New Officers elected at AGM

It was all change at the Wolverhampton Law Society AGM on 7th April as we welcomed our new President Alex Thompson, Vice President Guy Birkett and Joint Social Secretaries Charlotte Chlode and Laura Jones .

Alex is pictured below with out going President Nick Wynn- Williams handing over the Society’s badge of office.

Alex and Nick

Guy

On behalf of the wider membership Nick paid tribute to the support that out going Social secretaries Alison Westwood and Tracy Davies had provided to the Society over the past 10 years or so.

Richard Ennis and Guy Ruddock remain in office as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.

Jasvinder Sanghera - Raising awareness of domestic violence and honour based abuse and providing support to victims of forced marriages

Bilston and District Soroptimists have organised an event at which Jasvinder Sanghera will speak about the need to raise awareness around the above detailed topics.

Herself a survivor of a forced marriage Jasvinder Sanghera has written about her experiences in works such as "Shame" and "Daughters of Shame". She is recognised as an Ambassador for Peace by the Womens Federation of World Peace and is Director of the charity Karma Nirvana whose aims are to support all victims of honour based abuse and forced marriage.

Jasvinder also acts as an expert advisor to the Courts in cases of forced marriages and honour based crimes.

For details of the event and how to order tickets please see the attached flyer and order form.

Please click image to enlarge

Society golfing team seeks revenge in annual outing against Accountants

Friday 16th September will see the latest in the annual series of gargantuan golfing showdowns between members of the Society and local Accountants. Readers will remember that a certain “frisson” was injected into last year’s event after the victorious Accountants were accused of gloating about their narrow victory.

In issuing a “call to arms” Wolverhampton Law Society Vice President and Golf Captain Guy Birkett said:-

“ I appeal to all golfing members of the Society who would like to take part to contact me whatever their ability. With a very mixed standard and handicaps varying from 5 to 28 the event is a great day out for all participants regardless of their golfing prowess.”

In what some will see as a provocative move Birkett went on to say:-

“ Unlike our opponents the Society has a proud tradition of fielding teams drawn exclusively from our membership”.

Commentators believe this refers to allegations that last year the Accountants fielded at least one “bandit banker”. An investigation subsequently revealed that the participant’s father rather than the participant himself was an Accountant. It is feared that uncertainty about eligibility criteria could yet intrude upon this year’s event. Rumours that golfing legend Tom Watson might be offered Honorary membership of the Society so that he could play in this year’s event at Oswestry Golf Club were today described as “completely without foundation” by the Society’s Press spokesman.

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.