City of London Law Society (CLLS)

Patrick McCann of the CLLS Training Committee has alerted me to the fact that Armstrong Teasdale's sudden retreat from London may have caused more problems than we at City of London Law Society (CLLS) had originally understood. From what I have heard (admittedly not first hand), it seems that statutory redundancy notices were issued last week, leaving many employees in a difficult financial position, with some apparently having been advised on how to apply eg for Universal Credit.    Of course, I don’t have all the facts and I have only parts of one side of the story, albeit the side where it seems a number of employees, lawyers and business service colleagues are suddenly without jobs and careers. But whatever the firm’s reasons for pulling out of London, I wish more could have been done in advance to address getting help for those who now find themselves in this predicament (perhaps something which our regulators should look into?).    For the moment, may I ask our wonderful member firms - who have already helped to place some trainee solicitors - to think about whether they have any vacancies which we can somehow share with those ex Armstrong Teasdale employees who find themselves out of work? I appreciate I may be asking for unplanned recruitment but anything extra that CLLS member firms can do here will be hugely appreciated. 

We are pleased to announce the publication of the Autumn 2024 edition of #CitySolicitor Magazine, The Inspiration Issue, jointly published with The City of London Solicitors' Company. This issue explores inspirational figures in our profession and the profound impact they can have on others, and on making the legal system more #equitable and #accessible to all. The full magazine is available at https://lnkd.in/eFyNTQpF. Enjoy!

⁉️ Have you mastered the development of your firm’s partners? Honed your leaning activities? Identified the best competency acceleration methods? No? Thought not. Many of us are in the same boat as the demand on our businesses, partners and HR and L&D functions constantly evolve. 🛶 It’s tricky! And critical. CLLS Training Committee is pleased to announce a new workshop on Optimising Partner Development featuring contributors: Alexandra Beidas, Colin Passmore, Dr. Farzana Aslam, Holly Stapleton-Walshe, Jonathan Watmough, Kathryn Lippert Rousin, Michal Berkner, Peter Carrick, Rachel Wevill, Richard Macklin, Rosie Warren Cafferty, Usha Puri-Dewage 📅 Tue 1 October 2024 morning 📍 McDermott, Will & Emery, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ 🎟️ Our workshops typically sell out - this one will for sure, email Liz.Thomas@clls.org fast to secure your spot - max two per firm. #PartnerDev #LegalLearning #MarketDifferentiation

🚨 Attention all new solicitor apprentices who started working in the London offices of City Century law firms this month! 🚨 We know you have a lot going on this week, EXCITING TIMES and congratulations again! When you have time please accept your invitation to the City of London Law Society (CLLS) and City Century inaugural Afternoon Tea at Ironmongers' Hall on Thursday 26 September ☕ We have speeches by VIPs, live piano music by a special guest, delicious food, a stunning historic setting AND a surprise gift explained below... The invite will have come from your Early Careers lead at your law firm rather than direct from City Century. DO ASK them if you haven't received the invite yet. Early Careers teams are *extremely* busy at this time of year, and they won't mind a reminder we promise. The main reason for this post though is to share a surprise we have up our sleeves about this very special event... In addition to THE Holly Hobbs 🤳🏽 (used by the Department for Education, UCAS and many corporates) capturing video content at the Afternoon Tea, our Co-CEOs Patrick McCann and Joanna Hughes have arranged for the specialist City of London Livery Hall photographer Marcus Jamieson-Pond FRSA to take an individual photo of every solicitor apprentice attending! 🎁😊 The photos will be similar to the photos featured in this post, also taken by Marcus at the City Century event at The Law Society in National Apprenticeship Week earlier this year. 📷📷📷📷 We hope that the individual reportage style photo of you at the Afternoon Tea will serve as a special memory of a special day in your careers - a gift from us to you to use as you wish. Something to show your families and networks as evidence of how you have achieved already 🤩 📷📷📷📷 #SolicitorApprenticeships #AfternoonTea #Welcome

Our Regulatory Law Committee are up and running on LinkedIn, joining many of our other specialist committees in showcasing and discussing their work and expertise on dedicated #CLLS pages. The committee's work includes detailed scrutiny of guidance and governance proposals dealing with #consumer protection, investments, market reform & #regulation, and investment products. If you are a lawyer working in this space, or interested in the rules and regulations affecting UK, EU, and international businesses and finance, give them a follow at CLLS Regulatory Law Committee.

Along with our sister organisation, The City of London Solicitors' Company, the #CLLS and its 22 specialist committees regularly host a range of stimulating and thought-provoking events. Some of these are exclusive to our members, others are open to all, and they touch on a broad range of legal themes. You can check out the diary for the coming weeks at: https://lnkd.in/eHGmHzmR

Last week, the Institute of Economic Affairs - London published a report looking at the operation of the SFO, and suggesting it should be “replaced with a new body dedicated to combating economic crime with greater emphasis on prevention.”   It’s a detailed paper (with more to it than some headlines have suggested) and an important part of the overall debate. But in many places the data cited relates to non-SFO-type cases. While there are issues still to be addressed at the SFO, there is merit in having a specialist UK prosecutor focused on investigating and prosecuting the most serious and complex fraud and corruption. In April 2023, the City of London Law Society (CLLS) Corporate Crime & Corruption Committee published a paper (linked below) in which we urged “urgent, focused reform” of the SFO, pointing out that a key is providing significantly better resources. Some of our recommendations have now been addressed, but – as the IEA’s report illustrates – there is still much to be done.   It’s good to see this issue being discussed, and we hope the debate will lead to further positive reforms. #fraudprevention #cityoflondon #criminaljustice https://lnkd.in/exfQjMxM

Over the past 36 hours, the #CLLS - led by Patrick McCann - has mobilised the legal community and called for assistance in finding new roles for trainee lawyers who will be affected by the imminent closure of Armstrong Teasdale's London office. In a letter to Senior Partners of all 64 corporate member firms, our Chair Colin Passmore explained the urgency of the situation and the society's keenness to help integrate trainees into new roles. We are already seeing a very positive response, but more is needed. Further information and news coverage below: City A.M.: https://lnkd.in/ewQcgM3D The Times: https://lnkd.in/e8SHPaG4 The Lawyer: https://lnkd.in/eCE53H_6 Law360: https://lnkd.in/e_kyBzTy The Global Legal Post: https://lnkd.in/eQP797K3 The Law Society Gazette: https://lnkd.in/eUSm-2_v Legal Cheek: https://lnkd.in/ePxHQaaA Colin's letter: https://lnkd.in/e3_kvNjA

🚨URGENT: Calling any and all potential employers of current and future trainee solicitors. PLEASE HELP. 🚨 Please see attached the attached letter City of London Law Society (CLLS) Chair, Colin Passmore sent out yesterday to member law firms asking whether any of them can help to place *ten* current and future trainee solicitors of a US-HQ’d law firm which is shutting its London office imminently, leaving them without roles. The firm originally contacted Patrick McCann, CLLS Training Committee Chair. There are four trainees about to qualify, two in train and four to join (two next week). This situation has come to light only very recently and is now urgent. If anyone might have any roles that could suit these ten early lawyers, please get in touch with liz.thomas@clls.org or patrick.mccann@linklaters.com and they will put you in touch with the right representatives at the firm. We anticipate employers other than law firms would be of interest. Last summer, CLLS and others stepped up to help out Ince & Co trainees as that firm imploded. We hope for a similar outcome this time. Thank you for reading. CLLS Training Committee

☕ It is the 26 August today which means it is ONE MONTH TO GO before the City of London Law Society (CLLS) Afternoon Tea on 26 September to welcome Year 1 solicitor apprentices to City Century law firms ☕ The City Century Project Team has arranged exclusive hire of both the Banqueting Hall and Drawing Room at a stunning Livery Hall in the City of London called Ironmongers' Hall. This prestigious event for Year 1 solicitor apprentices joining City Century law firms is strictly by invitation only - a welcome gift from the CLLS. A bit of decoding below for any incoming solicitor apprentices who are not quite sure what to expect (author of this post, from a low SEB, didn't go to 'an Afternoon Tea' of any kind until her 30s!). 🥪 AFTERNOON TEA: 'Afternoon Tea' means traditional finger sandwiches (vegetarian or fish for this event), scones with jam and clotted cream and a selection of teas and coffees. A glass of prosecco will be served on arrival in the Drawing Room (which can be bypassed by those that would prefer, with direct entry into the Banqueting Hall where the food will be served). 🎤 SPEECHES: We are very excited to announced the following people as speakers at the event (in alphabetical order): Paul Leamy - Partner (Real Estate) and Co-Chair of Social Mobility Network at Taylor Wessing LLP, plus an incredible advocate generally for socio-economic diversity in the legal profession (indeed, he is shortlisted for an award in the UK Social Mobility Awards this year) Colin Passmore - Chair of the City of London Law Society, senior partner of Simmons & Simmons for 10 years and author of Passmore on Privilege (one of the leading legal textbooks) Layla Taghdisi-Rad - a solicitor apprentice at Linklaters, moving from Year 1 to Year 2 in September who you can see in the lead photo at Ironmongers' Hall TWO IMPORTANT REQUESTS TO INCOMING SOLICITOR APPRENTICES 👇🏽 ‼ If you have accepted a solicitor apprenticeship at a City Century law firm, *please accept the invitation* sent to you for this event ASAP. You will have received the invitation directly from your law firm and the CLLS is kindly collating responses. It is absolutely fine to email your Early Careers contact at your law firm to ask for the invitation if you think you have not yet received it. 📷 Ironmongers' Hall is known as 'London's Best County House Venue' and has the largest William Morris Tapestry in the country, heraldic wood panelling, crystal chandeliers and fine stained-glass windows. Our guests at the Afternoon Tea absolutely CAN take photos, including selfies, and share them on their socials as well as with their families. In fact, we actively encourage it! 📢 Please use the following hashtag when sharing: #CityCenturyxCLLS You can see more photos of the venue here: https://lnkd.in/e_wVjfJ5 ✨This is the time for our incoming solicitor apprentices to celebrate✨ #CityCenturyxCLLS #SolicitorApprenticeships #Celebration #LiveryCompanies #IronmongersHall