BULLETIN
THE MAGAZINE OF THE BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY
Oct / Nov 2026
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Member’s News Updates *** Committee News *** 2026 AGM *** Why Law Firms Must Measure AI ROI, Not AI Adoption *** Stay in the Now and Let Go of Stress *** Licensed Conveyancer Apprenticeship For Your In-House Team *** SRA Investigations And Legal Professional Privilege *** Open at Half Eight: What “Local” Still Means at a 200-Year-Old Law Firm
This Issue
CONTENTS 4. President’s Address 6. Member’s Events 8. Member’s News Updates 15. Why Law Firms Must Measure AI ROI, Not AI Adoption 18. Committee News 21. Stay in the Now and Let Go of Stress 23. Licensed Conveyancer Apprenticeship For Your In-House Team 24.Regulation Report: SRA Investigations And Legal Professional Privilege 26. Open at Half Eight: What “Local” Still Means at a 200-Year-Old Law Firm
CONTACT US www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk info@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk Tel: 0121 227 8700 6 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham, B2 5ST X: @bhamlawsociety Insta: @birminghamlawinsta Editor: Jonathan Fraser. Editorial enquiries to jon@fu-media.co.uk
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BULLETIN
THE MAGAZINE OF THE BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY
FEB / MARCH 2023 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
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BLS LEGAL AWARDS This year’s shortlist has been announced - are you on the list? P8.
FOUR BUSINESS HABITS REGULATION REPORT: Legal Ombudsman – changes to scheme rules. P18.
ARMY LEGAL SERVICESWhat’s Legal Life Like In The Forces? P22
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President’s Letter
ONE PROFESSION. ONE REGION. ONE VOICE. ADVANCE begins with Council. There are encouraging signs of growing engagement. At last year’s Council election we had one applicant for four vacant seats. This year, an original 28 people applied for the six available vacancies. Following the AGM, we will have six newly elected Council members and four Presidential co-options — ten new people joining Council. That gives us a tremendous opportunity to bring additional energy, experience and different perspectives into the Society. But getting good people around the table is only the beginning. I want Council to be informed, engaged and purposeful, with stimulating agendas and more opportunity for meaningful discussion.
Pics by Dr Denise Maxwell, Lensi Photography
We should continually ask: What do our members need? What issues are affecting our profession? Where should Birmingham Law Society have a voice? Our Professional Committees are central to this. They contain an enormous amount of specialist knowledge and experience, and I want to strengthen the relationship between our Committees, Council and the wider membership. Our new Deputy Vice President, Sam Ingram, will take a particular lead in working with our Professional Committees during the year. CONNECT is about making better use of BLS’s extraordinary network. It is an enormous honour to become President of Birmingham Law Society. As I begin my Presidential year, I am very conscious that I am only the temporary custodian of an office which has been held by many distinguished members of Birmingham’s legal profession over more than two centuries. The last year has given me a particularly unusual perspective on our Society. As a Board and Council member, I have experienced its representative and governance functions, while my period as Interim Chief Executive gave me a much closer understanding of its day-to-day operations, its people, its strengths and the challenges it faces. That operational role has now ended and has passed to our new Chief Executive, Calum Nisbet. My focus as President will be different: Council, our members and the wider profession.
Our community includes Managing Partners, CEOs, General Counsel, barristers, academics, solicitors at every stage of their careers and some of the brightest young lawyers entering the profession. I want to strengthen our engagement with Managing Partners and Business Leaders through a small number of distinctive opportunities which provide genuine value. We will explore ideas including our proposed Geneva Conference and whether there is an appetite to revive Advised in Birmingham in an appropriate form. Connection must also work across generations. I want our Junior Lawyers Division to continue evolving into a genuine division of BLS, with its own identity and a meaningful voice. At one end of Birmingham Law Society we have some of the most experienced leaders in the profession. At the other, we have its future.
Twelve months is not a long time. I could announce a lengthy list of Presidential initiatives, but I would rather concentrate on a smaller number of priorities, do them properly and leave something worthwhile which can be developed by those who follow.
We should connect them. Mentoring, introductions, shared events and initiatives such as the Golden Paper Clip Challenge can help us do exactly that.
My Presidency will therefore be built around four pillars:
ENGAGE means making membership matter.
ADVANCE CONNECT ENGAGE MAKE A DIFFERENCE 4
We should keep asking a very simple question: why does being part of Birmingham Law Society matter? Membership should mean more than emails and invitations to events. It should provide connections, representation, opportunities, professional development and a genuine sense of belonging to Birmingham’s legal community. One initiative I hope will embody that approach is www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
A Few Words From The New CEO LAWSTOCK — deliberately less formal more inclusive through a family fun day festival, bringing together solicitors, barristers, junior lawyers, senior leaders and our wider professional community. The Golden Paper Clip Challenge will also combine competition and fun with a more serious purpose: encouraging initiative, entrepreneurship, mentoring and new relationships across the profession. I am deliberately not proposing dozens of new projects. My approach is simple: Do fewer things — but do them well. Finally, MAKE A DIFFERENCE. My chosen cause for the year is Carter the Brave, supporting Birmingham Children’s Hospital. In January, I will exchange the Presidential chain for walking boots when I climb Mount Kilimanjaro. But Kilimanjaro should be the catalyst rather than the entire campaign. I want firms, chambers, Council, the JLD, Professional Committees, business leaders, sponsors and members to come together behind this cause and demonstrate what Birmingham’s legal community can achieve collectively. My Presidency will be positive and outward-facing. I want to meet members, visit firms and organisations, listen to junior lawyers, engage with senior leaders and represent Birmingham’s legal community wherever I can. And I want you to get involved.
It has been a fantastic start to my time as Chief Executive of Birmingham Law Society. I have been made to feel extremely welcome by the team and, in just a few weeks, have already had the opportunity to meet many of the people who make the Society such an important part of Birmingham’s legal community. I have met our Finance Committee, attended my first Board meeting and joined the Legal Leaders Lunch, President’s Dinner and AGM. Each has given me a valuable insight into the breadth of the Society, the strength of our professional community and the opportunities ahead. My thanks go to our immediate past President Matt O’Brien, Chair Peter Brewer and our enthusiastic Board and Council members for their support as I have settled into the role. I would particularly like to thank our President, Guy Barnett, who has led the Society as interim CEO and provided me with a fantastic handover. I am very grateful for his support and look forward to working closely with him over the coming year as President.
My focus now is very much on our members. Birmingham Law Society Tell us what BLS does well. Tell us what is here to support, represent and connect our profession, and I want to we could do better. Tell us about the make sure that we are delivering genuine value to our members and issues affecting you. Join a committee. responding to what they need from us. Attend an event. Mentor a junior lawyer. Support our charitable campaign. Or Over the coming months, I will be listening to our members, our Council, simply start a conversation with us. our Board and our wider professional community. I want to understand what we do well, where we can do better and, importantly, where the When I hand the Presidential chain to Society can be more visible, relevant and valuable to members and to my successor in September 2027, I hope the West Midlands Professional Services. we can say that Council is stronger, our Committees are better connected, our There is plenty to do, and I am looking forward to getting on with it. I JLD has developed, senior leaders are am excited about the opportunities ahead and about working with our more engaged and new relationships members and partners to make Birmingham Law Society an even stronger have been created across our voice for our profession. profession. Calum Nisbet But above all, my ambition is simple: CEO, Birmingham Law Society Birmingham’s legal community should be better connected at the end of my Presidency than it was at the beginning. With thanks to our Platinum Sponsor With thanks to our Gold Sponsors ONE PROFESSION. ONE REGION. ONE VOICE. Guy Barnett, President, Birmingham Law Society 2026–27 @birminghamlawsociety
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Events
MEMBER’S EVENTS
AGM Pics by Dr Denise Maxwell, Lensi Photography
BLS AGM 2026
How to Become a Solicitor in 2026: Funded Routes in partnership with Datalaw. 7th October, 12.30pm – 1.15pm, Online. FREE for all to attend Family Law CPD Breakfast hosted by Quilter Cheviot 8th October, 8am – 10am, Quilter Cheviot. FREE for all to attend
The Employment Law Conference 2026 in partnership with Datalaw 14th October, 9.30am – 3.15pm, IET Birmingham: Austin Court £125 +VAT for members | £155 +VAT for non-members A Voice for Vulnerable Court Users in the Criminal Justice System in partnership with Communicourt 19th October, 12.30pm – 1.15pm, Online. FREE for all to attend BLS & JLD Legal Eagles Quiz sponsored by BCL Legal and Chadwick Nott 21st October, 6pm – 9pm, Manahatta. £150 +VAT for member team of 5 | £175 +VAT for non-member team of 5 JLD Advocacy Series: Handling Vulnerable Witnesses sponsored by BCL Legal and Chadwick Nott. 28th October, 6.30pm – 7.30pm, Online via Zoom. FREE for all to attend JLD Annual Dinner sponsored by BCL Legal and Chadwick Nott sponsored by St Philips Chambers. 6th November, 7pm – late, The Grand Hotel. £75 +VAT for students | £100 +VAT for individual members | £120 +VAT for individual non-members | £550 +VAT for half a member table (6 places) | | £670 +VAT for half a non-member table (6 places) | £1,100 +VAT for member table (12 places) | | £1,340 +VAT for nonmember table (12 places) Membership Breakfast. 10th November, 8.30am – 10.30am, Venue TBC. FREE for all to attend BLS Family Law Conference 2026 sponsored by 3PB Barristers, Communicourt, Cornwall Street Barristers, DNA Legal, Evelyn Partners, Fortnum & Mason, Medical Expert Chambers, No5 Barristers’ Chambers, Our Family Wizard and St Philips Chambers. 12th November, 3.30pm – 7pm, 3PB Barristers. FREE for members | £25 +VAT for non-members
5 A Side Football
Newly Qualified Celebration in association with The Law Society and sponsored by No5 Barristers’ Chambers 17th November, 6pm – 8pm, No5 Barristers’ Chambers. FREE for all to attend COLP/COFA Forum kindly hosted by Gowling WLG. 8th December, 8am – 9.30am, Gowling WLG. FREE for those serving as COLP; COFA; MLRO; MLCO; and those working in risk and compliance teams and/or senior management To reserve your place and find out more, make sure that you visit www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
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COLP COFA Forum
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Events Legal Leaders Lunch
In House Lawyers Networking Social
BLS Golf Day
PRISM Committee Social
Past Presidents Lunch
JLD Bar Crawl
President’s Dinner Christmas Social
JLD Networking Breakfast
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News
Birmingham Law Society AGM 2026 Professional Officers President: Guy Barnett Vice President: Sabina Kauser, Ward Hadaway LLP Deputy Vice President: Samantha Ingram, Davisons Law Newly Elected Council Members Kristian Campbell-Drummond Philip Chapman Rebecca Davies Alan Ma Christie Nelson Deirdre Smythe
Pics by Dr Denise Maxwell, Lensi Photography
Elected Board Member Matthew O’Brien, Jonas Roy Bloom Trainee Prizes 2026 Gold Award Zanib Bibi with a score of 82% Silver Award Oliver Farquharson with a score of 73%
President to Climb Kilimanjaro for Carter the Brave hospital admissions to the disruption of everyday family life. That experience continues to shape the fund’s work. Lucy personally manages Carter the Brave alongside the hospital, combining her understanding of Carter’s journey with clinical expertise to identify where donations can make the greatest difference.
Birmingham Law Society witll this year be supporting Carter the Brave, who fundraise for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. President Guy Barnett will take part in a fundraising climb of Kilimanjaro in 2027 to support seriously ill children and their families. The challenge will raise money for the fund, which works with Birmingham Children’s Hospital to improve hospital experiences, provide specialist equipment, support research and help children spend more time at home. Carter the Brave was inspired by Carter’s diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at just four years old. His treatment gave his mother, Lucy, first-hand experience of the difficulties families face, from painful procedures and lengthy 8
By September 2026, supporters had raised more than £650,000, with over £536,000 allocated directly to projects at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Contributions include £100,000 towards a brighter, more welcoming hospital entrance, £80,500 for equipment enabling clinicians to carry out procedures using CT guidance, and £82,500 for a handsfree communication system on the cancer ward. Other donations have funded equipment to ease painful mouth ulcers, help staff locate veins more easily and allow some children to receive chemotherapy at home. These practical improvements aim to make treatment less distressing and give families more time together. The fund also helps children enjoy moments of normality during
treatment. Seven mobile gaming stations, alongside iPads and DVDs, provide entertainment during long hospital stays, while £20,000 has supported the hospital’s MediCinema project. Research is another priority, with more than £165,000 invested across four projects. Families also receive support at diagnosis through Amazon vouchers, offering children a choice and a welcome distraction at an overwhelming time. The Kilimanjaro climb will build on a fundraising effort involving far more than one family. Known as Team Carter, supporters have organised balls, quizzes and concerts, completed marathons and swims, climbed mountains and undertaken a Sahara trek. Guy’s participation brings Birmingham Law Society’s support into that effort, giving members an opportunity to rally behind their President and his chosen cause. Through the presidential year and the 2027 challenge, the Society will help continue Carter the Brave’s central ambition: making treatment kinder for children and helping families facing serious illness enjoy more time together. birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
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Firm Appoints Former Global Pensions Head Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its top-ranked pensions practice with the appointment of Claire Petheram as a Senior Consultant. Claire joins the firm following a career at Linklaters spanning in excess of 35 years, during which she served as Global Head of Pensions. Claire has extensive experience advising trustees, sponsors and financial institutions on some of the UK’s largest and most complex pensions matters. These matters include significant and innovative buy-in and buy-out transactions, longevity swaps, funding structures (including those involving contingent assets) and fund mergers and consolidations.
As one of the UK’s most highly regarded pensions lawyers, Claire is widely recognised in both legal industry directories, Legal 500 and Chambers. Claire holds a Band 1 ranking for Pensions in Chambers UK, and receives significant praise in relation to her role as a trusted adviser with one client noting: “I would not wish to use anybody else for important pensions legal advice Claire is top notch”. Claire is also included in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame, which describes her as “one of the best pensions lawyers”, citing her extensive experience across liability management, DB scheme funding, investment issues, transfers of DC assets and corporate transactions. Jeremy Goodwin, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland, said: “We are delighted to welcome Claire to the firm and her appointment is a significant addition to our practice. As a former Global Head of Pensions and one of the profession’s leading advisers, Claire brings exceptional experience, market insight and relationships that will be of enormous value to both our clients
and our team as we continue to grow our pensions offering.” Claire Petheram, Senior Consultant, Eversheds Sutherland, said: “I am delighted to be joining Eversheds Sutherland’s pensions practice. The team has built an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality advice on complex pensions issues, and I am looking forward to working alongside colleagues to support clients, develop new relationships and contribute to the continued growth of the practice.” Claire’s appointment further strengthens Eversheds Sutherland’s Band 1 pensions offering and continues the strategic growth of the practice, following the recent appointments of partners Simon Borhan in London and Craig Looker in Leeds. Together, these hires reinforce the firm’s commitment to investing in leading pensions talent and enhancing its ability to support clients on complex and strategically important matters across the UK and beyond.
Eight Things Every New Solicitor Needs to Know Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with several trainees and junior lawyers at Davisons Law. Watching people grow in confidence, develop their skills, and find their own way in the profession is one of the most rewarding parts of my role writes Samantha Ingram, National Head of Conveyancing (Solicitor) Davisons Law. As they progress in their careers, there are eight things I always encourage them to focus on: 1. Stay organised Conveyancing, for example, is a fastpaced area of law, and organisation really does matter. Good systems, clear processes and consistent habits can make a huge difference, especially when you are managing a busy caseload. 2. Pick up the phone Emails are useful, of course, but not every issue is best dealt with by email. Sometimes a conversation 10
can resolve something far more quickly, particularly when the subject is complex, urgent, or sensitive. 3. Don’t just identify problems — think about solutions Spotting an issue is important, but thinking about the next step is what really adds value. As you progress in your career, clients and colleagues will increasingly look to you for your judgement, your insight, and your ability to help move matters forward. 4. Be kind to yourself Every lawyer starts somewhere. You are not expected to know everything on day one, and there is no shame in saying, “I don’t know, but I will find out.” What matters is being honest, willing to learn and committed to doing things properly. 5. Never stop learning Property law, like many areas of law, is constantly evolving. The best lawyers are the ones who stay interested, keep developing and understand that learning does not stop once you qualify. 6. Be patient It is natural to want to progress quickly, but strong careers are built on solid foundations. Taking the time to understand the detail, build good
habits and gain proper experience will benefit you in the long run. 7. Learn from more than one person No single person’s working style will suit you perfectly. Take the best practice you see from different people and shape it into an approach that works for you. Over time, that is how you develop your own professional style. 8. Own mistakes early Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is how you deal with them. If something has gone wrong, raise it as soon as possible so it can be addressed quickly and properly. The earlier an issue is identified, the easier it usually is to resolve. Try not to panic — most problems can be managed with honesty, support, and the right next steps. One of the things I am most passionate about is helping the next generation of property lawyers build confidence, develop their skills, and realise their potential. Our profession is strongest when we invest in those coming through it.
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News
Anthony Collins Appointed To GCA’s New Legal Services Framework on complex legal and regulatory matters, the appointment will give public-sector organisations a more efficient route to access Anthony Collins’ specialist legal advice, without the time and cost associated with running a full tender programme.
Anthony Collins has been named as a supplier on three different areas of Government Commercial Agency’s (GCA) Legal Panel for Public Sector (RM6374), following the GCA’s recent procurement process.
The social purpose law firm has been named as a supplier across three lots including full legal service provision for local government and local communities (including the housing and charity sectors), litigation and disputes, together with projects and complex advice, which includes Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI). Eligible organisations will be able to access pre-approved legal services from the firm, supporting the efficient delivery of public services and major projects.
With a strong reputation for advising local authorities, registered social housing providers and charities
The framework will run until August 2029 at a minimum, with the potential to be extended to 2031.
Matthew Gregson, Partner and head of the local government team, Anthony Collins, said: “Public sector organisations are being asked to deliver more, often against significant financial, operational and regulatory pressures. Having access to specialist legal advice at the right time can make a real difference to the pace, confidence and success of important decisions and projects. “This framework will give eligible organisations a more straightforward route to access our specialist expertise. “We look forward to working alongside organisations that can access the GCA framework, helping support better outcomes for the communities they serve.”
Legal Mentoring Scheme Launched
The University of Law is launching a Legal Mentoring Scheme with our 2026/2027 Law students this autumn. We are looking for new mentors to join the scheme this year. For almost 20 years, the University of Law's Legal Mentoring Scheme has connected students with legal professionals to help them gain insight into the profession, develop their networks, build confidence and make informed career decisions. It plays an important role in supporting students who may have limited access to professional contacts or legal work experience, reflecting the University's commitment to widening participation, diversity and social mobility within the legal sector. The scheme typically runs for 6–7 months, with an expectation of 3–4 points of contact during that time. A dedicated University contact is available throughout the scheme, providing support and guidance where needed. We welcome mentors from a wide range of legal backgrounds, including private practice, the public sector, in-house legal teams and the Bar. If you are interested to become a mentor to share your expertise and support the next generation of legal professionals or learn more about the scheme, click here. @birminghamlawsociety
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News
Legal innovation leader Priya Lele joins Birmingham Law School Lecture Series an Australian regional law firm, and Legal Operations Client Solutions Lead at a global law firm in London. Their conversation will explore Priya’s career, the use of design thinking in legal services and the opportunities technology presents for the profession. They will also discuss why she co-founded She Breaks the Law and the need to adopt legal technology and generative AI in ways that are ethical and inclusive. Legal technology, innovation and inclusion will be the focus of the next event in Birmingham Law School’s Leaders in Law Public Lecture Series. Professor Linden Thomas will be joined by Priya Lele, co-founder and chair of She Breaks the Law and the International Legal Technology Association’s Envoy for Australia, for an online conversation on Thursday 26 November 2026, from 10am to 11am. Priya has worked across legal practice, operations and transformation in the UK and Australia. Her roles have included corporate finance lawyer, Director of Legal Transform and Operate at EY, Head of Legal Transformation at
Launched in 2019, She Breaks the Law is a global community of more than 4,000 women across over 50 countries. It brings together lawyers and other professionals working in law firms, in-house teams, legal technology and academia to share ideas, develop skills and support change across the profession. Its work includes research into the gender gap in the adoption of AI in law. The event is hosted by Birmingham Law School’s Centre for Employability, Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER).
VWV Welcomes 7 Newly Qualified Solicitors VWV is delighted to announce the qualification of seven solicitors, who have successfully completed their training contracts and will continue their careers with the firm across a range of practice areas. Their newly qualified solicitors are qualifying into the following teams: Camille Kwai Pun - Commercial team, Harriet Griffin - Regulatory Risk and Resolution team, Jemma Ivy - Estates, Tax Planning and Trusts team, Joanna Day - Risk & Compliance team, Josh Spanswick - Commercial Property team, Keren Felix - Employment team, Philip Mahboobani - Employment team. We will be joined by an eighth newly qualified solicitor, Emma Baber, in January 2027, who will be qualifying into the Commercial team.
Book a free place online here.
New Free Course To Support Wellbeing In Legal Workplaces Supporting legal workplace wellbeing is the third free online course in the Fit for Law series, which helps legal professionals develop psychologically and emotionally healthier ways of working. Fit for Law is a collaboration between LawCare and academics at the University of Sheffield and The Open University. Trish McLellan, Interim CEO of LawCare, said: “We know from our support service and Life in the Law 2025 research that workplace culture and the way people are managed can have a big impact on wellbeing. Many people want to support colleagues, have better conversations and create healthier ways of working, but aren’t always sure where to start. This course is designed to help them do that.” LawCare has launched a new free online course, Supporting legal workplace wellbeing, for anyone with a role in creating healthier, more supportive working environments across the legal sector. Aimed at managers, team leaders, wellbeing leads and champions, as well as people working in human resources, learning and development and other support roles, the course offers practical guidance on creating better ways of working. It looks at how individuals and organisations can help create workplaces where people feel supported and able to speak openly. The course is free and can be completed online at your own pace. 12
Dr Emma Jones, Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield and a LawCare Trustee, said: “Many individuals within the legal sector are involved in supporting workplace wellbeing. This may be as part of their job description, through a volunteer role, or as part of their wider responsibilities as a line manager or leader. Despite this, research demonstrates that legal workplaces do not always prioritise resourcing this work and providing adequate training. The new Fit for Law course aims to provide evidence-informed practical support for anyone who wishes to upskill themselves in this area and drive positive change in their workplace.” For more information and to access the course, click here
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News
Ward Hadaway Doubles Birmingham Partner Team
Pictured Sabina Kauser, Chris Piggott and Steven Hayward
Ward Hadaway has doubled the size of its Birmingham partner team in its first year in the city, while partner Sabina Kauser has been appointed Vice President of Birmingham Law Society. Five partners joined the firm’s Chamberlain Square office during 2026, taking the team from three to eight. Overall headcount has grown from seven when the office opened in June 2025 to 16, with further appointments planned. The new partners are education specialist Emma Swann, construction lawyer Steven Hayward and employment lawyers Helen Badger, Gemma Lynch and Chris Piggott. Together with its existing team, the Birmingham office now covers affordable housing, regulatory, immigration, education, employment and construction work. Chris brings more than 30 years’ experience advising employers, from SMEs to large companies, across sectors including recruitment, financial services and further education. His work includes TUPE, staff reorganisations and restrictive covenant matters. He also provides HR and workplace training.
Chris said: “Ward Hadaway’s Birmingham office is growing, and the chance to be a part of the nationally recognised team as it further develops its employment services across the West Midlands was a strong reason for joining.” Steven Hayward specialises in construction and engineering disputes, including adjudication, mediation, arbitration and court proceedings. He also advises on building safety matters and project risk. Steven said: “Construction law is often about helping organisations reach the right commercial outcome, whether that is at the start of a project or once a dispute has arisen.” Alongside the office’s commercial growth, immigration partner Sabina Kauser was confirmed as Birmingham Law Society’s Vice President at its Annual General Meeting on 24 September. Having served as Deputy Vice President, she is in line to become President in 2027. Sabina has more than 20 years’ experience in immigration and human
rights law and has previously chaired the Society’s Immigration Committee. Sabina said: “My focus will be on ensuring members are properly represented and receive real value from the Society. This includes bringing lawyers together, strengthening connections with the wider business community and making sure members benefit from the relationships BLS has built.” Ward Hadaway moved into larger premises within months of opening in Birmingham. During its first year, the office supported Aston Villa Foundation, St Basils and LoveBrum, and hosted a roundtable with Birmingham City Council on the future of social housing. Managing partner Steven Petrie said: “We want to build an office that contributes to Birmingham as well as serving it. That means deepening our relationships with clients, staying involved with local organisations and creating opportunities for talented people who want to build their careers here.”
Digital Constitutionalism In Action: The Experience Of The Colombian Constitutional Court. Justice Natalia Ángel Cabo, President of the Constitutional Court of Colombia (from 2027), gives the second Birmingham Law School annual lecture.
The annual lecture explores the rapidly evolving intersection between constitutional law and emerging technologies through the lens of recent landmark decisions of the Colombian Constitutional Court. Drawing on recent rulings on content moderation, algorithmic transparency in access to public information, and signal blocking during public protests, the lecture will illustrate the types of challenges faced by constitutional
judges in a digital age. The lecture will conclude with a reflection on the concerns and dilemmas confronted by constitutional courts in the global south in deciding these cases. Date: 12 November 2026, Time: 18.3019.45. Venue: Elgar Concert Hall, Bramall Music Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT Reserve your place here
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News
Firm Backs Over 130 Charities and Woodland Restoration Association. Four Birmingham colleagues recently volunteered at its Lightmoor woodland site in Telford, selectively managing bramble growth. Brambles support wildlife, but excessive cover can restrict light and prevent native plants, trees and wildflowers from regenerating. Their work also supports Small Woods’ green social prescribing programme, which helps people facing mental health challenges or social isolation reconnect with nature, build confidence and develop skills. The project will also offer outdoor learning opportunities for local schools.
The Mills & Reeve Charitable Trust distributed £316,250 to more than 130 charities in the UK and beyond during 2025/26, while the firm’s Birmingham team continued its work to restore woodland in Shropshire. Funded by contributions from the firm’s partners, the Trust has supported charitable causes for more than 40 years. Its focus this year was health and wellbeing, including organisations addressing food poverty, housing insecurity, disability, mental health and social isolation. Almost £60,000 went to charities tackling food poverty. Other donations included £16,400 to Cancer Research UK; £10,000 each to CALM, The Felix Project, Dementia UK and the British Red Cross; £7,700 to IntoUniversity; and £5,500 to the Royal Society for Blind Children.
In the Midlands, the Trust donated £29,000. This included £8,000 to Let’s Feed Brum, which supports homeless and vulnerable people in Birmingham. The Birmingham office also supported 13 other regional organisations and four national or international charities. Justin Ripman, chair of the Mills & Reeve Charitable Trust, said: “At Mills & Reeve, we believe we have a responsibility to contribute positively to the communities in which we live and work. Through the Mills & Reeve Charitable Trust, we’re proud to support organisations that are changing lives, tackling inequality and improving wellbeing in the UK and beyond.” The firm’s community work also includes a long-term biodiversity partnership with Small Woods
Rebecca Vincent-Evans, project coordinator at Small Woods, welcomed the volunteers and said their help with the physically demanding work would benefit the woodland. Over the past year, the partnership has supported woodland restoration across Shropshire through social forestry, native tree nursery development and Chirrup.ai biodiversity monitoring. Jessica Wilkes-Ball, head of sustainability and net zero at Mills & Reeve, said: “Our collaboration with Small Woods is about bringing together their expertise and passion for woodland management with our commitment to sustainability. The result is a really meaningful partnership that not only benefits our team and surrounding communities, but helps vital woodland ecosystems to continue to thrive.”
Firm Grows Family Team As Clients Rank Firm Among Region’s Best Sydney Mitchell has appointed Suzanne El-Safty to its family law team as Legal 500 research ranks the firm fourth among the West Midlands’ most client recommended law firms. Suzanne joins from HCR Law. She has previously worked at Mills & Reeve, Penny Ravy & Co and Lodders, advising on complex, high net worth financial cases. Before entering the legal profession, she spent seven years in investment banking in London and Geneva. 14
She joins joint heads of family law Karen Moores and Mauro Vinti, and partner Gemma Whitchurch. Based in Birmingham and Shirley, the team advises on divorce, child arrangements and financial settlements. Her appointment is the first in a wider recruitment drive at the firm. Suzanne said: “The opportunity to be part of such an experienced, respected and friendly team is exciting, and I am relishing the chance to further enhance my hands-on family law experience working on a broad range of family law matters.”
likelihood of recommending their law firm. The Legal 500 analysis drew on nearly 200,000 responses across the UK. Firms needed at least 150 client responses and multiple Legal 500 rankings to be included. Karen Moores, Sydney Mitchell’s senior partner, said: “Being recommended by a client is one of the strongest endorsements a law firm can receive.This Legal 500 research and its recognition of Sydney Mitchell is particularly significant because it is based on the experiences and confidence of the businesses, organisations and individuals we serve.”
The firm’s ranking is based on clients’ birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
News
Why Law Firms Must Measure AI ROI, Not AI Adoption been turning data into actionable insight. AI can analyse information at scale and identify patterns that may otherwise be missed: A client increasing engagement with sector-specific content may signal future demand. A prospect interacting with multiple service-line campaigns may represent a stronger opportunity than traditional lead-scoring methods suggest.
The legal sector has never been an enthusiastic early adopter of technology. During 20 years working in the industry, I have seen that law firms rarely embrace innovation simply because it is new. They adopt it when it is proven writes Kelly White, Head of Marketing at Sydney Mitchell LLP. That caution is understandable. Law firms are built on risk management, precedent and evidence. As a data-driven marketer, I have often had to challenge assumptions and demonstrate clear value before firms commit to investment. Yet when it comes to AI, many firms appear to approach the process backwards - investing in tools before defining outcomes, and, influenced by pressure to “keep up”, moving away from the evidence-led approach that has traditionally guided decisionmaking. The next stage of AI adoption in law firms should be built around one principle: AI initiatives must deliver commercially measurable outcomes. The question is not whether AI can perform a task - in many cases, it canbut whether it improves a meaningful business metric. Much of the current conversation around AI in legal marketing focuses on productivity. Content can be produced faster, research completed more efficiently, campaigns delivered with less manual effort. These benefits are valuable, but measure activity rather than commercial success. Reducing time to produce a client
newsletter by 60% only matters if it leads to stronger engagement, more client opportunities or increased revenue. For years, firms have often measured outputs instead of outcomes, focusing on website traffic rather than client acquisition, event attendance rather than opportunity creation, and content production rather than revenue contribution. Without stronger commercial measurement, AI risks creating more activity without proving its value. Every AI initiative should begin with a clear business case defining the commercial objective, establishing a baseline, setting a target for improvement, explaining how success will be measured, and identifying an appropriate review period. For example, an AI-powered CRM initiative should not aim simply to “improve client insights”. It should focus on measurable goals like increasing cross-selling opportunities, improving conversion rates, or growing revenue from existing clients. Likewise, marketing automation should be judged against metrics including marketing and sales qualified leads, matter conversion rates, cost per acquisition, revenue generated and client lifetime value. Without these, firms cannot properly assess AI’s commercial impact. The greatest opportunity for AI in legal marketing is not content creation, but business development intelligence. Most firms already hold significant amounts of data across CRM systems, practice management platforms, finance tools and marketing automation systems. The challenge has never been access to data; it has
The value of AI is not simply generating insight — it is helping firms convert that insight into action. The focus on generative AI has perhaps overshadowed its potential to also improve financial performance. Many firms continue to face challenges around lock-up despite sophisticated reporting systems. Traditional reporting explains what has happened; AI has the potential to predict what happens next. By analysing matter progression, billing behaviour, fee earner activity, and payment patterns, firms can identify risks earlier, forecast lock-up exposure, recommend optimal billing points, and intervene before issues affect cash flow and profitability. AI also offers an opportunity to connect marketing, business development and finance. Instead of measuring engagement, opportunities and revenue separately, firms can link datasets to provide a clearer view of the entire commercial journey, and identify which campaigns generate instructions, which events influence revenue, which sectors deliver the greatest client value, which activities reduce client attrition. This is where AI becomes strategically important because it creates visibility across the commercial lifecycle. Law firms should not ask whether AI is innovative. They should ask whether it improves client acquisition, conversion, relationships, profitability and cash flow. The legal profession’s traditional scepticism towards technology is not a weakness but a strength when applied correctly. Firms should demand evidence, measure outcomes and insist on demonstrable return on investment. AI should be evaluated not as a technology project, but as a commercial investment.
@birminghamlawsociety
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News
Birmingham Law Society 2027 Legal Awards launched! The legal awards cover 14 award categories and all nominations are judged by an experienced panel of independent judges, brought together from the world of law, business and academia. Interviews will take place at the beginning of February with the awards taking place on Thursday 18th March. The award categories up for grabs on the night are: • Outstanding Student Contribution of the Year 2027 • Apprentice of the Year 2027 • Trainee Solicitor of the Year 2027 • Paralegal of the Year 2027 • Legal PA of the Year 2027 • Solicitor of the Year 2027 Birmingham Law Society has launched it’s 2027 Legal Awards, its annual search for the top talent within the region’s legal community.
I am therefore delighted to announce the categories for the 25th Anniversary Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards.
Guy Barnett, President of the Birmingham Law Society said about the launch “The year 2027 marks a very special milestone for Birmingham Law Society as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards.
These Awards are about our members and our legal community, and I want us to uncover and celebrate the people whose achievements deserve recognition – including those who might never think of putting themselves forward.
For a quarter of a century, the Legal Awards have celebrated the outstanding individuals, teams and organisations that make Birmingham’s legal community one of the most respected, diverse and dynamic in the country.
So look around your firm, chambers, organisation and professional network. Who has excelled? Who has made a difference? Who has gone that extra mile? Who represents the very best of Birmingham’s legal profession?
On Thursday 18 March 2027, we will come together once again – but this time to celebrate not only the achievements of the past year, but 25 years of legal excellence.
Nominate them. Champion them. Tell us their story.
As incoming President of Birmingham Law Society, I want our 25th anniversary Awards to be a genuine celebration of our profession: its people, its achievements, its values and its future.
And on 18 March, we will do something particularly special: bring our legal community together to celebrate 25 years of achievement while looking forward to the next 25.
Excellence takes many forms. It can be found in exceptional legal ability and client service; in leadership and innovation; in those who develop and inspire the next generation; in people who make an extraordinary contribution to their colleagues and communities; and in the rising stars who will shape the profession for decades to come. 16
I want this milestone year to recognise our history, celebrate the exceptional talent we have today and inspire the generations who will follow us.
• Junior Barrister of the Year 2027 • Barrister of the Year 2027 (over 10 years’ call) • Partner of the Year 2027 • In-House Lawyer of the Year 2027 • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award 2027 • Pro Bono Award 2027 • Law Firm of the Year 2027 (1-49 Employees) • Law Firm of the Year 2027 (50+ Employees) Nominations are now open here. The deadline for nominations is 12th October 2026! The criteria and marking grids can be found here. Interested in sponsoring the event? Contact us events@ birminghamlawsociety.co.uk for more details! For more information, please click here.
I very much look forward to receiving your nominations and welcoming you to what promises to be a truly memorable 25th Anniversary Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards.” birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
Obituary
Sukhdev Bhomra remained at the heart of his life, and he took great pride in supporting and guiding the generations that followed him. Alongside his legal career, Sukhdev devoted substantial time and expertise to community service. For approximately twentysix years, he acted as the principal legal adviser to the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha on Soho Road in Birmingham, undertaking conveyancing, planning permission, and related legal work entirely free of charge. Although he held no office and served on no management committee, he effectively became the organisation’s in-house lawyer. He sought neither recognition nor reward, believing simply that it was the right thing to do. He also provided free legal advice and assistance to countless other Sikh temples when asked including the Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara located on Mary Street, Birmingham. Sukhdev possessed a remarkable ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Fluent in English, Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi, he made everyone feel welcome and understood. Humble, sincere, and approachable, he was very much a man of the people. Clients trusted him implicitly, confident that he would do everything possible to help them navigate their legal difficulties. His advice was always practical, measured, and grounded in common sense. Sukhdev Bhomra was born in India to Sikh parents and was the eldest of six children. Sukhdev however spent his formative years growing up in Kenya where his family moved in search of a better life. At the age of eleven, Sukhdev and his family emigrated to the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. The move was not a straightforward one. Like many in the Sikh/Asian community his father travelled ahead to establish himself and find work before being joined by his wife and children. As the oldest child, Sukhdev played a significant role in helping guide and support his family through this challenging transition as the UK provided a very different lifestyle in terms of language, food, and weather. From an early age, Sukhdev demonstrated exceptional academic ability. His father encouraged him to pursue a career in law despite the obstacles that lay ahead. A consistently outstanding student, Sukhdev excelled at school and became the first member of his family to attend university. This achievement proved inspirational and paved the way for his younger siblings, who all followed in his footsteps. Sukhdev was accepted at the University of Birmingham, where he graduated with a degree in Law LLB. He subsequently attended Chester College of Law and successfully completed his professional examinations. After a brief period working for a firm undertaking non-criminal work, he realised that the area did not suit him. He joined Mandla & Co as a paralegal, and eventually secured articles with the firm. Sukhdev subsequently qualified as a solicitor on 1 August 1985. Following qualification, Sukhdev remained with the firm as an assistant solicitor, developing an extraordinarily broad legal practice. In the early years of his career, he appeared as an advocate in the Magistrates’ Courts, prepared Crown Court cases, and handled family, civil, and immigration matters. His willingness to assist clients across a wide range of legal issues quickly earned him a reputation for practical, effective, and compassionate advice. In 1985, Sukhdev married Arvinder Bhomra. Together, they built a loving family and raised three children. Family
During the mid-1990s, Sukhdev became a partner in the firm, which became known as Mandla, Bhomra & Co. As legal aid regulations evolved, he increasingly concentrated on criminal law. He became a familiar and respected figure in Magistrates’ Courts throughout the region. In 2008, he obtained Higher Rights of Audience in criminal proceedings, enabling him to appear regularly before the Crown Court. There he undertook a wide range of serious criminal matters, from trials to sentencing hearings. He both led and was led in complex cases, including murder trials, and also appeared before the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). Beyond his practice, Sukhdev was deeply committed to the wider legal profession. He served for many years on the Birmingham Duty Solicitor Committee, eventually becoming its Chair. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Society of Asian Lawyers and served on its committee. In recognition of his integrity and expertise, he was one of only two Birmingham solicitors appointed as an Independent Adviser to the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service Hate Crime Panel. His contribution to the Birmingham Law Society was equally significant. Through his work on its Criminal Law Committee, he became a highly respected figure among his peers. He chaired the Criminal Law Committee from 2002 to 2007 and went on to serve as Deputy Vice-President from 2005 to 2006 and Vice-President from 2006 to 2007. In 2007, he made history by becoming the Birmingham Law Society’s first nonCaucasian President, serving until 2008. During his presidency, he led delegations of Birmingham lawyers to India in 2008 and 2009, strengthening professional and cultural ties between the two countries. Throughout his life and career, Sukhdev remained steadfastly humble, approachable, and generous with his time. He never sought status or acclaim. Instead, he focused on helping others, whether clients, colleagues, community organisations, or family members. He combined professional excellence with deep humanity, earning the respect, trust, and affection of all who knew him. Sukhdev Bhomra’s legacy is one of service, leadership, integrity, and compassion. He broke barriers, opened doors for others, and dedicated his life to the law, his community, and his family. He will be remembered not only for his significant professional achievements but also for the kindness, humility, and wisdom that defined him.
@birminghamlawsociety
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Committee News
Birmingham Law Society Launches New ESG Committee Birmingham Law Society is pleased to announce the formation of a new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee and is inviting applications from BLS members who would like to get involved. ESG issues are increasingly relevant to the day-to-day work of our members and the clients, organisations and businesses they advise. From sustainability and responsible business to governance, employment, supply chains, greenwashing and social impact, these issues are becoming part of legal practice across a wide range of sectors. The new Committee will provide a practical forum for BLS members to discuss ESG issues, share insight and support the wider legal community. Its approach will be evidence-led and commercially realistic, with a focus on promoting proportionate and useful environmental, social and governance practice for practitioners, clients and businesses, including SMEs. What the Committee will do The Committee will aim to: • act as a forum for discussion and insight on ESG matters affecting the legal profession and clients; • support events, training and
publications to help members stay informed; • provide opportunities for members to share experiences, raise questions and exchange ideas; • develop practical guidance and resources for BLS members; • build relationships with relevant organisations, professional bodies and academic institutions; • keep members updated on developments in ESG law, regulation and best practice. Who should apply? We are looking to bring together a broad mix of perspectives, including: • corporate and commercial practitioners, including those with industry, finance or SME experience; • specialists in areas such as environmental law, employment, governance, ethics, charities, social impact or responsible business; • individuals with relevant knowledge or interest in areas such as sustainability, economics, science, policy, risk, procurement or community impact. You do not need to be an ESG specialist to apply. Enthusiasm, curiosity, practical insight and a willingness to contribute are just as important as technical expertise.
The Committee is expected to meet around six times a year. Members will also be encouraged to contribute to at least one project, event, article or workstream during the year, where possible. How to apply If you would like to be part of the new BLS ESG Committee, please complete the application form below: BLS, ESG committee application form Applications will be reviewed from 15 October 2026 onwards and we encourage interested members to apply by this date where possible. Applications received after this may still be considered, subject to the Committee’s needs and available places. If you have any questions about the Committee, what is involved or whether it may be the right fit for you, please contact Misbah Rahman on LinkedIn/ email misbahmoments@ gmail.com. Birmingham Law Society looks forward to hearing from members interested in helping shape this new Committee and its work.
Past President New Chair for Family Committee lives. It is a responsibility I have never taken lightly, and one that continues to inspire me. Throughout my career, I have been passionate about promoting family law beyond the courtroom. Whether through speaking engagements, community initiatives or hosting the Let’s Talk About Family Law podcast, I have always believed that we have a responsibility to educate, engage and make our profession more accessible to the public.
I am delighted to have been appointed as Chair of the Birmingham Law Society Family Law Committee writes Richard Port MBE, Chair, Birmingham Law Society Family Law Committee. Family law has always been more than just my area of practice; it is something I genuinely care about. Every day, we have the privilege of helping individuals and families navigate some of the most challenging moments of their 18
As Chair, I want the Committee to be approachable, forward-thinking and genuinely useful to practitioners at every stage of their careers. My aim is to provide high-quality training, encourage open discussion on the issues shaping family law, strengthen our relationships with the judiciary and create opportunities for us to come together as a profession. We spend enough time seeing each other on opposite sides of the courtroom—it’ll be nice to meet without a trial bundle between us. One of the first highlights of the Committee’s calendar will be the
Birmingham Law Society Family Law Conference on 12 November. I am particularly delighted that Sir Stephen Cobb, President of the Family Division, has agreed to join us as our keynote speaker. Together with an excellent line-up of speakers, the conference promises to provide valuable insights into the latest developments in family law, while offering a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with colleagues from across the profession. Whether you’re attending for the legal updates, the networking or simply because it’s one of the few days where someone else has organised the timetable, I hope you’ll join us. Finally, I would like to thank Birmingham Law Society for the opportunity to serve as Chair. I’m looking forward to working with the Committee and continuing to build a supportive, welcoming and progressive family law community. If you have ideas, feedback or simply want to get involved, I’d love to hear from you. I look forward to seeing many of you over the coming months.
birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
Committee News
JLD Goes International: Representing Birmingham at Montréal’s Rentrée Judiciaire ranged from commercial litigation and corporate law to international arbitration, in-house legal practice and public sector work. The delegation met lawyers from Montréal, Brussels, Mons, Paris, Toulouse, Luxembourg and Martinique, amongst others, gaining insight into the similarities and differences between legal systems, career paths and professional cultures.
In September, the Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) reached an exciting milestone as its Co-Chairs, Christie Nelson (Freeths) and Kristian Campbell-Drummond (Weightmans), travelled to Montréal to attend the Young Bar of Montreal’s Rentrée Judiciaire (Opening of the Legal Year). This marked the first time that the Birmingham JLD had been invited to attend the event and represented a significant opportunity to strengthen international relationships and showcase Birmingham’s thriving legal community on a global stage. The visit followed the tremendous success and growth of the JLD over the past 6 months in its inaugural year and reflected the JLD’s ambition to build connections beyond the UK. The Birmingham JLD was the only delegation in attendance from the UK and Christie and Kris have reported that their aim of developing relationships with other young lawyer organisations and legal professionals from around the world was successful.
The Rentrée Judiciaire is a longstanding tradition that has been celebrated for more than 200 years, bringing together lawyers from French-speaking jurisdictions to mark the beginning of the legal year and foster professional connections. Unlike the UK, where courts do not formally close over the summer, many jurisdictions maintain this ceremonial reopening tradition, creating a unique opportunity for lawyers to meet, exchange ideas and strengthen international ties. Over the several days of organised events, networking receptions, cultural activities and the official ceremony at Montréal’s Palais de Justice, Christie and Kristian had the opportunity to engage with legal professionals from across Canada, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Martinique, Cameroon and other international jurisdictions. One of the most valuable aspects of the visit was the opportunity to connect with lawyers at all stages of their careers and from a wide variety of practice areas. Conversations
The visit was not only an opportunity to strengthen professional connections but also to build friendships with fellow young lawyers from around the world. The warm welcome provided by the Young Bar of Montreal highlighted the importance of collaboration across jurisdictions and demonstrated how legal organisations can support one another through knowledge-sharing and networking. The success of the trip has already led to further invitations for Birmingham JLD representatives to attend future events hosted by international bar associations and young lawyer organisations across Europe. This reflects the growing profile of both the Birmingham JLD and Birmingham Law Society internationally, and reinforces Birmingham’s reputation as a dynamic and outward-looking legal community. The Birmingham JLD would like to extend its sincere thanks to the Young Bar of Montréal for its hospitality and to Birmingham Law Society for supporting this landmark visit. As the JLD continues to grow, opportunities such as this demonstrate the value of building international relationships and creating connections that benefit young lawyers both professionally and personally.
Pro Bono Committee To Host Informal Drop In Sessions Members from Birmingham Law Society’s Pro Bono Committee will be hosting an informal drop-in online event for lawyers, at all levels, from legal practices of all shapes and sizes, who are interested in getting involved in pro bono and would like to find out more about: • the different types of pro bono you can get involved in; • how you might set something up, if you are starting from scratch; • the benefits of taking part in pro bono; • some of the things you might need to consider when embarking on pro bono; or • just to meet and have a chat with people already involved in pro bono. Please do join us on Friday 6th November from 1-2pm. No need to book. Just scan the QR code and complete the form to receive a link to the event. @birminghamlawsociety
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Committee News Cont’d
BLS Legal Tech Committee: From AI liability to professional responsibility
Earlier this summer, the Birmingham Law Society Legal Tech Committee reported on the publication of the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce’s Legal Statement on Liability for AI Harms and the Committee’s contribution to the consultation that preceded it. Since then, the professional landscape has moved on quickly. The publication of an SRA warning notice on the misuse of artificial intelligence in August provides an important regulatory counterpart to the UKJT’s analysis. Taken together, these developments point to an increasingly clear message: AI may change how legal work is carried out, but it does not displace the legal and professional responsibilities of those who use it. The UKJT Legal Statement addresses liability for non-deliberate AI harms under the private law of England and Wales. Its significance lies partly in what it does not do. Rather than assuming that AI requires an entirely new body of liability law, the Statement examines how established principles of English private law can respond when the use of AI causes loss. For legal practitioners, that makes questions of reasonable care, causation, responsibility and professional judgment immediately relevant to the adoption of AI systems. Liability for AI Harms under the private law of England and Wales - LawtechUK : LawtechUK That analysis has now been reinforced from a regulatory perspective. On 17 August 2026, the Solicitors Regulation Authority published a warning notice on the misuse of AI. The SRA recognises that AI can support the delivery of legal services, but stresses that its use does not diminish or transfer professional responsibilities. Solicitors remain accountable for work and advice delivered to clients where 20
AI has been used in its preparation, and appropriate human oversight, informed professional judgment and a proportionate, risk-based approach remain essential. SRA | Misuse of AI Warning notice | Solicitors Regulation Authority. The warning is particularly relevant to two risks that have become increasingly visible in legal practice: inaccurate or fabricated AIgenerated material, including supposed legal authorities, and the potential compromise of client confidentiality when information is entered into AI systems. These are not simply technical shortcomings. They engage familiar professional duties concerning competence, supervision, confidentiality, the administration of justice and the accuracy of material placed before the court. The practical lesson is therefore not that lawyers should avoid AI, but that they need governance arrangements capable of matching the way in which the technology is actually being used. The Law Society has likewise been developing its support for the profession around AI and lawtech. Its publicly available resources emphasise innovation, impact and integrity, while its guidance on generative AI addresses both opportunities and technology and data risks. This wider body of professional guidance is important because responsible AI use cannot be reduced to checking whether a chatbot has invented a case. Firms increasingly need to consider matters such as approved tools, confidentiality, verification procedures, supervision, staff competence and the circumstances in which human review should intervene. AI and lawtech | The Law Society
There is therefore an emerging alignment between legal liability, professional regulation and practical guidance. The UKJT asks how existing law allocates responsibility when AI causes harm; the SRA reminds regulated lawyers that accountability remains with them when AI is used in legal services; and professional guidance is increasingly concerned with how those responsibilities should be translated into day-to-day practice. For practitioners, the central issue is moving from awareness of AI risk to workable systems of control. This is also why engagement between national bodies and local practitioners matters. Following the Legal Tech Committee’s response to the UKJT consultation and attendance at the July launch in London, discussions have continued about bringing those involved in the Legal Statement to Birmingham. The Committee’s aim is not simply to report national developments after they happen, but to create opportunities for Birmingham practitioners to engage directly with the people shaping them and to contribute their own experience of implementation. AI will continue to develop faster than any single piece of guidance. The more durable proposition emerging from these developments is that technological change does not remove professional judgment; it makes the quality of that judgment, and the governance surrounding it, more important. That is a conversation in which Birmingham’s legal community should continue to have a voice. Dr Alan Ma Chair, Birmingham Law Society Legal Tech Committee birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
News
Stay in the Now and Let Go of Stress becomes, “They don’t think I’m good enough.” We can convince ourselves that running through every possible outcome is helping us prepare. But there is an important difference between planning and worrying. Planning says: “If that happens, here’s what I’ll do.” Anxiety says: “But what if…?” and then asks the same question another 47 times. One creates action. The other creates stress about something that hasn’t happened. The past is a teacher, not a place to live The same applies when our minds travel backwards. Reflection is enormously valuable. It allows us to learn from mistakes, recognise patterns and become better at what we do. But reflection and rumination are not the same thing. I recently finished a coaching call with a client who has a fear of public speaking writes Rebecca Mander FInstLM Founder, GuruYou® Coaching
demanding attention, staying in the present can be surprisingly difficult. Your body might be sitting at your desk, but your mind is replaying yesterday’s conversation with a client.
She worries she’ll feel sick. Then that she will be sick. Then that everyone will think she’s disgusting. Then that she’ll ruin her reputation.
Or perhaps you’ve already moved on to tomorrow.
And, and, and… Feeling nervous before speaking in public is one thing. Building an entire box set of stories around what might happen is something else altogether. By the end of our call, she had some practical techniques to help reduce her anxiety. But it struck me that the conversation wasn’t really just about public speaking. It was about something many of us do: experiencing the stress of an imaginary future in the present. How much of today have you spent in today? In a profession where there is always another deadline, client matter, difficult conversation or commercial pressure
Did I say the wrong thing? Should I have handled it differently?
What if the client isn’t happy? What if I don’t hit my target? What if I get that presentation wrong? What if I make the wrong decision? Thinking ahead is, of course, an important part of being a good lawyer and leader. The problem comes when useful anticipation becomes catastrophising. Planning and worrying are not the same thing Our brains are remarkably good at filling in gaps. One unanswered email becomes, “My boss isn’t happy.” One difficult month becomes, “I’m not going to hit my figures.” One piece of challenging feedback
There is a difference between asking, “What can I learn from that?” and repeatedly replaying a conversation or decision while wishing you could change it. One helps you move forward. The other keeps you stuck. A useful question is: Is there something I can do about this today? If there is, take the action. If there isn’t, recognise that continuing to think about it won’t change what has already happened. What needs your attention right now? When we feel overwhelmed, our brains have a habit of presenting everything as equally urgent. The client deadline. The target you’re expected to hit this month. The piece of advice you gave yesterday that you’re now secondguessing. Tomorrow’s meeting.
News The email from a client you haven’t answered.
Do that thing. Delegate. Then ask the question again.
The difficult conversation with a member of your team you’ve been avoiding. The work you delegated but are quietly wondering whether you should have done yourself.
Make sure the work you are not delegating is meeting at least two of my three Ps…
And that nagging thought about whether you’re doing enough to bring in new work, build your reputation or make that next career move. No wonder we’re exhausted. Rather than trying to mentally solve everything at once, ask yourself: What needs my attention right now and what can I delegate? Perhaps it’s finishing the document in front of you. Making one phone call. Preparing properly for the next meeting. Having the conversation you’ve been putting off. Or simply stepping away from your desk and eating lunch. Undelegateable!
Purpose: Is the task part of why you do what you do. Is this doing this task the reason you were hired?
and notice what is around you. Take a proper break between tasks rather than carrying the stress of one straight into the next. And at the end of the day, take a moment to acknowledge what you have completed before immediately focusing on everything still waiting for you tomorrow.
Profit: If you are delivering this task, is your employer getting good ROI on their investment in you?
The aim isn’t to stop thinking about the past or planning for the future. Both are necessary. It’s recognising when yesterday or tomorrow is stealing too much of your energy from today.
Create small anchors in your working day
When that happens, bring yourself back to three questions:
Mindfulness can sound like another thing to squeeze into an already busy day, but it doesn’t need to involve 30 minutes of meditation or sitting crosslegged in complete silence.
What is happening right now? What can I control right now? What needs my attention right now?
Pleasure: Does doing this task fulfil you and make you feel positive?
It can take seconds. Notice your feet on the floor. Slow your breathing. Look away from your screen
Sometimes we don’t need to have the whole future figured out. We just need clarity about what we can do next.
Mills & Reeve Passes £200m Turnover As Birmingham Team Grows partner. Sian Jackson was among 34 people promoted in the region during the last financial year, while Birmingham lawyers Hayley Simonds and Alexa Jones were among eight principal associates promoted to partner on 1 June 2026.
Mills & Reeve has reported record turnover of £206.9 million for the 2025/26 financial year, passing the £200 million mark for the first time. The 13.9% rise on the previous year comes alongside an employee profit share pool of more than £3.25 million, with most employees set to receive at least £2,300. The firm has also increased its investment in discretionary performance bonuses. It said the results reflected progress on its 2030 strategy despite economic uncertainty and geopolitical disruption. International work through its M&R Global network now accounts for 30% of revenue, while its Fearless Feedback programme has interviewed more than 5,000 clients. In the Midlands, Mills & Reeve has continued to expand its teams. Recent appointments include Rachael Armstrong as a private client partner and Fiona Teague as a commercial 22
The firm has now strengthened its Birmingham family team with the appointment of Lucy Barr, pictured, as a partner. She joins from Veale Wasbrough Vizards, where she led its Birmingham family law practice for more than eight years, and will work alongside partner Katherine Kennedy. Lucy has more than 20 years’ experience, largely in the Midlands. Her work includes complex divorce and financial remedy proceedings, Children Act disputes, cohabitation cases and international jurisdictional matters, including Hague Convention child abduction. Lucy said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to join the Mills & Reeve family team and support its ambitious growth plans. The firm is recognised as top tier for family and children law, and I’m looking forward to working with a highly talented group of lawyers in Birmingham and across the national practice.” Katherine Kennedy said: “Lucy brings real strength and depth to our family team in Birmingham. With her vast
experience in litigating complex family disputes, she is able to give clients clarity and reassurance as to the appropriate strategy to resolve matters.” Beyond recruitment, the firm has been appointed to Nottingham Trent University’s three-year legal framework. Birmingham partner Helen Tringham also led its work advising the University of Sussex on a successful appeal against a record Office for Students fine relating to freedom of speech. Mills & Reeve has joined the UK SCALE Centre’s Supply Chain Futures Forum as its first Midlands-based company member. Its regional community work includes partnerships focused on education and social mobility, support for Birmingham Central Foodbank and investment in woodland restoration and biodiversity projects in Shropshire. Simon Garbett, a Midlands partner at Mills & Reeve, said: “These results demonstrate the strength of our strategy, the quality of our people and the trust our clients continue to place in us.” He added: “The Midlands team will play a vital role in bringing that ambition forward, as we continue to support dynamic and exciting regional businesses, whether that’s through our leading M&A team, our award-winning health and care team, or through our standout commercial, education and private client work.” birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
Sponsor News
Licensed Conveyancer Apprenticeship For Your In-House Team What it costs Firms often think they are picking between a funded apprenticeship and a proper qualification. They are not. The CLC diplomas sit inside the apprenticeship standards, so your apprentice ends up with the same qualification as someone who paid privately. The learner pays nothing. Here is what the employer pays:
Look around your conveyancing team. The paralegal who has been doing searches for three years. The assistant who knows the files better than anyone else in the office. Either of them could be your next licensed conveyancer, and the government will pay for most of the training. That is the part most firms miss. You do not have to go out and find a qualified conveyancer, or pay for expensive private diplomas. You can qualify the people already sitting in your office, and they keep working your files the whole way through. The Level 6 Licensed Conveyancer Apprenticeship is not new. What has been missing is anyone to deliver it. Only a few training providers are on the government register for this standard. Until now, most people either paid for the Level 6 diploma out of their own pocket, or moved onto a solicitor or CILEx course with very little property law in it. The conveyancing apprenticeship route: Level 4 to Level 6 Datalaw runs both conveyancing levels. That means a firm can take someone from the Level 4 Conveyancing Technician Apprenticeship all the way to a Licence to Practice without changing providers along the way. To start the Level 6 Licensed Conveyancer programme, an apprentice needs to have finished the Level 4 Conveyancing Technician units, or hold recognised exemptions. So a technician you have already trained can move straight up. Level 4 Conveyancing Apprenticeship: Twenty-one months in total, eighteen months of training, then the end-point assessment. Apprentices need GCSE maths and English at grade C/4 or
above, which means paralegals, support staff and career changers already on your payroll can apply. They finish with the Level 4 Diploma in Conveyancing Law and Practice and can join the CLC legal technician directory. Level 6 Licensed Conveyancer Apprenticeship: 18 months of training, plus up to four months to finish the final assessment. It covers residential, commercial and agricultural conveyancing, client account management and the rules around compliance. Apprentices finish with the Level 6 Diploma in Conveyancing Law and Practice, which lets them apply for a Licence to Practice as a Licensed Conveyancer. What the licence lets them do A licensed conveyancer can advise clients, hold files in their own name and run transactions on their own. For your team, that is the difference between someone who helps with a caseload and someone who has one. It is also the exact person you were trying to hire. Why property specialists qualify faster Someone on a solicitor or chartered legal executive course spends a long time learning areas of law your property team will never use. These two programmes do not. They are conveyancing and nothing else. The first workshop is already on title, searches, contract and exchange, leases and mortgages, completion and post-completion, plus the AML, KYC and risk work that goes with all of it. The teaching is built around the files on the apprentice’s desk, so their caseload grows while they study. There is nothing extra to finish at the end either. No second portfolio, no follow-up assessment, so moving up a level is not held up by paperwork.
● Level 4 Conveyancing Technician: the government funds up to £10,000. Co-funded employers pay no more than £500. ● Level 6 Licensed Conveyancer: the government funds up to £9,000. Cofunded employers pay no more than £450. ● Levy payers: the cost comes out of your Apprenticeship Levy funds instead. So a co-funded firm can take someone from technician to licensed conveyancer for £950. It is worth putting that next to the diploma invoices already going through your training budget. Fitting conveyancing apprenticeships around the day job Money is rarely the sticking point. Time is. Fee earners cannot vanish for travel days, and partners do not want to become tutors on top of everything else. Datalaw teaches both programmes on Zoom, in group sessions and one to one. Nothing residential, nothing to travel to, no campus days to plan around. Every apprentice gets their own tutor, who takes them through the standard, checks the knowledge has stuck and keeps them moving. Supervision in the firm stays where it should be, on the files. When the next Level 6 cohort starts If someone on your team has already finished the Level 4 Conveyancing Technician units, or holds recognised exemptions, they are ready for the Level 6 now. Datalaw runs the Level 6 Licensed Conveyancer apprenticeship twice a year. There is no single annual intake to plan a year around and no long wait once you have picked your person. If nobody has the Level 4 conveyancing technician units yet, that is simply where the route starts instead. The Level 6 follows on at the end of it, with the same provider and the same tutor set-up, so the progression is already mapped out before your first apprentice begins. Either way, the first step is a short conversation about who in your team is ready and which intake they should join.
Regulation Report
SRA Investigations And Legal Professional Privilege A recent High Court decision (published on 21 September 2026) impacts on the SRA’s ability to conduct investigations, but it also creates more work for firms that need to report matters to the SRA writes Cary Whitmarsh, chair of Birmingham Law Society Professional Regulation Committee. In Carter-Ruck Solicitors and Amersi v SRA [2026] EWHC 2516 (KB) the High Court ruled on whether the SRA’s investigatory powers override legal professional privilege. Spoiler Alert – They don’t. Having said that the SRA has said that it intends to appeal the decision. The hope is that the decision will leapfrog to the Supreme Court so that a final decision is made as soon as possible. SRA’s Powers The powers of the SRA depend on whether the SRA regulated firm is a licensed body or a recognised body. For ease of reference this article considers the position in respect of a recognised body. The position is broadly similar for a licensed body. The principal legislation is the Solicitors Act 1974. Section 44B of the Act provides that the SRA can issue a notice to a person requiring them to: a) Provide information; or b) Produce documents as specified in the notice. The notice can be served on the firm, or any of its people. To give such a notice, the SRA must be satisfied that it is necessary for the purpose of investigating professional misconduct or any failure to comply with the SRA’s rules. There is nothing in s.44B that expressly provides that a notice may override legal professional privilege. The Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (The ECCTA) introduced new powers in relation to the investigation of economic crime. The ECCTA introduced Section 111A of the Legal Services Act 2007 that makes a substantially similar provision 24
to that in s.44B, but the SRA must be satisfied that the notice is necessary for the purpose of investigating economic crime. There are supplementary provisions to the power to issue a notice in the Solicitors Act. Section 44BA provides that the SRA can require a person on whom a s.44B notice has been served, to provide explanations for documents or information obtained under s.44B notice. Section 44BB provides that the SRA can require other persons to provide documents or information where the person on whom the s.44B notice has been served has been unable to provide them and has indicated that the other person may be able to provide them. Case law The SRA has long relied on ParryJones v Law Society [1969] 1 Ch 1 where it was held that the Law Society was entitled to require the production of privileged material under the then legislation governing the conduct of solicitors. It was thought that the position was confirmed in Simms v Law Society [2005] EWHC 408 (Admin). The Parry-Jones case was one that related to the then Solicitors Accounts Rules. The Law Society commenced an investigation into Mr Parry-Jones (a solicitor) books of account. He sought an injunction to prevent the Law Society from accessing confidential client information. He was unsuccessful and appealed to the Court of Appeal. The case was heard by, amongst others, Lords Denning and Diplock. Lord Denning held that there was an implied term in the contract between the solicitor and client that “the solicitor must obey the law, and, in particular, he must comply with the rules made under the authority of statute for the conduct of the profession. If the rules require him to disclose his client’s affairs, then he must do so”. He added that the relevant rule of the then Accounts Rules had the effect of overriding privilege or confidence between solicitor and client. He said that this enabled the Law Society to act for the public good in investigating misconduct.
Lord Diplock agreed with Lord Denning, but took a slightly different tack. He argued that privilege refers to a right to withhold from a court, or a tribunal exercising judicial functions, material which would otherwise be admissible in evidence. Since the Law Society was not a court or tribunal the notion of privilege did not apply. The logic here is that where it is necessary to investigate misconduct or breaches of the rules then legal professional privilege does not apply as there is an implicit contract between client and solicitor that the solicitor will do so within the boundaries of professional conduct. In R (Morgan Grenfell Ltd) v Special Commissioner of Income Tax [2003] 1 AC 563 Lord Hoffmann was critical of the decision in Parry-Jones. He said, “LPP is a fundamental human right long established in the common law. It is a necessary corollary of the right of any person to obtain skilled advice about the law. Such advice cannot be effectively obtained unless the client is able to put all the facts before the adviser without fear that they may afterwards be disclosed and used to his prejudice”.
birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
High Court decision Mr Justice Butcher concluded that s.44 of the Act does not provide for LPP to be overridden because: a) LPP is a fundamental right that can only be overridden with the express will of Parliament; b) S.44 does not contain any provision to override LPP; and c) LPP belongs to the client and it is not easy to see how s.44 can be implied to override LPP. The anomaly We are now in a curious position where the SRA’s ability to investigate breaches of misconduct or economic crime are hampered. However, s.35 and Schedule of the Act provides the power for the SRA to intervene into a solicitor’s firm. This includes a power for the SRA to take possession of all documents in the possession of, or under the control of, the solicitor or his firm in connection with his practice. The Act does not expressly state that the powers of intervention override legal professional privilege, but it follows that taking possession of all documents in relation to a solicitor’s practice will include privileged material.
The power to intervene arises in the following circumstances (amongst others): a) Where there is reason to suspect dishonesty by a solicitor or employee; b) Where there is reason to suspect dishonesty in respect of a solicitor’s firm; c) Where there is reason to suspect any failure to comply with the Accounts Rules. As one would expect the intervention powers apply at a higher bar than the investigatory powers. Section 44B applies where it is necessary for the purpose of investigating professional misconduct or any failure to comply with the SRA’s rules. This decision will make it harder for the SRA to investigate professional misconduct. The concern is that the regulator might be more inclined to exercise its power of intervention where there is a suspicion of dishonesty whereas before this decision it would have exercised the s.44B powers. What does this mean for the profession?
Solicitors, and COLPs in particular, are under an obligation to report serious breaches of the SRA’s regulatory arrangements to the regulator. For ease of reference, in the remainder of this article, I will refer to the COLP. In the past the COLP would have been able to disclose the details of any client matter to the SRA in the knowledge that Parry-Jones overrode privilege. Now, the COLP is in a position where any matter needs to be reviewed, so that any privileged material is not disclosed to the SRA unless he has already obtained consent from the client. Anyone who has ever reviewed a client file will know how time consuming it is to remove or redact privileged material. Obtaining client consent will also be time consuming as for many clients this will require an explanation of what is meant by legal professional privilege and the risks involved in disclosure. The High Court has just added to the COLP’s workload and added another layer of complexity and cost to meeting the regulatory requirements.
Industry
Open at Half Eight: What “Local” Still Means at a 200-Year-Old Law Firm
Tishka Chapman has been a Partner in Wolferstans’ Residential Conveyancing team for 16 years. She’s seen the job change: the compliance, the technology, the pace clients now expect. Some of the waiting she can remove. The rest she can’t – so she’s built her team around making sure no client is ever left in the dark about their matter. A Firm You Can Walk Into Wolferstans has served the South West since 1812. Today it runs two offices in North Hill and Plympton, with over 200 staff covering every area of law except criminal. But ask Tishka Chapman what kind of firm it is, and the answer isn’t about practice areas or headcount. “We have lots of clients who attend the office to drop documents off, or want a quick conversation with you over something. 26
We open from 8.30am to 5.30pm - I saw clients at half eight this morning before they went into work.” It’s a small detail that says a lot. In an industry increasingly defined by portals, apps, and national conveyancing chains, personal care, including the ability to choose an early appointment, is of a piece with everything else the firm does to shorten the distance between client expectations and firm delivery. Local Staff, No Client Distance Wolferstans’ local identity isn’t incidental; it’s structural. All 200+ staff are employed directly by the firm, with no consultants. Most staff work from the office regularly, including Tishka herself. Her trainee, Keeva Fitzgerald, is in four days a week, with the fifth being her training day.
While hybrid working does feature in Wolferstans, Tishka prefers working in-office but does like the flexibility that hybrid working offers. “ In the office, if you’ve got a question, it’s easier to pop down the corridor and ask. But if you’re at home, you’re trying to get hold of someone on Teams, and they may not be available.” For a firm built on being reachable, that’s not a small thing. Ensuring that colleagues can communicate quickly and efficiently means that client care remains at the forefront of operations. Being Available Isn’t the Same as An Instant Response Clients today expect things to move quickly. While not every part of the process can be sped up, Tishka believes the client experience can still keep pace. birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
m “We receive specialist training on compliance and we understand the reasons behind it.” Tishka’s approach is transparency without over-promising. She tells clients the truth about delays rather than managing around them. This is the central tension of modern conveyancing, and it speaks to the power of controlling what can be controlled in a transaction. Some of the waiting can be taken out of a transaction. Tishka’s search provider, Dye & Durham, does her chasing on her behalf and answers queries the same day – on the day we spoke, she had three of them – which is time that would otherwise go on chasing. Much of it cannot: For example, a local authority search in Plymouth was running six to eight weeks while South Hams came back in two or three and Cornwall inside a week, and no amount of chasing moves a council that is behind. In all of those instances, Tishka is careful to manage and set client expectations so the client is never in the dark about the process. “When we have an estimated date, we tell the client. If it’s been delayed, we tell the client it’s been delayed. Upfront, honest communication is better than hiding it from a client and promising something you can’t achieve.” When the Job Becomes More Than Conveyancing
Her team runs on a simple rule: clients shouldn’t have to ask for updates. A task system keeps clients informed every two to three days as standard, whether or not there’s news to share. The same principle extends outward, with the team chasing lenders and other firms in a chain if responses go quiet. The Burden of Compliance Every conveyancer knows the compliance burden has grown. What gets said less often is where it lands. Source of funds can take some time before any legal work starts, and even longer when the money is coming from abroad. Still, this tension is not something most clients are aware of, even if it is something that weighs on conveyancing professionals.
Sometimes that honesty is tested by cases that go well beyond the paperwork. Tishka recalls an elderly client whose matter was delayed and their move was held up by a stalled chain because a lawyer further down hadn’t completed source of funds checks on money coming from India and had only done this at the point of completion.
What Sets the Standard For Tishka, the measure of good conveyancing isn’t complicated. It’s whether the client ever has to ask what’s happening. “What sets us apart is our clients don’t have to chase us. We aim to always provide a client with an update before they ask.” It’s the same principle that shapes Wolferstans more broadly. The firm has over 2,000 client reviews on ReviewSolicitors, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5. For Tishka, it comes down to something simpler. “We want each client to feel they’re special – like they’re your only client.” The lesson, from Tishka’s experience and Wolferstans’ approach, is to be deliberate about what can be controlled: Remove the delay that can be taken out, using a search partner who answers the same day and does the tracing for you, and be straight with the client about the delay that can’t. Tishka, Keeva, and the team at Wolferstans have built a reputation on delivering exceptional client care, and that approach is still serving clients – including more than 2,000 positively reviewing ones – more than two centuries after the firm first opened its doors. About Dye & Durham Limited Dye & Durham Limited provides premier practice management solutions empowering legal professionals every day, delivers vital data insights to support critical corporate transactions and enables the essential payments infrastructure trusted by government and financial institutions. The company has operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and South Africa. Additional information can be found at www.dyedurham.co.uk
“ There were so many people below our client in the chain, and one of the lawyers hadn’t done source of funds checks. We ended up being involved in an email with every lawyer in the chain – even on the day of completion, I was asking, where’s the money now? Who’s got it?” It’s a reminder of what’s at stake behind a transaction: for the client, moving house sits alongside the other major turning points in a life. “It’s one of the four major milestones in your life - death, marriage, divorce and moving house. “
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