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WELCOME TO BLD's NEWSLETTER

Welcome to our April 2007 Newsletter.

We are delighted to welcome Bevan Brittan as a new Platinum advertiser and Weightmans (already a Gold advertiser) as a Platinum advertiser.

We are also delighted to be one of the sponsors of the Minority Lawyers Conference on the 28th May 2007 and a Media Partner of The Lawyer Diversity Conference on the 16-17th May (see below further - What is Going On in April/May 2007).

On 1 March we had our Diversity in Law Event, sponsored by Allen & Overy. The event also marked our first anniversary and the feedback we have received has been excellent. Attendees included Mrs Justice Dobbs, Trevor Faure (EMEA General Counsel of Tyco), Kim Hollis QC, Anesta Weekes QC, Satinder Hunjan QC and our Lawyer of the Month (March 2007), Segun Osuntokun. Our excellent speakers were Peter Herbert, Gifty Edila, Makbool Javaid and Sailesh Mehta.

In the last months there has been much ado about the Carter proposals. In an Evening with Lord Carter on 21st March which was organised by The Black Solicitors Network (BSN), The Society of Asian Lawyers (SAL) and The Law Society, speakers after speakers (including, the Law Society Chief Executive, Des Hudson and Orrett Linton) attacked the proposals and its hasty timetable without any, proper or full consideration of the impact.

The Carter proposals will decimate ethnic minority law firms, most of whose businesses depend on legal aid work. The effect will be catastrophic for the those in real need of those legal services, those whose livelihoods depend on legal aid work, ethnic minority law firms and for individual choice. SAL and BSN are taking legal action and Rabinder Singh QC and Webster Dixon LLP have donated their professional skills in the fight. The Law Society has taken legal advice which confirms that part of the unified contract is illegal and it is also taking legal action. Ethnic minority law firms and those at the Bar must take real action by compiling information (including data) about the impact/potential impact of the contract and the proposals on their practices, contact SAL and the BSN with that information, seek guidance (particularly on the unified contract) from the Law Society, petition the Prime minister to scrap Carter by clicking this link:http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/scrap-carter and make a contribution to the legal fund to fight the proposals (including attending the fundraising dinner today at Gandhi's arranged by SAL). Please see further our previous articles in our October and November 2006 on Carter: Getting Carter and Carter Diversity Group (CDG) response

Another reminder that we are planning a much revised Black Letter Law publication that will include black minority ethnic (BME) judges, Queen's Counsels, partners in the top 100 UK law firms, partners in the top US and European law firms in the UK, Professors of Law, Heads of Law/Directors of Law in local government and the public sector and general counsels in commerce and industry. Thank you to all those who have already responded. Please do send us information if you qualify or know of others who are eligible by sending your information by email to info@onlinebld.com.

Have you changed email address or moved jobs or about to? Please update your profile if you are listed on the website or your mailing details if you are on the mailing list. Do see our "Listing Guide" further for individuals and organisations.

Lawyer of the Month

Our Lawyer of the Month last month was Segun Osuntokun and our Lawyer of The Month for April is Deepak Malhotra, Vice President & General Counsel (Corporate & Western Europe Legal) for InBev SA, the world's largest beer company with sales of over £17billion in 2005. Read More

Jobs and Careers

Need a change? View our latest jobs

The influence of the internet on law firm graduate recruitment by Matthew Broadbent. Read more

Stressed out at work? Read Myths and Misconceptions by Carole Spiers. Read more

Be well prepared for that interview! Read more

Did You Know That?

Join the campaign to scrap Carter. Petition the Prime Minister here

Do you have questions about BLD? See BLD's FAQs

What's Going on in April/May

2nd April: Society of Asian Lawyers fundraising dinner to raise legal funds to fight the Carter proposal at Gandhi's. Call 07958 375 376 further. Read more

5th April: Deadline for the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY)nominations. Read more

11th April: British Nigerian Law Forum Network. See www.bnlf.org.uk.

16-17th May: The Lawyer Diversity Conference. Read More

28th May: The Minority Lawyers Conference. Read More

To become a sponsor please view or download our Sponsorship Information Pack. To make a one-off donation please email us