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Editor
Salome Coker
Editorial Board
Joel Leigh (Howard Kennedy LLP), Chair
Sophia Watson (Eversheds Sutherland LLP)
Colin Passmore (CLLS)
Matthew Rous (CLLS)
Naureen Shariff (Blackfords LLP)
Elizabeth Thomas (CLLS)
Laura Uberoi (Addleshaw Goddard LLP)
Journalist
Maroulla Paul
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The City of London Solicitors’ Company
Insurance News
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8
“If
elephants didn’t exist, you couldn’t invent one. They belong to a small group of living things so unlikely they challenge credulity and common sense.”
There are so many subjects in the world - and indeed in our own profession that we avoid talking about. At CitySolicitor, we prefer to grab those elephants by the trunks and face up to them rather than pretend they don’t exist. Only through debate and discussion can understanding be achieved.
19 MONIES ON ACCOUNT. WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE?
With proposals afoot to change how law firms hold their clients’ monies, we question whether the changes are really beneficial or whether they will prove to be a practical, logistic and costly burden that could do more harm than good.
27 REBEL WITH A CAUSE
Not a woman to take things lying down, Jo Hughes advocated to the Government to protect her young - and won. This is just one more chapter in the story of a woman who is on a mission to change who and how people enter the legal profession.
32 The Company’s new Strategy concentrating on opening the Company up to apprentices, trainees and paralegals seeking training contracts and apprenticeships: a call to take your place
Proving that the CLSC is a Company that looks forward as positively as it celebrates its heritage, a new initiative has found a way to open its doors to the younger members of our profession. With this inclusivity, a dazzling future beckons.
10 “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.”
38 Why?
If you’ve ever listened to wine buffs talk about gooseberries, tobacco and wet stone aromas with an air of cynicism, it's time you met Sunny Hodge, owner of Diogenes The Dog and author of ‘A Cynic's Guide to Wine’. Sunny replaces fiction with fact and gives you the actual science behind the ‘why?’
How do we determine what is ethical? Is it something that is legal? Something that conforms to professional codes? Should it - and can it - be regulated? In a time when there are many questions around how ethical lawyers are behaving in this very complex world, we attempt to unravel how to know what the right thing to do is.
21 BROADENING OUR HORIZONS
Ten years on, we celebrate the alumni of the City Solicitors Horizons programme who are dazzling our profession not just with the sharpness of their brains but with their all-round worldliness.
28 A Year of Gateways, Growth and Games – The Master’s Reflections
As Master Edmund Parker passes the baton to his successor, we look back on his achievements and highlights in a very action packed year.
33 The Launch of the City of London Solicitor’s Company History Society
The history of the City of London is a rich and colourful tapestry. This new Society is planning a plethora of events to delve deep into the fascinating stories from the past that have shaped where we are today.
41
16
QUENCHING
THE THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE
Whether you read fact or fiction, whether you are a historian, a scientist, a geologist, a traveller, a foodie or just simply someone who loves wine, we bring together the latest list of must have titles for your book shelves from Academie du Vin Library.
“In a world divided by differences of nationality, race, colour, religion and wealth [the rule of law] is one of the greatest unifying factors, perhaps the greatest, the nearest we are likely to approach to a universal secular religion.”
The importance of the rule of law cannot be overstated. It is fundamental not just to the legal world but the world as a whole. We look at the Bingham Centre whose mission it is to make the rule of law as accessible and mainstream as possible.
24 Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
As Patrick McCann takes on the reins as the new CEO of the CLLS, we talk with him about the changes that need to happen; not just within our profession but, equally important, with how the world perceives City lawyers.
30 An introduction from the New Master
Our new Master, Ginny Cannon, unfolds her plans and ambitions for the Company for the following 12 months.
34
48 HOURS IN PARADISE AKA WALES OR LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE
43 FOR PETROLHEADS
45 THE LAST WORD
There’s a scene from A Few Good Men (1992) that lives rent-free in my mind. Jack Nicholson delivers his iconic line, “You can’t handle the truth!” after being pressed into a corner by a much younger Tom Cruise. It’s a reminder that truth and ethics, can be uncomfortable, and even those sworn to uphold it sometimes struggle to face it.
Recently, within the board, we debated whether to engage directly with the political pressures being placed on law firms by the Trump administration. Opinions differed, as they should in any healthy discussion. What united us, however, was the recognition that these events highlight how fragile the rule of law can be when tested.
In this edition, we continue our focus on ethics and the profession’s duty to act. We speak to the Bingham Centre, who reminds us that the future of the rule of law cannot be left to lawyers alone. It must be defended, debated, and understood widely across society.
But should it be the role of lawyers to educate the public? We are, by extension, part of the judicial arm. If not us, then who?
Legal ethics, too, is shifting. Our duty is to act in our client’s best interests. Yet the line between that and “doing the right thing” is increasingly blurred. As Iain Miller points out in his commentary on the LSB consultation on professional ethics, the real challenge is getting that balance right - more regulation may not be the answer.
WELCOME TO THE AUTUMN EDITION OF CITY SOLICITOR MAGAZINE.
We reflect on Edmund Parker’s year of leadership and introduce Virginia Cannon, our new Solicitor Master, whose plans to bring the Company and the Bar closer together include our first-ever joint Livery Dinner with the Inner Temple.
We also celebrate the work of City Solicitors Horizons in widening access to the profession, and we welcome Patrick McCann, the new CEO of the CLLS, who shares his vision for strengthening both our profession and its public standing.
Lastly, we offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to Matthew Rous as he steps down as CEO. His calming presence in the boardroom and steadfast ability to guide the CLLS forward will be greatly missed.
And because the life of a solicitor should not be only about law. We speak to Sunny Hodge, founder of Diogenes the Dog, my favourite wine bar in Elephant and Castle (a secret I can no longer keep), whose new book brings the science of winemaking to life. We also travel to Wales to experience Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, a two-Michelin-starred retreat that has become one of the UK’s most celebrated dining destinations.
The elephant in the room remains. The rule of law is on trial, and the jury is watching. The question is: can we, as a profession, handle the truth and are we willing to speak to it?
Salome Coker Editor mail@citysolicitors.org.uk
“If elephants didn’t exist, you couldn’t invent one. They belong to a small group of living things so unlikely they challenge credulity and common sense.”
-Lyall Watson
Onceupon a time, the world was very different. Everywhere you went, there were elephants. Our profession was full of them. Issues too sensitive to discuss. Stuff best left unsaid.
Today we live in braver times. Those taboo subjects such as race, religion, sexuality, mental health and a myriad of others are spoken of with openness, frankness and a genuine desire for understanding, acceptance and inclusivity.
But let's not fool ourselves. As the world seems to increasingly divide between right and left, as wars in the so called name of religion dominate our planet and as political issues become more subjectively responded to, opening our mouths can be like stepping on a landmine.
At CitySolicitor, we are proud, not scared, to put our head above the parapet. We are not here to air our opinions but to unearth the facts and to present them from different perspectives in the hope that a more educated knowledge can help mend rifts.
In this issue we tackle some particularly difficult subjects. We address the accusation that solicitors act unethically and, as one consequence, may no longer be allowed to hold their clients' monies on account. We talk to the new CEO of the CLLS who is very openly, proudly and loudly gay about changes he wants to see. We highlight a scheme that has spent a decade helping young people who in olden days may never have been able to do more than dream of entering our profession equip themselves with all they need to become our lawyers of tomorrow. And we highlight the quest of one very outspoken woman who was not afraid to take on (and beat) the Government when she felt they were wrong.
We are not going to hide from elephants. Or allow a small group of living things to challenge our credulity or our common sense. ■
“At CitySolicitor, we are proud, not scared, to put our head above the parapet. We are not here to air our opinions but to unearth the facts and to present them from different perspectives in the hope that a more educated knowledge can help mend rifts.”
“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.”
The world is not an easy one for the legal profession to navigate at the moment. There have been a lot of questions raised around who lawyers can and cannot act for. A spotlight has been shone on just how ethical lawyers are. They may have a right to do certain things - but are those things right to do? It may be said that the number of elephants in the room is growing to become a massive herd.
The Legal Services Board (LSB), as the overarching regulator for the profession, recently conducted a consultation into professional ethics. In the paper, their Chief Executive, Craig Westwood, stated;
‘Professional ethics lies at the heart of legal services. It is the foundation on which public trust is built and is the cornerstone of the legal profession's integrity. Maintaining and strengthening professional ethical duties is not just a regulatory necessity – it is fundamental to upholding the proper administration of justice and the rule of law. Recent events have highlighted that we cannot take professional ethics for granted. The challenges facing legal professionals are complex and evolving,
from serving commercial interests and powerful clients to technological disruption. These pressures can test even the most principled practitioners, making it crucial that we create a working environment that supports and empowers ethical decision-making.’
Needless to say, the media are having a field day with this whole topic and would have us believe that there are endless lawyers out there doing terrible things when this is most definitely not the situation. SLAPPS and NDAs have been making headlines but the SRA has already addressed this situation and dealt with them.
Doing the right thing is an integral part of a lawyer’s DNA but determining what is right in today’s turbulent world can be perceived differently by different people.
Whilst we await the final findings of the consultation, there has been a lot of speculation that more regulation is on the cards.
We spoke to Richard Atkinson, the President of the Law Society of England and Wales, on his views.
“I genuinely believe the overwhelming percentage of the profession act in an incredibly ethical way - and not by accident. My own practice is criminal law, and ethics are driven home all the time. If you are operating in a sphere where there is a risk to your integrity and ethical standing, you
“Doing the right thing is an integral part of a lawyer’s DNA but determining what is right in today’s turbulent world can be perceived differently by different people.”
“Doing the right thing is an integral part of a lawyer’s DNA but determining what is right in today’s turbulent world can be perceived differently by different people.”
are acutely aware of it and mindful constantly. Yes, issues arise from time to time, but these are really the exception. But there is a difference between failing occasionally to meet standards and not having standards, which is what is being implied currently. I am not convinced that there is a need for greater regulation but what there is always room for is more education, especially in the current climate.”
Richard says he has heard concerns being voiced as to how much ethics is being taught in the SQE to the extent that firms are having to step in to pick up on the shortfall. He believes ethics needs to be taught more formally and, yes, firms and, indeed the Law Society need to be constantly vigilant to fill in any gaps.
Richard is keen that in-house lawyers are not left out of the debate. Clearly such lawyers are under pressure from the commercial side of the companies they work for and demands may be made that are inconsistent with their ethical duties. To this end, the Law Society carried out a big piece of work which can now be found on their website. (https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/ topics/in-house/in-house-ethics-frameworkconsultation) to support these lawyers both directly and by communicating with their employers by sending them a document explaining clearly what their lawyers' ethical duties entail.
“The importance of education in ethics post qualification is addressed but possibly is not quite there yet during qualification. We will be picking this up together with the SRA but this is a very different approach from seeking more regulations which I believe is missing the appropriate target. Ethics are vital to our profession but there is no point in creating more rules if people aren’t following the current ones. While not a common occurrence, it does happen occasionally and needs to be dealt with. Firms are still acutely aware of their duty to drive ethics home but they are finding the base that they are picking it up from is possibly slightly lower than it used to be.”
Iain Miller is a partner at Kingsley Napley LLP and seems to be fast becoming the go-to person when it comes to ethics and lawyers. He is the Chair of the CLLS Professional Rules & Regulations Committee and the regulation of law firms is his particular practice area; so advising other firms. Iain says we used to talk about risk and compliance but these are now referred to as ethics - which perhaps denotes a shift in mindset somewhat as well as in vocabulary - ethics definitely sounds more aspirational and less tick boxy. However, Iain
feels that sometimes there is a lack of clarity in defining precisely what we mean by the word ethics.
“On the one hand, you could be saying all organisations need to be ethical in terms of having a positive culture, of looking after your staff, of treading lightly on the planet, making the right decisions - and that spans the whole economy. The LSB speaks of ‘professional ethics’ and that encompasses being honest and truthful, acting with integrity and complying with the codes of practice that apply to your specific profession. Then we have legal ethics which includes all of the above but also reflects the role of lawyers in society and a lot of the debate at the moment is about pointing out lawyers working with say, oligarchs or oil companies and accusing them of being unethical as a result. What this lacks is an understanding of what a lawyer’s role precisely is - to effectively act for everyone. If you start saying lawyers can only act for certain people is that the start of a very slippery slope. We should be able to act for anybody. The question is what we do for them; this is where ethical behaviour comes in. This is the debate we need to be having.”
Iain believes lawyers are, today, facing challenges around when they should not do things that they may have historically done.
“The traditional view of legal ethics is to act in your client’s best interests and to do whatever they want you to do as long as it's legal and you are not breaching the code. Today, however, there are various instances like NDAs where the SRA has said that even though they are enforceable by the Courts, a lawyer should not enter into them in any way other than how they were originally intended to be used. Similarly SLAPPS, these are now considered unethicaleven though they are legal. The area between acting for your client and doing the right thing is becoming more grey and fuzzy. It is a difficult thing for our profession to navigate. When is acting in the best interests of your client going too far?”
Iain feels the LSB consultation is presenting lawyers in a bad light but he believes that it has missed the key point of balancing the public interest with the clients’ interest - and lawyers do need help with this. Simply adding more regulation is not an answer.
This whole issue of lawyers acting ethically cycles back to our previous article concerning Trump’s recent directives to law firms in the States. Iain says this emphasises in a real context why lawyers do what they do.
“Basically, here we have a situation where firms are being attacked based on who they have acted for or who they have employed and that is fundamentally wrong on so many levels. If you start saying you can’t act for certain people, where does that stop? Hence, we have to come back to the principle that you can act for anybody but you must only do things that are in the public interest for them.”
Like Richard, Iain believes that while more regulation is not a sensible option, more education is.
“Those coming into the profession can be shown the code but what we don’t teach is the social science that sits behind that. What is your role in society? And, more to the point, how do you know when you are asked to do something, how to respond if you don’t fully comprehend the context and the bigger picture. We need to empower people to make decisions based on truly understanding the principles of what being a good and ethical lawyer really means. We need to arm the profession with more dialogue around these issues and that would move our profession into an even better place. The LSB effectively were trying to deal with dishonesty which whilst this happens, it is not happening with any more frequency and it is being dealt with.”
In America, legal ethics is part of the course students need to study - this was put in place post Watergate. Here we don’t do that but Iain feels the SQE would benefit from incorporating something like this into their curriculum and for ongoing education it could become a CPD issue.
The Chair of the CLLS, Colin Passmore, sees ethics as an integral essence of a solicitor.
“Ethics are critical to the profession as they go to the heart of the solicitors' DNA in that they make or break that key ingredient, the solicitor's reputation - which once lost is never likely to be regained. So ethics are hugely important and like Iain and Richard, I am supportive of both better education at the outset of a trainee's or apprentice's career, but also as a matter of on-going professional updates and refreshers, in much the same way as we do currently with DPA and AML issues.
Where I depart from the LSB's approach is the assumption, it seems from their consultation, that there is a profession-wide problem around ethics that requires significant new regulation. Aside from how these fit in with the Government's apparent desire to reduce regulation, my biggest concern is that there
appears to be a lack of evidence put forward by the LSB to justify these sweeping changes. Everyone accepts that the Post Office enquiry will likely show some egregious examples of lawyer behaviour - but is this so endemic that these new regulations are truly needed? If the LSB is truly consulting, the CLLS would welcome the chance to put these points forward in an effort to persuade the LSB to draw back.”
Ethics is not a black or white issue, It is way more nuanced. One law firm had made the decision not to work for carbon type projects but after the Ukraine war started, there was a huge demand for power in Eastern Europe and the quickest way to stop people freezing and being in the dark was to commission coal fired power stations so they chose to act in this instance. Obviously because of the confidentiality of any solicitor / client relationship, the firm could not issue a press release explaining the
reason for their apparent U-turn so the optics were that they were acting for a client who they should not have been acting for. Regulation could not have helped in this instance.
Doing the right thing goes way beyond simply doing the legal thing; it requires a complete understanding of how these actions affect not just the client but the public at large and, ultimately, the world. It is not an easy time to be a lawyer but an ethical lawyer can really make a difference for the greater good. ■
“Doing the right thing goes way beyond simply doing the legal thing; it requires a complete understanding of how these actions affect not just the client but the public at large and, ultimately, the world.”
“In
a world divided by differences of nationality, race, colour, religion and wealth [the rule of law] is one of the greatest unifying factors, perhaps the greatest, the nearest we are likely to approach to a universal secular religion.”
Tom Bingham, The Rule of Law
TheBingham Centre for the Rule of Law is an authoritative voice on rule of law issues in the UK and overseas and is a part of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. The Centre was set up by the Institute in 2010, the year of the death of Lord Bingham. Lord Bingham had been President of the Institute and had given several highly regarded lectures on the subject of the rule of law. The Centre was founded and named in honour of this man who has been described as the greatest judge of his generation. He was Master of the Rolls, Lord Chief Justice and Senior Law Lord. His book on the rule of law (which was also published in the year of his death) is a popular and influential account of the subject.
The Bingham Centre views the rule of law as the cornerstone or foundation that every legal system should be built on. As the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, observed the rule of law is like oxygen. It’s easily taken for granted but without it everything perishes. Quite simply, the Bingham Centre exists in order to advance the rule of law and they do this in several ways.
They look at the most difficult questions where people are unsure what the rule of law requires them to do – for example how far lockdowns and surveillance should be allowed to restrict liberty during Covid-19, or the balance between rights and security in counter-terrorism. At the same time, they also distill what the rule of law requires when it is not breaking new ground by making it accessible. If only left to lawyers, the rule of law will not survive. It needs to be mainstreamed and be an integral part of society.
To this end, the Centre has developed an extensive range of explainer materials on the rule of law for the general public, with a particular emphasis on youth and school children. It convenes events and offers training and education both face to face but also on a larger scale through developing resources. There is a massive online open course offered through the University of London which is a taster for anyone of any age but especially pertinent for anyone thinking of studying law. This has had over 26,000 enrolments to date. A lot of materials have also been translated so they can be used beyond the UK in other parts of Europe. For schools in the UK, the Centre provides materials for key stages 3 and 4 on a range of topics, including the justice system, the international law of armed conflict and Magna Carta. As well as developing educational resources, the Centre organises workshops, taster videos and has had several hundred schools take part.
Jan said:
“Not only is the future of the rule of law reliant on a wider circle beyond the legal community but, also, it cannot just be defended by people arguing for one version of it. We have robust debates not just on the importance of the rule of law but also of its nature, its definition, its DNA. Last year the Attorney General gave the Bingham Lecture on the rule of law in the age of populism. Another event in June this year saw an illustrious panel of retired judges, including Lord Sumption and Justice Breyer of the US Supreme Court, discuss what courts do when democracy is under pressure. We convene events to engage people in what is at stake with the rule of law. In the past two years we have had keynote lectures from Theresa May, on public inquiries and abuse of power, and David Lammy, while in opposition, on his vision for an international rule of law.”
The Centre works closely with Parliament. Whilst most MPs are not lawyers, they are playing a really important upstream role in making law. The Bingham Centre collaborates with other organisations to identify and highlight problems in bills before they make it onto the statute book. They work to get better legislation that upholds the rule of law and doesn’t damage it by, say, breaching treaty commitments, giving sweeping powers to ministers, or making it harder to get access to justice.
“Not only is the future of the rule of law reliant on a wider circle beyond the legal community but, also, it cannot just be defended by people arguing for one version of it.”
The Centre also works on the broader justice system and not only with courts. They have recently secured funding for a new project looking into public inquiries to see whether their recommendations are actually implemented, and what can be done to monitor implementation more effectively. They are also hosting a four-year British Academy project on the Ukrainian judicial system looking at how the system has been built up and reformed since Soviet times and what still needs to be done if Ukraine is to one day meet the EU accession requirements.
In relation to counter-terrorism, the Centre is hosting the Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy, and Practice chaired by the Rt. Hon. Sir Declan Morgan KC PC, the former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. It has brought together a wealth of experts in counter terrorism and also consulted with community groups who are not regularly in dialogue with the Home Office. Government ministers from both Conservative and Labour administrations have expressed interest in this work, and there is a likelihood that some of its policy proposals will be adopted after the Commission launches its report this autumn.
Jan van Zyl Smit is Director of the Bingham Centre and first joined the Centre as a Research Fellow in 2013, not long after it was founded. He studied law in South Africa and then did his doctorate at Oxford and lectured for several years before joining the Centre. Jan sees the promotion of the rule of law in practical ways as his passion and has worked extensively in developing and post-conflict countries. He is involved in ongoing work on reforming judicial appointments and discipline in jurisdictions in Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth. Among the Bingham Centre’s small team of researchers, some have practised as a solicitor or barrister while others have worked in Parliament and NGOs as well as in academia. As Director, Jan argues that this diversity of experience is one of the Centre’s strengths as it works to tackle rule of law problems that cannot be solved simply by presenting academic arguments.
The Bingham Centre was originally funded by donations from various law firms and individuals - and it continues to rely on such generosity, alongside research grants. Over the years, the Centre has developed partnerships with law firms, offering tailored opportunities for engagement including pro bono and collaborative events. Key supporters include the Jones Day Foundation, a supporter of the Centre since 2015. Current opportunities for firms to support the Centre include lawyers volunteering within its schools programme, or firms hosting events with high-profile rule of law speakers.
Another Bingham Centre independent commission, on UK Public Health Emergency Powers, reported last year and its recommendations have been taken on board in law reform proposals in Northern Ireland for overhauling their systems after Covid-19, and are also being considered by the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and other national health departments.
The Centre has an active Business Network which brings together UK based multinational corporations through their GCs and their legal teams. They attend quarterly meetings to discuss rule of law issues, participate in relevant research projects and are briefed on the work the Centre is doing, including on issues such as effective combatting of modern slavery and the role of the legal profession in resisting ‘rule of law backsliding’ in countries where independent institutions are being undermined.
The Bingham Centre is an independent body that depends on the support of individuals and organisations to exist. The work it does is crucial and fundamental to the rule of law that serves each and every one of us. It is our oxygen. Let us not take it for granted.
If you would like to help the Bingham Centre contact Jan van Zyl Smit j.vanzylsmit@binghamcentre.biicl.org
MONIES ON ACCOUNT. WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE?
In November 2024, the SRA issued a report on their consultation looking into ‘Client money in legal servicessafeguarding consumers and providing redress’. This partially came about because of the reported £60 million of client money that was lost when Axiom Ince ceased trading in October 2023.
The history of solicitors holding monies on account is an interesting one. Even up until the beginning of the 20th Century, solicitors could hold their clients’ monies in their own accounts. This was not dissimilar to other professions; notoriously Saatchi & Saatchi once claimed their second biggest source of revenue came from monies they held on account for their clients! Clearly, the loss of interest clients suffered as a consequence had to be dealt with and the framework we operate within today was established by the Solicitors Act in 1941.
But much has happened since 1941 and the legal profession has changed radically. The amounts of monies solicitors hold has grown to billions - so making the risk of it being lost much greater for clients.
Protecting that client money surely has to be the paramount priority. But let's be realistic here; as with exaggerated claims that ethical standards in our profession are diminishing, similarly the media are clutching onto a few isolated cases in order to alarm clients about the security of their monies. Where there is fraud or similar, these matters are severely dealt with - but surely to add more regulation - as is being suggested - is simply unnecessarily burdening law firms whilst not actually increasing safety.
We spoke to Kasey Cowley who is one of the Risk and Compliance Managers at Howard Kennedy LLP. Kasey explains that if the recommendations of the SRA were to go forward, solicitors firms would have to consider appointing Third Party Managed Account (TPMA) providers to hold clients’ monies on their behalf.
“The publicity around the Axiom Ince story caused a huge spotlight to be shone on how law firms hold clients' monies and some action needed to be seen to be taken. Of course, safeguarding our clients’ monies is a serious matter but every day law
firms are dealing with millions of pounds and almost always with no problems. The changes proposed are going to cause huge logistical problems in terms of both affordability and practicality - and are really offering nothing better than what is already in place. Some of the smaller firms may not find it financially viable to be able to appoint a TPMA. Then there is the operational implication; transferring to a TPMA is going to require time and due diligence. Firms will need to assess the security of the systems to consider whether that could impact the quality or timeliness of service to clients; by having a TPMA involved that takes away control from the law firm - and that could, potentially, adversely affect the service to the client. There is potentially more harm than good that could result from the changes. Also, would it actually enhance the safety of client money? Essentially all that is happening is transferring the risk to another entity - and who can ensure that entity is more reliable or trustworthy or safe?”
Another factor that needs to be considered is the availability of these TPMAs ; are there enough to accommodate all the law firms? Kasey believes not. The TPMA has to be FCA regulated and there is SRA guidance for firms who are considering using a TPMA - and more will be needed to make this proposal liable.
There always have - and always will be - examples of misconduct in any and every walk of life. To name a few is far from evidence that the problem is endemic. Law firms are facing greater pressures constantly, as we have explored in other articles within this issue, therefore to add more layers of complexity - especially when they are not needed - is probably not the best way to move forward. Perhaps an updating of an Act that is now 85 years old and therefore not wholly fitting to the current time would be more pertinent?
BROADENING OUR HORIZONS
My parents emigrated to England after the Second World War. They were Greek Cypriot and spoke English incorrectly and with an accent for the rest of their lives. They had very little education and even less money all of which went into giving me the best schooling within those budgets and helped by scholarships my brain managed to win. Against all odds, I achieved something my parents had never even dreamt of for them and I went to university, to the prestigious London School of Economics no less and, even better, I read Law. (Sadly my father could not watch his daughter proudly as he had died five years earlier.) From there I progressed to the College of Law at Lancaster Gate to study for my Solicitors’ Part 2s as they were known then. Throughout school, at university and then at Lancaster Gate, I was very conscious of being the odd one out, an outsider. My friends were all very middle class, very English with names like Catherine and Sarah. I did not travel in the summer holidays - except to St Leonards if we were lucky - I did not ski nor did I visit the theatre or the opera or the ballet. I did read - voraciously - even Nausea by Jean Paul Sartre at the age of 11 and this passion for words and learning held me well. It was only when I dipped my toe into the legal profession that I knew however good my brain was and however easily I could hold my own in academic terms, there was a part of me that was too unpolished to ever fit in without certain tools, support, guidance and mentorship that, in those dim and distant days, simply did not exist. So I exited the profession and went into the world of advertising where your background, wealth and accent were irrelevant - this was a total meritocracy based on how good your last ad was - nothing more, nothing less.
All of this was before City Solicitors Horizons: established in 2015 by The City Solicitors Educational Trust and the City of London Solicitors' Company (CLSC) with support from a number of City firms, CSH is a three-year support programme aimed at improving access to the legal profession for undergraduates from low socio-economic backgrounds. Each year up to 50 first year students interested in pursuing a career in law are selected to join the programme, which lasts for the entirety of their degree course.
CSH is university agnostic, recognising that many target students choose, for social, family, economic or care responsibility reasons, to study at their local university. Chosen candidates are allocated a mentor drawn from one of the supporting firms and receive work experience, face to face and online training sessions on many aspects of legal practice and Insight days. In 2021 the programme was highly commended at the prestigious Law Society Awards and CSH won the award for “Supporting the Industry, 26+ Employees” at the 2022 Modern Law Awards.
Not only does this incredible programme help those who may not otherwise feel able to access the profession do so but, equally importantly, it guides them on how to navigate stuff that others take for granted; how to conduct interviews, how to behave at social events, even how to dress appropriately. Had this been around in my day, maybe I’d be a partner in a Magic Circle law firm today!
This July the organisation celebrated a decade of existence, coinciding with SEO London, a social mobility charity which has been responsible for delivering the CSH programme from day one, taking on ownership
of the project, with CLSC continuing as both a moral and promotional sponsor. CSH has an excellent track record, boasting now over 200 alumni it has helped become lawyers. In recognition of the success of the past decade’s achievements and to mark the relaunch, an event was held on 16th July at the Connaught Rooms in Holborn, attended by many alumni and representatives from supporter firms, past and present.
The organisation would not have achieved the success it has had it not been for Roger Finbow, the founding Chair of Horizons and its initial inspiration; someone who from his years as the recruitment partner of Ashurst LLP has been passionate about helping young people from all sorts of backgrounds not just to get into the profession but to be equipped to feel very much part of it too.
“The journey these young people embark on is truly extraordinary to observe. You meet them in their first year of university, fresh out of school and they don’t really know how to talk, how to dress, then two and a half years later they are fully confident with the ability to talk to a room - the transformation is remarkable.”
I spoke to 4 such alumni to hear about their own experiences.
Nyah Clark knew she wanted to be a lawyer while she was still at school mainly because she always had a passion for debates, problem solving and manipulating language to exemplify two sides of an argument and so she geared her choice of A levels accordingly to achieve that end; History, Psychology and (a little out of the box), Chemistry. These got her into the University of Nottingham where she found reading
Law was fascinating - she says it taught her a completely different way of thinking and gave her the skills to critically analyse. She was eager to see first hand how the theory translates into practice and applied for the Horizons scheme and was approved. Through this she managed to secure a place with BRidge to the City, a new social mobility programme exclusively for SEO and Horizons London candidates, in partnership with Ropes & Gray LLP and Bloomberg LP. She spent a week at Ropes & Gray and a week at Bloomberg seeing how in-house lawyers work. She secured a scholarship with Ropes & Gray which then gave her a vacation scheme in her second year at university and offered her a training contract which she begins this September having finished her Law Masters (LLM).
“Without Horizons opening that door for me, I would never have been exposed to the connections that led me to the fortunate place I find myself in today. I feel honoured to be a part of a programme like this which allows people like me to showcase their talents.”
Nyah is only 22 and has come a long way in a short period of time; she definitely puts this acceleration down to Horizons who she says have truly not just “kickstarted but catapulted” her career.
“Horizons helped me combat the feeling of imposter syndrome when attending events and functions that were so alien to me. I hadn’t had the experience or opportunity to be at such events in my life so it was daunting. But Horizons equipped and prepared me so I felt confident about my etiquette, my behaviour in a way I would not have done before. They even organised a trip to the opera - something I had never even dreamt of doing before - and it was phenomenal. I had no idea what they were saying but the emotions spoke volumes. I was in awe. I now know you can put me anywhere and I will know how to fit in.”
Adam discovered Horizons through looking through LinkedIn posts around jobs. He says getting onto the programme was pivotal for him; it was at the time of COVID and he was working in construction during the day and studying for his degree in the evening so was, unsurprisingly, stressed. At the time, Horizons were doing four full-day virtual training days where every hour was a session with a different partner who explained their practice area.
“This gave me so much confidence because I felt I was within a structure, I was learning a lot and getting exclusive access. By the time I went for an actual interview, I had already undertaken mock interviews and been given so much support that, despite everything else going on in my life, I felt fully prepared.”
As with Nyah’s trip to the opera, Adam explains how part of the Horizons journey is to expose would-be lawyers to cultural events. Adam went to the Courtauld and he and his group were taken round the gallery by a museum staff member who gave them a very personalised and informative guided tour. Like Nyah, these sorts of events were unfamiliar to Adam but, being introduced to them in such an intimate way, they added to his armour for future life.
“Without Horizons opening that door for me, I would never have been exposed to the connections that led me to the fortunate place I find myself in today.
I feel honoured to be a part of a programme like this which allows people like me to showcase their talents.”
Adam Badawy is with Freshfields LLP. He grew up in Colindale in London. His dad was a flight attendant who lost his job through COVID while Adam was at university. He then found work as a part time bus driver. Adam’s mum worked part time in retail. Adam went to a state school then went to Warwick to read History and Politics. He did a vacation scheme with Freshfields in his second year and got offered his training contract with them shortly after. After university,Adam did his Law Conversion then his SQE.
“I never went to university wanting to be a lawyer but I very quickly decided to - for a multitude of reasons. I went to university in order to get a job, and originally I was looking at the Civil Service and also Politics because that aligned with my degree. Then, out of the blue, a law firm came to campus to talk to us; the event was held in a cafe and only two of us turned up and the recruiter gave us the company card and said to order whatever we wanted. I could not quite believe this. I did just get a coffee but it gave me a glimpse into a much more glamorous world; very different from my own. I started to listen to podcasts about the law, to read books, to follow deals in newspapers and I soon realised it really suited the way I think.”
“The Horizons project is bold. There is so much talk about whether office ski-ing trips and suchlike should be banned but rather than just discussing the problem, Horizons were not concerned about the optics but more interested in providing us with the tools to be able to fit in with any situation. This meant I could speak to someone about an experience I had never had before with knowledge and confidence.”
Jude D’Alesio was born and bred in Cardiff where he went to a state comprehensive school. Jude’s parents separated while he was quite young and he was then brought up by his actress mum as a single parent. His mum was super influential in his journey; she loved reading and writing and instilled this passion into her son. He says while he may not have had the flashiest clothes or toys, there was never a shortage of books for him to read - and he would take that over material things anyday. He went to Bristol University to read Law and fell in love with the subject straight off. He applied to Horizons in his first year and was delighted to be accepted. He says the help he received from them was fundamental to him getting his training contract with Shearman & Sterling (which later merged with Allen & Overy).
“The Horizons events and the support they gave demystified the legal world for me and gave me the confidence and ability to get through my interviews successfully and land my training contract.”
Jude is now in his final seat in litigation and is about to qualify.
“For me the best thing Horizons gave wasn’t necessarily a tangible thing but the mindset it instilled in me. They made me believe I could be a lawyer even though I did not have the connections. I didn’t have to be privately educated nor did I have to have to go to Oxbridge. They gave me the confidence to believe these were not barriers and I could realise my dreams. That may not sound like a lot but, trust me, it was everything.”
Myung Cho is also at A&O Shearman LLP, now an associate in Derivatives. He studied History and wasn’t really clear as to his future path. His parents were both hairdressers who had emigrated to the UK from South Korea, Myung was seven at the time. The very English legal world was not one he was party to or familiar with in any way but an interest sparked when he shadowed some barristers and criminal lawyers quite informally whilst at university.
A friend of Myung introduced him to the Horizons programme and so he decided to give it a shotand the rest is history.
“The programme helped me in so many ways and on so many different levels. I got a training contract with Ashurst LLP and then moved to A&O Shearman LLP. I don’t think it is over selling it and I don’t want to sound dramatic, but I genuinely don’t think I would be sitting here today without the Horizons programme. I remember the first time I set foot in a City law firm and even questioning what to wear would have been an issue without them. They polished me up in a way I wasn’t used to. I also felt that for the first time in my life I was surrounded by people who were just like me. Like me, they didn’t have all the right connections. We were in a different ball game and we could empathise with and help each other. No longer was I the odd one out surrounded by people all discussing how good or bad the snow had been on their last ski-ing trip. We were all on the same journey; most of us working part time to support ourselves
financially, all of us trying to navigate through the social nuances of a world that we had never been accustomed to. We were all learning everything from scratch; it didn’t come naturally to us as it did to those who perhaps had grown up in families where parents worked in professional services. For us the finesse to tackle these situations was not intuitive, but needed to be taught. Horizons taught us all of this - and more.”
“The Horizons events and the support they gave demystified the legal world for me and gave me the confidence and ability to get through my interviews successfully and land my training contract.”
Over the years, I have interviewed so many people connected with our profession; managing partners, judges, politicians. These four young lawyers could hold their own with the best of them. They are smart, knowledgeable, entertaining, witty, humble, well spoken, articulate, rounded, wordly and confident. They have Horizons to thank for nurturing and bringing out these qualities and giving them the tools and the opportunities to really develop the best versions of themselves. Whilst so many firms are clearly investing in their own social mobility schemes, the success of CSH shows that collaboration between firms can have a greater positive effect and give disadvantaged students a much better chance of joining and flourishing in the legal profession.
Contact Roger Finbow; rogerfinbow2@gmail.com
” Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”
Change is something that can happen in an instant and transform our lives forever. But change in society, in a profession, in a culture - these types of changes can take years, decades, generations. And the time it takes us to perceive such a change can be significantly longer.
The legal profession has gradually been transforming itself. Once upon a time, it was a highly elitist profession comprised of white, public school educated, Russell group at minimum, but more often the not, Oxbridge graduates and it was very male.
Today that demographic is not even the norm. Our profession genuinely is diverse. More women than men study law. Schemes like City Solicitors Horizons and City Century mean young people from all walks of society have access. People of colour, people in the LGBGTQ community and other ‘minorities’ are welcomed not barred.
But ask Joe Bloggs on the street how they perceive law - particularly City law - and they will describe it as it was in the last century.
One man wants to change all that - and he has put himself in a perfect position to do it. This Autumn, we welcome the new CEO of the City of London Law Society (CLLS), Patrick McCann - and one glance at his picture will show you he is not the stereotypical grey suit and tie wearing figment of most people’s imagination. He is his own person, always true to himself and proud of it.
“One of the reasons I took this job was that I believe the CLLS has a huge opportunity and the potential to make a difference - both in what we can offer to the profession and also in how the world views us. The foundations are all in place. My predecessor, Matthew Rous, did the most incredible job of getting the infrastructure working in the very best way; so I have been handed a perfectly functioning working machine. Now we have to decide where we want to take it. The CLLS needs to resonate not just with its members but with the profession as a whole, with the City and with society. That means we need to be current. We need to speak with ethics, grit and determination.”
“People of colour, people in the LGBGTQ community and other ‘minorities’ are welcomed not barred.”
Patrick believes City law is where so very many important things in our lives and our world are initiated and transacted - and he wants the CLLS to make sure that is understood and appreciated by a wider audience.
At a time when the already outdated and unreal view of City lawyers exists, we now have the media stories questioning solicitor’s ethics to add yet another layer of false perception.
Patrick says one of the very first things he wants to do in his new role is to engage with its key stakeholders to fully grasp what everyone believes the CLLS actually is, what it should stand for and what it should do. Whilst these sound like the basics, what happens over time is that fundamental principles are assumed - and it is time to regroup, reassess and make sure everyone is on the same page with a very clear understanding and vision.
Patrick is a great believer in the power of collaboration so wants to set up good working relationships with other societies both within and outside of the profession. He respects and appreciates that the CLLS is there to serve its members - but he also feels there is a duty to lead too.
“There is much debate at the moment about the health of the profession, its ethical standing, what we are giving back to society. I would love CLLS to be vocal on all this and start to shift perceptions and exemplify the things we should be celebrating. We need to show how City law is really the best in the world. Any major construction, and significant deal - all these things that are happening not just in the UK but all over the world have lawyers behind them - and they probably are London lawyers. I think we should be shouting about all these. And we should not be afraid to speak out about the difficult issues either - to face the challenges head on and resolve them.”
Patrick is keen to extend the demographic of the membership of CLLS. He wants to increase the diversity, to bring in younger members - to be truly open and inclusive.
Patrick is working on a five point strategy to incorporate all of his plans - and more besides.
Watch this space. The changes are coming.
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REBEL WITH A CAUSE
Joanna Hughes is not your typical City lawyer - if, indeed, there is such a thing. She’s a tad different, a bit of a rebel and a woman of many passions.
To continue the film analogy, there is no such thing as a mission impossible for her. Once her mind is made up and her heart is set, watch out world because nothing is going to stop her.
After a quarter of a century practising in a major law firm, Jo decided the time was right to dedicate herself full time to fulfilling her dreams - and, in so doing, enabling others to do the same.
She is the co-CEO of City Century which, for anyone who may have been hiding under a stone in recent years, is ‘a multi-award winning solicitor apprenticeship initiative that identifies, recruits, educates, and develops the very best talent, connecting them to the City of London.’
Recently, the Government announced they wanted to rebalance apprenticeship levy funding away from older people in favour of young people on the basis that Level 7 apprenticeships - the level which solicitor apprenticeships fall into - were mainly for middle aged, middle-class people. This is absolutely not the case where solicitor apprenticeships are concerned.
Levy funding is where companies of a certain size pay a levy irrespective of whether they operate apprenticeships or not - that money goes into a pool and, if you are a firm with apprentices, you take money out of that to cover the training costs. The proposal would have meant that even firms
with apprentices would no longer be able to access these monies. Clearly this would have been a major setback for the scheme.
Needless to say, Jo took up the gauntlet on behalf of law firms that are members of the City Century collaboration. The Solicitor Trailblazer Group represented the legal profession more generally. Jo spent several months doing pro bono lobbying - and considers the outcome of this work a success. She was delighted and grateful that the Department for Education listened to her arguments and evidence, and an age exemption from the levy funding cuts was secured; an example of how the Government is prioritising young people as part of its Youth Guarantee.
Whether that success can be perceived as total or partial depends on perspective. Funding will be removed from Level 7 apprenticeships from January 2026, while maintaining support for those aged 21 or under (24 or under for care leavers) when they start their apprenticeship and existing apprentices. This means that funding for the 6-year solicitor apprenticeship used by City Century law firms (which is the one that Jo believes has the biggest social mobility impact) will be unaffected if firms continue to focus their recruitment on school leavers or those who left school recently. Obviously, for graduate apprenticeships, most of whom are over 21 when they start, unfortunately, miss out.
The sheer strength of submissions from Jo and others in the legal profession and in other sectors against the initial proposal were such that the Government extended their timeframe for this in order to look into the detail more acutely. Many believe that the solicitor apprenticeship lobbying changed the outcome for all Level 7 funding.
Jo says:
“I honestly see this as the biggest moment in my career; working collaboratively with the Government, we succeeded in protecting the availability and the perception of the solicitor apprenticeship route into law. While it would have been better of course not to lose any Level 7 funding, my priority has always been school leavers from low socio-economic backgrounds". Obviously, Jo was not alone in this charge; alongside her every step of the way were Colin Passmore, the Chair of the CLLS and Patrick McCann, Jo’s co-CEO in City Century and CEO of the CLLS. Jo, Colin and Patrick are all grateful to the Ministry of Justice for their support throughout. And I feel it is true to say that our profession is more than grateful to Jo for her unswerving dedication in ensuring young people from all walks of life have the opportunity and financial backing to become the solicitors of the future.
A Year of Gateways, Growth and Games –The Master’s Reflections
When Edmund Parker assumed the Master’s chair of the City of London Solicitors’ Company last June, he declared his theme would be “Gateways”. Twelve months later, he has finished his Year, and the metaphor could hardly be more apt: Ed’s stewardship has opened new routes into membership, reinvigorated the Company’s sporting life and positioned the Livery as a modern‐minded partner for the City.
At the heart of the year lay a strategic renewal.
Under Ed’s guidance, the Court approved a comprehensive review that streamlines Committee structures—including the creation of the new "Whittington LEMs" Committee to bring together Livery, Events, Membership, and Sports— sharpens financial controls and, critically, extends membership to solicitor-apprentices, paralegals seeking training contracts and trainees. The new Committee was supported by a reinvigorated Communications Committee which has made the Company’s communications and social media offering the envy of other livery companies.
By broadening the base, the Company now mirrors the profession’s growing diversity and secures a “reverse-Everest” demographic – broad at the foot, soaring to a summit of experience.
Ed also oversaw a major overhaul of the Company’s systems, implementing the Livery Management System which enabled online booking for events and activities, and leading a complete overhaul of the membership databases to ensure accuracy and efficiency in Company administration.
No gateway has proved livelier than sport. Prompted by Past Master David Biddle’s question “what became of our teams?”, the Master appointed a Captain of Sports, Liveryman Luca Cordelli, and together they have re-sown once fallow fields.
Eleven squads – spanning football, rugby, netball, golf, bridge, tennis, padel, petanque, clay-pigeon shooting, skiing and the legendary Inter-Livery Cask Race – now train and turn-out for the Company under a single Livery Sports Initiative.
An impressive number of members and guests have pulled on Company colours, with apprentices and junior lawyers forming the fastest-growing cohort.
This year, Ed has also arranged for the Company to be entered into The Law Society Festival of Sport in September, where we will be fielding teams for Contact Rugby, Touch Rugby, Netball, and Football. We hope that these teams will have strong Solicitor Apprentice and Trainee participation, further strengthening our commitment to inclusivity and social mobility.
Beyond competition, each team is embracing socialmobility projects: indoor golf tasters for non-golfers, city-centre clay days for newcomers, and a Hemel Hempstead “snow school” ahead of the 2026 InterLivery Ski Championships are all in the pipeline.
Financial prudence has matched enthusiasm; a transparent funding plan combines participant fees, targeted sponsorship and a proposed matched-giving cup – the Parker Cup – ensuring the programme can stand alone by 2026.
The year’s civic calendar was equally vigorous. A modern-day record 300 guests dined beneath the Egyptian splendour of Mansion House for our Annual Banquet, the Company resumed its place in the Lord Mayor’s Show, and two standingroom lectures with the University of Law Alumni Association explored “Making Partner through the Ages” and “The City Lawyer of the 2050s”. These events attracted impressive audiences of young legal professionals.
Two “Lucky Girls” events, an initiative started by Past Master Sarah de Gay to support and encourage female solicitors, were also held, furthering the Company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Meanwhile, the newly launched History Society embarked on its maiden field-study visit to Portsmouth, proof that intellectual fellowship now complements physical endeavour. The Society's informal 'pilot' event took place during the Master's Weekend in Portsmouth, where members enjoyed a curated programme including a private tour of HMS Warrior, guided visits to the Mary Rose Museum and HMS Victory, and a private dinner in the Nelson Gallery of the National Museum of the Royal Navy. The weekend continued with a visit to The D-Day Story Museum, a stop at Southsea Castle, and a tour of HMS Alliance, the Royal Navy's only surviving WWII-era submarine.
Feedback from participants was unanimously positive, highlighting the balance of scholarship and camaraderie, the inclusion of partners, and the opportunity to learn from expert guides. The Society was created to draw together members with a passion for historical study, organise visits, lectures, and discussion fora that complement the Company's civic traditions, and to research, preserve, and celebrate the Company's own institutional heritage. With over thirty members joining at launch, the Society plans a varied programme of lectures, archive visits, walking tours, and historical talks in the coming year, and will also assist in safeguarding and cataloguing the Company's artefacts and records for future generations.
Ed also noted a significant milestone during his year: the American Bar Association was holding its centenary event in London, marking 100 years
since its first visit to the city. The Company History book records that the Livery Company held a joint event with the ABA on that occasion in 1924. To commemorate this centenary, Ed organised a joint breakfast with the ABA and the City of London Law Society, celebrating a century of collaboration and strengthening ties for the future.
Throughout, the Master was supported by the Mistress Solicitor, Panthea Parker, whose warmth and organisational flair were felt from welcoming cadets at Mansion House to marshalled teams on Southsea quays. Members testify that her hospitality and quiet counsel were the year’s indispensable constant.
A further highlight of the year was the signing of the Military Covenant on behalf of the Livery Company by Ed. This significant act took place on Remembrance Day, which was also the date of the Company’s Livery Dinner, reaffirming the Company’s commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community.
Ed also converted the long-standing "Courts and Committees" Dinner into a new "Celebration of Impact" evening event, which showcased and celebrated the Company's good works through charities such as the City Solicitors' Educational Trust and the Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund (SWSQF). This innovative event brought a different and more diverse audience to Company gatherings, broadening engagement and highlighting the Company's charitable impact.
In addition to his role as Master, Ed also served as President of the City of London Law Society during this period. He took great strides in integrating the two organisations, fostering closer collaboration and ensuring that the Company and the Society worked hand in hand to advance the interests of City solicitors.
More broadly, Ed supported the Livery Company in the broader livery movement. He attended over 80 events, including banquets and lectures, dining with the judges at the Old Bailey, attending the Buckingham Palace Garden party, taking a full part in Remembrance Day events, and voting for the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs.
As Ed hands the baton to his successor, Virginia Cannon, he leaves a Company energised, outwardlooking and thoroughly fit – on balance sheet and on playing field alike. The gateways he has opened now beckon a new generation to walk, run – or sprint – through. ■
AN INTRODUCTION FROM THE NEW MASTER
First, a big ‘hello’ to all CLSC and CLLS members. To introduce myself, I am the 2025-6 Master of the City of London Solicitors’ Company, and, by virtue of that office, also President of the City of London Law Society during that period.
To give a little of my background, although I am retired now I was an in-house solicitor for most of my working life, first working for British Telecom as an international commercial/corporate lawyer, including 2 years as International Compliance Manager, then working for London Underground as adviser on its PPP and PFI contracts. Since retiring, I have been Chair of four charities, and am now a trustee of The Solicitors’ Charity, trustee of the Investment Managers’ Guild’s Charity and Committee member of the Association of Women Solicitors, London.
I am extremely proud of being elected Master, and at my installation at the AGM in June I had great pleasure in being able to donate to the Company three new silk robes for the officers of the Company – Master, Senior Warden and Junior Warden. I had the idea for commissioning them when I realized that the existing ones, whilst having done sterling service, are not really designed for either the average height of women, or the heat so often encountered at formal events. They look pretty good on the male officers, too !
I have chosen as the theme for my year, ‘Connecting.’ I have become increasingly aware of the divisions, and sometimes suspicion and conflicts, between different parts of the legal profession. For example, between in-house solicitors, and those in law firms; and between solicitors and barristers. Then for those in either profession not yet qualified, the difficulties in getting to know colleagues in the same boat, and to make contact and be ‘seen’ by those already established in their professions. For example, Trainees and Apprentices, and pupil barristers. And the difficulties and barriers for those in either profession in getting a foothold in the first place, as interns, employed trainees or pupil barristers. I would like to facilitate connection between all of these parts of the profession. Also, until Past Master Ed’s recent efforts last year, the Company has been somewhat inward-looking, so I would like to facilitate greater connection with other Livery Companies.
There is a limit to what can be achieved in a year, but to start with connecting with the Bar, I am lucky in that my husband, Richard Salter, is Treasurer (like Master, only of a much bigger organisation) for the year of the Inner Temple Inn of Court.
So we have conspired to ‘connect’, bringing the Company and the Bar together by having our firstever Livery Dinner jointly with the Benchers of the Inner Temple (its governing body) in Inner Temple Hall in November (guest speaker to be announced). It will be preceded by a short, but beautiful, Evensong in the Temple Church, to which all those coming will be invited.
I am working with the Whittington-LEMs Committee (the name is a bit of a mouthful for historic reasons, but it is our main Committee for organizing many of the Company events) to focus on events specifically aimed at being of interest to in-house lawyers, who are now a substantial part of our membership. The idea will be to ‘connect’ with solicitors in law firms, by asking law firms to host events at which we will have speakers, and networking between those working in-house and those working for law firms. I have observed that, whilst both types of lawyers have much in common, there are specific problems and concerns facing each which are different, and could benefit from being shared.
I will also be encouraging this Committee to set up more informal (and less expensive!) events aimed at providing an informal environment where younger members can meet each other, and also more senior members, and hopefully can also bring along colleagues who might be interested in becoming members of the Company.
The Committee also organises our participation in inter-livery sporting events, of which there has been a positive explosion under Past Master Ed’s year, and I will encourage them to continue and expand –it is one of the best ways of ‘connecting’ with other Livery companies, as well as between younger members of the Company.
Our members deserve to see what impact the activities of the Company, and the CLLS, have achieved during the year, so I will be expanding the successful Celebration of Impact event we had last year. This year it will be at Founders’ Hall (a really lovely Hall, small, but perfectly formed!) and will encompass the nature and impact of donations made by our Charitable Fund, the achievements of our Award Winners, and examples of the highly influential work done by the CLLS Specialist Committees, as well as examples of stand-out
work done by the CLSC Committees. We will have speakers who will give short, and hopefully lively, snapshots of the impact of all of this work, and those attending will be given the opportunity to meet those involved in the work and explore how they, too, might become involved.
I am very pleased that Past Master Sarah de Gay has organized another in the extremely popular Lucky Girls’ series, this time on ‘Meaningful Mentoring’, in October. Anyone wanting to go should book early! Members who love our more formal events will be pleased to know that we are having our magnificent Banquet at the Mansion House in March next year. For those who have not been before, it is really worth going – just once a year! It is a spectacular evening – and also great fun! And no-one need worry about the formality of it, all our ‘old hands’ will make sure everyone is made welcome.
The one other thing I would like to mention here is the Master’s trip. This is an outing that each Master organises for a long weekend (usually Friday to Sunday) to visit somewhere special, usually for about 20-30 members and partners who want to come.
Pre-Covid we used to have some amazing trips to France, Italy and Spain, usually involving a number of vineyards and tastings, as well as spectacular scenery and convivial dinners. Post-Covid we have not ventured outside the UK, so for my year I would very much like to be a bit more (soft)-adventurous and organize a trip to Portugal, where as you know the Douro is spectacular for both its scenery and wines. This is still very much a work-in-progress, but is intended to take place next spring.
There will be other events coming up during my year, so please do keep a lookout for our Clerk, Kerri’s, very useful ‘Save the Date’ circulars, which also include other City events which our members might be interested in.
Finally, I hope that, together, we will all have a really good year – with a lot of fun along the way! ■
Ginny Cannon Master, CLSC 2025-6
The Company’s New Strategy concentrating on Opening the Company up to Apprentices, Trainees and Paralegals seeking Training Contracts and Apprenticeships: a call to take your place
When Edmund Parker, our now Immediate Past Master, assumed the role of Master last June, he set “Gateways” as the theme for his year—gateways to membership, fellowship, and opportunity. He soon realised that the demographics of the Company meant that we must encourage and bring in a new generation of City legal professionals, to vitalise the Livery Company for the generations to come.
Early on, Ed was inspired by speaking to one of our oldest members, now in his 90s, who told him that he joined in his 20s. But where were those in their 20s now, who might stay with the Company until their 90s. Ed and the Membership Convenor Group of our new Whittington LEMs Committee set out to find them, and our new Strategy set out to establish a new framework to draw-in this new generation.
Twelve months on from those initial thoughts, this vision has been realised in remarkable ways, as the City of London Solicitors’ Company has opened its doors wider than ever, welcoming a new generation of legal professionals into its historic fold.
Central to this transformation was the adoption of a refreshed Strategy, approved by the Court in June. For almost the first time in its 116-year history, the Company now admits solicitor-apprentices, paralegals seeking training contracts, and trainees as associate members to the Company. We say “almost” as up until the 1990s, solicitor apprentices were an active cohort in the City and had some associate membership rights in the Company. As this category disappeared from the City in general, so did the membership. We are extremely proud to say that solicitor apprentices are back, and we in the Company are supporting them.
For our new cohort quarterage is set at accessible levels—£50 for apprentices and £100 for trainees. This bold move ensures that talent and ambition,
rather than financial means, are the keys to entry. The result is a “reverse-Everest” demographic: a broad and diverse base of junior members, supported and inspired by the experience of senior solicitors at the summit.
The benefits for new members are tangible and immediate. Each apprentice is paired with a mentor, and every trainee is offered networking opportunities, including the chance to meet and learn from senior figures in the legal profession.
Through the Company’s thriving Sports Initiative, junior members are encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities, from football and rugby to golf and tennis. Entry-level events such as the Hemel Hempstead snow trip and golf taster sessions we expect will be especially popular, providing a welcoming environment for those new to both the Company and their chosen sport.
These activities not only foster camaraderie and wellbeing but also break down barriers, allowing apprentices and trainees to build relationships with established practitioners and leaders in the field.
The launch of the History Society will add a new dimension to Company life, offering members the chance to explore legal and civic history through lectures, visits, and discussion forums. The Society’s inaugural weekend in Portsmouth was a resounding success, and plans are already underway for further societies—ranging from music and art to book clubs and beyond—ensuring that every member can find a community of shared interest. These societies enrich the intellectual and social fabric of the Company, providing yet more gateways for engagement and personal growth.
The impact of these initiatives is already evident. InterLivery sports teams have seen record participation from junior lawyers, and Company lectures such
as ‘Making Partner Through the Ages’ and ‘The City Lawyer of the 2050s’ have drawn enthusiastic audiences.
Charitable partners report that seeing apprentices in Company colours inspires aspiration among school students, making the profession feel accessible and real.
None of this progress would have been possible without the dedication of the Clerk’s office, committee chairs, and countless volunteers. Their efforts, alongside the warm welcome extended by members at every level, have ensured that the Company remains a vibrant, inclusive, and forwardlooking institution.
As the baton passes to the new Master, Virginia Cannon, the gateways opened this year promise a future where the City’s solicitors—present and future—find not only a professional home, but a thriving community in which to learn, grow, and belong.
To all solicitor apprentices, trainees, and paralegals seeking training contracts: we urge you to seize this opportunity and become pioneers in shaping the future of the Company.
Your energy, ideas, and ambition are vital to our continued growth and relevance.
By joining now, you will not only benefit from the support and camaraderie of a diverse professional network, but you will also help set the tone for generations to come.
Step forward, take your place, and help us build a Company that truly reflects the dynamism and diversity of the modern legal profession.
The doors are open—be among the first to walk through and make your mark. ■
The Launch of the City of London Solicitors' Company History Society
The City of London Solicitors’ Company has launched its brand new History Society. It is the brainchild of outgoing Master, Edmund Parker. In June, in just two weeks, over 40 history enthusiasts signed up, ready to embark on a fascinating journey through the centuries.
This exciting initiative forms part of the Company’s broader drive to establish societies that will focus on pursuits of the mind, complementing our thriving sporting initiatives and ensuring that every member can find a community of shared interest.
The History Society is one of pioneers along with “The Rule of Law Society”. It already has plans afoot to attend special lectures across London, with members meeting afterwards to socialise and discuss topics. Even more thrilling, we have secured privileged access to sites and archives typically closed to the public. By joining, you will uncover hidden corners of London’s past, allowing
members to exchange views with fellow lawyers who share your passion for heritage, and to broaden their professional network in an environment that celebrates our collective intellectual curiosity.
Such field excursions and city-wide explorations promise not just to expand your mind, but also to strengthen connections with peers in a friendly, social setting. Whether your interest lies in medieval England, ancient civilisations or the modern periods, the History Society guarantees robust discussion, lively debate, and unforgettable moments of discovery.
The Society’s journey began with a memorable soft launch: the Master’s Trip to Portsmouth. Members enjoyed a curated weekend exploring HMS Warrior, the Mary Rose Museum, and HMS Victory, followed by a private dinner in the Nelson Gallery of the National Museum of the Royal Navy. The trip continued with visits to The D-Day Story
Museum, Southsea Castle, and HMS Alliance, the Royal Navy’s only surviving WWII-era submarine.
This inaugural event set the tone for the Society’s blend of scholarship, camaraderie, and exclusive access to historical treasures.
The History Society will also focus on preserving, documenting and further capturing the history of The City of London Solicitors' Company, and its current and former members.
If you are keen to make your mark on this exciting new venture, send an email expressing your interest to the Clerk: clerk@citysolicitors.org. uk. Come join the ranks of inquisitive solicitors determined to celebrate our past while forging the future—together.
Through the History Society, you will gain a deeper appreciation of the City’s cultural and legal tapestry. ■
48 HOURS IN
OR LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE
“This restaurant is the most highly-awarded restaurant in Wales, was named Best Restaurant in the UK in 2022 and 2023. It has two Michelin stars, five AA rosettes, and is ranked in the UK's top five UK restaurants by the Good Food Guide.”
Thursday 14th August
It’s 7.30 am and the alarm just rudely woke me up. Time for a quick shower, a high dose of caffeine and on the road by 9am to drive to ……. dinner.
Yes. We have chosen a dinner venue 247 miles from home. As you do.
But this is - clearly - not just any dinner venue. This is Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, the multi-award winning local produce restaurant based near Machynlleth in Wales. This restaurant is the most highly-awarded restaurant in Wales, was named Best Restaurant in the UK in 2022 and 2023. It has two Michelin stars, five AA rosettes, and is ranked in the UK's top five UK restaurants by the Good Food Guide. Its owner and Chef, Gareth Ward was also named Chef of the Year by the Good Food Guide in 2019. So hopefully worth the drive.
Paul and I have had this one on our hit list for quite a while. Many months ago we managed to secure a two night stay with dinner at Ynyshir on the first night and its sister restaurant Gwen the following evening.
The party begins a while before the day itself when I find a black envelope in my letter box. Gold handwriting. It is my dance card. This is going to be different, special.
The drive ahead is a long one, five hours according to my Sat Nav. I have to be honest, when we originally booked I had got my geography a tad wrong. I assumed Ynyshir Restaurant was in Ynyshir - which happens to be the midpoint between London and Machynlleth - but by the time my error was discovered (thankfully long before today) we were in too deep to rethink.
It's midday and we are starving. The service stop has Starbucks and Greggs on offer. We opt for the latter. This is a far cry from what lies ahead tonight but we dig into some carbs and hit the road again. 2pm
We have finally reached our destination. A parade of firelit torches guides us and we catch our first glimpse of the house. Very elegant. Very beautiful. Very black.
We are warmly greeted by Anand and escorted to our room; the entrance door shielded by a dramatic leather curtain. Our room is enormous, uber stylish and also very chicly black. There is obviously a theme going on here. A huge window resembles a painting - just a massive sheet of glass revealing a stone formation covered with grasses and mosses and flowers and with none other than the Michelin man in the middle.
Every surface in the room is natural - beautifully carved wooden beds and side tables, slate floors, fur covered leather chairs, a fire burner with lots of freshly cut logs. It is minimalist yet opulent at the same time. Splashes of colour come from the cushions, the throws and the oh so luxurious bathrobes.
We settle in for a little unwinding in preparation for the evening which we were told would begin with drinks at 5pm. The sun obviously crosses the yardarm pretty early in Wales.
And just like that it is that time. Refreshed and reinvigorated we are ready for the adventure to begin.
23.08pm
6 hours later. 29 courses later. Literally.
My head (not to mention my stomach) cannot process what I have just experienced.
This was not a dinner. This was a once in a lifetime thing.
It was Japanese and Asian and Big Macs made small and glitter balls and theatre and vinyl and disco lights and a zillion other mind blowing occurrences.
I am now going to sleep in my delicious crisp Egyptian cotton sheets and tomorrow I will attempt to tell you all about it - although I don’t really know where to begin.
Friday 15th August
I’ve just woken up after sleeping like a log. Last night seems like a dream. It really was that incredible. Ynyshir is most definitely something that needs to be lived rather than talked about as words cannot do it justice. But it's my job so I will give it a stab.
The evening began with a complimentary glass of gorgeous Gusbourne Brut in the most exquisitely furnished room. Every table, every chair, in fact every thing is sublime. Bespoke. Made to fit the theme. I actually couldn’t stop staring at the tables. They have place mats literally carved into the wood as part of the design.
Whilst we sipped, Sophie arrived and invited us to go view some of the produce we would later be sampling; we saw exquisite boxes of black truffles, Ethiopian coffee, the finest caviar, single press olive oil, enormous vanilla pods.
There were chopping boards that looked like works of art.
And the maestro himself, Gareth Ward, in the foyer no less, preparing tuna. Where else would he be doing that?)
Opposite Gareth there is a line of full length fur coats hanging and waiting to help warm anyone who later may want to maybe have a midnight cognac outside. We were taken outside to see the chilled rooms where the fish and meat is stored. Damien Hirst, eat your heart out (literally).
Then we were ushered into the dining room. If indeed you can call it that.
It was more like a theatre. Each table had seats next to each other as opposed to the customary facing opposite - and the sight we all beheld was a stage where Gareth and his head chef, Patrick McNulty were performing their magic. Observing these two work together was mesmerising; like watching synchronised swimmers. Few words were exchanged yet they seemed to read each other’s minds knowing exactly who had to do what and when.
For the next four hours, an army, dressed in black and each wearing ear pieces so they could be instructed to perform to precision, choreographed their way amongst us bringing the most insanely beautifully crafted bowls containing food unlike anything you can begin to imagine.
I say army but each and every member of the team was just gorgeous; so warm and friendly and literally bursting with enthusiasm to share the intricate details of how each dish was created.
The 29 courses were divided into sections; first a Japanese fish ensemble, then a more Asian and spicy seafood collection. Think lobster, prawn, crab, scallop, tuna……..think sushi, curry, in fact just think of anything divine you have ever eaten and take it up not one notch but maybe thirty or forty. Ok, a thousand. I could not get my head around the amount of work that goes into each course. Whilst it is only a mouthful, it is nothing short of art. Gareth and Patrick worked calmly and non stop on each dish, unflustered, smiling and very zen. No Gordon Ramsey type tantrums on this stage.
A mouth cleanser was the pause button before the pigeon, duck, wagyu meat selections and then not one, not two, but seven deserts.
Paired with sparkling sake, riesling, xinomavro …… every drop of nectar you can hope for. The sommelier, Rory, certainly knows his grapes - and his grains of rice. Meanwhile a DJ was spinning vinyl - it didn’t intrude, it set the mood. The volume increased as the evening progressed and we somehow went from chill vibes to disco and strobing lights from a mirror ball in the blink
WHERE TO EAT
of an eye. One second it was a sunny afternoon and fizz then it was late night and club feels.
The precision, the detail, the meticulous craft - this is food at the very top of its class.Even the cutlery was a talking point. Made from Damascan steel and etched with coffee I feel these should be in Tate Modern not in my hands and mouth. Just divine.
If there is a synonym for perfection, it should be Ynyshir. Paul was so beyond himself with excitement he said he was going to stamp his feet!
My highlights? The duck was certainly something else. Paraded around the audience before it is carved by Gareth, it looked and tasted like a bit of heaven. The skin was so crisp and the hoisin sauce was so divine I was sorely tempted to lick that stunning plate it came on.
A surprise after the much Asian influenced dishes of raw and smoked fish was a miniscule cheeseburger. It was a thing of beauty both for the eye and the mouth. And I have to talk about the tiramisu which was made using a highly special coffee that is sold exclusively to Ynyshir. It was just so rich and light at the same time; so explosive in flavour. Gareth certainly could teach the Italians a thing or two.
As the evening was drawing to a close, a small child in pyjamas ran into the room and sat on the ‘stage’ next to Gareth. Mum followed in. Clearly unscripted, this scene ending felt utterly right. Yes, we are in one of the very greatest and lauded restaurants in the entire world but there is no pomp here. To make something so special and which also feels inclusive, warm and, in a bizarre way, normal is a skill few have.
It was not over yet. We next went to the lounge to have a home brewed honey, douglas fir and Scottish pine tisane; we were even shown the honeycombs from the beehives. The theatre carries on till the sweet end when we were handed another beautiful black envelope with the sheep's head skull (that is emblazoned on everything from the front door to the LP cover) embossed on it and inside was tonight’s menu including a couple of the tunes the DJ played. 9am
A knock on our door. Breakfast. Bacon and egg muffins, gorgeous apple juice and coffee. Having woken up feeling I may never eat again, somehow I managed. 11am
Next on my agenda is a coffee in the lounge where the chilled music continues and the view is something Van Gogh would have killed to paint.
Rory Eaton, the man in charge of drinks at both Ynyshir and Gwen, joins me for a chat. Rory is a man who was always destined to work with wine as at 18 he found himself working in Bordeaux and living in a tent in Pauillac. Through a series of twists and turns the universe brought him to Ynyshir eight years ago and,
after doing a few shifts for a couple of weeks, decided to make this home. As evidenced last evening, Rory really knows his stuff. Unlike most Michelin starred restaurants, Ynyshir doesn’t have a set wine pairing. Instead, Rory together with his number two, Michael, make life hard for themselves by really digging deep to understand what the guests like and then creating individual pairings to match not just the food but the person. I can honestly say that everything Rory chose for us last night was beyond my wildest dreams. The vintage sake that accompanied the three tuna courses will live in my heart forever.
Rory is passionate about sustainability and natural, biodynamic wines and that is reflected in the list which honestly makes better reading than most novels. He likes to work with small producers which again makes his job harder as the small quantities he can buy means he is forever having to change the list - sometimes three or four times a week. Always mindful of the guests, Rory knows some have more classic tastes so as well as some funky orange choices, the list also has all the Bordeaux and Burgundy stars you would expect from an establishment of this calibre.
Rory is most definitely a star. He has to be to match up to Gareth’s cuisine - and he lives up to that challenge in bucketloads. Drinking at Ynyshir is every bit as extraordinary as eating here.
Noon
Ok, I have to admit to be just a tad excited now as next is my chat with the man himself, Gareth Ward and his partner (both in business and in life), Amelia Errikson.
Until now my all time favourite restaurant was Sat Bains and it is no surprise to find out that Gareth spent three very formative years there before coming to Ynyshir in its previous guise as a classical Relais Chateaux hotel owned by Joan Reen. Under Gareth’s guiding hand, Ynyshir metamorphosed from the traditional to the completely unique place it is today. Amelia also worked at Sat Bains and was running the restaurant at Ynyshir while setting up her own architectural practice. Then she decided to completely dedicate herself to Ynyshir and therein began the physical transformation that was to make this place such a phenomenal thing of beauty. The interiors, which I have waxed lyrical about already, perfectly compliment the very special world Gareth has invented with his culinary genius. I asked them how they had come up with such an extraordinary vision and they both said they didn’t actually have a vision initially beyond changing a somewhat stuffy white and turquoise hotel into a more contemporary restaurant with rooms. The rest just evolved through the couple meeting and finding local craftsmen, furniture makers and potters and briefing them to come up with stuff that is a million miles away from the Nordic vibe most restaurants are aspiring to these days. I asked Gareth what inspired his menu.
“It’s all the food I love to eat. Obviously, there are a lot of Japanese influences. I am obsessed with raw fish, rice, wasabi and soy. They are the most incredible combination, they work in utter harmony. A lot of my food uses those four ingredients. Then there is a lot of Thai stuff. I love heat. I love spice. It needs a touch of sweetness. Some aromatics. And the freshest produce. Then, of course, there is the burger. I mean who doesn’t love a burger? It’s something we all crave occasionally and when you take that first bite, those cravings are immediately satisfied. After that, it's just food. I set about creating the very best burger ever. But in a mini version. Just one superb mouthful.”
Gareth has a lot to say about “the chefs behind the chefs” as in the head chefs behind the superstar executive chefs. He says when he was at Sat Bains, the head chef was a man called John Freeman who he describes as “a legend and an unsung hero.” John was eating at Ynyshir last night and was lucky enough to be sitting in the “front row seats” as they are described so with an uninterrupted view of Gareth at work. He must have felt so proud watching the pupil become the master.
I ask Gareth about his own head chef, Patrick McNulty. “He started life in art, then fashion but he loves food and is just so naturally gifted in the kitchen that it was inevitable he would become a chef. He is unbelievable. Not just his skills, but his work ethic. I am lucky to have him at my side and I will do anything to keep him here. When we work together, we can do anything. I’m in awe of him, to be honest.”
That is, indeed, praise from such a lauded man.
And then he was off, into the kitchen, to start preparing for another epic performance tonight.
4pm
We drive to the beach at Aberdyfi, eat ice cream and try and process what we have been so privileged to be a part of. Then back to our idyllic room to shower and get ready for dinner tonight at Gwen……
And because this whole experience is so utterly epic and deserves as much space as possible; the review of Gwen will feature in our next issue.
Meanwhile, set your alarms for when Ynyshir bookings open. Just do it. It’s something everyone should be fortunate enough to taste and savour once in a lifetime.
To be continued………
Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwys Fach, Machynlleth SY20 8TA
https://www.ynyshir.co.uk/
SiP
Welcome To SIP, our new regular column devoted to every delicious thing we can sip; wines, cocktails and non alcoholic delights.
Written by our journalist Maroulla Paul who is a self confessed nerd when it comes to wines and spirits. Maroulla has WSET Wines and Spirits Level 3, WSET Sake Level 1 and Capstone Level 1 (so far!)
If you thought wine talk is simply story telling, it's time to think again because one man is on a quest to explain the science and to answer the ‘why?’ that is so rarely asked. We speak to Sunny Hodge, founder of Diogenes The Dog and Aspen & Meursault and author of ‘The Cynic’s Guide to Wine’ to hear the facts behind the fiction and the science behind the art.
Human beings are naturally curious.
‘Why?’ is a word that is frequently heard coming out of the mouths of children whose hunger to understand can be insatiable. In every aspect of our lives we have a thirst for knowledge, a real yen to really get to grips with the answers to questions. Our careers are generally built on knowing the ‘whys’ of specifics and using them to help others. To simply accept without interrogating and understanding is not really part of our DNA.
Then there is the world of wine.
We wax lyrical about the black fruits and vegetal characteristics of a Cabernet Sauvignon or the distinct smell of petrol in an aged Riesling yet how much do we question why a drink made from nothing but grape juice can possibly have aromas of everything but that fruit itself?
Diogenes the Dog is a wine bar in Elephant and Castle which exists in order to challenge and to explainas well as to delight, of course. The wine list is full of wines even the most experienced sommelier has probably rarely tasted. This is a deliberate choice by the founder, Sunny Hodge, who designed the list so
that the customer has to engage with their server in the bar - and thereby give that server the opportunity to tell you a little bit of fact and truth about what it is you are about to sip.
I arrived to meet Sunny one warm summer afternoon at Diogenes and he greeted me with an orange wine from Puglia, made by the Morasini winery from the muscat grape by a young female up and coming highly educated winemaker called Svena who is one of the few people in her area practising regenerative farming. This delicious wine spends two weeks on its skins and is fermented all the way through so there is no residual sugar.
Already, in that one paragraph, there are a lot of questions that spring to mind - what is orange wine, how is it made and why is it suddenly everywhere? What is regenerative farming and what does this mean in the wine industry? What are the characteristics of Muscat?
As well as buying Svena’s wines, Sunny also buys some of the fruit she grows and he and his team go out every year to help harvest the grapes and to be involved in the production of what then becomes Diogenes’ house wine.
Sunny is a scientist through and through. He originally studied mechanical engineering at UCL and simultaneously worked in hospitality to help fund
his education. He wasn’t really into engineering - but loved hospitality. He worked at Nandos and loved the whole social aspect. When he finished his degree, he decided to stay in hospitality and quickly moved up the ladder at Nandos, soon being responsible for opening their new restaurants and managing large teams of 60 to 80 people, most of whom were way older than him.
He then made the move into more fine dining at Gaucho and then at Margot in Covent Garden. Soon he decided he wanted to open his own place but he felt he had one weak chain in his armour - his knowledge of wine. He did what many of us do when wanting to understand more about wine and undertook some WSET courses - but still felt there were a lot of unanswered questions. He voraciously read every book he could lay his hands on and really educated himself - which is now what he wants to pass on to others.
Diogenes - what a great name right? (and I say that with not an ounce of cynicism!) is an uber cool place where whilst you are sipping delicious drops of gold, knowledge is seeping through without you consciously realising. Sunny - and his fine tooth comb selected team - will enchant you with explanations around methoxypyrazines and terpenes that you had no idea you were desperate to hear but somehow you will find yourself listening with baited breath as
WHAT TO DRINK
though he is telling you the plot of the next season of Slow Horses and you will enjoy your wine all the more for knowing - and leave wiser!
What made Sunny name a wine bar after a Greek philosopher?
“He was one of the lesser known philosophers and, essentially, homeless because he chose to be so. He lived in a big ceramic jar and could be described as a little crazy! He went around with a lamp looking for the good men - and he founded cynicism. He questioned how things worked. He challenged the norm. In exactly the same way I want to challenge the world of wine as we currently know it.”
Sunny wants to educate. He chooses his staff by asking them three questions to determine how much they understand about the how of wine. If they get through he then trains them - they are not let anywhere near a customer until they know their flavanols and their esters. They have to sit a three hour exam on the anatomy of the grape before they are ever allowed to serve their first pour. Yes. Sunny really takes this stuff seriously.
Now if you are starting to think maybe this is all a bit highbrow, nerdy, geeky or just plain boring, think again. Diogenes is one of the most fun evenings to be had.
It is truly a super cool place; very chic, very chilled. There is a small but perfectly formed selection of food to pair with your wines which are all served by the glass so you can experiment and experience a few. The knowledge you will get will creep in very surreptitiously and probably leave you with a desire to scurry further down that rabbit hole you will have unearthed.
This is why you need Sunny’s book; ‘The Cynic’s Guide to Wine’ which is published by Academie du Vin Library. OKs, as you all know, I am a bit of an addict and I have read hundreds of wine books but trust me when I tell you this one is a page turner. I could not put it down. It is literally fascinating. It answers, in plain English, all the questions you have never dared ask. It literally answers the ‘why?’. It debunks all the myths and stories and actually false assumptions that have been perpetuated forever in elite circles that want to keep the world of wine a very small one.
And Sunny is not stopping there either. He is setting up a series of wine qualifications called “The Science of Wine Course’ which is going through all the Ofqual procedures now so watch this space.
I was once in a wine class where someone asked a question that was most definitely a ‘why?’. The teacher answered saying that we don’t need to understand why, we just need to learn the text and pass the exam.
Sunny is putting an end to that sort of attitude. With his precise, engineering focussed mind he is removing the fairy tales from wine stories - and, in so doing putting in even more magic - real magic - for us to enjoy.
Sunny also has a passion for eating healthily and for farming in a way that is kind to our planet which clearly leads him to be a supporter of low intervention wines.
“We are all so fussy with foods these days questioning how much they are processed, how they are grown and so on. But with wine, we seem to be the opposite. We don’t care - and we even turn up our noses at natural wines. I want people to understand how and
why these wines are better for us and for the world as a whole - then we can begin to make a difference, whilst enjoying their deliciousness.” ■
Follow Sunny on on Instagram @sunnyhodgewine
Visit the two amazing wine bars;
Diogenes the Dog
96 Rodney Rd London SE17 1BG https://www.diogenesthedog.co.uk/ and
Aspen & Meursault 96 Westbridge Road London SW11 3PH https://www.baraspen.co.uk/ PS Look out for our review of Meursault & Aspen in our next issue.
And find out the answers to the ‘why’ about wine by reading;
The Cynic’s Guide to Wine Published by Academie du Vin Library. City Solicitor readers use code CITY10 for 10% discount https://academieduvinlibrary.com/
Sunny Hodge’s A Cynic’s Guide to Wine is just one of many many wonderful books published by Academie du Vin Library that debunk the myths that tend to flow so freely in the wine world.
QUENCHING THE THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE
Here are the ones gracing my bedside table of late - yes, admittedly, I am a tad obsessed - but these books are not just for those of us totally lost down the rabbit hole. If you are going on holiday to Spain or France, to Brazil, California or Tuscany then these books are great guides to what to drink and where to go.
The Wines of Brazil by Tufi Neder Meyer is a real eye opener. Who knew Brazil has over 80,000 hectares of vines and produces as much wine as New Zealand or Greece? This book takes you through the country’s 500 plus years of wine making history, introducing you to their grapes, their styles and their producers. Not only will it make you want to sample these delicious sweet, sparkling and still expressions but no doubt it will make you yearn to visit the county too.
In the same series is The Wines of California by Elaine Chukan Brown which is, in my opinion, the ultimate guide, the bible to one of the best known and most loved wine regions of the world. This is not just a book about wine but about history, politics, geography, culture. It reads more like a page turning novel than a textbook. It is essential.
Similarly, The Wines of Central and Southern Spain;from Catalunya to Cadiz by Sarah Jane Evans MW, one of the most highly regarded wine experts in the world is the absolute ultimate guide to the grapes, regions, winemaking trends and producers in this particular area of Spain. It is a follow up and companion to the critically acclaimed The Wines of Northern Spain by the same author.
Any wine lover will count the Cote D’Or as one of their favourite regions and this second edition of the eponymous book by Raymond Blake covers all the masterpieces you would expect; Gevrey Chambertin, Puligny Montrachet and Nuits Saints-George to name but a few mouth watering delights. This book is as much about the backstory to the wimes as it is about the wines themselves as the latter could not have existed without the former. It is a story that will make you enjoy every sip of Burgundy even more than you ever have before.
One thing I never fail to pack in my suitcase is one of The Smart Travellers Wine Guides and the latest, by Paul Caputo, just happens to be on one of my favourite ever
wine regions; Tuscany. This guide, like the others in the series (which include Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Rioja and Rhone Valley) are really your ultimate companions on any trip. Crammed full of information on the region, the wines, the producers and much more besides, they ensure you never miss out on the very best the area has to offer.
Last but not least is something a little bit different. Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate by Alex Maltman is a book written by a geologist who examines what rocks do for wine. We all speak about how we can literally taste and smell chalk or clay in our glass - but is this merely a romantic far flung fantasy - or is there more to it? This book explains the truth. And in a way that is not just easy to follow (we are not blinded with incomprehensible science) but also utterly fascinating.
All of these books are available through https:// academieduvinlibrary.com/
And City Solicitor readers are eligible for a 10% discount on any purchase by using the code CITY 10
The
elephant
in the showroom…
The author takes a hard look at whether automakers are genuinely addressing the ethical quandaries associated with car manufacturing, or exhibiting selective blindness
The most obvious example of corporate hoodwinkery in the face of climate change is of course greenwashing, where deceptive and misleading claims are made about a products environmental credentials to gain a competitive advantage. Yet for every high profile VW emissions scandal, there are multiple lesser known and more recent examples.
BMW and MG both had their knuckles rapped by the UK Advertising Standards Authority just last year, for marketing plug-in hybrid ranges as 'zero emission' across their lifecycle when and in truth, they busily create tailpipe emissions when not driven on their electric motors. Toyota came under similar criticism for describing their hybrids as 'self-charging', as if the electricity in their batteries were conjured from thin air, rather than fuel burnt in petrol engines.
Some have referred to this gap between what companies say, and what companies do, as the ‘green mirage’, because their publicly perceived ecocredentials are in fact just an illusion.
And what of vegan leather car seat covers and trims, the latest eco-friendly must-have in town? Volvo is set to achieve 25% in terms of recycled and bio based interior trims this year, using materials such as bioattributed PVC synthesised using ethylene derived from renewable sources rather than fossil fuels, which significantly lowers the carbon footprint of this part of production.
So far so good, except that good PR does not an ecologist make. The resultant product is unfortunately equally as non-biodegradable as conventional PVC made using petrochemical derived ethylene, and therefore just as likely to end its days in landfill, potentially releasing microplastics and chemicals into the environment for hundreds of years.
Then we have the global cost of progress. Innovation and technological advancements, common within the automotive industry in recent years, undoubtedly provide opportunity. But they also contribute toward income inequality, environmental harm and social disruption.
Whilst the development of Electric Vehicle technology offers numerous possibilities, research, development and production costs have risen exponentially, leading to sharp increases in retail price, thereby hurting customers. Increased automation has in turn led to heavy job losses, whilst the environmental impact of mining the precious minerals required to build the batteries, semi-conductors and other specialised components, often in regions with poor workplace protections, is well documented.
Such factors only begin to scratch at the surface with many other equally important issues flying under the public radar. Take for example our friends in the EU and their attempts to persuade manufacturers to adopt a 'Circularity Vehicle Passport' – a comprehensive digital record providing details about a products design, manufacture, composition and environmental impact to facilitate transparency, traceability and sustainable practices throughout its lifecycle.
The goal was to require the sector to reduce the huge environmental footprint associated with car manufacturing but in the event, the Council of Europe attracted heavy criticism from a range of environmental NGOs including the European Environmental Bureau and Environmental Action Germany, for significantly watering down its provisions and failing to address the problem effectively.
Back in the UK, the general trend points toward a steady decline in outdoor air pollution and harmful emissions, thanks to improved standards and the
expansion of albeit politically contentious low and ultra-low emission zones, as well as increased uptake for EV's.
However, this is only half the story, as illustrated by a recent report delivered to the government by the Air Quality Expert Group highlighting both regional and socioeconomic disparities when it comes to exposure to vehicle-related air contamination. In particular the fact that communities close to major roads, or living in economically disadvantaged areas, face far greater exposure to pollution, so significantly worse health outcomes.
In conclusion, the car industry is accelerating ever faster toward the laudable and, from its perspective, profitable goal of electrification, the model serving up a simple, easy to digest green narrative into which the public can easily be persuaded to buy.
Yet dig a little deeper and there remains an obvious and urgent need to address multiple unsustainable and in some cases arguably dishonest business practices, often from major players in the industry who really ought to know better.
This is a business with no shortage of bright minds and bold ideas, yet true innovation requires courage, and not just in the design of ever more sophisticated cars. Surely the future is about how we hope to live as a society, and the development of equitable and sustainable systems of transportation that work for everyone, not ignoring the large beast in the corner shaking its head in disapproval.
Joel Leigh is the motoring correspondent of City Solicitor and a Partner at Howard Kennedy LLP
Don’t Let Your Law Firm’s Data Be Held Hostage
Why data ownership and portability should be at the heart of your legal software choices
In today’s digital-first legal landscape, case files, billing records, and sensitive client information rarely live in a filing cabinet; they’re locked inside the systems you use every day. But here’s the real question: Do you actually own that data? And if you ever need to switch software, can you get it out easily?
If that made you pause, good. You’re not alone. Far too many firms sign up to legal software without knowing what happens to their data if they ever decide to move on. So let’s break it down. Your Data. Your Rules?
Data ownership sounds obvious; you enter it, so it’s yours, right? Not always. Once data lives in a third-party system, ownership can get murky fast, especially if your contract doesn’t explicitly state your rights.
For law firms, this isn’t just an IT headache, it’s a compliance risk. Your data contains confidential client details, financials, and internal strategy. If your provider controls access, that’s a problem waiting to happen. What to look for: Contracts should make it crystal clear that you own all data, and that you have full control over it—even if you end the relationship. Anything less? Red flag.
Portability: The Power to Move On
Even if you own your data, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get it out. That’s where data portability comes in; the ability to export your data quickly, cleanly, and in formats that actually work elsewhere
This matters when you:
• Outgrow your current system
• Want a better fit for your growing team
• Need to back up your data independently
• Face new regulatory obligations
Without portability, your firm could be stuck in a system that no longer serves you; paying extra to retrieve data that should’ve been yours all along.
Ask yourself:
• Can you export your data easily?
• Will it work in other systems (e.g. CSV, PDF)?
• Will it cost you a fortune to do so?
• Is data transfer secure and GDPR-compliant?
If you’re not getting straight answers from your provider, it might be time to start asking tougher questions.
Switching Doesn’t Have to Be Scary
Many firms fear the pain of switching. But with the right provider (one that values transparency, offers standard export options, and supports firms during onboarding) the process doesn’t have to be a nightmare.
Look for a provider who:
• Offers free or affordable data export
• Uses open, industry-standard formats
• Has clear policies around contract termination and data return
• Is happy to talk specifics, not just sales jargon
The Bottom Line
Your data is one of your firm’s most valuable assets. You should never have to beg, bargain, or overpay to access it.
So before you renew another long-term contract or sign on the dotted line with a new vendor, ask the right questions. Understand the fine print. And make sure your firm’s future isn’t being quietly tied up in tech you can’t walk away from.
Ready to regain control of your firm’s data?
Clio gives you full ownership and secure, straightforward data portability—no strings attached. Visit Clio.com/uk to learn more. ■
DID YOU KNOW?
Plaster of Paris - how Napoleon’s white elephant became the city’s elephant in the room
The elephant in the room might also be a white elephant. If you step outside of the room to gain perspective, you might see the elephant. And, if it is too hard to deal with in one go, you might eat the elephant one bite at a time. Elephants loom large in the imagination and have given the English language several memorable idioms.
A white elephant conjures images of grand, often misguided, ambitions. It speaks of enormous undertakings, costing a king's ransom, yet ultimately delivering little more than an oversized burden. Such a creature, both literal and metaphorical, stood for decades in the heart of Paris, a monument to revolutionary zeal, imperial hubris, and, finally, a tragic, almost comical neglect.
In the first decade of the nineteenth century, revolutionary fervour in France had been tamed and channelled under the decisive rule of Napoleon Bonaparte. Like many conquering heroes before him, Napoleon wanted to leave lasting reminders of his glorious rule. The Arc de Triomphe and the Colonne Vendôme still stand and proclaim ‘la gloire’.
The Place de la Bastille, the very crucible of the Revolution, was ripe for Napoleonic transformation. Here, the infamous prison of the Bourbon kings had been dismantled brick by brick. And it was here, on that a new, equally colossal symbol was to rise.
Napoleon’s initial vision was truly colossal: a bronze elephant, four times life-size, spouting water from its trunk. This was not merely an aesthetic choice; it was imbued with potent symbolism. The elephant, a creature of immense strength and enduring memory, was to represent imperial power and wisdom, a fitting successor to the shattered stones of the old prison.
The water, a practical element for the surrounding fountains, also hinted at abundance and prosperity under Napoleonic rule. The cornerstone was laid in 1812, and the initial plaster model, a truly imposing beast, soon graced the square.
This plaster behemoth, intended as a temporary placeholder, was itself a sight to behold. Towering sixty feet high, it commanded attention, its grey mass a stark contrast to the elegant Parisian architecture surrounding it. For a brief period, it was a source of national pride, a tangible representation of a future sculpted by the Emperor’s will. However, the tides of fortune, much like the waters meant to flow from its trunk, were about to turn.
Napoleon’s grand plans, like so many of his later campaigns, began to unravel. The disastrous Russian retreat, the subsequent European coalition, and ultimately, his abdication in 1814, meant that the bronze elephant remained an unfulfilled dream. The Bourbons returned, and, with them, a very different set of priorities. The magnificent bronze casting never materialised. Instead, the plaster model, a testament to an abandoned vision, remained.
And there it stood. For over thirty years, the Elephant of the Bastille became a permanent fixture, not of grandeur, but of urban decay. It was never truly completed, never properly maintained. The elements, indifferent to imperial ambitions, began their slow, relentless work. Rain and frost gnawed at its plaster hide, causing cracks and fissures. Its colossal form became a haven for vermin, a shadowy shelter for the destitute, and a rather pungent landmark for curious tourists. What was once a symbol of power became a grotesque caricature of neglect, a monument to the fleeting nature of glory.
Its decline was documented by contemporary writers, most notably Victor Hugo, who immortalised the elephant in his masterpiece, Les Misérables. It is here, within the elephant’s decaying belly, that Gavroche, the street urchin, finds a temporary home, a poignant metaphor for the forgotten and dispossessed. Hugo’s vivid description of the elephant's decrepitude served to cement its status as a symbol of unfulfilled promises and the stark realities of Parisian poverty.
By the 1840s, the elephant had become the elephant in the room, an eyesore, a public health hazard, and a potent symbol of a past best forgotten. The decision was finally made to demolish it. In 1846, the plaster elephant was systematically dismantled, leaving behind only the circular base that had supported it. The grand imperial vision had crumbled, quite literally, into dust.
The story of the Elephant of the Bastille is more than just a quirky historical anecdote. It serves as a potent reminder of the perils of unchecked ambition and the sometimes-absurd consequences of grand, but ultimately abandoned, schemes. It was a literal white elephant, an expensive and ultimately useless burden, but also a metaphorical one, embodying the transient nature of power and the enduring presence of unintended legacies. Its decay, however undignified, offers a curious and instructive footnote in the long and often eccentric history of Parisian monuments. ■
This article was provided courtesy of Ian Chapman-Curry, Legal Director in the pensions team at Gowling WLG and host of the Almost History podcast.
www.almosthistorypodcast.com
Beyond the Software: Colin Bohanna Talks About Empowering Legal Professionals Through Tech
Dye & Durham has appointed Colin Bohanna as its new UK Managing Director, ushering in a new era of regional focus and customer-centricity for one of the country’s leading legal technology providers.
With over 20 years’ experience spanning Oracle, Indeed, Clio and mentoring several high-growth startups, Colin brings a rare mix of commercial acumen and leadership depth to the role. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Dye & Durham as it moves to a regional operating model that reflects the unique needs of the UK legal sector and unifies its extensive portfolio of acquired technology and service brands.
“This is a business with an incredible foundation,” Colin says. “We’ve brought together some of the UK’s most respected tech and service providers. Now we have the opportunity to deliver all of that experience, knowledge and innovation under one brand and that’s a very strong proposition. It’s one I’m really proud to lead.”
Since joining, Colin has focused on operational efficiency and customer experience. The introduction of a centralised support system has helped streamline service, drive first-contact resolution and improve consistency across the organisation, closely aligning with his priorities. The result? Faster answers, better outcomes and a stronger connection with customers.
“Customer-first isn’t just a strategy, it’s a culture,” he adds. “Everything we’re doing, from internal realignment to external engagement, is about making it easier for firms to work with us and succeed.”
Looking ahead, Colin is optimistic about the opportunities for legal professionals particularly in how they can harness innovation without losing focus on client value.
“AI is a huge conversation in the industry right now, and rightly so,” he says. “It has the potential to create big efficiency gains but it also challenges traditional business models like the billable hour, for example. What matters is how we help firms adopt it thoughtfully, making sure tools are fit for purpose, secure and genuinely improve the client experience. That’s where Dye & Durham has a real role to play.”
Outside of work, Colin is equally committed to helping others grow. He’s mentored start-up founders through Enterprise Ireland for nearly a decade, offering commercial and structural advice to early-stage businesses.
“I’ve always been very passionate about mentoring,” he explains. “Start-ups are driven by brilliant ideas, but they often need help scaling commercially. Whether it’s in business or with the teams I lead, I love supporting people to unlock their potential.”
That philosophy carries through to his home life, too. “These days, most of my spare time is spent on the sidelines watching my daughter play football,” he laughs. “There’s a lot of crossover - it’s about backing talent, creating the right environment and being there to cheer people on as they find their stride.”
Looking ahead, Colin’s vision for Dye & Durham UK is clear: a trusted, agile partner delivering practical tech that makes life easier for legal professionals. “We’re here to help firms grow faster and with less effort. That’s what we’re building and we’re already seeing great momentum.” ■
About Dye & Durham Limited Information on Dye & Durham UK can be found here: www.dyedurham.co.uk
CELEBRATING 1O YEARS OF DIGITAL CONVEYANCING
In 2015, InfoTrack opened its doors with a mission to make conveyancing better for everyone. A decade later, we’re proud to support over 25,000 professionals across 2,400 law firms, helping redefine how property transactions are managed.
From launching the UK’s first digital AP1 to onboarding over one million clients through eCOS, we’ve consistently delivered technology firsts that remove friction and empower law firms to work with confidence.
