Modern Law Magazine Issue 64

Issue 65
ISSN 2050-5744
THE BUSINESS OF LAW
Open doors
leads to
open minds
P07 Alice P13 Daniel P18
Stephenson:
Challenging Legal Stereotypes
Holt:
Disability and Me
Trevor D.
Sterling:
A Discussion on Diversity

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Open Doors Lead to Open Minds
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new”
Socrates
Breaking the mould refers to the act of
challenging convention and established
ways of thinking or behaving. This can
involve taking risks, trying new things, and
pushing boundaries to create something
unique and innovative. Breaking the
mould often involves stepping outside of
one’s comfort zone and challenging what
is considered normal or acceptable.
Within this edition you will see how law
firms are changing the way they operate
and present themselves through emphasis
on diversity and inclusivity, focus on
mental health and work-life balance, the
development of ethical practices, easing
access to legal services, and the adoption
of new technologies.
Opening this issue is an in-depth interview
with Alice Stephenson, Founder and Owner
of Stephenson Law. Alice tells the story of
her convoluted journey into Law, her hopes
for the reception of the changing face of
the industry, and discusses the importance
of self-care. Our In-Depth articles for
this issue have been written by Daniel
Holt, Helen Burness, Jodie Hill, Shainul
Kassam, Sarah Khan-Bashir, Trevor D.
Sterling, and Anna Grant-Casey. Everyone
of them inspirations, and they tell us their
personal stories of reshaping the future of
law in their own unique and distinct ways,
and how their presence in the industry is
breaking the mould.
Our Editorial Board discusses how their
companies are breaking the mould.
Changing company culture to one that
embraces diversity, promotes a healthy
work life balance, reimagining legal process’
to revitalise the industry are just a few ways
law firms are reshaping the profession that
are mentioned in this issue.
The two fabulous features for this issue
are written by Donna Scully, the Director
and Owner of Carpenters Group, and
Emma Morris, a Partner at Bretherton’s
Solicitors. They both tell us of their path
into law, including the ups and downs of
taking more unconventional routes, and
their opinions on ways of training and
studying via less traditional avenues.
Our first Probate Roundtable discusses
the lasting effects Covid has had on the
industry, how new technology is shaping
how law is being practiced, and how the
intensifying of competition in the legal
industry is changing the profession.
In this issues Service Provider Forum our
experts share how their companies are
breaking the mould with modernising how
they practice law, and why it is important
to keep improving services for clients.
The Conveyancing Forum talk about
changing how law is practiced through
adopting new innovative technology, and
fostering new talent. Our panel of experts
discussing the importance of being flexible
in your working to keep up with the everchanging
landscape of the legal profession.
We have a delightful 10 minutes with
Natalie Foster who gives us an insight into
who she is with what makes her tick, what
inspires her, and who she would invite to a
dinner party!
To finish off this issue we have the
shortlists for the upcoming Modern Law
Private Client Awards, so make sure you
go and check out the awesome nominees,
and see what awards are up for grabs.
Finally, I would like to introduce
myself to you. Hi, my name is Emily
and I am the new Assistant Editor for
Modern Law Magazine! I have worked
on this issue with Amelia Barlow,
Kate McKitterick, and Tracie Geelan
and it has been a real collaborative
project whilst I settle into my new
role, but I will now be taking the
reins. I look forward to bringing you
new and exciting stories, discussions,
opinions, and information along the
way. I hope you thoroughly enjoy this
issue of Modern Law Magazine all
about Breaking the Mould!
Emily Wade is Assistant Editor
at Modern Law Magazine
01765 600909 | emily@charltongrant.co.uk
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Editorial Contributors
Adrian Jaggard, Taylor Rose MW
Martin Cheek, Smartsearch
David Seager, SIFA
Neville Dinshaw, Law Mergers & Acquisitions
Mark Holt, Frankel Topping Group
Colin Taylor CIRM, Howden Legal service Practice Group
Annabelle Lofthouse, Breakthrough Case Management
Paul Sams, Dutton Gregory Solicitors
Mark Quinn,
Consultant Solicitor
ISSUE 63
ISSN 2050-5744
Assistant Editor
Aidan William Buttigieg
Project Manager & Events Sales
Kate McKittrick
Modern Law Magazine is published by Charlton Grant Ltd ©2023
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Reproduction in part or whole is strictly forbidden without
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disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or
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errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or
any other cause.
3

IN-DEPTH
CONTENTS
07 Alice Stephenson, Stephenson Law
Modern Law sits down for a chat with Alice Stephenson, Founder and CEO of
Stephenson Law, a law firm that was made to challenge stereotypes, and be
a forward- thinking and innovative legal service that puts people first.
13 Disability and Me
Daniel Holt, Chair of the Association of Disabled Lawyers, and a Pupil
Barrister at 39 Essex Chambers, talks of his journey to Pupil Barrister and
how his life and work has been intertwined with disability rights movements.
Daniel also discusses landmark moments that have inspired him to follow his
passion in Human Rights Law.
14 The Importance of a Personal Brand
Helen Burness is the founder of Saltmarsh Marketing and co-founder of Helen
Squared. Helen shares the importance of accessible marketing strategies that
help grow a personal brand and the impact they have on firms.
15 Leading the Change in Wellbeing
Jodie Hill, Managing Partner and Employment/HR Solicitor at Thrive law,
Shares the initiatives Thrive has taken to create a unique and forwardthinking
firm that puts their employees and client’s wellbeing first, and the
positive impact that has had in unexpected aspects of the business.
16 The Importance of Entrepreneurial Awareness in Law
Shainul Kassam, Founder of Fortune law, tells us why having entrepreneurial
awareness in law is just as important as having entrepreneurial skills, and
helps us distinguish the difference between awareness and intention.
17 Easing Access To The Law
Sarah Khan-Bashir, Sole Practitioner at SKB Law, tells us about her
experience as the first Muslim woman to be named Lawyer of the Year at the
Modern Law Awards, the liberation she felt forging her own path in law, and
reminding us of the importance of representation.
18 Climbing The Ladder
Trevor D. Sterling, Senior Partner/Head of Major Trauma at Moore Barlow
LLP, shares his story of being both the youngest and the first black partner
at LLP, and discusses the need for those who have climbed the ladder, to
then become to ladder for future generations.
19 Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Anna Grant-Casey, Consultant Private Client Solicitor at Setfords tells us
about their experience of being queer in law and the importance of being
able to show up at work as your true self. Anna discusses how being their
authentic-self has helped forge strong working friendships, and allowed
clients to feel safe.
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EDITORIAL
BOARD
FEATURE
ROUNDTABLE
FORUM
FORUM
CONTENTS
21 Law and Lifestyle
Adrian Jaggard, Taylor Rose MW
21 Revolutionising Digital Compliance for Legal Professionals With Our
Next Generation Platform
Martin Cheek, Smartsearch
23 Multi-Disciplinary Practices – Still so few ABS Trailblazers
David Seager, SIFA
23 Making every transaction unique
Neville Dinshaw, Law Mergers & Acquisitions
25 Celebration and Breaking the Mould
Mark Holt, Frankel Topping Group
25 Does Risk and Compliance training have to be boring?
Colin Taylor CIRM, Howden Legal service Practice Group
27 Caring for your Clients
Annabelle Lofthouse, Breakthrough Case Management
27 The Power of Why
Paul Sams, Dutton Gregory Solicitors
28 Breaking the Mould…?
Donna Scully, the Director and Owner of Carpenters Group, tells us her story
of coming from Ireland as a young woman, and setting out to start a career
in law through alternative avenues. She discusses the importance of the
diversity of law reflecting the diversity of society.
32 A Unique Path to Law
Emma Morris, a Partner at Bretherton’s Solicitors, discusses her experience
as young single mum and how that shaped her journey to becoming
a solicitor. Her inspirational story breaks down barriers and stereotype
surrounding single mums.
35 Covid, Competition, and Technology
Emily Wade, Modern Law
41 Service Provider Forum: Changing How Law is Practiced
Emily Wade, Modern Law
10 MINS WITH 57 Natalie Foster, Inspire Legal Group
51 Conveyancing Forum: Innovation, Flexibility, and Fostering Young Talent
Emily Wade, Modern Law
EDITORIAL BOARD CONTRIBUTORS
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4
5

IN-DEPTH
IN-DEPTH
Breaking
the Mould
Challenging the
Status Quo
What springs to mind when
you think of a lawyer? Form a
picture in your mind and hold that
image in place for a second. Does
it really reflect reality?
In the following pages, we’ve spoken to some
key players in our industry who have bravely
taken a leap of faith in terms of breaking the
mould within the legal profession.
We’ve tried to speak with as many people as
possible in this issue, with the aim of gathering
a diverse and realistic picture of what the
modern legal sector really looks like. What
routes did these individuals take to get to
where they are today? What adversities were
overcome in order for them to succeed in their
roles? And - perhaps most importantly - how
can we make our industry more accessible in
terms of attracting and retaining talent?
For many, the route into law isn’t easy.
Collectively, it’s fair to say that there’s been a
lot of late, sleepless nights along the way, not
to mention masses of self-discipline, hard work
and determination in order to truly thrive within
such a competitive job market. These stories are
a real testament to the commitment, skills and
capabilities of those involved in our industry,
reminding us that there’s no singular path to
success. It takes all kinds of circumstances to
achieve your goals and confidently become
your authentic self in your career.
We hope that you enjoy these stories, and
perhaps even see some of your own self
reflected back at you through these pages!
Alice Stephenson
I took a pretty convoluted route into
law. I had a baby when I was in my final
year at school, and I guess my early
twenties were quite challenging. I
didn’t do particularly well in my
A-Levels because I was seven
months pregnant when
I sat the exams. I had a
year out where I worked
part time and looked
after my daughter.
Then I went off to
University.
“breaking the
mould is
synonymous
with challenging
the status quo.”
6
7

IN-DEPTH
IN-DEPTH
Q. Hello Alice, great to meet
you! This issue of Modern
Law Magazine is all about
‘breaking the mould’.
What does ‘breaking the
mould’ mean to you, and
how do you implement this
approach into your work in
a way that soon becomes
second nature?
A. For me, breaking the mould is
synonymous with challenging the
status quo. It’s closely linked to the
stereotype that we are all associated
with, and what we associate other
people with as well.
I think there’s a lot of stereotypes
around that we’ve probably all heard
about lawyers. Everybody loves a
good lawyer joke at the dinner table
about how unethical, greedy and
boring we all are, and I think there’s
also a lot of expectations around
what a lawyer looks like, what a
lawyer does, who a lawyer works for
or what a lawyer’s career path looks
like. I think ‘breaking the mould’
is really all about stepping outside
of those expectations and those
stereotypes by actually having the
confidence and the drive to do things
your own way.
Q. Tell me your story! What
were your drivers in terms
of getting into the legal
sector, and what route did
you take to get to where
you are today?
A. I took a pretty convoluted route
into law. I had a baby when I was in
my final year at school, and I guess my
early twenties were quite challenging.
I didn’t do particularly well in my
A-Levels because I was seven months
pregnant when I sat the exams. I had a
year out where I worked part time and
looked after my daughter. Then I went
off to University - but because of the
A-Level qualifications I had - and the
difficulties I had managing childcare - I
didn’t have a huge number of options
available to me in terms of what I was
going to study.
I chose to do a course on Sociology
and HR Management, which was a
four-year degree and a placement
year. I then started working in HR, at
which point my daughter had started
school. I got a job working in a HR
department for the NHS, where I
stayed for three years. But I just wasn’t
loving it. I never dreamed of a career
in HR - it just felt like I had fallen into
it, and I really wasn’t passionate about
it. I could do it and it was fine, but I
felt like I was settling. At that point,
I decided to go into Law. I wanted to
provide for my daughter as a single
parent, and so wanted to enter a
profession that was going to give me
security and stability.
Q. Did you complete the
Graduate Diploma in Law
(GDL) to obtain those
qualifications?
A. Yes, I went back to University at
this point! Fortunately, I received
sponsorships to do so. I had to give up
working full time, so there’s no way I
would’ve been able to afford it without
this support.
“I took a pretty convoluted route into law. I had a
baby when I was in my final year at school, and I
guess my early twenties were quite challenging.”
“I wanted to provide for my daughter as a single
parent, and so wanted to enter a profession that
was going to give me security and stability.”
After two years studying, I went and
did my training contract for a further
two years, and qualified in 2011 during
the last recession. Prospects were
limited, and I couldn’t stay at the
same firm I trained at because I knew
I wanted to do commercial work. As
such, I ended up moving around a little
bit to try out different firms involved
in the commercial tech space, and I
did that for about three years before I
reached my limit.
I secured what I thought was the
perfect job in a Bristol firm. At the
time, they were the highest paying
employers in Bristol and were a really
great firm, but the reality wasn’t quite
how I’d imagined. I left and really felt
as though I was done with law. I had
a couple of months off before my
previous employer asked if I would
do some consulting work for them.
I agreed, and started freelancing for
three years working for in-house
teams. I did really enjoy it. It gave me
a lot more flexibility and autonomy; I
was a lot less involved in the politics
of these various firms, with a lot more
freedom and opportunity to approach
my work in a more relaxed manner.
I started Stephenson Law shortly
after when I had my youngest child
and realised that I would have more
stability than the freelance equivalent.
Q. Are non-traditional routes
into Law encouraged as
much as they could or should
be? How can we do more as
an industry to promote nontraditional
career paths and
social mobility?
house. There’s loads more routes into
the profession now - there’s the SQE,
Apprenticeships, and more options is
always going to be a good thing!
Ultimately however, there is still so
much competition at entry level. It’s
so hard and so competitive - there
just aren’t enough jobs available for
everybody, and you have to be at
such a high standard to be in with a
chance. From a social mobility point
of view, I don’t know how people
manage without a family friend in
the profession or even just somebody
who can give them some career
advice, help with their CV and the
such. The profession is not accessible
to everybody, so how do you make
yourself stand out in a sea of other
applicants looking for that first step
into the profession? It’s really difficult.
Q. You founded ‘Lawscape’,
a peer-to-peer network of
leaders in law. Tell me more
about this! How does the
sense of community benefit
you and your members?
A. It all started with an idea that
I’d had for an event last year.
When I thought about some of the
conversations that were happening
A. There are some vocal people really
advocating for non-traditional routes
into law at the moment. When I was a
trainee and in private practice, it was
seen as a lower quality of training and
experience if you were training inin
the legal industry at the time,
there wasn’t really anything going on
addressing the topics I wanted to talk
about.
I hosted the first LawScape event in
London at the end of last year. We had
three panel conversations - one about
social media marketing, one about
tech, and one about purpose. It was a
sell-out event and so successful, to the
point that everybody just wanted to
know what was next.
We were talking about what a
modern law firm looks like, which
soon translated into a close-knit
membership community. It hasn’t
been running for very long, but it’s
been great to welcome members with
different levels of experience from
all over the world. I feel that we can
really learn from each other, and we
also arrange for experts to come in
and teach us. Being an entrepreneur
is generally quite a lonely thing -
and running a law firm is the same
as running any other business, but
it’s got this whole added layer of
complexity on top of it that only
people running other law firms can
really comprehend. It’s all about
subverting the opinion that you can’t
share with people who are essentially
your competitors, shifting that
perspective to thinking ‘if we don’t
all support each other, then we are
less likely to survive’. I do believe that
there is enough work out there for
all of us, and to have that innovation
and creativity, to have these firms
challenging the status quo, is
extremely critical.
Q. So, how can legal
professionals embrace
creativity more in their dayto-day
role?
A. A lot of lawyers say they aren’t
creative, but the two don’t need to
be mutually exclusive. Fundamentally,
people need to redefine their
perspective of creativity, because a
good lawyer must be creative when
“A lot of lawyers
say they aren’t
creative, but the
two don’t need
to be mutually
exclusive.”
8 9

IN-DEPTH
IN-DEPTH
“Ultimately, it’s about looking after yourself; what you eat, what you drink,
how active you are, making sure that you aren’t sitting in front of your
screen for 14 hours a day, and practicing self-discipline when it comes to
things that impact your mental and physical health.”
it comes to solving problems for our
clients, and there is very rarely a binary
solution. This is where the creativity
element comes in - to really be able to
solve those problems for people and
come up with as many viable solutions
as possible. It’s also about embracing
yourself and your own creativity rather
than denying its existence. We talk
a lot about being authentic at work
and how that’s better for your mental
health and performance, better for
your job satisfaction, and so on. If you
can tap into these things and embrace
creative thinking, it’s a win/win.
Q. Let’s talk about
wellbeing for a moment,
then. How does self-care
factor into the way that you
work and live?
A. There’s a lot in the press about toxic
work cultures, and as much as we wish
it wasn’t the case, these toxic work
environments still exist. The first thing
you’ve got to do is make sure you
aren’t in one of them. In environments
like that, it doesn’t matter how much
meditating you do, or how often
you go to the gym. It’s never going
to compensate. So first of all, it’s
important to find a work environment
where you are happy and comfortable,
where you have a psychological safe
space to thrive and be respected.
From a wellbeing point of view
specifically – from starting my own
firm and experiencing a considerable
amount of stress as a business owner
- there are lots of things I tried.
Ultimately, it’s about looking after
yourself; what you eat, what you
drink, how active you are, making sure
that you aren’t sitting in front of your
screen for 14 hours a day, and practicing
self-discipline when it comes to things
that impact your mental and physical
health. Still make time for your friends
and family, and don’t let consume every
part of your life. As a lawyer this can
be so easily done because the work
never stops coming. It’s so much about
setting boundaries for yourself.
Q. What advice would
you give to other legal
professionals who want
to go against the grain to
become or maintain their
authentic self in work?
A. It certainly requires a degree
of bravery to break the mould -
stepping away from the expectations
that people have of you and
redefining them. There’s always
that fear of not being accepted, and
as human beings we naturally fear
rejection so much that it really drives
us to conform on so many levels.
You have to have that confidence
in yourself. I used to keep my
tattoos covered, for example – and
when I actively started not doing
this the reaction was mostly really
positive and kind. You can take
transformation in baby steps if that’s
something you’re more comfortable
with. You just need that little bit of
courage to do something that falls in
line with that of your authentic self.
Q. Let’s wrap up by
discussing where the
legal profession might be
headed in the next five
to ten years. Do you feel
that perceptions of a ‘legal
professional’ will continue
to shift and be challenged?
A. If I’m completely honest, I
don’t think we are going to see
any monumental changes in that
timeframe. I don’t think that’s enough
time. There are still a lot of issues
within the legal industry around
diversity, inclusion, equity. There’s a lot
of discrimination and prejudice which
carries archaic perspectives, all of
which are still influencing the decisions
being made in the law firms who are
the primary employers of lawyers in
the country.
Whilst that is evolving as the older
generation retires, a monumental shift
is still going to take time. I would like
“I would like to
see more change
in the industry
at a much more
rapid pace.”
to see more change in the industry
at a much more rapid pace. I have
however been pleased recently by the
Law Society, who has recently started
to become a lot more involved with its
members on social media. They shared
one of my articles recently about what
a lawyer should look like, so they seem
to be picking up examples of people
in the industry who are breaking the
mould and sharing those stories across
their platform. I really like that, and
I think that if they continue in this
positive direction, it will really start to
make a difference across the sector.
Alice Stephenson, Founder & CEO,
Stephenson Law
10

IN-DEPTH
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I was born in the 90s when thousands
of disabled activists were utilising
their protest rights. I have spent most
of my life working towards entering
the Bar, and being active in improving
experiences of disabled lawyers.
This has only been possible because
of the marches, demonstrations,
and radical action that introduced
disability rights. It was a shock to
realise that most of our legal equality
and protections were achieved in my
lifetime. I learned how intertwined
my life was with the progress made
by disabled people.
Disability rights groups influenced the
government to introduce the Disability
Discrimination Act 1995 (‘DDA’). Former
Social Security Minister, Lord Mackay of
Ardbrecknish, described the DDA as “the
first comprehensive measure to tackle
discrimination against disabled people.”
The DDA introduced three primary
forms of disability discrimination: direct
discrimination, the failure to make a
reasonable adjustment, and victimisation.
Applying these new rights to employment,
education, and public transport broke
down barriers to the equality and
integration of disabled people.
The DDA’s protections were significant,
but we are human first. Whilst I was in
Primary School, Tony Blair’s new Labour
Government ‘brought rights home’ with
the Human Rights Act 1998 (‘HRA’).
One of the most impactful provisions
was to make the European Convention
of Human Rights applicable. Article
14 ensured disabled people had rights
to life, liberty, protection from torture,
degrading treatment, and more. The case
of R (Bernard) v Enfield London Borough
Council (2002) illustrates this impact. The
claimants were husband and wife; the
wife was a wheelchair user with significant
impairments. Enfield Council had failed
to provide accessible and appropriate
accommodation, which forced the wife
to go to the toilet on the living room
floor. The Council breached the Right to
Respect for private and family life, home,
and correspondence under Article 8.
Following the HRA, I realised I wanted to
be a barrister. I focused on achieving strong
GCSEs and A-Levels. Meanwhile, the UK
ratified UN Convention on the Rights of
People with Disabilities. Whilst not directly
enforceable in domestic courts, it has
influenced how our laws are interpreted
and how disabled people are treated.
During my A-Levels, disability rights in
the UK were also advancing. Chiefly, the
Equality Act 2010 was enacted. By rolling
the DDA into the Act alongside other
equalities legislation, disability was placed
on an equal footing in law with other
‘protected characteristics’ such as age,
gender, and race. I began to understand
the impact this could have when I started
studying law at Queen Mary University.
Here, I chaired the Ability Society
and was elected Disabled Students
Representative. I changed our language
around disability and secured £400,000
to make the campus more accessible. The
latter was awarded Campaign of the Year.
Despite support from the institution, my
experience of society is that it we are still
a long way behind in practice.
I struggled after leaving university in
2014. A lack of accessible housing led
to a long battle with local authorities
to provide temporary accommodation.
I used this time to become active in
disability rights nationally. I was elected a
trustee of Disability Rights UK, a charity
addressing inequality in education,
employment, and independent living. I
also joined Regard, which campaigns for
disabled LGBTQ+ people.
Law and human rights were a keen
interest, leading me to complete a
master’s degree in Human Rights Law in
2016. Around this time, I became involved
with ‘Legally Disabled?’. This project
produced a ground-breaking report - the
first to look at the experience of disabled
people in the legal sector. It found that
discrimination was rife, support was
lacking, and community was needed. The
conclusions of Legally Disabled? show the
adversity disabled lawyers experience.
The lack of community and representation
for disabled lawyers led me to found the
Association of Disabled Lawyers (‘ADL’).
Providing a community and a platform for
disabled lawyers on our podcast ‘Disabled
Lawyer and Proud’. We help organisations
break barriers, working with the industry’s
regulators, including the Law Society, Bar
Council, and Bar Standards Board. We
bring the passion and ethos of disability
rights to our work, and it is effective. The
ADL was nominated for “Outstanding
Disability Network of the Year” in the 2023
British Diversity Awards.
I don’t believe disabled people will achieve
equality in my lifetime, but we can make
further progress in society and the legal
professions. Both have made significant
strides forwards, which gives me hope that
the industry I dedicated most of my life to
joining, will become a place where more
disabled people can work.
Daniel Holt, Chair of the Association of
Disabled Lawyers, and a Pupil Barrister
at 39 Essex Chambers
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IN-DEPTH
IN-DEPTH
The Importance
of a Personal Brand
The importance of a personal
brand when it comes to breaking
the mould in the legal sector
The word “personal brand” has such
ghastly connotations, doesn’t it?
I see lawyers visibly wince when I talk
about developing their personal brands.
In an increasingly noisy online world
where social media has democratised
marketing, it’s never been more important
to be visible online on primary platforms
such as LinkedIn in a way that your
customers can easily understand who you
are, what you do and who you do it for.
If you are driving change and progress
in the legal industry through new
ways of working, technology or new
service delivery models, this is even
more important. How so?
Disrupting the status quo and getting
people to think differently means
building up your credibility. You must
earn people’s trust, tell stories and
bring in different perspectives. You have
to build familiarity and remove barriers
to create a community of people who
share your mission.
And you have to lead in a way that
makes people want to follow.
Here are some quick tips on how to think
about the often-uncomfortable prospect
of a personal brand on LinkedIn, with a
strategic marketing eye.
Understanding your audience
Who are you showing up for and what are
you saying to them? Who do you want
to know who you are and what you do?
Accept the fact that not everyone on
LinkedIn will be interested in what you
have to say (sorry) but speak to those
who are. As a disruptor, be prepared
for those who fear change. Be open to
hearing different viewpoints and engage
in healthy and convincing debate.
Listen, listen and then listen
some more
Before you strategise about your own
online presence, spend time listening.
People think of LinkedIn as a way to
broadcast, but it’s a brilliant listening tool
and listening is key for innovation. Listen
to all spaces. Your clients, your competitors
and intentionally take yourself outside
of your echo chamber. Listening and
researching is key in understanding how
you position yourself within your category.
Niche first, broaden later
Believe in the power of niching. A niche
in personal branding is the primary
topic you are known for and the target
audience you speak to when creating
content. Know your niche, build
credibility by talking about this to start
with and then you can broaden into
different pillars of content. Always think
“What do I want to be the go-to for?”
Be less bot
Time to ditch the cardboard cut-out
corporate persona of the early noughties
– this is the Age of the Individual. Show
up on LinkedIn as yourself, as human and
authentic in a way that truly connects
with people. In a world where generative
AI is increasingly taking centre stage, it
has never been more important to be
human and show your personality.
Facts tell, stories sell
If people want to purchase your products
and services, if you want to break the
mould, one of the most effective things
you can do is to share stories. Stories
are powerful agents for change. People
remember stories over facts, figures and
data. Human stories will always create
more engagement as people buy people.
“You must earn people’s trust, tell stories and
bring in different perspectives.”
14
It’s a digital stage
Creating a strong personal brand does not
need to be about posting daily. LinkedIn
is not just about what you post. Every
action you take on there, every single like,
comment or interaction with someone
reflects what it might be like to work with
you and a way to engage people who
might join you in your mission to drive
change in the legal industry.
And finally…
Building your brand online is not a
one-time task. It’s an ongoing effort
that needs almost daily commitment,
dedication and consistency. You will
only get out what you put in. But the
gold at the end of the rainbow is a
diverse community of customers, clients,
colleagues, peers and supporters and
untold opportunities as well as your own
personal growth journey.
And what’s not to love about any of that?
Helen Burness is the founder of
Saltmarsh Marketing and co-founder of
Helen Squared, supporting start-up and
scale-up legal businesses with strategic,
accessible marketing programmes. She
is also CMO of She Breaks the Law, a
global community of women driving
innovation in the legal sector.
Leading the Change in Wellbeing
As founder and Managing Partner of Thrive Law, there were key values which I
considered essential foundations from which to build a brand-new law firm, and ensure
the welfare of my employees. This was primarily due to my own breakdown at a law firm
in 2018. I used this time to change my working life by establishing Thrive Law, believing
everyone should be enabled to ‘Thrive’ in the workplace. Thrive Law specialises in
Employment and HR, with a real focus on workplace mental health. We are now a team
of 15 employees and consultants.
My mission is to educate and empower
employers to ensure staff wellbeing. I
am committed to de-stigmatising mental
health and disability in the workplace
whilst addressing the lack of support
available for employers and employees.
During the last 5 years I have challenged
myself and the team to become leaders
in the mental health and diversity &
inclusion (D&I) arenas in addition to our
legal expertise. Pushing ourselves to be
leaders through a variety of channels
including podcasts, chairing campaigns,
hosting webinars, television appearances,
publishing articles, and educational social
media content. This challenges colleagues
and the firm to be the ‘go to’ experts and
inspire other firms to take note.
Firms make a lot of noise about colleague
wellbeing, but it can be a tick box exercise
which isn’t witnessed in the day-today
workings of the firm. At Thrive law
we ensure our colleagues are Mental
Health First Aid trained to support each
other and those we come in to contact
with. Additionally, colleagues receive a
wellbeing budget which can be spent
on equipment, books or tech to support
their wellbeing. Employees are offered
access to welfare counselling, coaching
and training as appropriate, and the firm
will contribute towards this based on
individual assessments.
Thrive employees are entitled to two
fully paid ‘wellbeing days’ each year.
They are designed to encourage self-care
and prevent colleagues working when
they are not in the correct headspace,
or using holidays to concentrate on their
mental health and wellbeing. Wellbeing
days are separate from annual leave and
can be taken at any notice. We promote
anonymous online wellbeing risk
assessments so the management team
can notice any trends that they may
have been missed. In addition, monthly
1-2-1’s happen without fail where
wellbeing and workload are the first
items on the agenda. Thrive appreciates
the benefit a change of scenery can have
on colleagues. Away days have included
pampering, yoga and spa days, and a
long weekend in a Newquay villa surfing,
team building, and planning for the
future in a relaxed environment.
Employees are looking for a different
model to the traditional manager/
worker instructive relationship. We drive
the firm’s innovation by engaging all
colleagues from Partner to Paralegal
at every step of the process through
open and honest discussion. This model
encourages feeling valued, integrated
into the culture and being part of the
broader vision. At Thrive we have no
billable hours ‘targets’ and provide
flexible ‘smart working’.
Despite Thrive’s relatively small size,
our initiatives, ethos, and values have
resulted in us organically working
internationally with household names,
global brands, and leading law firms.
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Supporting them with their wellbeing
and Diversity & Inclusion offering. It led
to featuring in the SRA’s 2022 Thematic
Review ‘Culture’ publication for our
forward-thinking culture, and The Law
Society’s culture guidance for supporting
workplace wellbeing. We are immensely
proud of this small firm from Yorkshire
and will continue to support colleagues
alongside our commitment to effecting
meaningful change in the legal sector
through our D&I and wellbeing focus.
Jodie Hill, Managing Partner and
Employment/HR Solicitor

IN-DEPTH
IN-DEPTH
The Importance of
Entrepreneurial Awareness in Law
As a law firm owner, I am often asked by partners in much larger law firms “how can lawyers
become more entrepreneurial?” What is usually meant by this, is not how they can start their own
law firms but how can they ensure future success by thinking and behaving entrepreneurially
and equally how can they be motivated to build a book of business?’
As a law firm owner, I am often
asked how can lawyers become more
entrepreneurial. What is usually meant
by this is how can they ensure future
success by thinking and behaving
entrepreneurially and equally how can
they be motivated to build a book of
business? A law firm is nothing without
clients to service, and there is greater
pressure than ever on fee earners to
not only make rain but to establish
themselves and their value in the face
of increased innovation. Entrepreneurial
skills and competencies matter just as
much as technical knowledge.
Being entrepreneurial and having
entrepreneurial awareness are, however,
two different things. All should be
capable of being trained to develop
entrepreneurial awareness; the most
successful lawyers are those who are not
only technically proficient but are fully
alive to the commercial significance of
their instructions and the bottom line.
Equally, intrapreneurs recognise
opportunity, build something from
nothing and galvanise a team. If
creativity within practice is permitted,
then entrepreneurial competency can be
a viable outcome.
But, if an individual wants not just
to be entrepreneurially aware, but to
be an entrepreneur, they must also
take individual risk. A key hallmark of
entrepreneurship is the adoption of
both personal and financial liability on
an uncertain venture and assuming full
accountability for both success and failure.
There is an argument that lawyers make
bad entrepreneurs. They are risk averse,
cautious, mitigate uncertainty and do
not mine opportunity. Entrepreneurship
of itself requires a daily diet of risk
and is, particularly at start up stage,
unorganised chaos. I agree with the
observations themselves but not fully
the argument that lawyers are poor
candidates for entrepreneurship.
My fellow law firm founders and the
statistics say otherwise.
The Solicitor’s Profession Law Society
Annual Statistics Report 2021 (published
September 2022) shows that of 9,020
firms in England and Wales, 3,904 are sole
founder firms (43.3%), and 3,946 are 2-4
partner firms (43.7%) - making firms of
less than 4 partners the most prevalent
business model (87% in total). The data
shows lawyers are entrepreneurs. These
figures are consistent and there is nothing
novel about starting a micro law firm
in England and Wales. Some of these
previous two-partner firms (the key is in
their names) have subsequently become
global players hitting the top brackets in
partner numbers.
So why are these micro firms not
scaling? Reasons point to levels of
personal ambition and a decision to
remain a certain size, a lack of access
to meaningful sources of funding,
recruitment challenges and the deficit
of time. One possible barrier could also
be linked to a lack of entrepreneurial
awareness and skills to begin with, skills
that are not often built into internal
structured training programmes.
Furthermore, there has been a focus on the
cult of founder personality, a glorification of
the rainmaker in law and a mistaken belief
that entrepreneurs are born and not made;
that only special individuals have the skills to
attract clients, use connections and possess
a personality that draws in revenue. This has
likely discouraged lawyers from believing
that they can develop entrepreneurial skills
and awareness, let alone start a law firm.
Social, economic, market and other forces
including career stalling in firms, often act
as a catalyst for many individuals, who may
not previously have considered starting their
own business.
Entrepreneurial awareness will not
always become entrepreneurial intention,
and that is no bad thing. Being an
entrepreneur of itself requires relentless
drive, a deep seated and almost
unshakeable desire for change; the ability
to compartmentalise especially the good
from the bad, withstand pressure, selfmotivate
and to be able to live with daily
uncertainty. Self-employment is not a
feasible job opportunity for all.
Entrepreneurial awareness is however
critical to our profession. Trained
professionals need sound technical
knowledge but also an understanding
of client profile, what matters to clients,
how they think, and operate. Equally,
those aiming for equity (or conversely
those who want to pursue a work life
balance as a consultant lawyer) need a
clear plan and practical skills in building
and sustaining a business. Those starting
their careers would be wise to develop
opportunity recognition. We are living in a
time of great change and should develop
a skill set merging legal, commercial,
and entrepreneurial skills to capitalise
the deregulation of the market, the
availability of non-traditional roles in the
profession, the dizzying speed of legal
tech innovation and advancement.
Easing Access To The Law
As the first Muslim woman to be named Lawyer of the Year at the Modern Law Awards, I am
reminded of the power of representation. Twenty-five years ago, when I qualified as a solicitor,
it was rare to see Asian solicitors, let alone South Asian women as senior partners, judges,
or law firm owners. In the absence of role models, the idea of starting my own law firm was
unimaginable. But I am proud to say that today, I am the founder of SKB Law, a culturally
inclusive family law firm with offices across England and Wales.
There is a liberating feeling that comes
with forging your own path. When you
have no established model to follow,
you’re free to make bold decisions and
take risks. It’s a mindset that has served
me well throughout my career. In fact,
law was not even my first career path.
After studying chemistry at university
and working in agrochemicals, I moved to
Bradford after my wedding. With limited
opportunities in my field, it was my
husband, a barrister, who suggested that
I consider the legal profession. Despite
having no legal background, I took a
leap of faith and applied to convert my
chemistry degree into a law degree.
When I applied for my first family law
position, I had no experience in the field.
The head of the law firm interviewing
me asked why he should hire me without
any relevant experience. In response, I
offered to work for free for three months.
I saw it as a win-win: he would get some
much-needed support, and I would gain
valuable experience and hopefully secure
a job at the end of it. Looking back, it was
a bold offer, but I knew I had to take the
risk. After three months, he offered me
the job on the spot!
My next position was as a Solicitor for the
West Yorkshire Police. There, I worked
on protocols, forced marriage cases, and
diversity training. Though I loved the work,
the inflexible hours made it difficult to
balance with my young family. When an
opportunity arose to start a law firm with
my sister’s friend, I seized it. It wasn’t until
a decade later in 2018, when my partner
left the firm, that I took a step back to
reflect on what I truly wanted. Around the
“When you have no
established model to
follow, you’re free to
make bold decisions
and take risks”
same time, I met someone who became a
close friend and gave me the confidence to
trust in my vision of a non-traditional legal
practice. I envisioned a law firm that was
inclusive, supportive of work-life balance,
and committed to career development. I
realise now how important it was to take
that moment of reflection, to envision
what I wanted to build.
Today, SKB Law is a specialist family law
firm with a mission to improve access to
law. We offer flexible working and this
year during Ramadan; the firm trialed
a four-day working week. Alongside
the firm, we launched the SKB Law
Academy to provide legal training
and employability workshops. We’ve
supported over 600 students, offered
50 work placements, produced a family
law podcast, and created a series of
free legal resources for underserved
communities. And this year, we’re
launching a new Legal Mentoring space
to help build a more inclusive and
representative legal profession.
The legal profession is undergoing a
transformation, and I am grateful to
be a part of it. Last year, we saw the
appointment of Lubna Shuja as the
first South Asian woman Law Society
President of England & Wales. It’s
a moment to celebrate, reflect, and
continue supporting the next generation
of legal professionals. As the first Muslim
woman to win Lawyer of the Year, I hope
my story inspires others to pursue their
dreams and break the mould. I know
firsthand how daunting it can be to
pursue a path without any established
role models. My faith as a Muslim has
got me through the most challenging of
times and as a result, I also know that
it is possible to succeed on your own
terms. By carving out our own paths,
we have the freedom to make bold
decisions and create meaningful change.
Sarah Khan-Bashir MBE,
Sole Practitioner, SKB Law.
“Trained professionals need sound technical
knowledge but also an understanding of client profile,
what matters to clients, how they think, and operate.”
Shainul Kassam, Founder,
Fortune Law.
16

IN-DEPTH
IN-DEPTH
Climbing The Ladder
At the age of 17, I started work for a law firm as an Outdoor clerk. By the age of 19, I
began studying to become a Legal Executive, combining working half days with distance
learning. As soon as I began studying, I knew law was something I wanted to commit to.
At the age of 17, I started work for a
law firm as an Outdoor Clerk. By the
age of 19, I began studying to become
a Legal Executive, combining working
half days with distance learning. As
soon as I began studying, I knew law
was something I wanted to commit to.
I took yearly exams, qualifying initially
as a Legal Executive, before doing
additional diplomas which enabled me
to undertake the Law Society finals
(since replaced by the Legal Practice
Course). I passed the exams, qualifying
as a solicitor by the age of 25.
Just three years after qualifying, at age
28, I became both the youngest and
the first black partner at my law firm.
Undoubtedly, my journey paradoxically
was one of “non-expectation”. I had
under-achieved at school, and had
not expected to be a lawyer. Without
black role models, against the backdrop
of the racism which I was exposed
to during my school years, I certainly
had not expected to be the youngest
and first black partner at my firm,
let alone be a Solicitor. Whilst I had
already achieved much more than I had
expected, this led to a self-fulfilling
prophecy for me – the more I did, the
more I believed I could do. I could break
the mould. This determination is what
led to me becoming the first black
Senior Partner of a top 100 UK law firm,
at Moore Barlow.
Throughout my career, I have worked
on some remarkable cases. I successfully
conducted the landmark employers’
liability suicide case – the first of its
type since 1957 – which went to the
House of Lords. I was also involved
in the Ladbroke Grove Rail disaster,
Westminster terror attacks, Croydon tram
disaster and co-lead lawyer in the largest
group of Jimmy Saville child abuse cases.
In addition, I have received numerous
national awards during my career.
Nevertheless, I have no doubt that
given my initial lack of qualifications and
background I would not have become
a lawyer. I was lucky. Careers’ adviser
had given me three job options which
led to my job as an Outdoor clerk. The
options were a tennis racket stringer, a
warehouse man and an Outdoor clerk. I
simply happen to have chosen the latter.
“As is so often the
case, admitting
there is a problem
is the first step to
solving it.”
The legal profession can still prefer
applicants to have Russell Group university
degrees. Applicants from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds, and particularly
those whose parents may not have gone
to university, are much less likely to have
gone to university themselves, let alone a
Russell Group one. Whilst this is a problem
that extends beyond the legal profession,
it is still very relevant. Even now, the legal
profession has a tendency to default to
looking at academics as a key indicator on
who would make a good lawyer. I believe
that what makes a good lawyer is often
life experience.
It has been gratifying to have become
the first black Senior Partner in a top
100 UK law firm and to have seen
the Law Society have its first black
President. As well as its first Asian
President, albeit it has taken until 2023
and there has only been 7 female Law
Society Presidents. Nevertheless, firms
are now starting to not only recognise
the importance of diversity but also
taking clear action to achieve it.
Admitting there is a problem is the
first step to solving it. To any firm
that says they do not have a problem
with diversity, I say look at who the
most senior partners are, and then
across the whole firm. They must then
ask themselves if what they see is
representative of wider society. If it is
not, then one has a starting point and
perhaps there is in fact a problem.
It really is important for firms to
hear from their people about issues
surrounding diversity and their culture.
In doing so they must get the most
authentic and genuine responses from
their people at all levels to understand
what they truly think, perhaps through
tools such as anonymous surveys, or
bringing in an external consultant. Once
this intelligence is gathered, it is then
possible to create a strategy. As well as
having measurable diversity goals, it is
key to have a culture that is welcoming
to a range of people from diverse
backgrounds. Firms have to create a
culture that allows individuals to be
their authentic selves, listen to their
people and check that their practices
achieve equality and equity for all.
I have now been in the law for thirtynine
years. The legal profession has
allowed me to be my best self and to
achieve a great deal as a lawyer. Having
become a partner, I have hopefully been
able to give inspiration to others and
an understanding that it is possible to
“breakthrough.” Through my community
efforts, which includes being the Chair of
the Mary Seacole Trust, I have been able
to take my experience of breaking the
mould into the community to encourage
others in other sectors.
Whilst it has been rewarding to have made
history at Moore Barlow by becoming
the first black Senior Partner, I am a firm
believer that one must not simply aspire
to climb the ladder. They must aspire to be
the ladder. In doing so, I hope we do not
just have our first black Senior Partner but
also our second, third, and fourth and so
forth, indeed senior partners and partners
from all diverse groups. It is then that I will
feel that not only have I broken the mould
but that the mould has forever changed.
Trevor D. Sterling, Senior Partner/Head
of Major Trauma, Moore Barlow LLP.
Promoting Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion
Being openly queer in the legal profession has brought unique challenges and connected
me to inspirational lawyers working tirelessly to make the profession more inclusive not
only for its members but also for those we work for.
Being openly queer in the legal
profession has brought unique
challenges and connected me to
inspirational lawyers working tirelessly
to make the profession more inclusive
not only for its members but also for
those we work for. I have worked in
private client practice since 2017, in
larger and smaller firms, and during that
time have learnt how a firm’s approach
to diversity has a material impact on
how people experience working with
and for that firm. What has become
most obvious is that resources are
not the most important factor in how
effective an ally a firm can be, and
that a genuine belief in the benefits of
diversity and a desire to make positive
changes are the building blocks to a
more inclusive future.
As a non-binary lesbian, I am often misgendered,
and people have questioned
the label I apply to my sexuality.
At times, it has been exhausting to
remind people of the importance of
respecting these parts of my identity:
having to hear the wrong pronouns
and then having to choose between
going through the inevitably awkward
conversation of correcting someone or
to allow it to continue and taking the hit
to my mental wellbeing. Being worried
about using the correct pronouns for my
partner for fear that I would be judged
for dating a woman is something I still
experience - despite feeling confident
in my identity and working to advance
acceptance for LGBTQ+ folks.
My personal journey as a queer lawyer
has been a true rollercoaster full of
lows and highs - from a client calling
my manager in a fury demanding to be
moved to another fee earner because
they had discovered my pronouns were
they/them, to speaking to the next
generation of legal minds at Bristol
University and Kings College London
about being queer in the law, to the
firm who approached me on my very
first day with them to say that they
were putting pronouns in email footers
so that I could be respected, to joining
the Law Society LGBTQ+ Lawyers
Society Committee, and to going to an
office Christmas party as drag Santa.
I have experienced queer joy in the
workplace being part of the firm’s
diversity committee organising events,
creating content for both internal and
external blogs and podcasts, and being
a visible resource for both allies and
members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Marching with the Law Society in
London Pride was a real honour, and
allowed me to show that as a whole,
the law is a diverse and welcoming
profession.
One of the most effective tools I have
used in promoting equity, diversity
and inclusion in the sector has been
encouraging people to recognise their
own intersectional identities and how
these factor into their lived experience of
working in law. Once people can relate
the importance they feel about having
their identities respected, it is much more
accessible for them to understand why
members of the LGBTQ+ communities
need the same, and the impacts on
someone if that does not happen.
In addition to this, I have found that
having a judgement-free approach to
“Being queer will
always be part of
my legal career,
as bringing my
whole self to
work remains
one of my highest
priorities.”
people who are looking for information
to support members of their team (or
even family and friends) has encouraged
people to ask more questions and
therefore given me an opportunity to
educate and inform.
Being queer will always be part of my
legal career, as bringing my whole self to
work remains one of my highest priorities.
Being authentic to the person I am has
allowed clients to talk to me without fear
they will be judged, and for them to feel
comfortable sharing their intersectional
identities with me. This has forged
stronger, more meaningful working
relationships. Firms who encourage
and believe fully in the benefits of staff
bringing their whole selves to work can
only benefit. And to anyone finding
themselves struggling to be their whole
selves at work - you are not alone, and
on my weaker days, I struggle. It is a
constant swim upstream to be the person
you are, and what you might not always
be able to see is that in your wake are
people who find you inspirational and
look to you as a role model.
Anna Grant-Casey, Consultant Private
Client Solicitor, Setfords
18 19

EDITORIAL
BOARD
Law and Lifestyle
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in your future?
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Simplify was formed following the merger of Move With Us and My Home Move. Simplify comprises seven conveyancing brands,
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‘works for you’?
recruitment@simplify.co.uk
www.simplify.co.uk/careers
Breaking the mould in the legal industry
is something that is uncommon.
Whether through university, or not,
improving optionality to those now
entering legal services influences their
journey to becoming a lawyer. Key
decisions, such as chosen legal discipline
and law firm guide their path, that then
settles as time passes by.
Paralegal, trainee, NQ, assistant,
associate… then what next? Partnership is
the final milestone, ideally with some equity,
providing a reliable income for the rest of
your career, until you are ready to hand the
golden pass onto the next generation.
Unfortunately, times have changed for many
partners, especially in the smaller majority
of law firms. Mostly driven by reducing
margins, systems are increasingly underinvested,
debts are higher and often need
PGs, revenue is static or dwindling and PII is
relatively more expensive. Suddenly, the pass
becomes a less shiny version of itself.
As John F. Kennedy once said,
“Change is the law of life. And those
who look only to the past or present
are certain to miss the future.”
The future of digital compliance is
SmartSearch’s next generation platform.
We are leading a digital revolution to
protect law firms against money laundering
and exposure to sanctioned individuals and
politically exposed people (PEPs).
In recent years, we have seen a surge
in sophisticated criminal activities,
combined with a growing number of
high-profile breaches and thousands
of new sanctions being imposed on
countries like Russia. As a result, the
weight of compliance on regulated firms
has become increasingly onerous.
It is essential that law firms take these risks
seriously and take steps to mitigate them.
Failure to do so can lead to substantial
fines and reputational damage, which can
be both costly and time-consuming.
The stereotypical progression above, is
something that we wanted to break at
Taylor Rose MW, it was never a traditional
law firm. Structured differently, it provides
a lean framework for successful lawyers to
increase their earnings free from politics,
overdrafts and operational headaches.
The consultant’s programme is the first
thing that divided us from the traditional
law firm. No longer were we asking solicitors
to work 9 – 5, Monday – Friday and all the
extra hours that come with the job, but we
were creating “law and lifestyle”, allowing
them to create the perfect work-life
balance and take home 70% of what they
billed. There were no more unnecessary
management meetings for them to attend
and no more rush hour traffic, they can
make every hour count and have the
benefit of working with a national law firm.
By creating a job in law and a lifestyle,
we have allowed over 600 Consultants to
choose their family, to choose work, and to
That is why we have developed a nextgeneration
platform with enhanced
functionalities, driven by the latest
technology. Our platform offers an
unmatched single-source digital solution to
this challenging compliance environment,
breaking the digital compliance mould.
Our platform features a seamless new
interface, along with a host of features
and a level of configurability never before
available. It offers bespoke configurability
and automation, improved compliance
standards, audit-ready reporting, and
strengthened perpetual KYC, creating a
new standard in cost-effective seamless
compliance, which saves time and
transforms customer experience.
The enhanced features are designed to
help you onboard new customers while
managing ongoing risk and compliance
through each customer’s lifecycle. With
perpetual Know Your Customer (pKYC),
the platform mitigates risk and frees up
valuable resources for teams, ensuring they
choose something entirely different from
their peers. They may have entered their
career the same way but have not picked a
traditional law firm by any means.
Becoming a consultant is not an easy
decision but the statistics provide the truth
that the modern way of working is on the
rise. Despite the recent rise of consultancy
in law, The Lawyer UK 200 rankings now has
four consultant-focussed law firms in the top
100, with Taylor Rose MW being identified by
the Times as the fastest growing law firm in
the UK and second-fastest in Europe.
Like others, Taylor Rose MW is only at the
beginning of this journey, with vast horizon
ahead. Breaking the mould is never entirely
simple. You must break boundaries, stand
out and become something that you
believe in whole heartedly, for me this is
Taylor Rose MW.
Adrian Jaggard
is CEO at Taylor Rose MW
Breaking the mould: Revolutionising
digital compliance for legal professionals
with our next generation platform
retain an ‘audit-ready’ status and safeguard
against the fines and reputational damage
from potential breaches.
Our software identifies people on sanctions,
Politically Exposed Persons (PEP), Special
Interest Persons (SIP), Ultimate Beneficial
Owners (UBO), and Relatives & Close
Associates (RCA) in seconds.
Our platform has already been stress-tested
for reliability, having carried out more than
six million searches for clients worldwide
during beta testing. It is trusted by one in
three of the UK’s top 200 law firms, 1 in 2
of the top 100 accountancy firms, and more
than 1,000 property companies.
As law firms navigate an increasingly complex
compliance landscape, it is critical to partner
with a reliable compliance provider that offers
cutting-edge technology and unmatched
compliance standards. For more information
please visit: www.smartsearch.com
Martin Cheek,
COO, SmartSearch
21

EDITORIAL
BOARD
Neville Dinshaw
Managing Director, Law
Mergers & Acquisitions.
Making every
transaction unique
As the founder and managing director of Law Mergers
& Acquisitions, I am proud to lead a team of hugely
talented professionals dedicated to delivering the best
possible outcomes for our clients. With more than 25
years of experience in the field, I have worked on some
of the largest and most complex merger and acquisition
deals in recent history, and my expertise has been
sought out by firms of all sizes.
What sets Law Mergers & Acquisitions apart is our commitment
to personalised service. We understand that every transaction
is unique and take the time to listen to our clients’ needs. This
enables us to develop customised strategies that meet their
specific goals and objectives.
Recently, we were able to help save a mediation charity who
had experienced financial issues because of the pandemic by
offering our services for free. Here, we used our contacts to find
two interested parties facilitate the transaction and ultimately
conclude the transaction.
From strategic planning and due diligence to negotiation and
closing, we are there every step of the way to ensure that
our clients get the results they need. Merger and acquisition
transactions can be complex and stressful, and we work hard to
ensure our clients feel supported and well-informed throughout
the process. We take the time to listen to their concerns
and provide clear, honest advice, so they can make the best
decisions for their businesses. One client complemented us on
our response to her business needs, “even taking into account
unforeseen vulnerabilities of your client”.
Our team of experienced professionals brings a wealth of
knowledge and expertise to every transaction. But it’s not just
our expertise that sets us apart - it’s also our commitment to
building long-term relationships with our clients. We understand
that mergers and acquisition transactions are just one part of
a firm’s journey, and we are dedicated to providing ongoing
support and guidance even after the deal is closed. From posttransaction
integration to ongoing strategic planning, we are
there every step of the way to help our clients achieve their
goals and grow their businesses.
I am proud to lead Law Mergers & Acquisitions, a firm that is
dedicated to delivering the highest level of service and expertise
to our clients. With a team of experienced professionals and
a commitment to personalised service, we have earned our
reputation for excellence in the industry.
David Seager
Consulting Advisor,
SIFA Professionals.
Multi-Disciplinary
Practices – Still so
few ABS Trailblazers
When asked to write on a theme of ‘breaking the
mould’ and on those who have opted for an alternative
route to success, I was instantly drawn to ‘Alternative
Business Structures. Last year was the 10th anniversary
of the first SRA regulated ABS, but have we truly
witnessed the liberalisation and innovation envisaged
in the legal services market by Sir David Clementi?
Certainly, Clementi’s idea of a multi-disciplinary approach,
that would offer clients the ability to access varied professional
services and advice in one place has largely failed to materialise.
From a SIFA Professional perspective, it was this aspect that the
Legal Services Act, largely failed to facilitate and this was and
still is, a disappointment.
In SIFA Professional’s view Clementi was correct in his opinion
that individuals, families, and companies, would enjoy being
able to appreciate a joined-up approach to their financial, tax
and legal affairs in one place. We often use the expression,
stolen from our good friend and ex-SRA Director, Crispin
Passmore – ‘people don’t think in silos, so why do we insist on
offering them solutions in silos?’ This is why we work so hard
to facilitate partnerships between quality financial planning
professionals and law firms. There is after all, so much overlap in
legal and financial.
Sadly, the barrier not anticipated by the LSA, was the barrier
of regulation. There simply must be a simpler way for forward
thinking innovators to build a multi-disciplinary client centric
advice business, without having to pay fees and observe the
regulations and rules of at least 3 different regulators. The SRA,
in SARS 2019 allowed non-reserved activities under a separate
business and introduced the concept of freelance solicitors,
which are steps in the right direction. Both will allow a flexible
approach to new models at least incorporating financial and
some legal services.
I hope a future government, the LSB or the various regulators
will address the situation. In the meantime, I will tip my hat
to the few trailblazing firms who have bitten the bullet, for
the sake of their existing and future clients, and established
genuine MDPs, despite the regulatory costs and barriers.
Prydis in the Southwest and Chesterton House, with SIFA
Professional’s support have built successful businesses offering
financial, accounting, and legal services.
Here’s to more being able to take this alternative route….
23

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EDITORIAL
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‘Celebration and Breaking the Mould’
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Modern Law asking for my
contribution to their special
edition on ‘Breaking the Mould and
celebration’ coincided with Frenkel
Topping Group appointing Professor
Dominic Regan as Director of our
training and insight division.
The timing is perfect!
Described as ‘the authority on all my
reforms’ by Sir Rupert Jackson and as
‘the leading expert in the field of civil
procedure’ by HHJ Simon Brown KC,
Prof Dom needs no introduction in this
publication. His reputation as a leading
light on law reform is well understood. He
breaks the mould with his wit, his kindness,
and his ability to make discussions on law
reform accessible and hugely insightful.
Dominic joining the Frenkel Topping Group
family is well worthy of celebration. Not
only does he strengthen our leadership
team and add enormous value to our
clients by giving them exclusive access to
one of the greatest legal minds, but his
appointment represents a milestone for the
Group. A professional of Professor Regan’s
calibre joining our group is testament
to the team and culture we have grown
organically over 30 years and more recently
by acquisition of complementary services
in our space.
We break the mould in our space of the
market by providing an end-to-end service
from index event, at pre-settlement and
post-settlement. There is so much passion
and expertise inside Frenkel Topping that
is worth celebrating, this month and every
month, and Prof Dom is very well placed to
recommend the best tipple to mark such a
celebration: “Champagne without a doubt!
Not least because it is low in calories (80)
whilst red and white is 120. Tesco Finest is
excellent and has won many awards. Of
the big names, Piper Heidsieck is great
value and a personal favourite. Nyetimber
Sparkling is the best of the English, along
with Chapel Down.”
Cheers!
Mark Holt
COO, Frankel Topping Group
Solicitors Professional Indemnity Insurance
Trusted advice
Our Professional Indemnity division is one of the most
experienced teams in the market, with more than 30 PII
specialists dedicated to servicing the legal sector.
We’re large enough to make a difference with insurers,
but still small enough to offer great service based on
strong relationships. We offer one of the widest selections
of A rated providers available and our clients range from
sole practitioners to the UK’s Top 100 law firms.
Speak to an expert
0370 218 5946
info@howdengroup.com
howdengroup.co.uk
Howden is a trading name of Howden Insurance Brokers Limited, part of Howden
Group Holdings. Howden Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated
by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of general insurance business.
Registered in England and Wales under company registration number 725875.
Registered Office: One Creechurch Place, London, EC3A 5AF. Calls may be
monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes. 11/22 Ref: 8169
Many people find the topic of risk
management and compliance a
dry and somewhat boring topic.
There is a resistance to the controls
imposed on them, and at times
they will try to find a way around
procedures and protocols.
Having dedicated over 30 years of my
working life to Professional Indemnity
Insurance and Risk Management
training, I have spent much of that time
helping to protect professional practices
and improving their understanding and
engagement in the subject. During that
time, I have discovered that most people
are receptive to the subject matter
as long as we can make the subject
interesting, engaging and at times
amusing – yes amusing!
We appreciate that whilst some firms have
considerable internal risk management
and compliance teams at their disposal,
resources can be limited. Working with
many in-house risk teams we use real
life examples to bring the topic to life,
Does Risk and Compliance
training have to be boring?
demonstrating where mistakes can be
made, why preparation is important, and
that execution needs continual review
and monitoring. In fact, ensuring every
member of the firm understands their
responsibility and the protection they are
provided with can even improve wellbeing.
It’s about establishing “What’s in it for
me”? It is often the case that an external
speaker can really help the internal Risk
Team when they themselves identify that
they are becoming “white noise” to the
Fee Earners.
I have worked with firms on partner
off sites, provided training for partners,
fee earners and support staff; worked
with specific departments and delivered
keynote speeches at law society events.
We apply a practical, hands-on experience
which encourages participants to interact
and emotionally connect with the subject
matter. Such training engages participants
on a level that is far deeper and more
meaningful than would occur in more
traditional methods which tend to solely
focus on knowledge transfer. It was
because of our unique approach that, in
November 2022, I was delighted and proud
to be recognised by CIR Magazine as the
‘Risk Management Champion 2022’.
My favourite feedback from an attendee
of one of my talks was “surprisingly
informative and entertaining!” – It doesn’t
have to be boring – if you bring it to life
people engage with it and remember the
key messages that can prevent lot of errors
and financial heartaches.
“ensuring every member
of the firm understands
their responsibility and the
protection they are provided
with can even improve
wellbeing.”
Colin Taylor CIRM
Division Director at Howden Legal
service Practice Group
8169 Modern Law Magazine Advert_210mmx148mm_v01.indd 1 23/11/2022 16:41
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EDITORIAL
BOARD
Case Management with Care
breakthroughcasemanagement.com
LEADING
LEGAL
SERVICES
SINCE 1947
Having celebrated our Diamond Anniversary last year,
we are proud to be one of the fastest-growing law firms
in the South, and breaking new ground in the North.
Dutton Gregory Solicitors has
been providing award winning
client services and career
opportunities in the legal
profession for over 75 years.
To find out more, visit
www.duttongregory.co.uk
WINCHESTER
CHANDLER’S FORD
BOURNEMOUTH
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LONDON
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Annabelle Lofthouse
Co-founder and Director,
Breakthrough Case
Management
Caring for your clients
Our client focused, responsive approach to case
management means we break the mould every time
we start working with someone new. Because every
client is different, there are no rules and our methods
are never formulaic. The client is in control, not the
Case Manager, and we let people know from the
outset that we aren’t there to take over or tell them
what to do. There is no set starting point or template
for case management, and that isn’t just related to
the complex and diverse injuries we work with - each
client is unique and distinct. In addition, where our
clients were physically before their accident can vary
hugely. This will make a difference to their goals,
rehabilitation plan and the specialist team we put
together to support them.
Providing services through Breakthrough Care is an important
– and unique – aspect of what we do. Our care services build
the interface between complex care and major trauma case
management – re-imagining what rehabilitation focused
support looks like. Working with a multitude of care agencies
when we first launched Breakthrough, we saw that the support
offered following a traumatic injury wasn’t always working
as well as it could be. That is why we brought complex care
services in-house, with fully trained rehab assistants who get
to know clients and build strong relationships. An integrated
approach not only helps our clients achieve their goals, but
also supports the solicitors we work with. Joined-up case
management and care means we get solicitors the information
they need when they need it.
Our enthusiasm for innovation is as strong today as it was
when we started Breakthrough. Firms that have been around
for many years often stick with the same ways of working.
The Breakthrough culture is to constantly seek better ways of
doing things. Whether that’s in our own systems and processes,
or medical and technological innovations that support client
rehabilitation. In our latest CQC report, we were proud to
receive both an outstanding rating and particular recognition for
our values and proactive, innovative culture.
At Breakthrough, we try to break the mould every day by
looking for ways to do better. We are open to questions and
challenges from every member of the team – and our clients.
That culture of curiosity is central to challenging the status quo
wherever we can.
“The client is in control, not the
Case Manager, and we let people
know from the outset.”
Paul Sams
Partner and Head of
Property, Dutton
Gregory Solicitors
Breaking the Mould:
‘The Power of Why’
“In business, it can be hard for companies, and
individuals for that matter, to remember their “why”?
Why do they exist? Why do people do business with
them? Why have they been successful?
In our profession, just like the butcher, the baker and the
candlestick maker, if the word ‘Solicitors’ appears above
the door, people know the purpose of their visit. Clients
and introducers assume that the solicitor can provide what
they need, and they are most likely to be correct., but why
have they chosen that firm? I believe that the reason is the
way they either believe or have been told the matter will
be handled. That is why Dutton Gregory is committed to
the support, training, development and welfare of staff. A
collective of individuals will always create a unique alchemy,
so attention to people within the firm has a direct benefit to
those welcomed in from outside.
It can be deemed a cliche to say ‘a firm is all about the
people’ but that is a generalist expression for something that
is truly unique and has undeniable impact. As a Partnership
we all agree that we want people here to be individuals, feel
they can express their views honestly and that helps “break
any mould” that has been purposefully or inadvertently
created. A culture that allows fresh-thinking, voluntary
contribution and personal achievement will help a firm
constantly re-evaluate itself by being challenged with and
forced to ask itself ‘Why?’.
There is another important situation in which the ‘Why’
should appear – recruitment. Candidates need to satisfy our
understanding of why they applied to our firm, why they
think they would be a good fit and we should be left in no
doubt as to why we should hire them. I am always impressed
when a potential employee asks questions of us.
Once all these elements are harnessed into a continual cycle,
the final piece of the puzzle is to communicate the ‘why’.
Too many firms keep their decisions within its leadership,
shrouded in mystery for, in my opinion, no discernible
reason. The one negative that will stop a firm from evolving
and “breaking the mould” is when staff receive instruction
or news about the business that leaves them asking ‘Why’?”
“In our profession, just like the butcher,
the baker and the candlestick maker, if the
word ‘Solicitors’ appears above the door,
people know the purpose of their visit.”
27

FEATURE
FEATURE
BREAKING
THE MOULD…?
How did I become a lawyer?
Have you got some time, so that I
can tell you my (fairly) long story?
At 16, I left a very crowded inner-city school in Dublin, where I
was educated by nuns in a Catholic convent school. There were
many reasons for my leaving school at 16, and in retrospect,
most of them weren’t necessarily mine. At the time, educating
women wasn’t a priority and getting married was what I was
predominantly urged to do and, because of the influence of
the Church in Ireland, my mammy was also convinced that that
my leaving school was what I should do. In many respects,
I was very lucky that my Granny was quite progressive in
her thinking and she steered me towards doing a secretarial
course. Well, I say steer…she was a force to be reckoned with,
in the nicest possible way, and so it was definitely more a
forced steering. I am grateful to her for that now.
After completing this, I came away, able to touch type, had
some questionable shorthand abilities and a little bit of book
keeping! My first role following this, was as an office junior,
and then, quite quickly as a legal secretary in a law firm in
Dublin. I then took, I suppose you could call it, a simple leap
of faith, and moved to the UK at 20. I got a job as a legal
secretary in Newcastle. Upon reflection, I suppose that quite
quickly, I realised that being a secretary wasn’t going to cut
it for me. Just after my 21 st birthday, I started thinking about
and looking into whether or not I could study law at university.
I found out that whilst wholly possible, it was also going to
be very expensive, too expensive for someone like me with
no funding or financial support. I can’t really remember how,
but I found out about CILEX, and at that point began my long
journey into law. The amazing thing about CILEX (was and still
is) is that after having left school with only GCSE equivalents,
that was enough to set me on the road to become a lawyer.
For the first two years in Newcastle, I studied on a day release
basis but then, I moved to London, and due to the demands
of my role, had to study after work, two nights a week.
That’s definitely when it got a lot harder! I was working all
day in a busy London firm, going to college, and not getting
home until gone 11 pm most nights. It was tough! I spent my
weekends and any spare time I had in the library, and because
of this missed out on a lot of the social side of life in London
you could have in your early twenties. Not all of it I must add, I
fitted in as much as I could!
I completed and passed my four years of CILEX and then went
on to do my CPE (now GDL). I was then able to do my LPC full
time at London Guildhall University, by taking 10 months off
work, getting some sponsorship and taking out a student loan.
By this point, I hadn’t been in full-time education since I was
at school, and I loved it! Despite being one of the oldest in my
class and not the ‘typical’ student, I met lots of interesting and
wonderful people in this time and made lots of friends. I also
really surprised myself in many ways and found the workload
and course requirements manageable.
During my LPC, I chose the subjects you’d expect such as
personal injury, employment and contract law. To add a
little bit of difficulty and diversity into the mix, I also chose
a module in international shipping law! Goodness that was
tricky! In the end, I achieved a commendation and was actually
very close to getting a distinction, much to my surprise. To
this day, I remember what an amazing time I had studying full
time, which I still feel very thankful for.
I did the professional skills course and whilst I was looking for a
solicitor role (as I didn’t have to do a training contract), I took a
job as a temporary secretary at the British Medical Association.
In this role, what I lacked in my secretarial technical ability, I
made up for with my knowledge of the law and my ability to be
able to deal with and manage the various clients.
“I was working all day in
a busy London firm, going
to college, and not getting
home until gone 11 pm
most nights. It was tough!”
28
29

FEATURE
FEATURE
“...having people in your
life who have your back is
one of the most important
things you can have.”
Although I wasn’t the greatest of secretaries, I did this role
because I needed to pay the bills, whilst I looked for a solicitor
role. Ironically, they did ask me to take a full-time secretarial
role, which I declined. Shortly after, I got a job at another law
firm, as a very junior lawyer, doing motor personal injury (PI)
claims. They knew I could type so they didn’t even give me a
secretary when I joined, which really makes me laugh now. I
was there a relatively short time before, due to my experience
in PI, and some senior level departures, I was offered a
partnership. Initially, when I looked at the financial package
they offered, with my student loan still lurking, my head was
turned, and I was tempted. I soon realised that my values,
priorities and long-term plans did not align with this offer and
so I decided not to join.
I then decided to move to Merseyside, to be near to John
Carpenter, with the plan of getting a job in a PI firm in
Liverpool. It was John who persuaded me to join his niche
commercial practice and set up a PI motor department. And
so that’s what I did! At that point, John was more convinced
of my ability than I was, if I’m honest. That’s one of the main
reasons that I truly believe that having people in your life who
have your back is one of the most important things you can
have. They add to and change your life, push you out of your
comfort zone and see the potential in you. The potential that
you don’t necessarily always see in yourself.
“I’m not sure if I’ve broken
the mould or smashed
the glass ceiling but, I
sincerely hope that I’ve
shaken it up a bit...”
I do feel extremely grateful to have gotten here, to have had
the chances, luck and success that I’ve had. One of my main
wishes in life, is that, for people like me, the journey into law
be a shorter and easier one. There were some really difficult
times along the way, and I did miss out on certain things,
but it was ultimately worth it. This is why social mobility,
mentoring and sending the ladder down are so important
to me. My dream is to inspire as many people as I can not
to leave education or give up on their dreams just because
they haven’t got the right background, education or people
supporting and encouraging them.
I do genuinely believe that we will have a fairer society when
we have a more diverse representation in that society. I get
asked a lot if my determination to ‘give back’, to tell my story,
and to try to make a difference is driven by my background
and education, and the answer is always yes. I’ve done every
job in our business and so I know how it feels, I understand
how important every person is to our success. We have so
many people at Carpenters who started in very junior roles,
who are now helping to run our business, and so I can say first
hand and from the experience and knowledge that I have, it
can be done!
Our gender equality has been achieved very naturally and
fairly. We offer flexibility, apprenticeships, support and sponsor
professional educational qualifications. We also operate a
transparent meritocracy, where the best and right people get
the jobs. That gender equality is a huge part of our success.
I’m not sure if I’ve broken the mould or smashed the glass
ceiling but, I sincerely hope that I’ve shaken it up a bit along
the way and will continue to stir it up for as long as I can. I
hate injustice, wilful abuse of power and unnecessary suffering
and I still have a lot of fire in my belly to fight for what is right!
Donna Scully
Carpenters Group
30 31

FEATURE
FEATURE
A unique path to Law
My journey to this position has not been easy or straightforward. I didn’t go to
University; I didn’t do a training contract, and I didn’t become a Solicitor. Instead,
I took a different route, but one that I am incredibly thankful for and proud of,
and one that proves that being a teenage mum can be the making of you. I
don’t see myself as a trail blazer, but I do believe in making your own path in life
and that you can break the mould society makes for you.
As I sit here writing this, I am a Partner at Bretherton’s
Solicitors. I specialise in Residential Conveyancing and
have been in the industry for 26 years.
My journey to this position has not been easy or straightforward. I
didn’t go to University; I didn’t do a training contract, and I didn’t
become a Solicitor. Instead, I took a different route, but one that
I am incredibly thankful for and proud of, and one that proves
that being a teenage Mum can be the making of you. I don’t see
myself as a trail blazer, but I do believe in making your own path
in life and that you can break the mould society makes for you.
I was 3 months pregnant when I found out I was expecting my
eldest child. I was 15 years old and in my final year of Bilton
High School, completing my GCSEs studying the usual suspects:
Science, Maths and English, together with Fashion Design. I grew
up in Binley Woods in Warwickshire, the third of four sisters in
a lively household. My Mum came over to the UK from South
Africa not long before I was born, so I never experienced growing
up there like my elder sisters did. I think growing up in a larger
family set me up to fight my own corner and stand my ground.
I had my eldest son in 1995. Once he was 18 months old, I started
work full time at the age of 17 as an Office Junior at local firm of
solicitors. I was determined to be a Mum and have a career and
didn’t see why both couldn’t be possible. With initial support
from my family, over my two years there I worked up to become a
Receptionist and started audio typing to become more involved in
the legal side of the business.
“I started work full time at the
age of 17 as an Office Junior
at local firm of solicitors.
I was determined to be
a Mum and have a
career and didn’t see
why both couldn’t
be possible.”
“For so long this felt like the goal that I had been working
towards, the destination that I wanted to reach, but now I’ve
got here it feels like there will be more stops on my journey.”
From there I moved to another local
Solicitors firm. I carried my experiences from
my previous roles and worked as a Secretary,
Personal Assistant and then as a Paralegal. I
had started my own caseload of just 5 files
working within Residential Conveyancing
and was starting to grow my knowledge. By
this point my son was approaching 10 and
this presented me with the opportunity to
build on my legal experience with formal
qualifications. I knew that if I was to progress
further, I needed to have a solid grounding in
law and so I started studying in the evenings
and weekends. I chose to follow the CILEX
(then Ilex) route because it offered me
flexibility and training at times to suit both
my job and being a full-time mum. I believed
that they were not mutually exclusive.
Qualifying via the CILEX route took me 4
years. Every Wednesday I would finish work
mid-afternoon and go straight to my class,
which then finished at 9pm, leaving me little
time before I would need to be back in the
following day. Outside of my formal class
times I studied every Thursday, Saturday, and
Sunday to stay on top of the workload, using
a corner of my bedroom as my working area.
It was exhausting and draining.
Early in the course I became a single mum,
splitting from my partner and living alone
with my son, marking a really difficult time
in my life. I wasn’t sure if I would continue
the course, having missed quite a portion
of it due to personal circumstances, but I
was determined to overcome that. Despite
the dread of having to catch up on several
months of study, I continued with the
support of those close to me. I’m so glad
I did!
When I started my second year of study, I
was given the opportunity to work as a Fee
Earner in another firm of Solicitors based
in Leamington Spa. I had a friend working
at the firm who tipped me off that there
was a role available. I interviewed for the
role the same day that I found out about
it and unbelievably I was offered it that
evening. The role was within Residential
Conveyancing, so I felt that it gave me
the chance to not only bring my skills
and experiences along with me, but to
significantly build on them with a growing
caseload. By this point it was 2006.
Over the following 8 years I worked a regular
full-time job, handling a significant caseload
of files and continuing to learn throughout.
I qualified as Graduate Member of CILEX
in 2009 and then had to work a further 2
years post qualification before becoming a
Fellow of CILEX in 2011. During this time, I
wanted to grow as a lawyer but also grow in
confidence, so I set up a CILEX branch for
the local area and took on management of
it, organising social and networking events
with local lawyers, estate agents and judges.
It was quite challenging but incredibly
rewarding and a real opportunity to meet
others in the industry.
In 2007 I had met my husband and in 2011
we had a child together before getting
married in 2012.
In 2014 the opportunity came along
to move to Bretherton’s Solicitors in
Rugby as a Senior Conveyancer. By this
point I had been working in Residential
Conveyancing for around 17 years. I love
the pace of the sector and the fact that it
brings new challenges on an almost daily
basis. Different properties bring different
characteristics and over the years I have
lost count of the number of times that I
have encountered something new, or a
problem that my colleagues locally haven’t
come across before. Recently, I handled
a case where a car was rumoured to be
buried in the back garden!
It’s also a real opportunity to help people
in a difficult time of their life. Sometimes
people are moving up in the world but
sometimes they are facing hard times, and,
in those situations, I really want to try and
make things go as smoothly as I can. If I’m
honest though, I didn’t choose law all those
years ago. Like so many things in life it just
happened to me. At one point I had a job
interview at IBM. I do wonder how different
my life would be now had I gone down that
route. Instead, I followed an advert in the
local paper and my career started there.
I have been given the opportunity at
Bretherton’s to be both a Manager and a
Technical Specialist, supporting both my
team and working on the more complex
matters that present themselves. This led
to me becoming an Associate in 2016 and
then a Senior Associate in 2020, during
lockdown. Like many people at the time, I
was furloughed for a short period, and this
presented a new challenge for me. Up to
that point I had been working solidly since
1997 and so the sudden break felt unusual
and unsettling, but I was lucky and
returned to work within a few months and
I know that not everyone in the industry
had that chance.
Fast forward to April 2023. I was made a
Partner at Bretherton’s Solicitors. For so
long this felt like the goal that I had been
working towards, the destination that I
wanted to reach, but now I’ve got here it
feels like there will be more stops on my
journey. If I look back now, I realise that
every difficult moment, every night feed,
every school play, every house move, every
personal challenge that I faced made me
stronger and without them I wouldn’t be
here now. It’s funny the way life turns out.
Who said that being a teenage mum
would be a problem? I certainly don’t
believe it is, I believe it was the best thing
that ever could have happened to me, and
it set me on my path.
If you find yourself in the same situation
believe you can overcome, believe you can
prove others wrong and most importantly
believe in yourself.
As to my two children; my eldest is currently
living abroad. Having obtained his own
university degree, he is now bilingual
and teaches at an international school in
Bangkok, Thailand. My youngest is a force to
be reckoned with and recently represented
Warwickshire at the National Cross-Country
finals in Leicester. He is certainly one thing I
do struggle to keep up with!
Emma Morris,
Partner, Bretherton’s Solicitors
32
33

ROUNDTABLE
EFFICIENT
EFFICIENT
AND
AND
EFFECTIVE
EFFECTIVE
PROBATE
PROBATE
SOLUTIONS
SOLUTIONS
Probate
A Roundtable Discussion
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Chantelle Wren
Associate director
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Daniel Cane
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35

ROUNDTABLE
ROUNDTABLE
We are now 3 years on from the initial
covid lockdown – with this in mind –
how has the industry transformed and
evolved since then?
Daniel Cane: Even pre-covid, the technological
development and advances within the industry
were always going to evolve how private client
teams worked. Covid helped to expedite this,
and it is fantastic to see the different varieties of
technology assisting with not only the probate
process but also assisting with Will writing and pre
death administration.
Chantelle Wren: Historically, the private client
probate world has been slow to accept new
technology, but Covid highlighted the risks
involved in this and forced the industry to change
its mindset and adopt greater use of technology.
Will writing is a good example. Previously a
will needed to be signed in the presence of an
independent witness, but now it can be witnessed
on Zoom or using technology like DocuSign. Grant
of probate requests can also be accepted digitally
now, rather than documents being sent through
the post.
Throughout this period, our business supported the
digital movement and evolved our probate offering
to a free online digital platform to support both
the speed of access to insurance offerings and the
speed of distribution of estate funds.
Jonathan Upton: The pandemic definitely
increased acceptance of the role of technology
in the provision of private client services. We
have seen a lot of people go back to face-toface
meetings to supplement the ever-present
Zoom and Teams workload, but this is only one
element of the tech armoury that law firms need
to consider. Our view is that the underlying
technology used by private client practitioners
needs to continue to develop in the face of broader
social changes.
Law firms need to consider technology planning
for the future very seriously. With the possibility
that future generations of systems like ChatGPT
could be used to write wills, for example, law firms
need to be planning for the expectations that
consumers will have for ever increasing speed and
personalisation of service.
“Law firms need to consider
technology planning for the future
very seriously.”
Consumers are increasingly comfortable using
online communication and ordering, as the digital
shift continues, legal firms will need consider how
to respond and talk the same language. We hope
to continue to work closely with legal firms to
enable the industry to leverage the many benefits
technologies brings.
Never before have companies
supporting the legal industry had
so much competition – how can you
separate your service, your business,
your self to gain the advantage?
Chantelle Wren: There are a number of ways we
stand out from the competition. Fundamentally, we
listen to what people want and we deliver it. Our
unique online platform, PIPA, for example, gives
private client solicitors and estate practitioners
the ability to access policies online within minutes,
even on more complex cases. In these situations,
other providers will ordinarily switch to an offline
process that requires a conversation with an
underwriter.
We support this with the ability to look at very
unusual circumstances and have the ability to
produce a bespoke policy if it is needed. When
this does happen our turnaround times are usually
no more than 48 hours, we offer competitive
premiums from an AA-rated insurer and rarely
apply excesses.
Aside from our product and service offering we
make a huge suite of training and educational
resources available to our customers with our
CLSIQ Academy and we work closely with other
service providers such as Inheritance Data,
National Will Register and Best Foundation to
share insights, work collaboratively and bring our
services together to work to promote what we
consider to be the most diligent processes when
administering an estate.
Jonathan Upton: Estatesearch’s aim is to develop
products and services which are being demanded
in the market. Lawyers are busy people, so we
combine such solutions with excellent customer
service so firms can support better outcomes
for their clients. We try to provide this all at an
affordable price and it seems to work.
Daniel Cane: Working with several different
suppliers via previously unreachable API
technology, our system has not only streamlined
processes but makes our services accessible
from several sources. Having partnered with
industry leading suppliers such as the National
Will Register and Equifax, services can be ordered
from a range of platforms without losing any
quality of results. Our complete range of services
offer a comprehensive solution for Executors and
Administrators who are looking to streamline their
process and reduce risk. Our joint Financial Asset
and Liability search offers the most comprehensive
search for assets and liabilities due to an estate.
With our award-winning platform, we search for
all types of accounts, policies, shares, pensions
and more. Our search comes with the addition of
an Estate Distribution Warranty which protects
users against any additional cost from a missed
asset. Using our Industry leading technology, we
can return results quicker than ever before with
the Liability search coming back in just 15 minutes
and a complete search for shares across Equiniti,
Computershare and Link in 36 hours.
Technology now plays a role in almost
every aspect of legal services – what
in your view have been the biggest
innovations to change the Wills and
Probate sector?
Jonathan Upton: The pace of change in the
conveyancing industry for example, has historically
been faster than in the wills and probate sector,
which has seemed a little neglected by technology
until quite recently. Our solutions are helping to
change this by saving legal teams time when it
comes to identifying unknown assets.
“Fundamentally, we listen to what
people want and we deliver it.”
Our view is that the organisations that private
client professionals need to interact with (financial
institutions, for instance) have also historically
neglected their investments in technology, which
can lead to poor customer outcomes for which
private client professionals may currently face the
blame. We see this as a challenge we’d like to fix too!
We’ve no doubt that the private client sector will
continue to improve through embracing technology
to a greater degree. Although tech can play a part,
though, this sector is all about supporting bereaved
and vulnerable people and helping families to plan
for the future, and that will never change.
Daniel Cane: I really think the ability to order a
range of services in one place. Previously, the
methods of conducting best practice by ordering
searches, placing a legal notice and more was
long and arduous, only adding to the time taken
and the cost of estate administration. Now with
innovative technology, the ability to conduct
multiple tasks by completing one online form
is revolutionary. Not only ours but across the
industry as the technology progresses.
Chantelle Wren: Technology now plays a role in
almost every aspect of legal services – what in your
view have been the biggest innovations to change
the Wills and Probate sector?
One of the biggest advances has been the
introduction of financial asset and liability searches,
supplied by Inheritance Data, which actually won
the Best Technology Award in 2022 at the British
Wills and Probate Awards.
Some solicitors will continue to attempt this as a
manual process, which is not only incredibly time
consuming, but also has a high risk of error.
The National Wills Register in England and Wales
has also helped to create a more standardised
process, which is beneficial for everyone.
“Now with innovative technology, the ability to conduct
multiple tasks by completing one online form is revolutionary.”
36 37

ROUNDTABLE
Simplifying Estate
Due Diligence
Estatesearch is an easy
to use, intuitive and reliable
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It helps me to feel
confident in providing
essential due diligence and
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With the services they offer
continuing to expand, I
cannot recommend
Estatesearch enough!
Elisabeth Squires,
Solicitor | Britton and Time
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For help identifying any assets, including shares in an
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How did the pandemic effect your
business culture? What did you
implement back then that has now
become a standard practise?
Chantelle Wren: As with most businesses we
have adopted a hybrid working model that
combines the best elements of working remotely
and in person. For example, during the pandemic
with homeworking, we introduced more rigid
performance targets and turnaround times to ensure
we did not lapse on service, and we continue to
uphold these standard whether people are working
at home or in the office. This has helped us to
maintain our world class Net Promoter Score.
Jonathan Upton: From day one, Estatesearch
was set up for virtual team working. We
supply thousands of law firms and financial
institutions and most of this is through electronic
communication. However, we knew that once the
pandemic was over, we’d enjoy meeting face-toface
with our clients once again. Therefore, we
implemented a strategy to expand our sales team
and grow our geographic footprint. We grew our
sales team tenfold, and they are now based all over
the UK, which means they can work closely with
local clients wherever they are, whilst using remote
communications and Teams meetings so we can
work well together as a team too.
Daniel Cane: We have always tried to ensure a
great culture and ethos within our business which
is why we are flexible to our staff and their working
pattens. However, like many businesses, the
pandemic meant we faced logistical challenges.
Fortunately, being a tech business, many of the
day-to-day functions can be carried out from
anywhere, be that the office, at home or the local
coffee shop.
As we have moved out of the pandemic, we
have maintained this approach for staff to work
flexibly increasing happiness, engagement and
productivity.
“There has been a lot more
publicity about people needing
to consider estate management
as a result of Covid, but the main
impact has probably come from
the cost of living crisis.”
Have your legal clients seen a difference
in buying patterns and demographic
following the pandemic and public’s
increasing awareness of planning for
the future? And if so, what has been the
knock-on effect?
Jonathan Upton: We recently commissioned a
consumer research survey of 2,000 people in the
UK. It showed that more than a fifth (21%) of people
had considered making a will since the COVID
pandemic. This correlates with anecdotal findings
that will writing spiked during the lockdowns. For
Estatesearch, we will only see the knock-on effect
further down the line when we are searching for
assets from those who have passed away. However,
any improvements to approaches in estate planning
can only help ensure assets are identified quickly
and returned to rightful family members at a
vulnerable time in their lives, which is our goal.
Chantelle Wren: There has been a lot more
publicity about people needing to consider estate
management as a result of Covid, but the main
impact has probably come from the cost of living
crisis as beneficiaries have become more eager to
receive what they are due earlier in the process.
There’s been increasing demand in our Section
27 and Early Distribution Inheritance and Family
Dependant Act Insurance policies.
In response to this, we have developed a client care
letter to which will assist when communicating
the risks to executors/beneficiaries of distributing
an estate early without waiting for statutory
periods to lapse. It provides clients with an ‘opt in
opt out solution’ to protect solicitors and estate
practitioners where the beneficiaries/executors
push for early distribution whilst also reducing the
risk of claims on your PII, which is concern for the
industry due to ever increasing premiums.
Visit estatesearch.co.uk
Call 0330 900 1700
Email hello@estatesearch.co.uk
Estatesearch Limited is an Appointed Representative of Clear Insurance Management
Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
39

SERVICE
PROVIDER
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Legal firms need to be
more accessible to online
Just over half of legal firms (52%) are failing to articulate their offering
online and almost two thirds of legal websites (58%) don’t rate highly for
customer friendliness, according to new research from Moneypenny.
The leading outsourced communications provider
analysed 50 legal websites belonging to large top tier
firms as well as mid-sized and boutique legal practices
during January 2023, as part of a wider study into
digital customer experience.
The research sought to assess how easy it is to find
firms online and navigate their websites, the quality
of their first impressions and how contactable and
friendly their websites are.
The findings show that two thirds of law firms (66%)
are not doing enough to present a strong brand image
online and almost half (44%) do not articulate how
they are different to other firms. Plus, most firms
(58%) either overwhelm web visitors with information
or offer too little and more could be done to encourage
visitors to get in touch or ask questions online.
Other key insights include:
• 56% of the firms studied rank average or less for
how contactable they are.
• 74% do not display their telephone number
clearly enough online – even though the phone
is king for customers 1 and a web search often
precedes a call.
• 84% of legal firms don’t have Frequently Asked
Questions on their website - even though they
can help to triage enquiries and improve the
customer experience.
• Most firms do not offer online appointment
booking (96%), a call back service (94%) and
web forms to capture requests (76%).
• 90% do not offer live chat, even though legal
customers expect it 2 .
Managed live chat, which means website visitors can
have questions answered in real time, is an instant,
discreet and convenient way to convert questions
into valuable enquiries, yet just 10% of those
surveyed are harnessing the tool.
Bernadette added: “The fact only 10% of the
websites studied are using live chat means it’s a great
way for firms to stand out from the competition and
show themselves as helpful and approachable. It’s
also a cost effective way to be contactable 24/7,
which we’ve seen grow in importance since the
pandemic. Almost half (46%) of the live chats we
handle occur outside traditional office hours.”
In a digital age where online research is a key part of
the purchasing journey, firms must make it as easy
as possible for browsers to the find the information
they need and get in touch. Bernadette concluded:
“Websites with live chat generate six times more
engagement online than those without. For legal firms
striving to win new clients faster and improve their
reputation for customer friendliness, it’s time to overhaul
the digital customer experience with live chat.”
Moneypenny’s managed live chat service is fully
customisable and delivered by a specialist team. To
organise a free trial or find out more, visit: www.
moneypenny.com/uk/legal-answering-services/
moneypenny.co.uk/legal | 0333 202 1005
Bernadette Bennett, head of the legal sector at
Moneypenny, which handles more than 2 million
calls and chats each year for more than 1,000 law
firms, said: “Many firms are still not considering the
digital experience of customers and prospects fully
or harnessing all the tools available to make them
more contactable.”
1. According to Moneypenny’s Global Customer Trends Report
the phone is still consumers’ preferred way to get in touch with
a business (35%).
2. 53% of clients expect live chat on legal firms’ websites,
according to data from the Law Firm Marketing Club’s What
Clients Want report.
Bernadette Bennett
Head of Sector – Legal, Moneypenny
41

SERVICE
PROVIDER
The Rise of Technology
Hard to believe, but 30 years ago I qualified as a solicitor and joined a top
50 law firm in the defendant PI market. That first day I sat down at my
desk and worked through a pile of envelopes containing letters relating to
matters I was working on. I then rooted through creaky metal filing cabinets
to locate the files for each matter. I placed each letter with each file, in a
row of piles on my desk, next to my office telephone with its curly cord.
My secretary would come in and collect the pile
of files I had worked on, with a tiny cassette tape
attached, on which I had dictated my efforts on each
matter. A paper diary sat on my desk too- my means
of checking dates and meetings or court visits. Beside
it was a plastic box containing business cards with
alphabetic dividers. My time recording sheets would
be completed each day in pen.
I’d have a pad of pink slips and a pad of blue slips
which I’d fill in by hand and send to the accounts team
for the cashiers to make things happen. The finance
team faced a daily challenge to keep track of the
business’s accounts- even more tricky given the banks’
continued use of paper statements at that time.
For anyone of a more recent vintage, some of this will
seem bizarre- archaic, even. Almost every element is
now either automated, or on a computer, or a mobile,
or one way or another is tech and service enabled.
In my present role I can look back with nostalgia,
but also in proud amazement at the distance the
profession has travelled, and that pace with which it
continues to progress.
At Cashroom I believe we epitomise the strides the
profession has made-
We augment our services with the award-winning
technology that we have developed to enable
secure and efficient communication with our
clients- into the bin go the pink and blue slips!
The Cashroom portal is loved by our clients for its
simplicity and innovation, and the certainty and
clarity it brings to the interaction between a firm
and its finance function.
Cashroom also recently became the first outsourced
provider to develop and implement open banking
functionality into our client portal- it means we can
monitor our clients’ bank accounts more easily and
help them achieve smooth, secure and efficient
money movement, to the benefit of their end clients.
We resolve resourcing issues; we cover holidays and
sickness. We are recommended by the PII market.
We provide process and system expertise unique in
our market.
We are proud to be operating in the USA now.
The world of law has changed- I’m proud to be part
of a business that is actively helping the legal sector
seize the opportunities presented by the new world,
even if I do still use a pad and pen now and again
(I’m too fond of doodling not to!).
We have grown a team of 140 staff featuring
experienced cashiers, a training academy, a technology
team, operations, projects, and a team of qualified
accountants. Our 250 client firms use our outsourced
finance function services to enable efficient and risk
avoidant cashiering processes, compliant methods of
operating, and market leading expertise to provide
advice and reports on business performance.
Our clients are of all shapes and sizes- top 100;
general practice; boutiques; volume litigators; volume
conveyancers; start-ups. Every type of firm imaginable.
Most law firms these days have resolved many of my
prehistoric inefficiencies with one of a huge array of
Practice Management Systems available in the legal
market. Cashroom has remained system agnosticwe
support any PMS so firms coming to us for our
services don’t need to change their tech.
Alex Holt
Director of Business Development, The Cashroom
43

SERVICE
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Jamie and his SEO
team, help law firms
become more
successful
online
Website Design
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PPC
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Fancy a chat about your next project?
Why is digital marketing
so important for law firms?
We specialise in digital marketing for law firms, so of course we think that digital
marketing plays a significant role in raising your law firm’s brand awareness,
bringing new traffic to your website and converting this traffic into enquiries.
The statistics speak for themselves - according to
recent statistics, over 3.5 billion searches are made on
Google every day, with 60% of these searches coming
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of having a mobile-responsive website.
We know that potential clients are using the internet
to conduct research on law firms before deciding to
hire them – whether that be looking at online reviews,
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seeking legal advice use a search engine, and 74% of
consumers visit a law firm’s website to act. This means
that a law firm’s online presence is crucial in attracting
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There are various strategies available to help law firms
reach their target audience and establish a strong
online presence. Search engine optimisation (SEO)
can improve a law firm’s website ranking on search
engine results pages so potential clients are coming
across your firm first and active social media profiles
can help law firms to connect with clients, build
relationships, and establish trust.
That’s where we come in. Conscious Solutions is a
digital marketing agency whose vision is to help law
firms become more successful online.
We provide services in website design, SEO, pay-perclick
(PPC) advertising, legal copywriting, digital PR,
social media and account management to help you to
bring your digital marketing ideas to life.
We also provide a range of additional services from
survey creation, training, blog posts and ‘how to’ guides.
We have over 19 years of experience in digital
marketing services for the legal sector, so we like to
think we know a thing or two about legal marketing
success. But don’t just take our word for it, have a
look at what our clients say:
“Conscious Solutions have been on board for over 4
years and are very much an extension of our team.
They know their subject, are quick to respond,
equip us with the knowledge and tools to manage
processes internally where able and, are fun to work
with. If you’re a law firm looking for digital expertise,
ideas, guidance and support, I have no hesitation in
recommending Conscious Solutions.”
Elizabeth Armstrong, Marketing Manager, mfg
Solicitors LLP
“We were thrilled with the results of our website
redevelopment. Not only have we ended up with a
new brand that we can be proud of, but we also have
a website that is driving real engagement with our
clients, and we have seen a significant reduction in
the bounce rate on our website and deeper levels of
engagement across our content. This is enabling us to
educate our clients on key topics.
Our team and the Conscious team had to embark
on a learning curve to achieve the desired outcomes.
But both teams quickly learned to trust each other
because there was great communication and a deep
understanding that all involved really cared about the
successful completion of the project.”
Steve Sherlock, Head of Marketing, JB Leitch
If you think your digital marketing could work better
for your law firm, why not have an informal chat with
one of our team to find out how we can help.
Dan Hodges
Head of Account Management, Conscious Solutions
0117 325 0200 sales@conscious.co.uk www.conscious.co.uk
45

SERVICE
PROVIDER
Insight Legal, a
Dye & Durham company
At the start of 2023, Insight Legal — one of the UK’s premiere legal practice
management technology innovators — joined forces with Dye & Durham, a leading
global provider of cloud-based practice management software. Insight Legal CEO
Tim Smith explains what this partnership means to the UK’s legal industry:
THE GLOBAL LEADER
IN LEGAL TECH
Practice Management
Data Insights & Due Diligence
Client Onboarding
Helping your law firm achieve more growth with less effort.
Q: Firstly, Tim, please provide a
snapshot of how Insight Legal
supports lawyers.
A: “We exist to support law firms with the tools
and systems they need to run both their cases and
their practices.
When I founded Insight in 2011, my mission was
to always provide a high-quality modern practice
management system, at a realistic price, backed
up by excellent customer service. I’m proud that
hundreds of firms now work with us today.
Like Dye & Durham, we provide software to our
customers on a configurable, scalable, cloudbased
platform; there’s a great synergy, with both
companies sharing a laser-focused commitment to
both customer service and product innovation.”
Q: What has joining the Dye & Durham
family meant for Insight Legal?
A: “It widens the range of products and services
available to our clients, which helps them stay
a step ahead of their competitors. We are also
producing some really deep integrations with both
current and new Dye & Durham technologies.
With Dye & Durham’s agility and continued
product investment, it means clients can be
assured that they’ll have access to a product that
has years of industry-leading enhancements ahead
of it.”
Q: What’s the latest news from
Insight Legal?
A: “As one of the first legal software suppliers
to provide software as a service (SaaS) over the
internet, investment in our technology continues
at pace. We have just released a new version of
our practice management platform, which is the
culmination of two years of development.
We have been really excited to see the product
investment come to fruition, which includes a host
of new features and workflows that will help make
the professional lives of our clients even easier.”
Insight Legal provides a legal accounts, practice
management and case management system designed
specifically for solicitors. The company’s goal is to provide
exceptional and award-winning software and services to firms
across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
The Insight Legal team has a combined experience of more than
100 years working with and for law firms, providing an unparalleled
knowledge of how practices operate and what they need.
The team works closely with customers to ensure that Insight
Legal products and services meet their needs, both now and in
the future. The business is founded on values of trust, honesty
and service, and the team believes that effective support is
essential. That’s why software support is included in the price,
free of charge.
In addition, support service is staffed only by experienced legal
cashiers, qualified book-keepers and employees with extensive
law firm experience, as well as technical expertise. It does not
operate a call centre — when customers call, they’ll speak
immediately and directly to a member of the team who can help.
It’s no surprise the Insight Legal team is extremely proud of its
impressive 99% customer retention rate.
Insight Legal’s solutions include:
Legal Accounts | Case Management | Practice Management |
Compliance | Billing | Time Recording
Insight Legal is also a Strategic Partner of The Law Society of
England and Wales and an Approved Supplier of the Law Society
of Scotland. It won the prestigious ILFM Solicitors’ Software
Users Award for the sixth year in a row, an unprecedented win —
no other software supplier has won this more than twice.
In January 2023, Insight Legal Software was acquired by
Dye & Durham, creating a partnership that presents exciting
opportunities and enables Insight Legal to further its mission to
help legal professionals save time and increase efficiency.
For a no-obligation web-based demo of Insight Legal’s
solutions, visit: www.insightlegal.co.uk/book-a-demo.
Telephone: 01252 518939
Email: sales@insightlegal.co.uk
dyedurham.co.uk

SERVICE
PROVIDER
InfoTrack: Reimagining
conveyancing through technology
The world marvelled at the invention of electricity, automobiles, and typewriters.
We marvelled once again at the inception of computers, the internet, and mobile phones.
Technology that has transformed our daily lives has been an inherent part of evolving societies.
It has changed the way we communicate, the way we operate, and the way we participate.
Are gaps in your digital
conveyancing leaving
you open to risk?
Identify opportunities, overcome challenges, and discover how you
can minimise risk, increase productivity, and improve ROI in 2023.
Receive a personalised report with tailored insight into how your
firm can take action and stay ahead.
Get your free assessment now at
DigitalConveyancingMaturityIndex.co.uk
At InfoTrack, we’re avid tech enthusiasts. We love the
way it can transform processes for the better. That’s
precisely why we do what we do. We love challenging
the status quo to deliver new technology that supports
conveyancing professionals and their clients to enjoy a
better home moving experience.
It is inevitable in a legal system operating as long
as that of England and Wales, that change can
take a generation. The generation in the hotseat of
conveyancing now are the professionals eager to shift
from manual processes to digital ones. From hours
laboured over administrative tasks transformed into
hours gained to master their craft and deliver topnotch
customer service. It’s the generation that know
embracing technology is the way forward.
Pioneers of legal innovation
Breaking the mould has long been in the DNA of
InfoTrack. Unwilling to settle for less than the best, we’re
always innovating. We’re reimagining conveyancing
through technology and we’re encouraging solicitors to
join us on the journey.
We believe we can do more with data, finding new
ways to support law firms’ compliance efforts and
making the home moving process easier on everyone
involved. And to make that happen, we spend our
time working in collaboration with law firms and other
providers to build industry-leading technology that is
making a tangible difference.
Everything you need in one place
InfoTrack dared to do what no other provider had
previously done in the UK. We brought all your
key conveyancing services into one place. Client
onboarding, searches, pre-and post completion tasks,
and eSignature solutions all under one roof.
Digital onboarding
So, what does this actually look like? If you’re using
InfoTrack from your client’s instruction, you can use us
every step of the way. Onboard your clients digitally
with eCOS, where it all starts. Gather information with
forms and questionnaires, verify their ID digitally, use
that information to complete your AML with just one
mouse click, and then verify their source of funds, proof
of funds, and source of wealth – all within a single,
convenient solution.
49
Pre-completion and exceptional title reports
From there, order your searches, manage your enquiries,
and complete all your due diligence checks. We’ll help
you craft title reports to the highest standards with
Property Report, the best way to deliver consistent,
accurate reports on title in a fraction of the time it
normally takes. And all while ensuring you aren’t cutting
any corners, so your compliance is always top of mind.
The most trusted post completion solution
We’re always on top of the latest changes, which is
why our SDLT calculator can be relied upon to ensure
you’ve got the numbers right. Pre-population of data
using information from your matter makes light work of
completing your SDLT and AP1 forms, and we’ve helped
law firms submit more than a million AP1s digitally since
2016 – which has helped them reduce requisitions by
up to 30%. And all of this is supported by a convenient
dashboard, so you can submit, manage, and monitor
your post completion with ease.
Integration is key
Having a single source of truth is crucial to minimising
risk and creating a productive workflow. That’s why
we integrate with more than a dozen leading case
management providers, as well as HMRC, HMLR,
Companies House, and partners including Perfect
Portal and LMS. We know the value of time saved from
rekeying data, minimising the risk of errors, and having
a trusted single source of truth.
Game-changing technology for conveyancers
InfoTrack is designed with conveyancers in mind.
Focused on building technology that makes the home
moving process easier for
everyone, we’re breaking
the mould and shaking
up the way the process
is delivered through the
power of technology. A
single, convenient, and
secure platform, InfoTrack
is everything you need to
improve your compliance
and increase your
productivity in one place.
Bronwyn Townsend
Senior Marketing Manager, InfoTrack

FORUM
Conveyancing in 2023
A Forum Discussion
Welcome to Modern Law’s Special Conveyancing Panel!
This section of the magazine is dedicated to delving deep into the conveyancing
profession with the help of industry-leading experts. In this particular edition, we
discuss: the challenges that lie ahead in 2023, Upfront Information, ESG, tech
innovation, employee expectations, safeguarding the future, and much more.
This issue’s opinions are from:
Heather Crichton
General Manager, Industry
Readiness at PEXA
Angela Hesketh
Director of Conveyancing
Transformation at Smoove
Joe Pepper
CEO at tmgroup
51

FORUM
FORUM
How important is flexibility within the
conveyancing industry?
Angela Hesketh: The conveyancing industry has been forced
into a state of continuous change due to many factors over recent
years. There are the legal challenges brought by the most recent
hot press items such as The Building Safety Act and the Law
Society Climate Change guidance to name a few. That is on top
of considerable change and expected change in the way we work
whether fully remote, hybrid or back to the office and of course
the ongoing debates around digital signatures, the Digital Identity
Framework, Artificial Intelligence and the like.
To survive this rapid change environment, it is essential to adopt
an attitude and approach of flexibility both to survive and grow in
this evolving sector.
Inflexibility and entrenched views and approaches are not an
option or consideration that can be adopted in this industry. To
do so will lead to inevitable demise.
“Developing an environment
where innovation can thrive is key.
We need trail blazers to keep
progress flowing in the sector.”
Tech can and does set firms offerings
above competitors – what does that future
look like for firms that don’t adopt tech?
Heather Crichton: Recently, I came across this quote: “AI won’t
take your job, but someone using AI might.” I think this mantra
really sums up the interplay between firms and technology
moving forward. It is my view that technology won’t replace
conveyancers – rather, it will enable them. The core mission of
practitioners will always remain the same – to be the trusted
advisors of their clients and help them achieve their dream of
home ownership. The continued implementation of technology
won’t change this – but spending less time on data entry, dealing
with rework following a requisition or sitting on hold to a lender
chasing an update, and more time working 1-to-1 with clients, will
only be a good thing for professionals.
And while firms who don’t immediately embrace technology
might not go the way of dinosaurs, or at least not right away,
they may struggle in certain areas. It will likely become more
difficult to manage spikes in volume, akin to what we saw during
COVID – and challenging to compete with firms who do have
that capability. Additionally, customers are increasingly expecting
a certain type of experience – one that’s digital, seamless and
doesn’t necessarily require face-to-face interaction.
Angela Hesketh: The budget for technology investigation,
testing, investment and adoption needs to be high on the agenda
for law firms who are going to function effectively in the future.
Gone are the days of investing in an extremely expensive case
management system and hoping that it will provide all the
answers, forever! It has been proven time and time again that this
is not a successful strategy.
Looking at how you can manage and evolve your technology over
time and be realistic about the likely cost of that evolution both in
relation to time and cost are essential.
The suggestion that a firm is not going to adopt technology
should not even be a consideration if that firm is to continue to
function within this sector.
Innovation is everything in the conveyancing sector – what products have broken the
mould in the last few years?
Joe Pepper: It is an extraordinary feature of the industry that
the length that it takes to complete the average transaction has
doubled from 12-weeks to more than 24-weeks over the last
twenty years, just as we’ve seen the time taken to complete
almost every other type of transaction reduce, and it is in
that context that we must review all innovations. One of the
reasons that I love this industry is that whilst it is often cautious
in its approach to change, the opportunities for innovation
are substantial and it rarely requires the latest cutting-edge
technology to deliver something better.
The biggest technology innovation of the past twenty years is
the creation of cloud-based technology which allows business
systems to interact with one another securely in real-time. The
biggest challenge to the property transaction industry is that
we have thousands of firms operating on their own systems
and constantly working in silos and often replicating the work
of others. The greatest opportunity then sits in enabling all the
data associated with any property to be shared in real-time with
all the relevant parties. The industry is making some tentative
steps in the right direction through initiatives such as the
Property Data Trust Framework (PDTF), backed by the Home
Buying & Selling Group, and which seeks to create a standard
framework for the sharing of data.
The most exciting change that we are involved in currently is
the introduction of the Sellers Information Pack within Mio for
Estate Agents. Not only does this collect and digitally store the
necessary Material Information on a property to allow listing, but
it also creates a digital vault of additional information relating to
the property, including relevant Property Information Forms, prior
to the point of reaching an agreement to sell which can be openly
shared with all parties through our open APIs as aligned to the
PDTF. The digital vault can then automatically be updated with
each additional piece of information as it arrives, such as handling
Enquiries or Searches, and ultimately decisions can be derived
from automated interrogation of data.
Integration allows multiple systems to be updated in real-time,
including conveyancers’ own case management systems, reducing
the quantity of unnecessary calls which can distract and reduce
overall productivity. Conveyancers can spend less time carrying
out basic administrative jobs and focus on evaluating the data and
information and giving the home-mover the right advice, whilst
the homeowner can then look forward to maintaining a digital
vault of all the documents relating to the house that they’ve
bought which can be easily shared if and when they choose to sell.
“To survive this rapid change environment, it is essential to adopt
an attitude and approach of flexibility...”
52 53

FORUM
FORUM
How important is it that the leaders within both law firms and service providers continue
to break the mould?
Heather Crichton: Developing an environment where innovation
can thrive is key. We need trail blazers to keep progress flowing
in the sector – feedback we hear often from industry is about
neither wanting to be first nor last to the party to use technology.
Fortune favours the brave and someone has to go first – why
shouldn’t that be you?
The best ideas I’ve seen come to life in industry have originated
from firms themselves, and they don’t always need to be wholesale
in nature. An example from my experience that has always
resonated with me is a firm who made a workflow change, having
conducted analysis on the points in the conveyancing experience
that prompted follow-up communication from their clients, which
was typically referenced in online reviews (that weren’t favourable).
They used this as an opportunity to turn the experience on its head,
by proactively providing updates at those points – and immediately
saw an increase in positive client feedback.
From our perspective, PEXA and other providers of technology
for industry, can’t do our jobs in a vacuum – trust me, we want to
work with you! We can build anything, but it’s about collaborating
with industry to deliver the most tailored, effective solutions. The
firms we’re engaged with have a front-row seat to our progress
and, more than that, many have had an opportunity to help shape
the product, sharing insights with us on how they work so that
we can cater for that, providing their feedback on our designs and
UX, and our prioritisation of features.
Joe Pepper: The challenges facing the industry today were spelled
out in Back to the Future, our recent survey of 800 property
professionals, and they ranged from customer communication to
staff retention and a lack of scalability across all firms. The blunt
truth is that if law firms and service providers don’t seek to ‘break
the mould’ and innovate then what is an already very challenging
business model will only get more challenging over time and we will
sadly see more businesses exit the profession.
The truth could be said of all industries of course, but the
shocking statistics in our recent report show that a growing
percentage of Law firm employees are looking to exit the industry
in the short to medium term. Leaders in our industry need to
‘break the mould’ and do it soon or face a real time shortage of
expertise and experience.
That of course does not just mean adopting, or should we say
embracing, the technologies and automation available to their
business today. Technology already exists that removes so many
manual processes still being carried out by hand in many law
firms. Leaders should be looking to implement heartfelt change
into their business which puts employees at the centre of their
decision-making processes.
Good leaders will be those demonstrating that they value
employees over profit in each change that they implement, if they
can do that then the world, or at least the property industry(!) will
be their oyster!
Angela Hesketh: To move forward it is essential that leaders
within law firms and service providers have a good knowledge
of the opportunities available for change and improvement in
service delivery and a willingness to consider and look at how they
embrace that change.
The pace of change is increasing all the time and having
visionaries within your leadership team both in law firms and
service providers is essential to ensure that you have a lens on
‘what could break the mould’
It is true we cannot all be early adopters but in order to progress
leaders do need to encourage an agile forward-thinking approach
with a clear vision of what the future of conveyancing could look
like and the part that conveyancers will play in that future.
“The opportunities for innovationare
substantial and it rarely requires the
latest cutting-edge technology to
deliver something better.”
There is an incredible amount of knowledge and expertise
within the conveyancing community providing essential advice,
information and protection for the consumer and lender.
This is incredibly important although it often gets overlooked and
buried by the level of administration, process, compliance and coordination
needed within a modern conveyancing transaction.
However, it should not be undervalued. It is the strength that
conveyancers bring to the party and for most the reason they
qualified into this area.
Many conveyancers are forced into a position where they are
expected to be a jack of all trades and as a result often come
across as a master of none.
The reality is they are often overwhelmed, misunderstood, under
resourced and disillusioned after years of unrealistic targets with
minimum investment in their working practices and support.
If leaders within law firms can break this mould and provide
an environment where conveyancers are encouraged and
supported by technology that compliments rather than hinders
their service delivery, they will reap the benefits and be in
superior position to their competitors both in service delivery,
client and colleague retention.
The same applies to service providers. Those who deliver what
their client wants rather than what they think they want will go
far in breaking the mould and assisting this industry not only to
survive but to flourish and become a better place for all.
How do we continue to develop young talent
across the industry – so they can continue
to break the mould?
Heather Crichton: We need to ensure we’re delivering on talent
attraction and retention fundamentals. Firms need to provide
meaningful, impactful work opportunities, be an enabler for
professional development and entrench a culture and practice of
promoting from within. Ultimately, you can’t be what you can’t see –
younger talent needs to see behaviours and achievements exhibited
by their colleagues and leaders that they should seek to emulate.
This generation has grown up with technology – they would have
been using their parents’ phones as infants, likely used laptops and
tablets throughout their education, and expect to use it in their
professional careers. I believe it would be difficult to attract and retain
talent without having an appropriate, fit-for-purpose tech stack.
We also have to encourage innovation and experimentation –
the thought of failing probably seems anathema to the legal
profession, but a well thought out experiment that doesn’t meet
the hypothesis still yields useful results. Our CEO often says, ‘if
a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing badly’ which I interpret to
mean start with whatever your idea, your current thinking is, do
something, and build from there – in my days of practising as a
lawyer, I never would have approached work like this; I wouldn’t
have started anything until I was certain I knew how it would end,
but we need to move away from this and encourage spontaneity.
54
55

10 MINS WITH
ARE YOU
READY TO GO
‘BACK TO
THE FUTURE’?
Bringing property professionals together
to reflect on another challenging year
and how we can be bravely move forward
together in the face of yet more uncertainty.
850 property professionals completed the report this year,
here are a few of their quotes:
“More automation -
to make the transaction
more streamlined.”
“An increase in the understanding of
the whole process (who does what
and why) by the home mover clients.”
DOWNLOAD THE
REPORT TODAY AT:
tmgroup.co.uk/back-to-the-future/
“More Upfront Information from
sellers - perhaps agents arranging
for standard forms to be completed.”
Minutes With...
Natalie Foster
Natalie Foster, Founder and CEO of Inspire
Legal Group is certainly ‘breaking the mould’
in the legal profession, not only by leading
the way in legal technology innovation, but by
demonstrating what non-solicitor owners of law
firms can bring to the table.
QWho inspires/ inspired you and why?
One person that stands out is Susan Truefitt, who trained me as a
legal secretary when I first set out in the industry.
Susan was a traditional solicitor who owned a law firm from the
1970s/80s. Then, it was a male-dominated industry, but despite
the discrimination she suffered, she became hugely successful and
highly respected because of her ability and passion to practice law.
Susan used to tell me to “just say yes” and if I had a passion for
something, I’d be able to get it done.
When working for a law firm several years ago, I realised that if I
wanted the forward-thinking, sustainable business I’d imagined,
I’d have to build it myself. It was Susan that inspired me to take
that huge leap, and I don’t believe I’d be in the position I am
today without her.
Inspiration is hugely important, which is why I named my business
‘Inspire Legal Group’.
QWhat has been the most valuable piece of
advice given to you?
The advice to “just say yes” has driven me throughout my career
and got me where I am today. However, you do need a strategy!
I’m someone who often jumps in with both feet. However, you
really need to question everything and get to the crux of what’s
required to ensure your business is sustainable.
By following that advice, I now have a much more measured and
pragmatic approach to doing things.
QIf you were not in your current position, what
would you have liked to have done?
I’d have probably become a corporate solicitor, having climbed
the traditional ladder, focussing on applying and practicing law
rather than commerce and running a business.
Ironically, I think this would have been quite life-limiting for
me. Opportunities in corporate law are not plentiful in the town
where I live, so I would have had to move, leaving the town and
the family I love.
“just say yes” has driven me throughout my
career and got me where I am today.”
57
To be honest, I wouldn’t want to do anything other than what I’m
doing now. I enjoy being autonomous and love the innovation of
Inspire Legal Group. We’re a law firm that lends itself to a ‘best
practice’ way of working and have developed our own Tech Stack.
We don’t pretend to be experts in everything, but what we’re
really good at is creating access to justice through technology.
QWhat three items would you put on display in
a museum of your life?
If I were to look at this chronologically, my first item would be my
horse-riding helmet from when I used to ride as I child. I loved
the freedom, the fresh air, and the unpredictability. I wanted to
have fun but stay safe and my riding helmet is symbolic of this.
My second item would be the red buggy I had for my children. At
the time, I didn’t have a car, but the red buggy gave me freedom
and choice. It enabled me to go anywhere with my children while
keeping them safe and warm.
My final item would be my Law Practice Degree. Before undertaking
my Degree, I felt quite lost and wasted. It gave me back my feeling of
purpose, which has brought me to where I am today.
QWhat three guests would you invite to a
dinner party?
I’m a really big fan of Monty Python so I’d invite Sir Michael
Palin, John Cleese, and Eric Idle. I love the fact that they’re welleducated
people who just have fun.
I can imagine sitting across from them, listening to them critically
analysing literature one minute, then pulling silly faces the next.
It really is a good mantra for life, that although attainment is
important, you really shouldn’t take yourself too seriously.
Natalie Foster, CEO of Inspire Legal Group
natalie@inspirelegalgroup.co.uk

Shortlist Announced!
Private Client Team
Wills & Probate
Levi Solicitors LLP
Lightfoots Solicitors
Morr & Co LLP
Myerson Solicitors LLP
Weightmans LLP
Private Client Team
Family Law
Kingsley Napley LLP
Mayo Wynne Baxter
MSB Solicitors
Myerson Solicitors LLP
Switalskis Solicitors
Weightmans LLP
Private Client Team
Tax & Trusts
Fidelis Legal Services
Limited
Hugh Jones Solicitors
Kingsley Napley LLP
Porter Dodson
The Burnside Partnership
Private Client Team
Charities &
Philanthropy
Duncan Lewis Solicitors
RG Law
Shakespeare Martineau
Touch Solicitors Limited
Weightmans LLP
Lawyer of the Year
Wills & Probate
David King
Harrison Clark Rickerbys
Helen Claydon
Fidelis Legal Services
Limited
Manzurul Islam
Mullis & Peake LLP
Solicitors
Rachel Roche
Roche Legal
Suzanne Porter
Wake Smith Solicitors
Wednesday
5th July 2023
The Rum Warehouse,
Liverpool
Lawyer of the Year
Family Law
Alison Green
Mackrell.Solicitors
Christina Warner
33 Bedford Row
Connie Atkinson
Kingsley Napley LLP
Jessica Lillian Ruth Leech
Wilson Browne Solicitors
Jo O’Sullivan
O’Sullivan Family Law
Samara Iqbal
Aramas Family Law
Best Use of
Technology
Bell Lamb & Joynson
Solicitors
Capacity Vault
Cashroom
Inheritance Data
Settify
Squiggle Consult
Limited
Best Paralegal
Claire Miller
Langton Genealogy
Jessica Pinches
Black Antelope Law
Nick Ash TEP
Will & Probate Services
(Estate Planning) Limited
Rhian Evans
Symes Bains Broomer
Solicitors
Talitha Shandley
Bell Lamb & Joynson
Solicitors
Supporting the
Industry
(1-25 Employees)
DMR Collation Limited
E3 Compliance
Training Limited
IDR Law
inCase
Inheritance Data
Level
The Carvalho
Consultancy
Title Research
Supporting the
Industry
(26+ Employees)
Anglia Research Services
Limited
Cashroom
Dye & Durham
Estate Research
Finders International
Legl
MLP Law
The Burnside
Partnership
Tickets can be purchased online here -
www.privateclientawards.co.uk/tickets
Outstanding Client
Care
Bell Lamb & Joynson
Solicitors
Just Clear Limited
Medical Record Collation
Limited
Reach Rehabilitation
Limited
Simpler Law Limited
Squiggle Consult Limited
Tinsdills Solicitors
Touch Solicitors Limited
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