Crazy football provides comic relief

Member firms of Wolverhampton Law Society took part in a recent tournament to raise money for Comic Relief.

Council member Paul Kettle reports:-

“On 17th March 2011, Wolverhampton Junior Lawyers Division organised a charity football tournament which was held at Aldersley Stadium. 14 frankly shambolic and amateurish outfits took part with an (un)healthy turn out from firm's across Wolverhampton and the Black Country. Even some renegades from Birmingham turned up! After a hectic round of matches held on two pitches when the 14 teams, wheezed, coughed, spluttered, dived, fouled and generally floundered their way through 3 x 10 (gruelling) minute matches each, 4 hardy bands of brothers scraped through to the semi finals and ultimately 2 teams who were in all probability made up of chaps who were part-time lawyers (aren't we all to an extent) and full-time footballers (which we all certainly aren't after last night's showing) progressed to the final.

Those two teams were from Higgs & Sons Solicitors and No.5 Chambers and they (literally at times - come on chaps, it's a charity do!) fought it out for 10 bitter minutes with No.5 emerging as winners! Congratulations! Not actually lawyers though are you... Disqualified I say!!!

And now to the serious... Thank you sincerely to all the teams who gave up their time to play and paid their entrance fee which went into the charity pot.
Thank you too to those teams who raised additional sponsorship money and who bought scratch cards on the night. Wolverhampton Junior Lawyers Division are delighted to say that the amount raised so far is well in excess of £1,000!!! This is a great effort, we're all sure you'll agree, and more can be raised. In order to add to add your contributions to this healthy fund please contact tournament organiser Ben Thorne.”

Notice of AGM meeting April 2011

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the 164th Annual General Meeting of the Wolverhampton Law Society is to be held at Linden House, Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, at 3.00pm on Thursday 7th April 2011 for the following business to be transacted

AGENDA

1. Apologies
2. Approval of the Minutes of the 163rd Annual General Meeting held on the 29th of April 2010
3. Consideration of the Annual Report of the Council for the year ended 31st December 2010
4. Consideration of the Accounts of the Society for the year ended 31st December 2010
5. To consider the collection of membership fees
6. President’s remarks
7. Election of Officers of the Society for the ensuing year and the issue of the Office of President
8. Election of Members to the Wolverhampton Law Society Council
9. Election of two representatives of the Society to the West Midlands Association of Law Societies
10. Appointment of Auditors and Remuneration
11. Donation to the Solicitors Benevolent Association and any other Donations
12. The Role of the Wolverhampton Law Society – ongoing discussion
13. Any other business

Richard Ennis
Honorary Secretary
Wolverhampton Law Society

Seminar Flyer

Please click on the image to enlarge

WOLVERHAMPTON LAW SOCIETY

Seminar: “Anti-Money Laundering: This Year’s Problems, Next Year’s Nightmares”

Thursday 7th April 2010 2pm to 3pm
(To be immediately followed by the Society’s AGM)

Speaker: Gary Christianson, Specialist Regulatory Solicitor. Gary has been a Partner and then Chairman of Shakespeare Putsmans Solicitors. For many years Gary has advised members of the Profession on all manner of Regulatory and Partnership issues, both contentious and non-contentious. He is a Member of the Law Society’s Money Laundering Directory, where Solicitors are referred to for advice when needed. He has dealt with cases for Solicitors involving Mortgage Fraud, Money Laundering, Referral Fees and Miners’ Compensation Claims together with issues arising out of the Code of Conduct and Accounts Rules. Gary also has experience in providing training on these issues.

Content of Seminar: Gary will guide us through the following:
· Current level of activity (putting your efforts into context)
· Future developments (what will be giving you sleepless nights next year)
· Tipping off; reality v. perception
· Customer Due Diligence
· Sanctions
· Sources of help and information

Cost: Free to Members of the Wolverhampton Law Society who attend the AGM
£20 to Non-Members and those not attending the AGM

CPD: CPD will be available

Venue: Linden House, 211 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton WV6 ODD

Time: 2pm to 3pm immediately followed by Law Society AGM (please stay with us for the AGM which should finish by 4pm)

Refreshments: Tea and Coffee will be provided

RSVP: Please confirm attendance at both Seminar and AGM by completing the booking slip found at the top of the page and sending to:

Nick Wynn-Williams, President of Wolverhampton Law Society
c/o Rees Page Solicitors, 8/12 Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4BL
DX 10405 Wolverhampton,
Fax 01902 577735
e-mail nwynnwilliams@reespage.co.uk

by no later than 30th March 2011.

Nominations for the offices of President and Vice President

The following nominations have been received for the above detailed offices of the Society:-

President

Alex Thompson - Underhills

Vice-President

Guy Birkett - FBC Manby Bowdler

Joint Law Society and Wolverhampton University initiative

Members of the Society will recall that last year Wolverhampton University in collaboration with the City Council and the Mander Centre set up a “Law Shop”. Housed within a vacant retail unit on the ground floor of Wolverhampton’s flagship shopping centre the scheme ran as a successful pilot and the University is now looking to place it on a firmer footing.

An integral part of the service to be offered will be legal clinics similar to those which used to be provided at smaller CABs some years ago. It is envisioned that the clinics will be staffed by students and volunteers including, it is hoped, members of the Wolverhampton Law Society. The primary function of the clinics will be diagnostic together with appropriate sign-posting to more specialised advisors in other sectors be they legal (such as local solicitors), local authority help and advice (eg Trading Standards) and other organisations that assist in resolving day to day legal problems.

Introducing the initiative the Associate Dean at the University’s School of Law, Social Services and Communications, Lynn Leighton-Johnstone said:-

“ With reductions in legal aid funding in the pipeline and the added pressures the Recession has placed upon ordinary people there is a real risk that many will be denied access to justice. I hope that The Law Clinic will become a resource that the people of Wolverhampton and surrounding areas can turn to for practical help in finding solutions to the legal issues that arise in day-to-day life. The participation of Members of the Wolverhampton Law Society would not only enhance the level of service that could be offered but would send out a clear message that the legal profession in Wolverhampton is there to provide support to the wider community.”

In the first instance expressions of interest are sought from member firms of the Wolverhampton Law Society based upon a commitment from each to provide support for a clinic on one afternoon per month.

Those interested are invited to contact Nick Wynn-Williams by e-mail at nwynnwilliams@reespage.co.uk