A huge thanks to all those that have attended our meetings and events this week. You’ve kept us all very busy but the positive feedback makes it very worthwhile.
Particular thanks to all those that attended the inaugural MLS Ambassadors meeting. It was great to hear your thoughts and ideas for the Society and to let you know more about all the work we are already doing.
All corporate members are invited to put forward an Ambassador so if you haven’t yet please do let us know who you would like to nominate.
Following on from our very successful AI Breakfast meeting in September we are delighted to announce we will be holding an AI Conference on 8th March.
The Conference will take a much deeper dive into the impact AI will have and is having.
We are thrilled that the keynote speaker for the Conference will be the Master of the Rolls.
Further details of the conference will be available in the coming weeks. We expect this to be a very popular conference so if you would like to be the first to know when the details are announced please email ChandreMay@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk to be added to the interest log.
Date: 30 November 2023 Time: 09:00–16:00 Location:Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ Cost to attend:MLS Members £95.00 + VAT (£114.00) Non-members £120.00 + VAT (£144.00)
As we all know leadership is a key skill for any professional, especially in the legal sector, where people need to manage their clients, teams, and projects effectively.
If you are interested in developing your leadership skills and learning from experts in the field why not check out our very own Manchester Law Society Leadership Conference, taking place on 30th November 2023.
Our leadership conference can help you to:
Develop your self-confidence and emotional intelligence, which are essential for leading others and dealing with challenging situations.
Learn from the experiences and insights of other law firm leaders and future leaders, who can share their best practices, tips, and advice for aspiring leaders.
Improve your communication and teamwork skills, which are crucial for working with clients and colleagues
Enhance your business development and innovation skills, which are important for growing your practice and staying ahead of the competition.
Boost your health, happiness, and productivity, which are vital for their personal and professional well-being.
It is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to become a better leader.
Date: Tuesday 14 November 2023 Time: 13:00 to 14:00 Location:Online via Teams Cost to attend:Free but you must book your place
Cyberattacks shut down organizations and are now one of the most serious threats to law firms. They should be at the top of your risk register. Attackers and the techniques they use are sophisticated, ever-evolving, and defending against them is complex. Leaders who are lagging behind are putting their firm and clients’ sensitive information at risk. A serious breach can have devastating consequences.
In this webinar, MLS partner Mitigo will bring to life the attacks that are hitting firms and give a view of what it takes to become protected.
The session will cover the following:
Why misunderstanding cyber risk could ruin your reputation.
Take a closer look at the latest cyber threats facing law firms.
Learn more about the criminal ecosystem.
Understand the common security errors made by law firms.
Are you failing to satisfy your regulatory and legal obligations?
Find out how to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.
No movement in the top two places with Tony Morrissey from Nine St John Streetand Isabel Baylis fromNine St John Street in first and second place respectively.
But Sam Hall from Hall Brown Family Lawhas jumped up to third place!
With only 16 points between fifth and second place there could be lots of movement at the top of the league!
The Manchester Business and Property Courts Forum invites you to drinks with the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Justice Fancourt and other judges of the Business and Property Courts in Manchester.
This event is kindly sponsored by the Northern Business & Property Bar Association.
Are you still thinking about what to do for your Christmas do or family get together? Look no further – Manchester Hall are offering MLS Members 20% off their “Elegant Affair Christmas Package”!
The package includes:
Glass of fizz on arrival
Canapés
Three course plated menu
Table wine
Usually this is £79 per person but all MLS Members receive a whopping 20% discount! Leaving you budget to spend on your favourite Manchester Law Society Staff’s Christmas present…
Preventing economic crime rightly remains high on the SRA agenda, as demonstrated at the recent COLP and COFA conference, in recent publications, including the AML annual report 2022-23, Firm-wide risk assessments guidance, Sanctions guidance and Proceeds of Crime guidance, each of which referred to prevention of financial crime and steps firms, both within and outside the scope of MLR, could and should have in place to mitigate exposure to financial crime, and the increase in its resources to inspect firms and take robust action against firms do not comply.
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 and introduces a number of changes, including removing the SRA’s £25,000 financial penalty limit in relation to the economic crimes.
The SRA will be carrying out inspections on all firms, so it is better to be prepared, particularly as you will only have 10 days to provide the documents when told about the visit. Remember it’s not just the sanction that could be imposed, but also reputational risk, costs etc.
What can, and should you do?
Review your FWRA and all PCPs – Are they in line with MLR requirements? Are they up to date? Do they refer to the correct MLR, SRA sectoral risk assessment, latest publications/links, LSAG guidance? Are they relevant to the firm, or just template copies with blanks/square brackets etc.
If your firm is outside scope, at the very least, do sanctions checks.
Check your client and matter risk assessment. Does it cover what is needed for your firm, does it include room for explanation, notes etc. Are they being completed on files?
Review AML training – how often do you deliver training? Is it updated/as relevant as it could be, or just repeating the same training people have seen before?
If you’ve not yet carried out an independent AML audit, arrange one. If you have had one, is it time for the next one?
How Compli can help…
The Compli Solicitor Regulatory and Professional Discipline Team can provide expertise and advice on risk and compliance, AML, disciplinary assistance etc. If we can help in any way, please get in touch at compli@weightmans.com
