Reimagine Law

Our guests this week are Carole Mehigan the Responsible Business Manager at Reed Smith and Robert Barnard-Weston the ‘grandfather’ of sustainability who is also the Co-Founder of Transform ESG and a Member of the Board of Directors at the Association of Sustainability Practitioners. 

We learn about the importance of both the ‘environmental’ and ‘social’ aspect of governance, and discuss how caring about issues outside of the firm can increase productivity and profitability. Carole also gives listeners an insight into why Reed Smith has chosen to adopt the term ‘Responsible Business’. 

Listen in to get advice on how to get more involved with CSR and ESG not just in your career, but your personal life too! Check out the first episode in the series to learn more about the theoretical layer of CSR here: https://www.re-imaginelaw.org.uk/industry-insights/pcr9qne1fsjizp2t1f3wxz9hdkbiar 

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Take a look at the four enablers (https://engageforsuccess.org/the-four-enablers) How can you apply these principles in your working life and use them to expand your personal outreach? 

-       Look at your local community, how can you reach out and support with the skills you have? What can you learn? Visit your local borough website to find out more!

-       There are many student legal clinics looking for helping hands- could you reach out and offer any help?

Useful resources

-       Transform ESG: https://www.transform-esg.com/ 

Association of Sustainability Practitioners: https://sustainabilitypractitioners.org/ 

In this episode Dr Mike Drayton looks at the area of “burn-out” and the risk to the mental health of those working in high-pressure industries such as the legal sector.  Mike begins to defining what “burn-out” is, and what the impact can be, both on individuals and their organisations.  How does one notice it, and when it is most likely to impact us?

Mike then goes on to discuss some strategies which individuals can employ to mitigate the risk of feeling “burn-out”, and also talks about the team environment which leaders of organisations need to create to minimise the risk of people working for them being impacted by “burn-out”, in particular the need for creating “psychological safety” in teams. 

With Mike, we discuss the obstacles and challenges to creating such safe working environments, in particular because of the pandemic and the shift to remote working, and with the likely future pattern of work being a “hybrid” model where we are often remote from colleagues.

Actions for listeners:

·      What strategies could you use from the podcast to reduce any symptoms of “burn-out” you are noticing, either in yourself or others? 

·      How could you set “boundaries” around your work?

·      Remember and note down your “purpose”: why did you embark on the career you did, and how can you reconnect with this sense of meaning in your daily activities?

Useful Resources: 

·      “Anti-Burnout” Drayton, M. (2021). Anti-burnout: How to Create a Psychologically Safe and High-performance Organisation: Routledge.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anti-burnout-Create-Psychologically-High-performance-Organisation-ebook/dp/B08PKNC9K9/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645534139&sr=8-1

·      Burnout and remote working: https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/burnout-and-remote-working.    

·      Cal Newport’s “Deep work”: https://medium.com/@nina.semczuk/5-practices-from-deep-work-by-cal-newport-thatll-change-your-life-303847ec5f3c  

·      Healthy organisations post-Covid: Drayton, M., & Kuster, M. (2021). Healthy organizations post Covid 19 need a sense of coherence. Occupational Medicine . https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqab106

Leading under pressure: https://www.epcresilience.com/insight/documents-and-videos/blog/leading-under-pressure

In this episode, the ReImagineLaw team are joined by Cathy Goodman, Lead Practice Innovation and Knowledge Counsel, Paul Hastings LLP.  Cathy speaks about her own career pathway from qualifying as a solicitor to teaching law, and then developing expertise in the new technologies which law firms are adopting to deliver service to clients in a more efficient and effective way.

Cathy explains why law firms are increasingly looking to experiment with new technologies in their service delivery and gives some examples of how new tools are helpful in the types of legal work carried out by different departments of a firm.  Also, Cathy explains where pioneering work is being done by the Law Commission in areas such as the e-signing of documents and digital signatures.

We also explore with Cathy what the “next frontier” of these new ways of delivering legal service looks like – not just in terms of the range of technology tools which are available, but also the mind-sets and skill-sets which will be needed to see this tech-enabled legal service provision become the norm in the future.

Actions for listeners:·       
Reflect for 5 minutes on: “What legal processes do you think could benefit from the adoption of technology?”       
What do you see law firms talking about in terms of where they are using technology? Check the websites of two firms and compare their approaches.       
Check the skill-sets now being considered for lawyers of the future (the “O-Shaped” Lawyer initiative as one example, a group set up by clients of law firms to discuss what skills they would like lawyers to possess).

Useful Resources:       
The Law Commission’s work on the electronic execution of documents: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/electronic-execution-of-documents/.       
The Law Commission’s work on smart contracts: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/smart-contracts/·       
HM Land Registry: electronic execution of deeds: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/execution-of-deeds/practice-guide-8-execution-of-deeds     
Potential growth in legal technology: https://news.crunchbase.com/news/legaltech-hypergrowth-legalzoom-startups-venture-raj-goyle-onit/       
Legal technology trends to watch in 2022: https://www.clio.com/blog/legal-technology-trends/       
The “O-Shaped Lawyer” skillsets. 

Legal aid is the mechanism whereby public funds pay for a client to be represented by a lawyer.  Cuts have been in place or decades and the areas of law covered by legal aid have changed. This episode welcomes legal aid solicitors; Harun Matin (National Legal Services) and Vivien Cochrane (Sherman Bowen) who discuss some issues from all sides.  They talk eligibility for legal aid, the impact it has on legal practice and why it is vital for all those working in the legal sector to care about. A must listen episode for all aspiring lawyers!

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Have a look at the independent review on legal aid released in November 2021. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1041117/clar-independent-review-report-2021.pdf

-       Watch some Magistrates Court proceedings (especially first appearances), can you see when there is reference to legal aid?

Useful resources

-       https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/6979/documents/72829/default/

-       https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/newsletter/legal-aid-cuts-and-reforms

-       https://www.ft.com/content/daa5085e-4fd7-4459-9f83-01761dd8aca0

https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2021/08/laspo-how-a-near-decade-of-legal-aid-cuts-has-affected-britains-most-vulnerable/  

From lost work bags, to news echo chambers! In this episode Nigel, Kerry and Fran discuss what one top tip they each have to aspiring lawyers as we head into 2022.  

There are four parts to the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination, the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments, satisfying the character and suitability requirement and gaining 2 years’ worth of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).  In this episode the team are joined by Lucy Blackburn (University of Central Lancaster) and Lisa Slater (A-maze Consulting) to discuss what this means in practice.  This episode will look at what qualifying work experience is, as well as a closer look at how and when it can be accumulated.  

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Review your latest CV and see if there is any experience which might count as QWE. 

-       Speak to law firms to see what their approach to QWE is. 

Useful resources

-       Read about QWE on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website: https://www.sra.org.uk/become-solicitor/sqe/qualifying-work-experience/  

-       Explore the Law Society website for QWE updates: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/becoming-a-solicitor/solicitors-qualifying-examination-sqe/qualifying-work-experience-qwe

Comparing the training contract and QWE with Legal Cheek: https://www.legalcheek.com/paths-to-becoming-a-lawyer/the-training-contract-qualifying-work-experience/  

In this episode, ReImagineLaw’s Nigel Spencer is joined by special guests Liz Ritter and Lisa Slater to discuss the change in how you qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales, the move to the new “Solicitor’s Qualifying Examination” of “SQE”. 

Liz and Lisa looks at a number of areas to de-mystify the new examination:

·      What is the SQE, and why is the profession’s regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) making the change?

·      What do the two parts to the new SQE examination, “SQE1” and “SQE2” include?  

·      What will you need to know, and how is it assessed?

·      How are the requirements for gaining workplace experience changing under the new SQE regime?

In addition, the episode clarifies the timelines for the different pathways open to students, the “old” Legal Practice Course” (LPC) route and the transition period to the new SQE, and what students who have not studied law can do as a next step.

Actions for listeners:

·      Do your research: be clear what type of legal role you are interested in, the firm you might like to join, and check what they are doing about the SQE.

·      Check the skill-sets now being considered for lawyers of the future (the “O-Shaped” Lawyer initiative as one example, a group set up by clients of law firms to discuss what skills they would like lawyers to possess).

·      Reach out to firms and ask what the options are for the SQE pathway if you were to join their firm.  Do they offer apprenticeship pathways, sponsor students through the SQE, or is there another approach?

Useful Resources: 

·      Understand the key building blocks of the SQE from the profession’s regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

·      About the SQE – information for students from BPP.

·      “O-Shaped Lawyer” skillsets for the future.

The Rule of Law covers four key principles; accountability, just law, open government, and accessible and impartial justice. In this episode Nigel and Fran are joined by lawyer James Harper from Lexis Nexis who is an expert in this area to discuss how we can see the Rule of Law all around us.  The team challenge James to link news stories of the day to the principle and discuss how it links to economics and business development.

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. 

-       Look at a reputable new website for today.  Can you pick a news story and link it to the Rule of Law? 

-       Speak to your friends / family about the concept.  Start the discussion to help create awareness. 

Useful resources

-       https://www.un.org/ruleoflaw/what-is-the-rule-of-law/  

-       https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/what-is-the-rule-of-law/
-       https://vimeo.com/275908642

This special episode shines a light on co-host Simon Reichwald.  

Simon started his career in a start-up organisation, supporting graduates to both secure a role in sales and develop skills to succeed.  Building on this experience, he went on to be involved in several other start up businesses, all focussed around his passion for supporting young people to take ownership of developing their employability skills and find the right role & career for them.  Simon tells us about his mission to give under-represented talent the access to networks they wouldn’t ordinarily have to either get a great job or progress when already in work, to find out how he is working hard to do just that, you will have to listen to this podcast!

Useful resources

-       For access to your own mentor to help you on your journey into employment

-       (99+) Simon Reichwald | LinkedIn

-       Home > MyKindaFuture > Connect with a diverse pool of engaged and skilled individuals

-       MyKindaFuture - Youth Employment UK

-       Institute of Student Employers (previously known as the Association of Graduate Recruiters) 

The Government commissioned Taskforce to improve diversity in Financial & Professional Services

This week ReImagineLaw’s Nigel Spencer and Kaylee Campbell are joined by special guest Sadhvi Dar who shines a light on the complex area of CSR. Sadhvi defines the tensions present between the state, business and society, and provides a brief overview of the development of this area of activity.  We discuss also how CSR has come to be not only a board-level agenda issue, but one which businesses (especially law firms) use to seek competitive advantage. In their application processes, law firms now ask applicants questions about their thoughts on the CSR strategies that the firm adopts! Sadhvi also explains the importance of having an identity outside of our workplace ‘persona’ in order to fully engage with all aspects of our true selves. 

Often larger CSR issues like the climate crisis and migration displacement can feel incredibly daunting in terms of how we, as individuals, can make a difference. Added to that, the ‘green-washing’ phenomenon, misinformation and clever marketing tactics make it really easy for us, not only as students but as consumers as well, to feel powerless or unclear in how we can best contribute to important global challenges. 

This episode provides us with actionable steps that we as students and graduates can take to support the communities around us and to reach outside of our ‘corporate’ or ‘online’ identity. 

Useful Resources: 

 WaterBear (free streaming platform for CSR related documentaries coupled with direct ‘action items’)
https://www.waterbear.com/watch

Behind the Scenes of a Law Degree episode
https://www.re-imaginelaw.org.uk/pathways/jwf8u1qq01yhtq9oh18qajc2eo3yud

Sadhvi Dar
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/busman/staff/academic/profiles/dars.html and on Twitter @drsadhvidar

Example of a Law Firm’s CSR Report
https://www.reedsmith.com/en/news/2021/04/reed-smith-launches-its-seventh-annual-emea-responsible-business-report