UK
Asian Voice - Saturday 16th April 2011
Law Society hosts successful Minority Lawyers’ Conference Rupanjana Dutta
This year the Minority Lawyers’ Conference was held in a gala way at the Law Society on 9th April 2011. While the country basked under the sun and Britain enjoyed a mini summer barbecue, the conference was filled with people from the legal world keen on learning more about the future of their profession in the coming years. The conference was preceded by a dinner and an awards ceremony held at the Law Society on the 8th of April.
Dinner & Awards ceremony The Minority Awards Dinner started with a reception where the solicitors and their guests got chances to introduce each other over drinks followed by a welcome speech by Nwabueze Nwokolo and Sundeep Bhatia, Law Society Council Members for Ethnic Minorities. Before the awards started, a 3 course seated dinner was presented, while wine and juice flowed without hindrance. While people enjoyed the vegetarian starters and mains, the non vegetarian guests enjoyed a choice between fish and lamb. It finished with a white Chocolate Mousse, studded with apricot jelly and seasame seed wafers. After the dinner the award ceremony commenced with Razi Shah, Director, Appleby Shaw Solicitors & part-time Judge, winner of the award category 'Against All Odds'. The joint winners of the category 'Encourage Minority LawyersMentoring' were Daniel Bazuaye and Sandie Okoro. The Advocacy in the Face of Adversity award went to Muhammad Abdul Miah Khan while Kuljit Lally became the winner of the category 'Embracing Razi Shah Change'. While nobody had a prepared thank you message, it was a pleasure to hear the speech made by Razi Shah, who cracked up the audience with his timely jokes. Daniel and Sandie explained to the audience, the problem with the current economic situation as the students suffered from the lack of opportunity.
Minority Conference 2011 This year’s Minority Lawyers Conference on 9 April had a packed agenda of high profile and influential speakers that promised to be an invaluable experience for members of the profession who wished to explore practical and relevant issues that impact black, minority and ethnic lawyers. After registration and refreshments where copies of Asian Voice were distributed to the participants, the solicitors made way to the hall, where a welcome address was given by Nwabueze Nwokolo and Sundeep Bhatia, Law Society Council Members for Ethnic Minorities. While Nwabueze mentioned about common issues like progress of lawyers into becoming judges, security issues of minority lawyers, ethical balance etc, Sundeep Bhatia spoke about more relevant matters concerning the ethnic minority in
that included issues like Judicial Appointments, Personal and Career Development, Politics of fear- A European Phenomena, Alternative Business Structures, Globalisation/Emerging markets and Access to Justice/Legal Aid. They included speakers like Mrs Justice Dobbs DBE, High Court Judge, Tan Ikram, District Judge, David McGrady, President, ILEX, Kuldip Singh QC, Serle Court Attorney General Rt Hon Chambers, Colin Cook, Senior Dominic Grieve, MP Clerk, Garden Court Chambers, today's time. Razi Shah, Director, Appleby Shaw He stated that often British Solicitors & part-time Judge, Shalini Asians face a deadlock in the law Sequeira, Learning and firms basing on their race, where Development Manager, Addleshaw they cannot reach beyond a certain Goddard, Semaab Shaikh, level of progress ladder, which forces Broadway House Chambers, Ismet them to start up their own small Rawat, Executive Member, firms. But with legal aid being cut Association of Muslim Lawyers, down- they will face the wrath of Abid Mahmood, this economic meltdown. Head of He also spoke about the Immigration, No 5 Alternative Business Chambers, Dr Tariq Structure, opportunities for Ramadan, Professor students and the rising popuof Contemporary larity of India and China- how Islamic Studies, these subcontinental cultures Oxford University, have recently gained imporCourtney Griffiths tance in Britain! QC, Joint Head of The Attorney General Chambers, Garden Dominic Grieve opened this Court, Nwabueze year's event with a keynote Nwokolo, Chair, speech. Rt Hon Grieve in his Sundeep Bhatia Black Solicitiors speech spoke about the deficit Network and in the treasury and challenges ahead Conference Co Chair, Alan Kershaw, of us- including in the legal area. ILEX Professional Standards, However he added, that anybody Gelega King, 2 Bedford Row, Nick with the right aptitude can become a Jarrett-Kerr, Management lawyer and survive the challenges. Consultant, David Middleton, Legal He also spoke about the market Director, SRA, Shams Rahman, assessments and introduction of Payne Hicks Beach Solicitors, alternative businesses structuresElikem Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Oxford that are to be launched when the & Beaumont, Kim Hollis QC, 25 government is technologically fully Bedford Row, Akin Williams, ready. He also spoke about the govPartner, Williams Law, Dorett ernment's support towards diversity, White, Member, Black Solicitors as 20% of the judges in the UK are Network, Lucy Scott Moncrieff, female, out of which 8% are BMEs. Deputy Vice President, The Law He is optimistic that "one who can Society, Susan Silver, Vice adapt will prosper." President, ILEX, Peter Herbert His speech was followed by a DBE, Member, Direct Access, Bar Q&A and a discussion in Council. Liberalisation of Legal Services, Before the evening drew to a which was chaired by Sundeep close, a feedback and Q&A was Bhatia, Co Conference Chair. He organised, and the evening ended was joined by Michael Todd QC, with a closing remark by Nwabueze Vice Chairman, General Council of followed by a reception. the Bar, David McGrady, President, Law Society President Linda Lee ILEX, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, said the conference was essential for Deputy Vice President, The Law creating lively and topical debate Society. surrounding issues faced by BME They spoke about how they see lawyers, including career developliberalisation making a difference to ment and entering the Judiciary. the profession and the main opporThe biennial conference, was tunities and threats of "Embracing organised jointly by the Law Society, change". Bar Council and ILEX, an established feature of the legal calendar Post Lunch seminars and celebrates the achievements of Black and Asian lawyers. Followed by the networking lunch, (The formal photographs from the conference was divided into 6 the events will be published in the separate seminars and workshops forthcoming issues of AV)
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Shrien Dewani moved from the Priory Hospital after medical reaction Shrien Dewani has been removed from Priory Hospital after an alleged argument with another patient following a bad reaction to his medication, it was revealed on Tuesday by a national daily. Shrien, pictured, was allegedly transferred to a secure mental health hospital following his behaviour over the weekend. The British businessman was on bail at the Priory in Bristol pending his extradition hearing. Police would not say whether Dewani, 31, attacked anyone or was attacked himself. A source close to him told a national daily: 'He had a reaction to his medication, which meant he was loud and noisy. There was no fight or argument but one female resident allegedly got in a heated discussion with him and was taunting him and saying, 'You should go back to South Africa'.' He gave himself up to police on Sunday and appeared at Bristol
Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where a district judge ruled he should be moved to Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke in Somerset. Dewani, from Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, is said to be suffering from severe posttraumatic stress syndrome after the shooting of his wife Anni Dewani, 28, in Cape Town last November on their honeymoon. His symptoms were said to have dramatically worsened last week after he reacted badly to his anti-depressants, culminating in Saturday night's incident.
Nurse gave toddler MMR jab without mother's consent permission. A nurse gave a toddler the She claims the nurse MMR jab even though his did not mention it when mother refused her conquestioned which jabs the sent in order to meet govchild would be receiving ernment immunisation targets, it has been claimed, according to a report by the Daily Mail. Robina Siddique alleges that nurse Rashiela Parekh gave her three-yearold son the combined injection against her wishes. The housewife has made a complaint after Mohammed Raees Ali was given the vaccine in Alum Rock, Birmingham. Robina Siddique with son Mohammed Raees Ali The MMR jab sparked controversy that day. over an alleged link to Ms Siddique has made autism and bowel disease. official complaints to the Although research backing the claims was found surgery, Birmingham East to be flawed and and North the government Primary Care ruled it is safe for Trust and the children, some Nursing and concerned parents M i d w i f e r y are still opting to Council over the pay for separate nurse and her measles, mumps actions on March and rubella vacci11, claiming it nations. was done to meet Ms Siddique targets. said she made the A spokes'conscious deciwoman for Pak sion' not to give Nurse Rashiela Medical Centre, Parekh where the child her son the injecwas immunised, tion when he was said: 'Due to patient confi13 months old. dentiality, we cannot comThe 28-year-old mothment on an individual er-of-one from Yardley, case. Birmingham, said that 'The complaint has when she took her son for been referred to the prithe diptheria, tetanus and mary care trust and we polio vaccine, the nurse will cooperate fully to any also gave him the MMR injection without asking formal complaint.'