEASING CASH FLOW Do you want to improve your Cashflow? VFS provides quick, simple and cost effective funding solutions that release YOUR funds locked up in YOUR profit costs and disbursements. The funds can be used by you for any purpose. Including, for example, Tax and VAT payments, removing the need to rely on costly, fixed term repayment loans from secondary funders. Disbursement funding (‘DCF’) VFS funds the ongoing disbursements incurred on PI, Clinical Negligence and Litigation cases until their natural conclusion. Costs advance facility (‘CAF’) VFS can provide immediate funding against most bills that have been served – releasing cash back into the practice. For a no obligation discussion please call 020 3747 9333 or email enquiries@vfslegal.com or visit vfslegal.com
Page 1 and 2: June 2016 October 09 1 North West L
Page 3 and 4: Contents 3 North West Law June 2016
Page 5 and 6: President’s Column 5 5 From the P
Page 7 and 8: Regulatory Affairs Committee Update
Page 9 and 10: Double celebration for Nigel Shephe
Page 11 and 12: Higher servicing standards. Lower s
Page 13 and 14: Serious injury solicitors continue
Page 15 and 16: We’ve won a Queen’s Award Quote
Page 17 and 18: Barristers get in a spin for Charit
Page 22: 22 News CILEX MTSG News The Summer
Page 25 and 26: Michelle Garlick: 0161 233 7330 or
Page 27 and 28: We have added a number of new benef
Page 29 and 30: October 09 The W rld according to F
Page 31 and 32: At Clayton Legal your talent matter

The Messenger June 2016

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