GDPR - WHAT NOW?

Writing this article in the first few weeks of the GDPR era, it is clear that the 25 May start date was just a milestone and that data protection will be a topic we must continue to focus on in the weeks and months ahead. I am already hearing anecdotes about subject access requests being made on 25 May in reliance on the improved rights which have been granted to data subjects. It is clear that this is a significant change in the way things are and for us, as lawyers, the consequences include even more scrutiny of our systems, processes and responses.   I would hope and anticipate that the Information Commissioner’s Office’s attention wi...

President's Review - Stephen Mahoney

Two months in and what has the President been up to?   In summary: one conference, one County Societies Group (CSG) meeting, one Parliamentary visit, four meetings relating to DASLS Awards, one Twin Bars meeting, one Sunday Legal Service, three formal dinners, one 10 kilometre walk, one Sub-Committee and one main Committee meeting. The conference was for Presidents and Honorary Secretaries and meant that, for the first time, I made it over the threshold of 113 Chancery Lane.  The Friday was particularly busy, starting with the CSG Meeting at which Fraser Whitehead, Chair of the Council Membership Committee outlined the thoughts of his com...

Brexit in the legal landscape: what does this mean for law firms? by Sponsor Barclays

Professional services remain on the Brexit back burner     When Barclays started to write about Brexit back in 2015-2016, our experts believed it to be a surmountable headwind for the UK. Two years on, do Head of Investment Strategy, Will Hobbs, and Head of Government Relations, Peter Gordon, still agree?   In spite of lengthy Brexit negotiations, UK companies putting investment plans on hold and plenty of political manoeuvring within the Conservative Party, Barclays’ Will Hobbs and Peter Gordon agree that the resilience of the UK’s economy and stability of its political landscape are commonly underestimated.   The UK is not a corporate community...

Breathe life into your PC with an SSD hard drive upgrade by Sponsor Alchemy

In all companies, especially in times of uncertainty, we do not want to be having to buy new PC’s every time that someone complains that their computer is running slow. Luckily there is now a way that we can easily prologue the life of a PC or laptop for just a fraction of the cost.   SSDs are a solid choice for your PC or laptop as an upgrade or add-on because of their remarkable performance. Offering a faster, shock resistant and energy efficient solution to the traditional old-fashioned hard drives, without needing to spend significantly more on a brand-new system.   Here are just three reasons why you should consider an upgrade to your system: Sup...

news from the Devon & Somerset Junior Lawyers' Division

news from the Devon & Somerset Junior Lawyers' Division This month's article has been written by the JLD's National Representative, Georgia Wookey.As National Representative of the Devon and Somerset JLD, I provide a voice to our members at National JLD level by meeting my counterparts from JLDs across England and Wales at the Law Society, London, three times a year. We last met at the end of January 2017 and as expected at the top of the agenda for discussion was the SRA's proposal for the introduction of the solicitors qualifying exam (SQE). 6 January marked the close of the SRA's second consultation into the introduction of the SQE and I understand th...

Ethics Column: Annual Reflections from the Compliance Corner

Ethics Column: Annual Reflections from the Compliance Corner Tracey Calvert Oakalls Consultancy Limited tcalvert@oakallsconsultancy.co.uk www.oakallsconsultancy.co.uk   ANNUAL REFLECTIONS FROM THE COMPLIANCE CORNER   Part of my job description as a consultant is to be a scout for my clients, scanning the legal and compliance world on the look-out for changes, challenges and trends which may be relevant to them. We have certainly had more than our fair quota of these in 2016. I had thought at the start of the year that we may be entering a period of inactivity and bedding down and consequent calmness but it’s all been quite a whirlwind.   In term...