Time to launch! It’s take-off for ‘The LPM Shake’n’Fix’, bringing those who work in, and with, the legal profession, a down-to-earth round-up of updates, and weekly recommendations and tips!
For those who follow yours truly, this newsletter had to named ‘The LPM Shake’n’Fix’, right?! I frequently talk in my conversations with varying SNFs (“Social Networking Friends”) about ‘Shaking Sh*t Up’ and ‘Fixing Sh*t’, but felt it best to remove the blue words and just keep to the blue trousers for the copy.
This is a super punchy first edition to kick start and wet your appetite, with much more to come in the week’s ahead.
(Huge thanks to Yvette Asker, who designed my incredible logo for ‘The Lady in The Blue Trousers™️’).
Article Round-Up
Throughout the week, I come across 10s, sometimes 100s of articles, posts and blogs, with many containing really useful information for the legal profession. Under this heading, I pick a few key ones that stood out to share the updates, knowledge and insight.
- Upcoming UK employment law changes in 2024 and 2025 – Thrive Law Written by Crystal Boyde, Annabelle Oliver & Katie Elvidge As we step into the new year, 2024 is bringing in a wave of changes in UK employment law. It can be difficult to keep track of planned changes, so Thrive Law have rounded up the major ones under the link above for both employers and employees.
- Document Metadata: What to Know & Why | BigHand Answering the main questions surrounding email and document metadata – including: What is metadata? Why metadata risks are an issue for law firms? Confidentiality breaches. How technology can be best utilised to ensure digital documents are shared safely.
- Law Firm Ransomware Attacks: Tips to Protect Your Data (actionstep.com) With ransomware attacks on the rise, law firms are becoming increasingly lucrative targets due to the volume of sensitive client data law firms typically capture and store during the course of their work. Simply put, the cost, time and hassles of recovering from such an attack can be devastating. Learn how and why ransomware attacks occur, along with simple best practices for preventing them in the first place.
Top Tip
This week’s top tip comes direct from Iceberg Group:
“Under the previous tax laws, self-employed individuals could benefit from a delay before paying their first tax bill if the year-end fell after the 5th of April. The new law will come into force for the 2023/24 tax year. Partnerships and LLPs may well have to switch year-ends and make allowances for the catch-up in tax payment (likely payable in January 2025). It’s a good idea to check this with your accountant and if there is an extra tax liability, a tax loan may help smooth the transition.”
(Thanks to Michael Collins, who at my request, organised and emailed this across quickly today)!
Further detail can be read under: Basis period reform: what does it mean for unincorporated businesses and LLPs? | The Law Society
Book of the Week
Well, this was an easy one! It has to be ’52 Weeks of Wellbeing’, written by the truly inspiring, Ryan Hopkins.
Mo Gawdat is absolutely 💯 spot on with his review, “A fascinating and inspiring read“. If you have heard Ryan speak, you will undoubtedly hear him in every word you read of this book. Wellbeing is such a personal journey and he discusses 52 topics with such ease and empathy. This book is jammed full of practical tips – but the ones that are actually helpful!
Ditch the fruit bowls* and buy this book.
Recommended LinkedIn Follow of the Week**
I feel like I have been stalking this guy for ages on LinkedIn, but with the number of remote workers in the legal profession, he is definitely one to follow:
Karim Samani (Multi-award winning Chair-Man) | LinkedIn
Karim is hot on anything and everything HSE DSE law, ergonomics, workplace assessor, trainer, auditor and speaker!
N.B. Law firms need to ensure the workplace set-up for all its staff is taken seriously, otherwise it can lead to greater problems down the line. Sending a quick form for a DIY desk assessment is a plaster fix! Check Karim out and do it properly.
Upcoming Events 2024
Key events that I recommend attending for the year ahead (updated weekly):
- SRA Transparency Rules and the advantages of being open about pricing (Tues 23rd Jan 2024, Online) | Event | Communities – The Law Society ⏲ 2pm – 3.30pm 🎟 FREE for Risk and Compliance Section Members, £45 + VAT for Law Society Members and £55 + VAT Standard rate
- VWV Approach – 10th anniversary seminar and celebration – VWV Plus 📅 Tuesday 6 February ⏲ 3pm – 6pm 📍 VWV, 24 King William Street, London EC4R 9AT 🎟 Free to law firms only
- ILFM Legal Compliance Conference: Navigating Finance & Managing Excellence Tickets, Thu 16 May 2024 at 09:30 | Eventbrite 📍The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL 🎟 From £99
- Legal Geek Growth – Legal Geek 📅 Thursday 6 June ⏲ 8.30pm – 7pm 📍 Shoreditch, London 🎟 Free to law firms on application
- Embedding culture and taking people with you | LawFirmAmbition 📅 Tuesday 25 June ⏲ 9am – 6.30pm 📍 Regent’s Conferences and Events, Regent’s University London, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4NS 🎟 Form Page – LFA Conference 2023
You made it this far…
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this week’s edition. I hope you found it useful, and if so, do subscribe to be notified when the next edition is released. It is only going to get better!
If you would like to be part of ‘The LPM Shake’n’Fix’ journey, maybe provide a ‘Top Tip’, please email enquiries@arieslpm.com.
Have a great weekend!
From, The Lady in the Blue Trousers™️👖
(aka Kirsty Pappin | LinkedIn )
* This makes much more sense by the end of the first paragraph of the Introduction.
** These are personal recommendations and are not included on request.