First showing for Olympic hopefuls at Lincolnshire’s world class equestrian event
For pictures from previous years and of Event Director Charles Hood, click here
The annual Lincolnshire Horse Trials takes place in March at the Lincolnshire Showground at Grange de Lings.
Olympic hopefuls will be heading the line up at this year’s Lincolnshire Horse Trials, with up to 700 competitors expected to take part in the three-day event.
The Lincolnshire Showground hosts the 2012 event from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th March, with competitors taking part in dressage, show jumping and cross country over the three days at pre novice (BE100), novice and intermediate levels.
And selectors for the British team are expected to be on the lookout once again during the pony trials that are also held.
The venue is recognised as an excellent event for early season because the flat, well drained ground is a good proving ground for both horse and rider. The event is open for entries from early February and it’s expected to draw previous participants and Olympic hopefuls such as William Fox-Pitt, Pippa Funnell, Nicola Wilson and Piggy French.
Local riders are also expected to showcase their talents, including Rosalind Canter from Louth and Deborah Doyle from Lincoln, who both had wins in the BE100 sections last year. Helen Scholl from Grantham, who won one of the Novice sections in 2011 and Gina Ruck from Tealby who won the Open Intermediate Under 21 Section.
Also expected is rising star and future Olympic hopeful Emilie Chandler, who secured a win on Douglas, and a second place on Beeswing, in last year’s intermediate sections.
Charles Hood, director of the Horse Trials and the course designer, is predicting an exciting line up of both international and local riders.
He said: “This will be a very exciting year in the run up to the Olympics and we’re expecting to draw an exceptional range of entrants as a result. Because our course gives a good variety of well-built straight forward fences, and is run over extremely well-drained light land, it draws competitors looking to build early season confidence with good going. We have planned some new fences especially for this year.”
Competitors will also find an improved layout, with the day boxes able to get inside the Showground, instead of being located outside the perimeter.
And the management and scoreboard will this year be inside the Showground’s EPIC Centre conferencing venue.
Nearly two thousand visitors attended last year’s event over the three days, and the competitors and their support staff bring the same number again to the Showground site at Grange de Lings, providing a welcome boost to the local economy.
The Horse Trials are organised by Lincolnshire Events Centre on its 200 acre Showground site, which includes a major national conferencing venue and is home to the County Show.
Entry on Saturday and Sunday is £5.00 per car to include all occupants.
Running order:
Each day of this three day event is focussed on a particular class, giving visitors the chance to see all events each day, cross country, dressage and show jumping.
Friday 16th March:
BE100 and Open BE100 class.
8.00am Dressage
8.45am Show jumping
9.30am Cross country
5.00pm Approx finishing time
Saturday 17th March:
Novice and Open Novice plus Pony Trial dressage and show jumping
8.00am Dressage
8.45am Show jumping
9.30am Cross country
5.00pm Approx finishing time
Also taking place on Saturday is Pony Trial dressage and show jumping. The pony cross country is on Sunday at 9.00 am.
Sunday 18th March
Intermediate and Open Intermediate classes plus Pony Trial cross country
8.30am Dressage
8.45am Show jumping
9.00am Cross country plus Pony Trial Cross country
5.00pm Approx finishing time
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre inc Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
Lord Taylor named President of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
The head of one of the UK’s leading horticultural companies has been named as the new President of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society.
The Lord Taylor of Holbeach, CBE, who is now serving as a Government minister for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, follows in the footsteps of other distinguished Presidents, who have included HRH Princess Anne, the Earl of Yarborough and most recently Professor David Chiddick, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln.
In the presidential role, Lord Taylor will represent the Society at the annual Lincolnshire Show in June, when over 60,000 people come to learn about the importance of agriculture in the life of the county.
Lord Taylor’s involvement in horticulture and farming dates back to his teens, when he joined the family business and started work on the family farm in Holbeach. The peer, who stood down as chairman of the company, Taylors Bulbs, following his appointment said: “It’s a great honour to be invited to act as President. I applaud the Society for the way in which they have kept the agricultural focus of the Lincolnshire Show; in so doing they have ensured that it remains the high point of the farming year in the county.
“The Society plays an important part in the economic life of Lincolnshire as well as performing a great task as advocate for the agricultural and horticultural industry, in what is the country’s premier agricultural county.”
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society operates the Lincolnshire Events Centre, which brings together agricultural, educational and conferencing activities. Research has shown that a massive £44m is being injected into the national economy thanks to the Lincolnshire Events Centre, which attracts over 215,000 visitors a year.
Lord Taylor added: “The biggest challenge facing farming is to make best use of modern technology and remain competitive in the global marketplace. Keeping up to date is vital. “
Lord Taylor entered the House of Lords in 2006, having been made a life peer as Baron Taylor of Holbeach, of South Holland in the County of Lincolnshire. He was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in September 2011.
He was previously Government spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, Energy and Climate Change, and Work and Pensions. He also served as opposition spokesman from 2006-2010 and as a Whip in the House of Lords. He was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1992 for political service, and served as Chairman of the National Conservative Convention and Deputy Chairman of the Party from 2000 to 2003.
Taylors Bulbs is one of the largest bulb producers in the UK, farming 317 acres of daffodils and 1860 acres of other crops including vegetables, cereals, potatoes and sugar beet.
Also leading the Society during 2012 is John Lockwood, who continues in his role as Chairman for a third year. Master of the Burton Hunt and a former High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, he runs the family property company, Castle Square Developments, alongside the family farm.
The £7m EPIC Centre at the Lincolnshire Showground was opened three years ago, providing a conference and events facility, capable of hosting conferences, balls and seminars, and is designed also as an educational resource and state-of-the-art events centre for up to 1,900 people.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585504
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
Businesswoman steps up to lead Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
Links to some online coverage: Midlands Business News
Promoting Lincolnshire and building further profitability are the top priorities for the new director in charge of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, home of the annual County Show.
Jayne Southall moves into the lead role after five years of heading finance and general management for the Society and its associated commercial operating arm, Lincolnshire Events Centre.
She has been part of the team that has overseen the shift of the annual County Show into a substantial profit centre, announcing that the 2011 Show made a big shift into the black, thanks to a £200,000 increase in income over the previous year.
The new director has also confirmed that the Show will stay in its mid-week slot, saying this is the strongest way to ensure it retains its agricultural heart.
There have been discussions over recent years around the value of moving the Show to include at least one weekend day, but the idea has been put aside based on the improved financial performance and amidst concerns at losing support from the agricultural community.
Jayne Southall explained: “We are set on innovation and continuing to broaden our appeal, but the Show must support our core charitable aims – which are to promote understanding, and awareness of the role played in the county by agriculture and food production - and we must have the agricultural community fully on board.
“It’s still the county’s best kept secret. We’ve pushed up to more than 60,000 visitors but there is still huge potential and we’re set on increasing numbers of both visitors and exhibitors in 2012.”
Instead, she will be focussing efforts on increasing involvement in the Society by young people, links with education and building the nationally renowned Lincolnshire Events Centre conferencing business.
“Our other biggest challenge is retaining and building a substantial share of the local and national conferencing market,” added Jayne. “We have a unique capability in delivering events for bigger numbers, indoors and outside, such as the antiques fairs and recently the very successful Christmas Food and Gift fair, but we are also competing for the smaller end of the seminar and conference market with our purpose designed EPIC venue.
“Everyone in the tourism and conferencing sector needs to keep talking up Lincolnshire outside the county. People still don’t realise how well served the county is with hotels and other business and tourist support.”
Jayne has lived in the county since 2001, and lives in Welton with her two grown up children. She keeps in touch with the Society’s heart outside work as well, as a keen walker who looks to get out into the country as often as possible.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585504
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
LawNet announces new online risk management portal
Specialist director appointed to lead compliance developments
LawNet is responding to the growing compliance burden by announcing the development of a new risk management portal for its members.
The online portal will help firms manage the introduction of the SRA Handbook and Outcomes-Focussed Regulation (OFR) and is described as providing real tools for firms to use day-to-day.
It will bring together various partners, including insurers, to lead firms through effective implementation designed to match up to the SRA requirements. It will be complemented through LawNet’s learning programme, with training and risk management consultation.
And the network has appointed a legal accreditations and compliance professional to head up and develop these services for members.
Jeanette Lucy joins from legal training provider CLT where she was qualifications and accreditations director for six years. She previously spent 15 years with the Law Society in professional ethics, and a spell in private practice, heading up compliance and money laundering for a regional firm.
“A major objective is to support firms in implementing the new requirements day-to-day. We see ourselves as being part of their compliance team, helping them develop the right processes and I am leading the development of the package that will help them in risk management, risk regulation, reporting, and recommendations,” said Jeanette.
She will also be heading up the network’s quality and accreditation and the major exercise of re-writing the LawNet quality standard, covering OFR, LEXCEL and the ISO 9001:2008 LawNet Quality Standard certification, which is compulsory for all LawNet firms. Members can now combine this with LEXCEL for an integrated joint accreditation review.
LawNet chief executive John Thomas emphasised the importance of Jeanette’s appointment, saying: “Risk management and compliance is the big issue for firms today. We intend to make it a simple process for them, allowing them to concentrate on fee earning. Jeanette has an outstanding track record in areas that are vital for us to deliver the right support for firms in the years to come.”
As director of learning and development for LawNet, Jeanette will also use her experience in developing training and accreditation for lawyers to develop the network’s free CPD training programme and other learning and development across its 28 specialist groups.
Jeanette took a law degree before making an early move into personnel management and from there to the Law Society, where she was involved in writing the practice rules, the accounts rules and the Guide to the Professional Conduct of Solicitors during her time in the ethics division.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
The combined income of the 68 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Each year LawNet delivers over 60 CPD accredited learning events at venues throughout the UK, covering a wide range of technical legal updates, practice management and business development topics, including a leading-edge strategic leadership and management development programme. All the learning days are CPD accredited, many are provided as a free service within membership, and the member-defined programme ensures that topics tackle key issues affecting that particular area of practice.
All LawNet firms must achieve ISO 9001:2008 LawNet Quality Standard certification within two years of joining, and securing and maintaining that accreditation is a condition of membership. Through a unique agreement with the Law Society, firms can also secure and hold the Lexcel practice management standard and benefit from a simplified dual auditing process for the two marks, with the independent assessment delivered through LawNet.
Twitter: @LawNetUK
Blog: http://thelawnetblog.wordpress.com/
Newest member talks about why they chose LawNet
Ray Crudgington is managing partner of LawNet’s newest member firm, Grant Saw LLP in south east London – the fifth to join in the past 12 months.
Employing 20 lawyers and with five partners, Grant Saw provides legal services to a private and corporate customer base across south east London and the Docklands and has ambitions to significantly increase its share of commercial work.
Ray explains why they chose to join LawNet:
“Now seemed the right time to join LawNet for us. We’ve got serious ambitions to grow the firm and want to significantly increase our share of commercial work. By joining LawNet we see it as offering us an opportunity to grow, by learning from other larger firms, sharing resources and cutting our internal costs through group discounted services.
Over the last few years we have made a concerted effort to expand. We moved into some modern offices in 2003, got our first web site running in 2005 and then secured Lexcel in 2007. We did all that and then, like most of the sector, went into recession survival mode for a while.
But then you look around and see the changes coming in around ABS and everything that we’re all contending with and we started thinking about how strategic partnerships might provide value. We want to ramp up on both contentious and non contentious commercial work, and particularly company commercial, and need to find the route to achieve that.
We had had some discussions with LawNet once before, but we were in the process of merging with another firm and it didn’t feel the right time. We were in a state of change, not sure what we’d look like at the other end and certainly a smaller player by comparison with others in the network.
We investigated other networks and collaborative initiatives, and trialled one for a year to see how it might help our ambitions. In the end we reached the conclusion that it wasn’t going to be right for us.
So that’s when we came back to talk to LawNet. There are larger firms than us in the network, and that matches our aspirations. Seeing what we get, we were really impressed.
Lawnet appears to be lawyer driven. We like the not-for-profit model and the fact that any surplus gets ploughed back into member services. The collective bargaining power brings real cost benefits; and these are all firms that we wish to be associated with.
We want to be around bigger firms to learn from them. There’s a risk in being one of the larger fish in your own pond, that you start thinking the others on your patch are your competition, but you need to have a bigger picture and look at what is being done at the level where you are really competing.
We are very committed to best practice and think it is vital for our future success. Customer service is important – if we do things well, the client will see the benefit. But we need to explore new ways of doing things and that’s where it becomes important to speak with other law firms and other lawyers in a non competing environment. The chance to do that is limited elsewhere.
We want to share resources and grow. That’s what we’re looking to achieve by being part of LawNet."
Ray Crudgington: Managing Partner and Head of Commercial & Probate Departments at LawNet member firm Grant Saw LLP. Ray qualified as a solicitor in 1991 after graduating from Leicester University and training with a major City firm. Since qualifying he has dealt mainly with company/commercial work and commercial property. He joined Grant Saw at the end of 1997 following several years with a Central London firm and is the head of the firm’s commercial and probate departments. Ray is the Honorary Solicitor for the South East London Chamber of Commerce and a member of The Law Management Section of The Law Society.
Web: www.grantsaw.com
Twitter: @GrantSaw
Law firm network expands in south east
LawNet, the leading network for independent legal firms, has announced a further new member – Grant Saw LLP in south east London.
The firm is the fifth member to be announced in the last 12 months and the signing brings LawNet closer to its target of 80 firms in 2012.
Grant Saw provides legal services to a private and corporate customer base across south east London and the Docklands and has ambitions to significantly increase its share of commercial work.
“The major reason for joining LawNet was the opportunity it offered to grow, by learning from other larger firms, sharing resources and cutting our internal costs through group discounted services,” said managing partner Ray Crudgington, who also heads the commercial and probate departments. “We want to explore new ways of doing things and learn from others we respect. Best practice and customer service are both very important to us. We believe that if we do things well, the client will see the benefit.”
The firm secured Lexcel accreditation in 2007 but will now additionally work towards the LawNet ISO 9001:2008 quality standard.
Membership of the network is by invitation to those firms who fit the LawNet profile of £2m - £15m turnover and prepared to commit to securing and maintaining the LawNet quality standard, which is mandatory for all firms, with rigorous six monthly audits to ensure standards are held across the membership. Recently LawNet has reached an agreement with the Law Society to offer dual accreditation with the Lexcel mark, with reduced demand on resources through a special dual assessment programme.
LawNet chief executive John Thomas said: “We are well on track to achieve our growth plans in the geographic areas that remain to be covered through the network. We’re attracting members who can see the benefit of being part of something bigger. It’s not just about the discounted services, although cutting costs certainly helps everyone, but it’s about being focussed on strength through strategic growth.”
ENDS
316 words
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
The combined income of the 68 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Big change brings big opportunities according to mid size law firms
The changing legal services market offers big opportunities to mid size firms, according to managing and senior partners attending this year’s LawNet conference.
But the firms also said that if they were to benefit from the opportunities, they needed to develop a stronger strategy, must look at restructuring and would need to become more specialist.
Over 60% of the firms believe they need to be at least a third bigger, with a further 24% looking towards at least a doubling in size.
National brands, new styles of service delivery and price competition are seen as the biggest threats in the market.
And as the first reports reach the market of equity funding deals for legal firms, including the majority shareholding taken in the QualitySolicitors brand, almost 60% of LawNet firms said they would accept such non lawyer equity investment. And when asked what they would do with a £250,000 cash injection, the firms would be most likely to invest the money in brand development and business development, closely followed by hiring a professional CEO or other professional managers.
All the feedback from firms came through on the spot questions posed by speakers Nick Jarrett-Kerr and George Bull at the conference, tackling a range of key strategy issues, with instant feedback from the floor using audience response keypads.
The full list of topics surveyed and the responses:
|
Does your firm need to become more specialist to win higher value work in future? |
|
| Hardly at all, we have about the right mix |
13% |
| Nearly there just honing skills in a couple of areas |
24% |
| Made a start, work in progress |
43% |
| We are too generalist, all departments need to develop |
20% |
|
Does your firm need to grow over the next three to five years to remain competitive and profitable? |
|
| Hardly at all, we are just the right size |
16% |
| At least a third bigger |
59% |
| Double in size |
15% |
| More than double |
10% |
|
How would you describe the level of ambition amongst your partnership group? |
|
| Highly ambitious and entrepreneurial |
10% |
| Mainly focused on defending our current position and profitability |
34% |
| Cautious and comfortable |
4% |
| A complete mixture of views and levels of ambition |
52% |
|
If I were to invest £250,000 in your firm, what would you spend most of it on? |
|
| Laterally hiring more partners |
14% |
| Paying out non-performing partners |
9% |
| Hiring a professional CEO or other professional managers |
22% |
| Building IT infrastructure |
16% |
| Developing our brand and business development |
38% |
| Bigger offices |
1% |
|
Which one of these pressures is the greatest threat to the solicitors’ profession? |
|
| New entrants |
16% |
| Evolving client (customer) expectations |
7% |
| Price competition |
28% |
| New methods of service delivery |
22% |
| The power of brands and advertising |
24% |
| Consolidation |
3% |
|
Do you feel your firm’s strategy is adequate to meet the challenges of the new market? |
|
| Yes |
40% |
| No |
60% |
|
Over the next 3 years, do you expect that your firm will restructure in response to the LSA? |
|
| Yes |
61% |
| No |
39% |
|
If approached by a new investor, would your firm accept non-lawyer equity investment? |
|
| Yes |
59% |
| No |
41% |
|
The restructuring of the legal market is going to bring big opportunities for my firm: |
|
| I agree |
80% |
| I disagree |
8% |
| I don’t know |
6% |
| I’m going to retire |
6% |
Business Briefing: How secure is your business?
This business briefing seminar is being organised by Prima for GB Security Group; Duncan & Toplis; Thompson & Richardson; Datcom
Wednesday 16th November 2011: 4.00pm for 4.30pm start prompt
Join our team of four experts to learn about the latest developments, issues and legislation that affect risk management and security across your business.
Our speakers come from four key sectors - accountancy, IT, commercial insurance and security technology - to give you the bigger picture, whether it's complying with the requirements of HMRC or the Information Commissioner, satisfying current fire regulations, keeping your internet activity safe and your cloud computing secure, or protecting personnel and keeping intruders out.
This far-ranging briefing will show you how the different security issues of your business link together and help you to identify where your policies and processes need updating for both virtual and physical risks.
Learn new technologies and guidelines to help you protect confidential information, manage health and safety risks with staff, and protect property. Discover the risk management tips that will keep the lid on insurance costs and protect your profit margins.
There will be an opportunity to quiz each of our speakers and time for informal networking with speakers and other delegates before and after the presentations.
To book your seat at the event go to: http://howsecureisyourbusiness.eventbrite.com
Mid size firms square up with technology solutions
Niche markets and new technology solutions were the big story for this year’s LawNet awards.
And the leading law firm network says it represents a bullish attitude to change in the sector from the mid-size independents that make up its membership.
Top awards went to Buckles Solicitors LLP in the East of England, winning Law Firm of the Year, and Managing Partner of the Year for Mark Hovell at Manchester’s George Davies Solicitors LLP.
Buckles Solicitors LLP scooped the award after racking up a list of achievements during the year under the leadership of managing partner of Colleen Gostick, including a strategic refocusing of the business into key specialist teams, who said: “Our culture is about valuing strong, long-term client relationships and our portfolio of services is designed to clearly distinguish us from our competitors. Acting for a number of national and international household names and drawing clients from across East Anglia, the Midlands and beyond, we are well on our way to becoming a regional heavyweight firm.”
Other innovations for Buckles included strategic alliances with other niche practices designed to build its competitive advantage in key target sectors; late night and Saturday opening hours for clients; and internal IT improvements which include a desktop key performance indicator dashboard for fee earners.
According to John Thomas, chief executive of LawNet: “Buckles stood out. These were real innovations, not just window dressing, and combined with a strong financial performance, it’s placed the firm in an excellent position to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Manchester’s George Davies Solicitors LLP nominated Mark Hovell for Managing Partner of the Year, citing his inspirational approach and fearless attitude to change. Lindsey Farrelly, solicitor and business development manager, who submitted the nomination, said: “He brings out the best in people. There’s a real buzz across the firm.”
Headlining Hovell’s achievements was his relocation of the firm from its old four storey offices to a modern open plan headquarters in the heart of the city, without increasing premises costs. The new location is credited with helping to draw high profile lateral hires into the firm over the past year, and improving cross referrals between departments. Hovell has also drawn international attention to the firm through his specialist sports practice and his role with the Court of Arbitration of Sport in Switzerland, which has included acting as independent arbitrator at the Commonwealth Games and World Cup.
He said: “We’re keen to remain an independent mid-size firm, so nurturing talent is crucial, whether it’s retaining young lawyers coming up through the firm or attracting the lateral hires we need to fill gaps and enable us to up our game plan in key sectors. Last year was tough, but this year’s figures are up 18% for the same period and pipeline is looking good.”
From Bath, Mogers Solicitors LLP won best business development initiative for allHR their new Amazon-style online human resource service which combines the skills of the firm’s HR manager with its employment team. This online document store of HR policies, documents and letters, was designed for SME’s that were otherwise missing out on professional support. The firm says the new service has secured clients in new markets, as well as delivering added value to existing clients.
Two further awards recognised technological innovation amongst firms. For Clarkson Wright & Jakes, an overhaul of their website – with integrated social media, networking and webinars – has drawn a big increase in traffic. And at Fidler & Pepper in Nottinghamshire, their newly extended Super Case Tracker, an upgraded system giving real-time via the web and smartphones, won the award for best use of technology. Following on from being the first to develop online case tracking back in 1998, this was once again developed wholly in-house by the firm and has, they say, transformed the way information is accessed and displayed to clients.
IBB Solicitors in London were named for their outstanding client care, with a programme that has included a new after care strategy and new processes and training to help staff aim for excellence in every client interaction.
Added LawNet’s John Thomas: “This isn’t about handing out gongs. The real intent behind the awards is to recognise what’s valued within LawNet. For each category we’re looking for sustainable and measurable improvements, underpinned by strong risk management. This year’s submissions were exceptional in the range of new ideas, but all were clearly built on firm foundations.”
This year’s winners were:
Best use of Technology sponsored byTikitTFB
Fidler & Pepper Solicitors
Best Business Development/Marketing Initiative sponsored by thecabinetoffice
Mogers Solicitors LLP
Best Website sponsored by Conscious Solutions
Clarkson Wright & Jakes Ltd
Outstanding Client Care sponsored by Acuigen
IBB Solicitors
Managing Partner of the Year sponsored by Wilkinson Read & Partners
Mark Hovell, George Davies Solicitors LLP
Law firm of the Year sponsored by Voicepath
Buckles Solicitors LLP
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk Twitter : @magtay
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk Twitter: @helenhshaw
Free CPD training for LawNet members
LawNet is to provide its CPD accredited training free of charge to members, saying it wants to help firms maintain training standards against a backdrop of tough economic trading conditions.
The scheme was successfully piloted on a selection of courses earlier this year and is now to be rolled out for a full year.
LawNet, the leading law firm network with nearly 70 mid size independent law firm members, delivers over 50 CPD accredited learning events each year for its member firms, covering a wide range of technical, practice management and business development topics.
And now around 35 of these will be delivered free of charge during the coming year, with 1400 delegate places across over 20 specialist practice areas.
“We recognise that in tough economic times, it’s often training budgets that get slashed but this is just the time that firms most need to invest in skills to stay ahead. We do not want our firms to suffer from lack of skills or the benefits that come from getting together and engaging in face-to-face learning,” explained director of services Helen Hamilton-Shaw.
“As we operate as a mutual organisation for the benefit of members, our training delivery has always been delivered on a not for profit basis. Because of the growth of the network over the last year, combined with savings elsewhere, we’ve been able to make this happen and help our firms at a very practical level. The backbone of our network is the quality ethos; all our firms must maintain our ISO.9001 standard, and ongoing training is key to good practice and risk management.”
John Britten of Actons, LawNet member in Nottingham, has welcomed the free CPD saying: “For me the training and sharing of knowledge continues to be one of the most important aspects of membership.
“The training is developed in response to what members actually want, and as we are a group of like-minded firms of a similar profile, wanting broadly the same sort of training, it’s a bit like having bespoke in-house training but at a very good value rate – even better value now that so many courses will be free.”
Specialist professional development and residential courses run by LawNet will continue to be chargeable, including their strategic leadership and management programme, which involves leading specialist speakers.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk Twitter : @magtay
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk Twitter: @helenhshaw
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, non-competing national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise. Each firm has an exclusive geographical operating area to enable collaboration.
The combined income of the 68 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Twitter: @LawNetUK
Blog: http://thelawnetblog.wordpress.com/