Specialist Sub-Committees
There are a number of specialist sub-Committees represented by our own Council members, as well as co-opted members. Between them, the Committees contribute views from across the profession and associated organisations:
Executive Sub-Committees (reporting to the Officers and then to Council)
CONSULTATION PAPER COMMITTEE
BLS has specialist committees of lawyers, which cover most legal practice areas. The specialist committees regularly meet and where possible they will engage on consultation papers relevant to their practice area. In addition to this, BLS has recently set up a specialist committee, which will focus exclusively on consultation papers and liaise with and oversee the other specialist committees who are dealing with consultation papers.
Over the last 12 months BLS has responded to most of the consultation papers issued, and certainly all those on key issues for the future.
Chair: Mary Kaye
Email: mary.kaye@martineau-uk.com
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To view Consultation Papers, please click here.
LIBRARY COMMITTEE
The Committee comprises practitioners and experienced Information Services personnel from commercial practices.
The staff of what is the largest professional law lending library in the country continually seek ways to support its users, including close monitoring of the local press for local legal news and developments, attending meetings and undertaking research.
Chair: Sukhdev Bhomra, Mandla Bhomra & Co
Email: sbhomra@mandlabhomra.co.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
POLICY COMMITTEE
The Policy Committee is the strategic planning committee of the Society. It meets regularly throughout the Council year to discuss long-term plans for the Society.
As the Society is established on a business footing, the Policy Committee considers and recommends to its Council courses of action to ensure that the Birmingham Law Society can grow and continue to be the most proactive of the local Law Societies.
Chair: The Vice President c/o Birmingham Law Society
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
PUBLIC RELATIONS/MEDIA COMMITTEE
PR/Media and International Committees work to develop and promote Birmingham and the West Midlands region, and our members in terms of news, expertise and experience.
A small bespoke committee which discusses issues concerning media and press communications, as well as providing a forum for deciding publishing policy, particularly in relation to the Bulletin, the Society’s magazine.
Chair: Richard Follis, Shoosmiths
Email: richard.follis@shoosmiths.co.uk
Bulletin editor: Judy Bonegal, Thursfields
Bulletin material: Becky Lynch
Email: becky@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here
Technical Committees
COMPANY LAW COMMITTEE
This committee usually meets bi-monthly in order to discuss both consultation papers and topical issues and to share thoughts on difficult points of practice, which inevitably arise from time to time.
Chair: John Campion, DLA Piper UK LLP
Email: john.campion@dlapiper.com
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
CRIMINAL LAW COMMITTEE
This is another committee which draws heavily not just on the experience of its local practitioner members but on other agencies, including the Legal Services Commission, the local Courts service, the West Midlands Probation Board and the Crown Prosecution Service.
It is important that there continues to be as full a consultation as is possible on the various issues affecting Criminal Defence Lawyers in Birmingham before recommendations are put forward on their behalf.
Chair: Sukhdev Bhomra, Mandla Bhomra & Co
Email: sbhomra@mandlabhomra.co.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION COMMITTEE
With representation from local practitioners and the local judiciary, this committee meets usually ten times per annum, prepares responses to Consultation papers (Government and national Law Society).
The committee discusses other civil litigation issues and also local affairs with Birmingham District Registry and County Court with which it maintains close links. The committee also arranges and prepares local seminars on subjects of interest to practitioners.
Chair: Dean Parnell, Sydney Mitchell
Email: d.parnell@sydneymitchell.co.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
EDUCATION & TRAINING COMMITTEE
The Education & Training Committee provides the following functions:
a) guidance and support for the Birmingham Law Society programme of training courses
b) consideration of the academic and vocational qualification process for solicitors and the impact of issues arising out of this on students
c) allocation of prizes to trainee solicitors; and
d) to deal with any education and training issues arising out of Birmingham Law Society initiatives
Chair: Bernardette Griffin, The College of Law (Birmingham)
Email: bernardette.griffin@lawcol.co.uk
Also contact: Glenda Rogers
Email: glenda@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
EMPLOYMENT LAW COMMITTEE
The Committee aims to be representative of the local profession and to ensure the local profession’s voice is heard on key employment issues wherever possible. This continues to be achieved through responses to Government Consultation documents, contributions to the Society’s magazine, the Bulletin, and by representing the Society at the Employment Tribunal Users’ Group.
Chair: Michael Hibbs
Email: michael.hibbs@sp-legal.co.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
FAMILY LAW COMMITTEE
The Family Law committee draws from a broad spectrum of Members with experience in both Public and Private Law matters. The Committee discusses developments in the law, makes suggestions for training, assists in communications between various parties involved in the legal process, comments upon consultation papers and represents Birmingham Law Society in the media.
Chair: Jane Robson
Email: jane.robson@birmingham.gov.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
This committee has a focus to raise the prominence of Birmingham and the West Midlands in the international arena as a region in which to seek legal expertise and experience. Strong links have been forged with Legal organisations in France, Germany, India and elsewhere.
Chair: Bernard Shepherd
Email: bshepherd@gateleyuk.com
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
PERSONAL INJURY COMMITTEE
This committee has been launched to focus on the Ministry of Justice's proposed radical shake up to the funding of civil litigation (Jackson Reforms) and the impact this will have on personal injury litigation within the West Midlands.
Chair: Caroline Coates
Email: Caroline.Coates@bullerjeffries.com
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please clickhere
PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The committee addresses practical problems relating to conveyancing.
Members of the committee are again drawn from local practices and the Society is extremely grateful for the expertise contributed both by the Birmingham City Council representative and the District Land Registrar, amongst others.
Chair: John Hughes, The John Hughes Law Practice
Email: jrhughes@jhlp.co.uk
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
PRO BONO COMMITTEE
The Pro Bono committee formed after this years Legal Awards, all short listed nominees for the Pro Bono Award were invited to join.
The committee will support; co-ordinate; promote; signpost and raise the profile of pro bono work amongst Birmingham Law Society members and the local community.
Chair: Ruth Creed, Mills & Reeve LLP
Email: ruth.creed@mills-reeve.com
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
STUDENT COMMITTEE
In summary our initial aims are to:
• Integrate law students into the professional community
• Disseminate relevant information about a career in the law both locally and nationally
• Give students access to “real people” involved in all branches of the legal sector so they can make a more informed choice about their future careers
• Equip students with some basic skills that may assist them both in terms of looking for training contracts and as well as during the early stages of their career
• Provide an opportunity for students to network with practising lawyers
For a full list of committee members, please click here.
To see latest meeting minutes, please click here.
