Day: 6 March 2015

Are you (digitally) competent?

With Natasha Choolhun The Solicitors Regulation Authority is undergoing a programme of education and training reform, “Training for Tomorrow”, following the Legal and Education Training Review (LETR). As part of the reforms the SRA are developing a competence statement for solicitors to inform consumers, assist legal education providers in developing courses and allow solicitors to […]

Ruth Bird

Bidding on competitors’ trade marks in AdWords

Should you bid on a competitor’s trade mark in AdWords? This is a simple question, but not one that has a simple answer. The High Court ruled in 2013 that you should not, as doing so would amount to a trade mark infringement. The case before the court involved Marks & Spencer and Interflora. M&S […]

Shireen Smith

My SCL years remembered

“Nice pair of legs” was the comment of a partner in a law firm in the early 1980s when he saw a male partner of his using a keyboard, the implication being that it was bizarre to see someone as important as a qualified solicitor typing; and as for the sexual harassment issue, well that […]

Ruth Baker

My Social Media: Colin Yeo

This is the second in a series by lawyers on how they use social media for professional and personal development. Ed. Social media is a blessing and a curse for those, like me, who use it frequently. The benefits of using social media well are considerable in terms of profile, influence and attracting work. Those […]

Colin Yeo

How much do you value your contacts?

Occasionally we help new law firms to set up from scratch and a partner once asked me if I found the branding the most enjoyable part of the project. He was surprised when I said that the really satisfying aspect was getting the client data management right. With a new firm, every contact and piece […]

Sue Bramall

Know your client: checking for sanctions

There have always been risks attached to practising law, but as legal services have evolved and where many law firms are now large, global practices, they face the same concerns as other multinational corporations including the challenge of dealing with anti-money laundering and the effects of sanctions. Although large law firms are most at risk […]

Loyita Worley

VAT on cross-border digital services

On 1 January 2015 the VAT rules for cross-border B2C supplies of digital services changed. From that date, VAT must be accounted for in the member state where the customer normally lives, rather than where the supplier of the service is established. From the UK perspective, this should ensure that sellers of digital services will […]

Nick Holmes

Author, librarian, academic, lawyer

YouGov research reveals that the most desired jobs in Britain are not what you might expect; they are not even the most reliably well paid ones. Instead of actors and musicians, it seems that an aura of prestige still surrounds the quiet, intellectual life enjoyed by authors (60 per cent of respondents would like to […]