Manchester Messenger June 2017

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12 Talking Heads Talking Heads Following on from Mental Health Awareness Week last month we asked practitioners "what strategies do you use to manage stress?" Danielle Watts Trainee Solicitor Kuits After a busy day, I find the best thing is to let off some steam by doing some exercise. This releases any energy I have built up throughout the day and enables me to relax for the evening ahead. Kuits has both a netball and touch rugby team, so I find there are plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and have a laugh with colleagues. When I’m not feeling so energetic and the sun is out, I find that escaping to eat lunch on the firm’s rooftop terrace always does the trick! Chris Longbottom Head of Family Law Shoosmiths <strong>Manchester</strong> Being able to manage stress effectively is an essential skill for family law practitioners. On a day-to-day basis, we support clients who are experiencing highly stressful situations. We have to be equipped to deal with that and to manage the professional demands of our roles. A lot of the stress experienced by our clients comes from a lack of knowledge about the law and where they stand in relation to it. We help to minimise that stress by explaining things in lay-person’s terms, demystifying the legal process and setting out a plan of direction. From my own point of view, as a family law adviser, managing stress is all about finding a balance. Clients often have needs outside office hours and I have to be accessible to them. It is important to make sure that your own personal life is not affected by this. I am very fortunate to be supported by an understanding family, and by an employer that pro-actively tackles stress in the workplace by placing a focus on flexible, agile working. Tom Bridgford Partner Eversheds Sutherland Everyone is different but I have always found the following helpful: Take regular exercise and build this into your weekly routine; Don’t bottle things up – if you have concerns about how you are going to get through your workload, share that with a colleague, sooner rather than later; Make sure you take all your holiday entitlement – holidays are absolutely critical to re-charging the batteries; Set some red-lines to ringfence some time for yourself or your family. For example, if you need to leave early to get to, say, a language lesson on a Tuesday, make sure your colleagues know that you really need to leave for that; Try not to look at emails 24/7 – this is easier said than done in a world of smart phones but they have an ‘off’ button, so try to give yourself a break from screen-time.”! Andrew Holroyd Executive Chairman Jackson & Canter Group Doing things you enjoy is supposed to help but nothing is more stressful than playing golf. Why do I keep doing it? - one of life’s mysteries! I am very fortunate to enjoy my day job as Chair and Compliance Officer of the practice and I am lucky not to worry about it too much. I know that’s a bit weird. One of our work values is that we should work hard but also have some fun and down time. Friday bar is a time when people can get together and socialise at the end of the month. Our Leadership and Ownership team have also organised Yoga and Mindfulness sessions. Last week we had a Psychiatrist Dr Stevens to give a lunchtime talk to our staff on Mental Health and Well Being. We all face hard times in our lives and hopefully monthly staff one to ones are times to discuss how our staff are feeling as well as what they are doing. Getting to grips with issues and understanding them is a good start to solving problems Jonathan Wall Paralegal Burton Copeland LLP For a quick fix, the Apple Watch breathe app is a great way to instantly relax. But, the main way I deal with stress is by ensuring a little R&R at the weekend and switching off from work (at least in part) in order to recharge the batteries. To me there is nothing more therapeutic after a busy week, than standing in the kitchen on a Friday night cooking something special with a glass of red wine and chewing the fat with my wife, or standing on the side line of the football pitch with other parents and cheering on my boys on a Saturday morning. If the cause of the stress is a problem that requires some deeper thought, an outdoor walk usually does the trick; I don't ever remember returning from a walk without either a solution to the problem or at least a plan of action. Sydney Fulda – Partner Commercial Litigation DAC Beachcroft LLP Last month I met a US corporate lawyer who worked in London. She told me that she daily witnessed colleagues crying in the toilets. I also read a report that more than 90% of junior lawyers in this country feel stressed and under pressure at work, with more than a quarter describing stress levels as "severe or extreme". Partners in today's law firms need to be aware of these issues to drive a culture which provides levels of support and leadership towards managing stress which will resonate. Strategies to manage stress include an ethos of always doing your level best – no more can be expected of you; spread positivity and happiness and focus on your achievements; help others and be charitable; keep fit, eat well and believe in yourself; keep a day of rest; that 24 hour switch off is a godsend and if all else fails – support Derby County – puts life and work pressures into perspective! Polly Hill Associate Ralli Solicitors The stress of our jobs in terms of deadlines, compliance, accounting, managing client expectations (and the list goes on) is mountainous as can be our lives outside of work. I manage my stress levels by a combination of factors which varies subject to the height of my stress levels. I find that the most effective stress managers are cardio vascular exercise as the release of endorphins keeps my mental health very well in check and also, talking to my litigation colleagues who fortunately will also listen as a problem shared is a problem halved. The odd glass of Malbec can also work wonders! I have recently started using a mediation app on my train commute as I believe mediation can work small miracles for stress levels and has many other physical and mental health be Rachel Martin New Enquiries Manager Aequitas Legal Working in lead conversion in Personal Injury my role is somewhat high paced and highly pressured. I am very conscious of work stress as it is so easy to spill over into other areas of your life. There are a number of ways I deal with stress: 1. Switching off: It’s important to find a good balance between work and social life. I used to check my emails over the weekend, even when on annual leave! Since stopping, I am less stressed, happier at work and I find it easier to relax. 2. Being able to say NO! When I am overworked or have over committed is when I get stressed. It’s much better to be honest and say when I have too much to do. 3. Walking – I regularly go to the Lakes to walk, just by getting away from all technology refreshes my mind, ready for the week ahead. Peter Atherton Barrister Deans Court Chambers I was fortunate to act for Penelope Hatton in the leading case on occupational stress. She was a teacher whose work, adverse family and life events all contributed to causing her depression and debility. Many of her problems could have been avoided if she had felt able to share them. Many high performing professionals are perfectionists who enjoy the challenges of their work and accept that ‘high winds blow on high peaks’. Many stressful situations can be effectively managed by good communication and delegation skills. On a personal level I recommend the benefits of a happy family, valued colleagues and friends, regular
vigorous exercise, joining a choir and a season ticket at Old Trafford. Andrew Gartside Associate Centrefield LLP I find that the majority of stressful situations arise at work in relation to matters which are time pressured. I have found that the best way to manage stress is to plan and prioritise my ongoing matters on a continual basis. I refer to an electronic “to-do” list which has a summary of all my ongoing matters which can then be automatically prioritised by urgency or client. Having the list at hand allows me to ascertain quickly the current status of my matters and identify the individual work which either needs to be dealt with quickly. If an urgent matter then does arise, I am able to quickly cross refer to the list and either delegate certain matters to other fee-earners so that they are completed in time or re-prioritise other matters. The list also assists in making other members of the team aware of my capacity when it comes to work streams. Carole Jones HR Partner (Non Legal) Express Solicitors This is an important topic as a HR practitioner within the legal sphere. I read extensively and as a business we support Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Wellbeing Week and run a series of events which target stress as well as other areas. The main thing for each of us is to concentrate on Mind, Body and Soul – each Talking Heads has to be balanced and nourished if you are to be the best you can be. Too often we forget to concentrate on one area and if stress takes hold, the cortisol makes you put on weight and affects sleep and concentration leading to unhealthy conflict. Easier said than done to achieve balance but we should all be taking a regular personal MOT in these 3 areas. If you identify a weak area, you are the only person who can begin to get it fixed. I struggle with keeping fit, so have signed up to the <strong>Manchester</strong> 10km to challenge myself. Mark Fitzgibbon Partner Hill Dickinson Let’s face it, the state of one’s mental health often gets overlooked / ignored in such a pressure cooker of a profession as ours (and not just in the legal profession, but it’s the only one I can speak for). Recognising that multiple demands from colleagues, clients and life outside the office (there should be one in some shape or form!) impacts upon each of us is an important tool in itself– how stress affects your physical and mental health is often the first hurdle to overcome. Stress affects everyone in different ways and everyone, once they recognise the effect, implements different coping strategies which work for them; for me I try to plan plenty of time into every instruction so I don’t get caught out on time (which would increase stress levels for me), but on the other hand, I try to make sure I get as much physical exercise and sleep as I can manage, equally, it’s essential for me to make sure I have plenty of distractions outside of the office, family, friends, hobbies, exercise – anything that takes my mind off work, at least for a while. “ 13 Volunteer Opportunity for Housing, Probate and Civil Litigation Solicitors This is an exciting opportunity to help those in the local community whilst further developing your skills. The Organisation BPP LEGAL ADVICE CLINIC runs a pro bono law appointment advice clinic providing free, independent high quality advice to for clients with various legal issues. Role Description You will be supervising BPP LPC or BPTC students, i.e. they already have a qualifying law degree. All suitable clients are offered one off face to face initial advice. You will meet students prior to a client meeting, observe the client interview (either in person, or by watching a recording of it) and then de-brief the students after the meeting with guidance and direction to follow. You will then provide remote support and supervision with the student’s letter of advice providing feedback and suggestions on a first draft and then signing off the letter of advice within a two-week turnaround. Subject to availability, the clinic may provide additional advice and support but the general rule is initial-advice only. Person Specification We are looking for lawyers with at least 2 years PQE, we will consider less PQE in some circumstances. Time Commitment We are looking for lawyers to volunteer twice per calendar year (although every little helps). If you are interested, or require more information, please contact Lucy Wildig -LucyWildig@bpp.com. TAILORED REGULATION OF SPECIALIST LAWYERS PROTECTING THE CONSUMER SUPPORTING INNOVATION, COMPETITION AND GROWTH IT’S TIME TO THINK ABOUT THAT MOVE To find out more about how your practice could benefit from transferring to the CLC, contact us on the details below. www.clc-uk.org/Changing-Regulators or call 020 7250 8465
Page 1 and 2: June 2017 October 09 1 North West L
Page 3 and 4: Contents 3 North West Law June 2017
Page 5 and 6: 5 President’s Column 5 From the P
Page 7 and 8: Regulation 7 Regulatory Affairs Com
Page 9 and 10: Trio of Promotions at Farleys Solic
Page 11: High Flying Women News 11 Around Se
Page 15 and 16: A James Bond themed ‘Skyball’ r
Page 17 and 18: CAB News 17 Vehicle Charges: An Upd
Page 19 and 20: Data Protection and IT 19 GDPR: Pra
Page 21 and 22: MLS ADVANTAGE m WHAT IS MLS ADVANTA
Page 24 and 25: New! Exclusive Yoga & Pilates Studi
Page 26 and 27: Classified Directory Expert Witness

Manchester Messenger June 2017

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