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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ON 18 JULY 2019

NOTICE IS GIVEN that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives will be held at 3.30 pm, on Thursday 18 July 2019, at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Warrington Road, Chester CH2 3PD.

Anyone who is registered with The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) may attend the Annual General Meeting and speak on the various items of business, but only Fellows are entitled to vote on Resolutions.

CEO’s message

CEO Linda Ford describes the key initiatives and projects planned for 2019.

Update on CILEx is changing…

As 2019 continues, our priority remains to strengthen what the Chartered Institute offers its members. Work to finalise our new five-year strategic plan has continued, with a focus on the development of new qualifications that offer a more streamlined route to achieving Chartered Legal Executive status, integrating the requirements of work-based learning and practice rights.

Our aim is not only to continue to offer accessible routes into the law, but through our qualifications, training and CPD provide members with a wider set of skills that will open up even more career choices and opportunities. Whether in high street law firms or alternative business structures, as inhouse counsel, through judicial appointment or even inspiring a new generation of lawyers, our qualifications need to equip our members to work in an increasingly digital society.

CILEx will continue to lobby for change to ensure that Chartered Legal Executives benefit from the same opportunities and rights as other branches of the legal profession, and to tackle sector snobbery, eliminate glass ceilings and raise awareness among employers about what CILEx members can do.

In January, we announced our intention to make our regulatory function, CILEx Regulation, even more independent in the way it operates and is governed. CILEx is working with the Legal Services Board and CILEx Regulation to ensure that our model delivers effective and proportionate regulation that enables public trust and confidence in CILEx legal professionals without raising the overall cost to members.

Our commitment to efficiency and effectiveness extends to how all aspects of the Chartered Institute operate and are governed. Almost a year on since the new governance structure came into effect, we have taken the opportunity to review its effectiveness, introducing further reforms to bring down costs and streamline decision-making. By reducing the number of Board and Committee members, and revising the Executive structure, we are confident that CILEx can better meet the needs of its members and operate with agility in an ever-changing environment to strengthen our profile and influence in the legal sector.

In the months ahead...

This month sees incorporation of our new Charitable Foundation and its registration with the Charity Commission. The new foundation

provides an opportunity to modernise our Benevolent Fund by providing members with access to a wider selection of welfare services and financial support. We will be introducing new schemes, including education bursaries and grants, and redefining how we support pro bono activities and work in partnership with other charitable organisations, such as the Access to Justice Foundation and LawCare.

In May, our new Corporate Partnerships scheme will be launched, enabling organisations to partner with CILEx to support the training, career progression and recognition of our members. (See pages 10–12 of this issue.)

The CILEx AGM on 18 July is an opportunity for you to meet our Board and hear more about our strategy and the latest annual accounts (see the notice of the AGM left). I hope that many of you will join us. Alternatively, you can help to shape our future plans and priorities by joining a CILEx Specialist Reference Group or your local branch. Login to your myCILEx account to sign up!

Talking to a colleague about their mental health

Elizabeth Rimmer, director of LawCare, discusses how to have a conversation with a colleague about their mental wellbeing.

With Mental Health Awareness Week (from 13 to 19 May) on the horizon, now is a great time to pay attention to the wellbeing of your colleagues and to raise awareness of mental health issues in your workplace.

If you are working with someone who appears to be struggling, for example, is frequently anxious or short-tempered or low and depressed, consider asking your colleague, in private, what is wrong and how you might help. Talking to a colleague in this way can be difficult, but you do not need to be an expert in mental health to start a conversation of this nature. It is important to remember that talking could make all the difference to your colleague’s mental health. Here are some tips that might help:

  • Find a suitable place, ideally outside of the office, perhaps at a café or suggest going for a walk.
  • The conversation could be started with a simple ‘How are you?’. Once a person knows that they are being given the space and time to talk, they often will.
  • Actively listen to the person and give them your undivided attention. Make sure that your phone is in silent mode and refrain from looking at your watch.
  • Do not interrupt: try to leave any questions or comments you may have until the person has finished speaking.
  • Ask open questions, such as ‘What support do you have in place?’ and ‘What would you like to happen in this situation?’.
  • Use positive body language and encourage the person to continue with small verbal comments like ‘I see’ or ‘What happened next?’.
  • Check your understanding by paraphrasing what the person has said back to them.
  • Respond by using empathetic statements such as ‘I appreciate this must be difficult for you’.
  • Avoid clichés. Comments like: ‘Pull yourself together’ or ‘What will be, will be’ are not helpful.
  • Do not make the conversation about you. Avoid saying things like: ‘I know how you feel’ or ‘The same thing happened to me.’
  • The important thing is to listen rather than give advice; the individual needs to be able to act for themselves.
  • Be reassuring and signpost them to support, such as LawCare, your workplace human resources department, another colleague or suggest that they visit their GP.

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  • If you are worried about a colleague, or need to talk about your own wellbeing, call the LawCare helpline on 0800 279 6888 or e-mail: support@lawcare.org.uk 
  • Helpline Support is free, independent and confidential, and available from Monday to Friday 9 am–7.30 pm and at weekends and on bank holidays 10 am–4 pm.

Promoting Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 in your workplace

The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 is ‘Body Image: how we think and feel about our bodies’.

Encourage sharing of stories from people within the ffirm or invite a speaker to give a talk: lived experiences can help break down stigma.

Organise lunchtime workshops on mindfulness, nutrition, yoga, or whatever takes your fancy!

Use existing internal communication channels, such as the intranet, e-mail and team meetings to talk about wellbeing.

Distribute LawCare literature: putting up posters in the toilets usually gets people’s attention!

Signpost to LawCare for further support.

 If you would like leaflets, posters, copy or digital images to use within your organisation to promote Mental Health Awareness Week 2019, e-mail: gmatthews@lawcare.org.uk

CILEx National Awards 2019

CILEx to partner with LawCare to recognise mental health initiatives

CILEx has introduced a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Initiative award category into this year’s CILEx National Awards, in partnership with legal sector mental health charity, LawCare.

The award will recognise those organisations that demonstrate enhanced staff satisfaction, improved operational performance and/or the embedding of mental health and wellbeing into organisational values and culture.

CILEx chief executive Linda Ford says: ‘We are proud to support and represent a wealth of talented people and organisations and want to acknowledge those who are leading the way in taking measures to improve and maintain the mental health and wellbeing of their staff.’

Elizabeth Rimmer, chief executive of LawCare, said: ‘We are delighted that CILEx is the first legal professional body to launch a mental health and wellbeing award, and we would like to encourage all firms who have developed initiatives in this area to nominate themselves. Sharing best practice in mental health and wellbeing in the legal sector helps create more mentally healthy workplaces, making the legal profession a happier and healthier place to work.’

Lawyers urged to ‘Flag It Up’ and tackle the threat from dirty money

The National Crime Agency’s National Strategic Assessment 2018 states that there is a realistic possibility that the scale of money laundering impacting the UK annually is in the hundreds of billions of pounds.

Criminals employ a range of techniques to conceal the origins of the proceeds of crime. Unfortunately, professionals working in the accountancy, legal and property sectors are at risk of being targeted for their skills and services. That is why the property, legal and accountancy sectors are working with the government to support the ‘Flag It Up’ campaign.

This joint initiative aims to raise awareness of the warning signs of money laundering, as well as the correct due diligence processes to undertake, and ultimately to help professionals to protect themselves and their firms by submitting high-quality Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs).

A poll was undertaken, in January 2019, for the Flag It Up campaign to ascertain where anti-money laundering (AML) sits on a list of professional priorities, as well as other attitudes towards AML from within the legal sector. The snapshot poll, conducted by Coleman Parkes Research, surveyed 100 legal professionals and initial findings were as follows:

  • 51% of the 100 lawyers polled are very concerned by the prospect of becoming unwittingly involved in money laundering, which indicates that AML resources would be of value to them;
  • 72% are motivated by stopping criminals, safeguarding their firm and reputation of the profession;
  • Not all lawyers polled were aware of the key ‘red flags’ that should trigger suspicion into client activity:
    • 41% did not recognise an increase in spending that is inconsistent with the client’s means as a potential money laundering trigger;
    • 41% did not recognise changes in the client’s instructions without warning or reason;
    • 42% did not recognise changes in the identity of the lead client or beneficial owner; and
    • 61% did not recognise changes in the nature/purpose of the business relationship.
  • Nearly 40% of legal professionals polled had not received formal AML training
  • Of the 100 legal professionals polled, an overwhelming 96% put ‘complying with anti-money laundering regulations’ as a company priority going into 2019, over and above increasing revenue (62%), preparing for uncertainty around Brexit (55%) and retaining clients (54%).

It is essential that legal professionals file high-quality SARs to prevent money laundering. Even the best lawyers can miss the signs of money laundering if they do not look closely enough. Know the signs, report the crime. If you have a #SuspiciousMind #FlagItUp

For more information on the campaign, visit: flagitup.campaign.gov.uk

Former CILEx president Nick Hanning named as member of CJC

Nick Hanning, a former CILEx president has been named the new CILEx representative on the Civil Justice Council (CJC). David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, confirmed Nick’s appointment for a period of three years from 1 January 2019. The CJC provides advice to the secretary of state, the judiciary and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee on the effectiveness of aspects of the justice system, and makes recommendations to test, review or conduct research into specific areas.

Speaking of his appointment, Nick says: ‘Civil justice is facing massive changes which will have a fundamental impact on access to justice, so the work of the Civil Justice Council has never been more important. I am greatly looking forward to contributing to that work.’

Promotion prize for high-flying CILEx lawyers

Chartered Legal Executive Kathryn Hill has been made a partner at Burnetts Solicitors, which has offices in Cumbria and North East England. Kathryn, who is head of the residential conveyancing department, is based in the firm’s Cockermouth office.

Kathryn said: ‘I never thought I would be a partner in a firm of solicitors, but since I qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2003, many of the hurdles have fallen away. There has traditionally been a huge chasm between the regard held for solicitors and Chartered Legal Executives, and there were no Chartered Legal Executive partners before me, so this feels like a significant milestone. This is where I wanted to be at the start of my legal career, and being invited into the partnership is recognition of all my hard work and of the value of the Chartered Legal Executive qualification.’

Meanwhile, Chartered Legal Executive Rob Winder was promoted from Associate to Senior Associate at Burnetts.

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London Legal Walk returns on 17 June: save the date!

The 15th annual London Legal Walk will be held ‘after work’ on Monday June 17 this year.

Registration is open and already over 500 teams from across the legal sector have registered to walk. The fun 10km sponsored walk through central London is held each year to raise money for free legal advice charities in London and the South East. The funds that the charities receive from the walk enable them to assist vulnerable people needing good quality, free legal advice.

The walk has two routes, both starting on Carey Street behind the Royal Courts of Justice. Teams can choose either the Parks Route or the River route, and start the walk any time between 4 pm and 7 pm on the day. The walk finishes with a lively street party back on Carey Street, where there will be food vendors, fire jugglers and musicians waiting to celebrate your arrival! Each walker will also receive a free drinks token.

The London Legal Walk is the biggest event of the legal calendar; it is a busy and exciting occasion at which to spend an evening with co-workers and friends. CILEx President Philip Sherwood says: ‘On 17 June, members of the community and local lawyers will unite to walk and raise much-needed funds which will help vulnerable people gain access to justice. CILEx are one of the many teams that have already signed up to walk in London, and we believe that by raising awareness our combined efforts will contribute to a vision which symbolises a society where everybody can access justice.’

Last year, 13,000 people across 750 teams walked to raise funds for this extremely worthwhile cause, raising a record breaking £830,000!

In 2019, walk organisers, the London Legal Support Trust (LLST), hope to break this record again, with the support of those working in the legal sector in and around London.

‘Access to justice is the cornerstone of English and Welsh law and this fundraising effort helps to ensure free legal advice is available to those who need it the most,’ says Law Society of England and Wales president Christina Blacklaws.

‘2019 also marks the centenary of women being able to practise law. This year’s legal walk gives the entire profession the chance to come together to celebrate this anniversary, give back to their local community and raise vital funds for access to justice.’

New head of stakeholder engagement at CRL​

CILEx Regulation Limited (CRL) welcomed Cat Farrow as its new head of stakeholder engagement on 9 April 2019. Cat joins CRL from HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

Speaking about her new role, Cat said: ‘I’m delighted to be joining CILEx Regulation and look forward to establishing strong two-way

engagement with their many stakeholders. As well as a background in consumer engagement, I have a particular interest in diversity and inclusion and look forward to working with the team to progress this important work.’

Second female Chartered Legal Executive judge

Chloe Hubbert has become the second female Chartered Legal Executive (CLE) to be appointed to the judiciary and the first female CLE to become a Deputy District Judge.

Chloe, a Chartered Legal Executive and associate at specialist family law firm, Selby Lowndes Solicitors in Oxfordshire, has been appointed as a Deputy District Judge on the Midlands Circuit. Her appointment follows that of Elizabeth Johnson as a Judge of the First-tier Tribunal (see pages 6 to 9 of this issue).

Once Chloe takes up her position, there will be four Chartered Legal Executives sitting as judges altogether, as well as several solicitors who qualified initially as Chartered Legal Executives. • • An interview with Chloe will appear in (2019) Summer CILEx Journal.

LETTERS

We welcome readers’ letters, which we will publish subject to space. The editor reserves the right to shorten letters unless it is stated that a letter should be published in full or not at all. E: valerie.williams@cilex.org.uk

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The citation for this Journal is (2019) Spring CILExJ. © CILEx 2019 ISSN 2050-0580. The 2019 subscription rate for the C I L E x J o u r n a l for non-members of the Chartered Institute is £35 per annum UK; from £58 overseas. Single copies £8.95 including postage. The C I L E x J o u r n a l adopts an independent and inquiring approach towards the law and the legal profession. It is published for the beneffit of members of The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and therefore aims to keep them properly informed of developments in the law and legal practice. As part of this objective, C I L E x J o u r n a l will act as an authoritative source of information on Chartered Institute activities and policies. From time to time C I L E x J o u r n a l could cover controversial issues. The editor shall have the final decision on matters of editorial policy or content, but always strives to preserve and to enhance the good name of the Chartered Institute and its members. The views expressed should be taken as those of the author only unless it is specifically indicated that the Chartered Institute or C I L E x J o u r n a l has given its endorsement. Neither C I L E x J o u r n a l nor the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives accept liability to any party for any error, omission or misstatement by any contributor in any material published herein.