Birmingham Post

Ten Years of Success As Awards Get Bigger and Even Better ; Dean Parnell, President of Birmingham Law Society, Highlights the Success of a Decade of Legal Awards

The Legal Awards has always been the premier event for Birmingham Law Society and this year is no different. In fact, being the tenth anniversary, this year's awards promises to be bigger and better than ever. To mark the success of the last ten years, Birmingham Law Society has commissioned this special supplement.

Briefed On a Blistering Pace of Legal Excellence ; Birmingham's Legal Sector has a Great Story to Tell and Birmingham Law Society's Legal Awards Are a Great Way to Tell It, Says Birmingham Post Editor Alun Thorne

There can be few sectors now as important to Birmingham as the legal profession. Perhaps I should rephrase that - there is now no sector more important to Birmingham than the legal profession. Make no mistake, there are other sectors that are absolutely crucial to the health of the city, but in terms of added value there is no stronger sector than the city's increasingly long arm of the law.

Celebrating Ten Years of Legal Awards

This year is the 10th anniversary of Birmingham Law Society's flagship event, the Legal Awards. Established in 2002, today the awards continue to shine the spotlight on the region's legal sector, showcasing the breadth and depth of talent that Birmingham and the West Midlands has to offer. During the last decade, dozens of awards have been dished out to deserving winners, with glass trophies proudly adorning mantelpieces and cabinets in homes and boardrooms. Firms have fought over who would b...

Meet the Judges

Overseeing the judging process of this year's Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards was an independent panel of judges, comprising leading figures from the business and professional services, legal and education sectors. The panel, which acted completely independently from Birmingham Law Society, was responsible for short-listing the finalists in the 11 categories from the hundreds of entries and picking the eventual winners. Three judges (Kevin Martin, Philip Steele and Bernadette Griffin) wer...

Finalist Profiles

Trainee Solicitor of the Year Oyinade Adebiyi - HBJ Gateley Wareing Oyinade has immersed herself into life as a trainee solicitor. She is very active in non-fee earning work and is the CSR representative on the firm's social committee. Ben Griffin - Cobbetts Ben achieved a first class LLB at the College of Law in Birmingham and received an award from Cobbetts for gaining the highest LPC grade of the 2009 national trainee intake. Ben is due to be admitted in October 2011.

Focal Point for Professionals ; Hbj Gateley Wareing Senior Partner Michael Ward, Former President of the Birmingham Law Society, Looks Back Over Ten Years of the Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards

Birmingham really needed an event, a focal point where professionals could come together, celebrate their achievements, but above all network with one another. It was on the back of this need that the Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards was launched. It's hard to believe that we're marking the tenth anniversary of our award scheme; now a key event in the legal industry calendar, while the momentum and enthusiasm for it strongly continues today.

Tiny Babies, Big Appeal

Every year, Birmingham Law Society nominates a charity to support at the Legal Awards. Since the Awards began in 2002, thousands of pounds have been raised for various local and national charities, including Edward's Trust, Fairbridge, The Variety Club and the RNLI. This year's nominated charity is the Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust's 'Tiny Babies, Big .

Playing It Safe and Then Missing an Opportunity ; Budget Comment Richard Rose, Bdo's Corporate Tax Partner in Birmingham, Wonders If Chancellor George Osborne Took the Opportunity to Stimulate the Region's Economy

Rescue, then reform, leading to recovery, is how Chancellor Osborne put it. The rescue bit was last year - translated as spending cuts. The reform is this year, and the recovery presumably comes next year. It was certainly one of the more eagerly awaited Budgets for a number of years, but to be honest I was left feeling a little bit disappointed. I was hoping for a more radical change to the UK's tax system, something definitive, making what we have simpler and easier to understand. But altho...

Was It an Act of Magic? Or Did We See an Illusion? ; Sketch

Chancellor George Osborne revealed himself as a suave magician with a Midas-like touch as he unveiled his second Budget in the Commons. Here was a nation, supposedly on its knees, with rising inflation and with cuts hitting virtually every local authority in the land.

Opposition Asks: Where's Promised Growth George?

POLITICAL REACTION The economy is set to grow more slowly than expected and unemployment will be higher, the Government's independent financial watchdog has warned. Labour highlighted the predictions as Birmingham MP Liam Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill), the shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, accused the Chancellor of failing to get dole queues down. The number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance is set to be 1.4 million in 2013 and 1.3 million in 2014, according to the Office for Budget Responsi...

Voucher Scheme Will Suffer As Parents Lose Out On Tax Breaks ; Case Study - Child Care

Julian Foster, who runs a company providing child care vouchers, is still recovering from the shock of the Chancellor's 2010 emergency Budget. The managing director of Lichfieldbased Computershare Voucher Services has had nine months to prepare for significant cuts in the tax breaks parents enjoy when they invest in the child care scheme. From April 6 this year, the amount of tax relief that can be claimed by working parents will be almost halved, something that is bound to impact on Britain'...

Addressing the Fears of Business

REACTION The creation of enterprise zones was a highlight for the region's business community as Chancellor George Osborne delivered his second Budget since last year's General Election. Christine Braddock, president of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, said that although no decision had yet been made on the location of the zone, it had enormous potential for growth that would produce opportunities for investment, including overseas.

A 'Pleasant Surprise' As Fuel Duty Is Cut by 1p ; Transport

Although it might be a step too far to say measures in the Budget were a victory for the poor put-upon motorist at the petrol pump, the Chancellor did provide some relief for beleaguered drivers by not only postponing next month's planned fuel duty increase but also cutting the current duty by 1p a litre. Mr Osborne also announced that the approved mileage allowance payments for those using their own vehicles for work would rise from 40p to 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per ...

Beer Tax Rise Is a Kick in the Teeth Says Local Brewer ; Cigarettes & Alcohol

The Chancellor's increase of two per cent above inflation in beer tax is 'ruinous' to the nation's thriving local brewing sector, a local producer has warned. Keith Bott, managing director of North Staffordshire's Titanic Brewery said the move would put jobs on the line. "This is a real kick in the teeth to the local brewing sector, one of the few British success stories of recent years," he said. "Local brewers are just the kind of business this government says it wants to see prosper: they ...

Penny Relief Does Little to Help an Industry 'On Its Knees' ; Case Study - Haulier

The penny off fuel duty was good news for low mileage drivers but will barely make a dent in haulage firm boss Mark Adams' pounds 100,000-a-month bill. The boss of Henley-in-Arden-based R Adams and Sons welcomed the reduction - and George Osborne's move to postpone next month's fuel duty increase - but said his industry was "on its knees".

Help for First Time Buyers Applauded

HOUSING The Government's plan for a shared equity scheme set to get 10,000 people onto the property ladder was roundly welcomed by the industry. Harvey Williams, housing spokesman for the RICS in the region, said it was just the boost the industry needed. He said: "We are very pleased in the RICS at the shared equity scheme that the Chancellor has announced for firsttime buyers.

Presumption of Approval for Urban Development ' Schemes Could Be at Odds with Localism Agenda ; Housing

A presumption of approval for urban development plans is welcome news but it may not fit with the Government's localism agenda, a top city planner has warned. Gary Cardin, head of Drivers Jonas Deloitte's Birmingham Office, said: "The headline news that the default answer to development will be 'yes' will help give comfort to developers and funders.

Little to Allay Fears of Nhs Privatisation ; Case Study - Health

Health workers said the Budget had done little to quell their fears that NHS services were being readied for private companies to take them over. Regional Unison union spokesman Robert Johnson said that despite George Osborne making little mention of health services his members was wary of health service pension reforms.

Money Raised As Bank Levy Is Increased ; Banks

Chancellor George Osborne refused to let the banking sector off the hook as he announced another hike in the bank levy to offset corporation tax cuts. The bank levy is to be increased from next January, raising a further pounds 285 million in 2012.

Osborne's Budget Help for Oaps in Short Supply ; Case Study - Pensioner

Help for today's pensioners was in short supply in the Budget, according to great-grandmother Maureen Byrne. George Osborne confirmed plans to replace the current state pension with a simple, flat rate system that would pay around pounds 140 a week.