Bank Reconciliations by Sponsor PKF Francis Clark

AS THE COFA / PRINCIPAL COULD YOU FULLY EXPLAIN THE CLIENT RECONCILIATION REVIEW PROCESS?   We often see bank reconciliations where the COFA has diligently signed and dated the bottom of the reconciliation to evidence they have reviewed the reconciliation. When completing this sign off our experience tells us that it would be useful if the reviewer considered the following points: If the SRA asked what I have done to review this reconciliation what would I say? If the SRA asked me to explain the reconciliation to them would I be able to? Have I done enough to discharge my obligations as a Manager and / or COFA in the firm? The following is not exhaust...

Walker Family Law - Senior Family Solicitor/CILEX – Private Law Children

Senior Family/CILEX Solicitor – Private Law Children Are you looking to work for a law firm that: Specialises in and dedicates itself to family law? Leads by example? Supports some of the most vulnerable clients through legal aid? Is located on nature’s doorstep, with outstanding walks and beaches nearby? Walker Family Law is a place where you can thrive, whilst being supported by a dedicated and professional team. You will have space to realise your potential and, for those that are looking for even more of a challenge, be encouraged and supported to move into supervising and team leader positions. If you are looking to move down to the Southwe...

Solicitor wins top Translation Award

Solicitor wins top Translation Award Solicitor Claire Turner wins top translation award   Legal consultant and translator Claire Turner has received a prestigious translation award from the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI). She was named winner in the Best newcomer - Freelancing class at the Institute’s international conference and gala dinner in Cardiff, Wales, on 19 May. This award recognises outstanding progress in individuals who have been freelance translators for two years or less. It considers achievement in business planning, marketing, development of client relationships and systems, networking and personal professional developm...

DASLS news and Challenge

One of the only known certainties is change and the legal profession continues to experience its fair share with the SRA’s new rules to promote price transparency by requiring firms to publish fees on their website.  The SRA have issued guidance at https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/guidance/ethics-guidance/price-transparency.page. DASLS member Trevor Hellawell has produced his own templates for each practice area that the SRA require publication. An order form is available at https://www.dasls.com/uploads/template-order-form.pdf   The SRA’s changes to the training rules are now well established although they have had little impact on our autumn training...

Happy new Year from Aston Court including Winner from the Caption Competition

The latest round of The Law Society’s campaign for gender equality came to town in December with a Men’s Roundtable in Exeter chaired by the national Vice-President Simon Davis. The meeting challenged us to consider our behaviour identifying the unconscious bias that can be inherent in business practice. Start by asking yourself does every activity organised in your office genuinely appeal to all genders – entertaining clients at the Rugby and so forth - and you begin to see the issue.   The meeting proved to be far more informative and interesting than I had anticipated.  At the recent DASLS Admissions Ceremony only one of the recently qualified soli...

Interview with Penny Scott, Chair of the Family Law Committee of The Law Society

What made you want to serve on The Law Society Family Law Committee?    I was impressed by The Law Society’s campaigning over Legal Aid and felt this was an area in which they really stood up for lawyers such as me, working in a strongly Legal Aid practice. I looked at the kind of work done by the Family Law Committee and saw that it was very interesting; I thought it would be stimulating, and it is. What are the key concerns you have at the moment for the legal profession in the South West? They are the same concerns as I have about the national picture: people not having access to justice because of the assault on Legal Aid; chaos in the court system;...