LSLA
London Solicitors Litigation Association

December 2014

Season’s greetings to all our members.

In this, our final newsletter of 2015 reports on our past events and let you know about some of our future ones.

PAST EVENTS 

Annual Dinner – 26 November 2014

Our Annual Dinner was held on 26 November 2014 at the Law Society.  Our speakers this year were Lord Justice Jackson and Ali Malek QC. Following an introduction from LSLA President, John Bramhall, LJ Jackson was in typically combative mood and delivered a challenging and stimulating address on the Reforms that bear his name. He also had comments to make during Ali Malek's speech too, and it all made for a very entertaining evening, topped off  by an enjoyable session from singer songwriter, Ali Sephton, on piano and vocals.

Autumn Lecture Series

On 1 December 2014 Ben Strong QC of One Essex Court Chambers delivered his lecture entitled “When to keep a secret and when to tell the world”. 

Subtitled, market abuse, insider dealing and reflections on financial crime, Ben’s lecture considered the FCA’s enforcement powers in light of the recent decision in Hannam v FCA, and also the more general ethical dilemmas in relation to confidential information and differences between market practice and a regulator’s expectations.

LSLA/NLJ Litigation Trends Survey

Thank you to all our members who took part in the third survey arranged in conjunction with the New Law Journal.  The survey revealed that the majority of our members are still seeking clarification of the court’s approach to the reforms.  However there have been strides made to ameliorate some of the harsher decisions as the reforms bed in.

To see a copy of the results of the survey see http://www.newlawjournal.co.uk/nlj/content/litigation-trends-survey-post-mitchell.

The survey attracted national press coverage details of which are set out below.

FUTURE EVENTS

Winter Lecture Series

There are a further two lectures planned for early next year.

  • Tuesday 13 January 2015 at Herbert Smith Freehills - “Termination of Contracts: Pitfalls and Traps to Avoid” by Michael Fealy QC of One Essex Court Chambers discussing contractual termination.
  • Thursday 5 February 2015 at Hogan Lovells - “Injunctions and Recent Developments in Interim Relief” from Steven Gee QC of Stone Chambers

Steven Gee QC is author of leading text “Commercial Injunctions” and will discuss injunctions and recent developments in interim relief.

Attendance is not limited to LSLA members. Anyone can apply for tickets via the website – http://www.lsla.co.uk/events – or via the attached form and the lectures count for CPD purposes (the reference code will appear on the admission tickets for the lectures). The cost is £20 per event or £70 for all four (non-members £25 or £90). Our lectures are usually sold out, so please apply early for tickets.

The lectures will start at 6.00pm and will last approximately one hour, to include a period for questions at the end, and will be followed by drinks.

The lecture by Michael Fealy QC on 13 January 2015, respectively, will be held at the Auditorium at Herbert Smith Freehills, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2HS.

The lecture by Steven Gee QC on 5 February 2015 will be held at the Auditorium at Hogan Lovells, Atlantic House, 50 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2FG.

AGM and Dinner – Tuesday 17 March 2015

Our AGM and dinner will take place, as usual, at the offices of Hogan Lovells on the evening of Tuesday 17 March, 2015.  We are delighted to say that our speaker will be former LSLA President and Clifford Chance partner, Simon Davis, who has been much in the news of late – inter alia in connection with the Davis Report – into the now infamous announcement by the FCA of an investigation into the insurance industry.  Simon is always engaging and I am sure will entertain us as ever, in a Chatham House format, which will also allow some time for a Q&A at the end.

JLSLA Events

Our first seminar of 2015 will address key considerations at a pre-action stage, including identifying and investigating potential defendants and jurisdictional considerations. More details will be provided in early January. 

A Champions event will be held early next year to provide an opportunity to put forward ideas for next year’s programme of junior events and introduce new Champions to the organisation. The calendar of networking events will kick off with a Poker Night in February.  Again, further details will follow.

LSLA – RECENT PRESS

Since our last newsletter, committee members of the LSLA and JLSLA have written various articles for national publications including: 

OFFER TO MEMBERS 

IBC Legal: Solicitors’ Costs Conference
3 February 2014 London 

LSLA members are being offered a 20% discount on IBC Legal’s Solicitors’ Costs Conference.

The conference will examine crucial recent developments in costs including Elvanite, the latest on the implementation of the Jackson Reforms and the repercussions of Denton, Part 36, the new format of Bills of Costs and J-Codes, costs budgeting, funding options and more.

Speakers include: Nicholas Bacon QC, His Honour Judge Simon Brown QC and Master Peter Haworth.

For further details see http://www.ibclegal.com/FKW82535LSLE.  To obtain your 20% discount please quote VIP code: FKW82444LSLE when booking online at this address.

LSLA WEBSITE

Our website at http://www.lsla.co.uk/ includes: details of our forthcoming events, copies of the responses we have filed to recent consultations, recent articles and press citing members of the association, and past editions of the newsletter.

You can also join the LSLA via our website as well as sign up for future events on it. 

We hope that our website will prove a source of information for members.  Please let us know if you have any comments on it.

Now that the website has been launched we are working on providing feeds to our LinkedIn and Twitter addresses.

LSLA MEMBERSHIP

The form for any new members who wish to join is attached.  If you are 8 years PQE or less you will automatically become a member of the JLSLA if you complete the section of the application form identifying your year of admission.

The LSLA also offers corporate membership to firms.  Essentially, for £500 a firm with corporate membership can register an unlimited number of litigation solicitors working for it in London as members.  Please contact Julian Copeman at julian.copeman@hsf.com if you would like to take out corporate membership.

You can also join the LSLA by visiting our website at http://www.lsla.co.uk/.

LIST OF SUPERVISING SOLICITORS

The White Book refers to the LSLA maintaining details of individuals who might be able to act as supervising solicitors for the execution of Search Orders.  Our list continues to grow and is updated quarterly.  We invite those suitably qualified to provide us with their details, including relevant experience, for inclusion on the list. 

The Junior LSLA

The JLSLA provides:

  • seminars designed to offer practical tips on procedural and substantive legal issues commonly faced by junior civil litigators in an interactive and relaxed atmosphere;
  • networking events for members to meet and form contacts in their peer group; and
  • e-news on recent and future activity and key developments with the aim of ensuring that the junior perspective is reflected in the LSLA's responses to consultation papers. 

The JLSLA is aimed at solicitors of 8 years PQE and less.  Members of the LSLA will automatically become members of the JLSLA if they qualify by year of admission and complete the relevant section of the membership form (copy attached).   The JSLA also has firm Champions, who act as the point of contact between the JLSLA committee and their firm.

If you are interested in joining the JLSLA or being the JLSLA Champion for your firm, please contact the JLSLA President, Caroline Field, at cfield@foxlawyers.com.

The JLSLA can also be contacted via their LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Junior-London-Solicitors-Litigation-Association-4438638/about?trk=anet_ug_grppro.

PDF icon Winter Lecture Series.pdf