Book your places now for the first LegalVoice Conference. The event called ‘LASPO Survival’ will include a keynote address by Lord Low and closing comments by Lord Bach.
- When: Monday 15 July 2013
- Where: Allen & Overy LLP, 1 Bishops Square, London E1 6AD
- 5 CPD Hours
- Book your place now: £90 for a ticket; discounted Fee (for LegalVoice e-mail subscribers) of £60
- Download a flyer and booking form: Click on the image below to download a PDF version of the flyer and booking form
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PROGRAMME
10.00 – 10.30: Registration and coffee
10.30 – 10.40: Welcome and Introduction
Speaker: David Gilmore, Director of Legal Voice
10.40 – 11.10: Keynote Address: The Future of Advice and Legal Support on Social Welfare Issues
Keynote Speaker: Lord Low of Dalston, CBE
Colin Low (Lord Low of Dalston, CBE), blind since the age of three, with a background in law and disability theory and experience of serving on the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal, has been a lifelong campaigner for the rights of blind and disabled people. He is a Vice-President of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), having been Chair from 2000-2009; is President of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment; and has undertaken important roles in a wide range of other organisations, including the Disability Rights Commission.
11.15 – 12:05: Workshop Session A
Workshop 1A: Pro Bono & Using Volunteers
In the face of the gaping hole left in the legal aid budget, is an increase in pro-bono work and the involvement of volunteers the answer? What are the benefits and risks of this approach, and what are the hurdles to overcome? This workshop will look at some of the organisations who have taken this approach and the key learning identified for successfully involving pro-bono and other volunteers in your work.
Speakers: Helen Rogers, Allen & Overy & Emma Makarova, Refugee Action
Helen Rogers co-manages the pro bono programme at international law firm, Allen & Overy LLP. She plays a lead role in the firm’s multi-jurisdictional pro bono work such as the Human Rights Group and the Microfinance & Social Investment Group. Helen also manages strategic programmes in the UK, including advice to Law Centres, their clients and other free legal advice agencies. Formerly a practising employment lawyer, Helen has worked in the pro bono sector for almost eight years. She is actively engaged in the free legal advice sector and is a trustee of the Law Centres Network.
Emma Makarova is the national volunteering manager for Refugee Action, a national charity with over 30 years’ experience of providing support to refugees and asylum seekers through advice and development, as well as campaign and policy work. Refugee Action has 8 offices each involving volunteers in a diverse range of roles and has experience of delivering a number of volunteer-led projects. Emma has worked with volunteers for over 12 years and coordinated several mentoring projects, as well as managing volunteers within advice settings. In her current role she is responsible for building volunteering infrastructure and developing volunteering within the charity.
Workshop 2A: Charging for your services in the NfP Sector – Your experiences to date
The abolition of legal aid from most areas of social welfare law has led many agencies to ponder how they can continue to deliver specialist legal services. A small but growing number of organisations are experimenting with charging. This workshop will share the experiences learned to date with some practical advice about good practice and pitfalls to watch out for!
Speaker: David Gilmore, Legal Voice
David Gilmore is a director and the founder of Legal Voice and a lead consultant at DG Legal. David is an expert in relation to legal aid contracting and auditing, practice management and quality assurance. He has been a consultant and trainer specialising in legal aid practice for over 13 years and has advised more than 600 organisations. David has been instructed by a wide range of local and national bodies including the Law Society, Ministry of Justice, Citizens Advice, Advice UK, the Legal Aid Practitioners Group and the Law Centres Network, Comic Relief and the Baring Foundation.
Workshop 3A: Legal Aid Agency Audits – Contract Managers Visits and Contract Compliance Audits
Vicky Ling receives feedback from many practitioners about their experiences, and helps them to draft representations and appeals. This workshop will provide information about the areas on which the LAA is currently focusing and ensure you are prepared for all eventualities.
Speaker: Vicky Ling, Partnership Quality Systems
Vicky Ling has worked in the advice sector since the early 1980s. She has worked in a consumer advice centre, Housing Action Centre, Law Centre and CABx. She was one of the first managers recruited by the former Legal Aid Board to implement its quality assurance standards at the inception of ‘franchising’. For over 15 years she has been an independent consultant specialising in legal aid practice and has advised more than 200 organisations. Since 2009, she has written guides to legal aid with her colleague Simon Pugh, who is head of Shelter’s legal team. They edited the LAG Legal Aid Handbook 2013-14, which was published in April 2013.
12.05 – 12:55: Workshop Session B
Workshop 1B: Growth Accelerator – How a £200 million government fund can be used to grow your organisation
Growth Accelerator is a new and unique partnership between the country’s proven experts in business growth and the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. By working closely with the leaders of high-growth potential small and medium businesses the programme aims to provide practice know-how and ability to achieve sustainable growth in an ever increasingly competitive market place. The Programme is designed to support in the following areas of business (1) Business development coaching, (2) Access to finance, (3) Innovation and, (4) Leadership and management development. The workshop will cover the benefits of the tailored programmes offered to high growth companies; what to expect from your coach; the relevance of the programme to your organisation with a focus on service design; and the eligibility criteria
Speaker: Inzar Haq, Growth Accelerator
Inzar Haq is an established transformational strategist currently working as a consultant for the prestigious GA programme. He is also a visiting lecturer of the MBA cohort at Leicester University. Prior to being approached to pursue a career in consultancy, Inzar entered the world of business through his own entrepreneurial endeavours, having established and sold a number of brands within a niche market. He then worked with a variety of SMEs, supporting government initiatives of growth and sustainability in London and the Midlands. Inzar’s expertise is founded on traditional business methodologies and encompasses innovative tools and techniques to respond to the fast changing digital economy and creating sustainable competitive advantage.
Workshop 2B: Legal Aid Housing– Making it Pay
This workshop will provide practical ideas and discussion on how to make a legal aid housing contract financially viable and sustainable. The workshop will consider differing approaches to casework and will look at areas of income maximisation. In particular there will be consideration of how to fund and run cases, types of cases, income expectation and how to increase income generation. It will also look at how increasing the quality of the service can increase the income of the service.
Speaker: Stuart Hearne, Cambridge House Law Centre
Stuart Hearne qualified as a solicitor in 1994. He specialises in housing law and manages Cambridge House Law Centre in South London. Prior to this Stuart was a partner at Christian Khan solicitors where he managed their Housing and Immigration departments for 8 years. Stuart also has experience of working for a CAB and in two independent advice agencies. He has extensive knowledge of all aspects of the LSC’s certificated scheme. He has particular experience of running certificated cases in possession, disrepair and homelessness matters and in recovering costs both from the LSC and on an inter-partes basis.
Workshop 3B: Using Digital Technology to be cost effective, efficient and client friendly
This workshop will provide practical ideas about the benefits of using case handling systems in addition to voice to text and digital dictation. The speakers will explain how digital technology can be utilised to increase the efficiency of an organisation and how this may generate a return on investment. It will include a demonstration of available systems and practical tips and advice.
Speakers: Pamela Kenworthy, Howells LLP and Dr Andrew Whiteley, Lexacom
Pamela Kenworthy joined Howells as a partner in 1993 having been a partner with Thompsons the trade union solicitors. Pam has specialised in employment law, particularly disability discrimination, for over 20 years. She has had over 6 years’ experience in delivering remote advice and currently leads the Howells Civil Legal Advice telephone team delivering advice on discrimination law under the Equality Act and Welfare Benefits Upper Tribunal Appeals. In 2010 she was named Best Woman Solicitor Managing a Legal Aid Practice by the Association of Women Solicitors. Pam has been involved in developing policy on legal aid and is currently a member of the Low Commission reviewing with a remit to report on a sustainable system for delivering social welfare law,
Dr Andrew Whiteley is the Managing Director of Lexacom, a digital dictation software company specialising in providing accurate, secure and reliable dictation software to the healthcare, legal and financial sectors. Andrew developed digital dictation having experienced at first hand the frustrations of using analogue dictation services during his career as a GP. Lexacom has since developed a reputation for providing digital dictation software that is simple and intuitive to use, offering all the advanced features needed to improve efficiency and client service. Lexacom is delighted to sponsor the Legal Voice LASPO Survival
13.00 – 14.00: Lunch
14.00 – 14.50: Workshop Session C
Workshop 1C: Getting your Legal Aid Bills paid in full
Legal Help and Legal Aid Certificated work is only viable if you get your bills paid in full. Do you make use of the guidance? What might help? In this workshop, hear a number of practical tips to ensure that you recover all of the time spent on your cases and resist any attempts to have your claims reduced on assessment. The workshop shall include a discussion about Legal Help Escape Fees and ensuring that lengthy cases are remunerated at hourly rates.
Speaker: Paul Ridge, Bindmans LLP
Paul Ridge is a solicitor and partner in Public Law department at Bindmans LLP, one of the UK’s leading Civil Liberties and Public law firms. For over 10 years Paul has been involved in administrative and public law challenges in housing and community care. With a leading ranking in Chambers and Legal 500 he is described as “outstandingly good,” having a “great level of expertise, quality of output and thoroughness.” and “commanding respect” within the sector. Since inception in 1974 until now Bindmans has done the bulk of its work funded through legal aid. Paul was shortlisted for Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2012 in the Social Welfare category.
Workshop 2C: Early Action & Collaboration with non-advice agencies
Can advice agencies act earlier, preventing crises rather than waiting and dealing with them when they arise? At this workshop, hear how Community Links have set about this in east London, and discuss the value of working with non-advice providers and the importance of acting one step sooner.
Speaker: Will Horwitz, Community Links
Will Horwitz is policy and media coordinator at east London community charity and advice provider Community Links. He works on the Early Action Task Force as well as advice and welfare policy. Will spent nine months on secondment as joint Campaign Manager of the Justice for All campaign in 2011/12 and previously worked for Oxfam’s UK Poverty Programme.
Workshop 3C: Getting Exceptional Case Funding under LASPO
This workshop will provide a practical guide to applying for exceptional funding in the out-of-scope areas of social welfare law under LASPO. It will look at the factors emerging from human rights law and EU law which will assist with determining whether someone might be eligible for exceptional funding and flag up key concerns and considerations for each out-of-scope area of law. In addition, the workshop will outline the practicalities of applying for exceptional funding, and identify the available routes for challenging exceptional funding refusals.
Speaker: Martha Spurrier, Public Law Project
Martha Spurrier is a barrister at the Public Law Project, where she is running a project to help people to apply for exceptional funding and challenge refusals of funding where appropriate. Martha is also working on a number of strategic challenges to access to justice under LASPO. Martha is the assistant editor of the European Human Rights Law Review and a general editor and contributor to the new Halsbury’s Laws volume, “Rights and Freedoms”.
14.55 – 15.10: Afternoon Coffee
15.15 – 16.05: Workshop Session D
Workshop 1D: New Sources of Public Funding
The Ministry of Justice apparently doesn’t any longer see the value of funding social welfare law advice and, as a sector, we have argued that the cost of this cut will fall elsewhere. So what opportunities are there to persuade other parts of the public sector that they need our input to prevent them picking up these escalating costs? Where is there new money? What are the Government priorities? How do you find this out and keep up to date? What approach works? This workshop will explore the answers to all of these questions.
Speaker: Sue Bent, Coventry Law Centre
Sue Bent has been Director of Coventry Law Centre since 2004. Her background is in social housing and she has previously worked in local authorities. Coventry Law Centre provides specialist advice and representation in Debt, Welfare Benefits, Housing, Community Care, Employment, Discrimination, Family, Immigration and Asylum and Public Law. The Law Centre has decided not to pursue charging as a response to the cuts in legal aid funding. 85% of its income (including what is left of legal aid) comes from the public sector.
Workshop 2D: Marketing Strategies that work!
This workshop will cover marketing strategies that have enabled Edward Hands & Lewis, a solicitors’ practice in Leicestershire, to triple in size in just three years. The speaker will explain how this has been achieved using a modern, multi-faceted approach to marketing including the use of mobile applications and other new communications and most importantly how this generates a return on investment for an organisation.
Speaker: Ian Morris, Edward Hands & Lewis
Ian Morris is a national marketing and networking professional who has been connecting businesses and people with products and services for over a decade. With the skills and ability to identify key targets and opportunities, Ian creates innovative marketing strategies based on true Return on Investment (ROI) techniques and principles. These strategies are designed to not only generate awareness but to also engage direct and create real sales opportunities.
Workshop 3D: SRA Regulation of Not-for-Profit organisations
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is planning to regulate organisations in the Not-for-Profit sector from April 2015. This workshop will explain the SRA’s latest thinking about regulating the sector from 2015.
Speaker: Rebecca Maxim, Policy Executive, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Rebecca Maxim is a Policy Executive at the SRA. She joined the SRA in March 2000. Immediately prior to this appointment, she practised as a solicitor for various law firms in the Midlands. At the SRA Rebecca worked as a senior ethics adviser in the Ethics guidance team before joining the policy team. Whilst working in the policy team Rebecca specialised in the SRA Code of Conduct and developing outcomes for the in-house sector.
16.10 – 16.30: Closing Remarks
Speaker: Lord Bach of Lutterworth
A former barrister, Willy Bach had more than 25 years’ practice defending in criminal cases before he was raised to the peerage, as Baron Bach of Lutterworth in 1998. He has served as both Justice Minister in Government and Shadow Justice Minister in opposition and has been a staunch supporter and defender of legal aid. He was instrumental in the fightback against LASPO and continues to fight and campaign for people to have access to the justice system. In his limited spare time, Willy Bach is a devotee of American crime fiction and a die-hard fan of Leicester City Football Club.
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REGISTRATION FORM
If you wish to attend the Legal Voice Conference in London on 15 July 2013, please fill in this form and send it to the following address: Legal Voice, Debdale Hill House, Debdale Hill, Old Dalby, Leicestershire LE14 3LF or e-mail contact@legalvoice.org.uk
Please include a cheque made payable to Legal Voice Ltd for the conference fee. Alternatively, if you would prefer to pay electronically, please contact us for our bank details.
Conference Delegate Fee Full Fee: £90.00 Discounted Fee (for all Legal Voice e-mail subscribers*): £60.00
* To qualify for the discounted fee, a delegate must be registered as an individual e-mail subscriber to the Legal Voice newsletter. For further details about the registration process, please visit www.legalvoice.org.uk/subscribe
Delegate(s):
Name of Delegate(s): ___________________________________________
Organisation: ___________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________
Postcode: ___________________________________________
Telephone No: ___________________________________________
E-mail: ___________________________________________
Please set out any dietary or other special requirements: ___________________________________________
Workshop Preferences: please tick which workshops you would prefer to attend:
- Workshop Session A 11.15 – 12:05: 1A; 2A; 3A
- Workshop Session B 12.05 – 12:55: 1B; 2B; 3B
- Workshop Session C 14.00 – 14.50: 1C; 2C; 3C
- Workshop Session D 15.15 – 16.05: 1D; 2D; 3D
We will try to accommodate a delegate’s choices so far as possible but please note that places will be offered on a strictly first come first served basis. If a delegate’s first choice is fully booked, we will inform the delegate on receipt of their booking and give them an opportunity to choose an alternative preference.
Terms and Conditions
- Full payment must be made prior to the date of the conference.
- Confirmation of your booking will be sent by fax, e-mail or by post. If you have not received this acknowledgement prior to the date of the conference please contact us.
- Bookings may only be cancelled by written notice received by us not less than 10 working days before the date of the conference. Refunds of delegate fees for late cancellations (i.e. cancellations received by us less than 10 working days before the date of the conference) will not be refunded. Failure to attend the conference will constitute late cancellation and payment will still be due or forfeit if already paid.
- You may notify us of a substitute delegate at any stage, without charge.
- Legal Voice reserves the right to vary or cancel a conference where the occasion necessitates. We will refund any payment made in respect of a cancelled conference but otherwise do not accept any liability for a conference not taking place.
- Continuing Professional Development – The Legal Voice Conference 2013 is being run in association with DG Legal Ltd. DG Legal Ltd is accredited as an external course provider by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Attending this conference qualifies you for 5 CPD hours.
LEGAL NOTICE: Legal Voice is the trading name of Legal Voice Limited, a company registered in England & Wales with registration number 8027133. A list of the directors is available for inspection at our registered office Debdale Hill House, Debdale Hill, Old Dalby, Leicestershire LE14 3LF.
