Our April newsletter covers a final reminder to register for the MD Communications Legal 5K, details of the last week of our running club, a look at what purpose means to legal leaders, and an update on our CEO Melissa’s SEND legal challenge.

Running for charity and fighting for fairness

April is set to be a jam-packed month with our charity 5K run coming up, our last run club session next week, and my ongoing SEND reform legal challenge against the government, as featured in The Times today. I am fighting to ensure families of children with special educational needs and disabilities are given a fair and meaningful opportunity to be heard on decisions that directly affect their access to support.

Legal 5K – registration deadline extended!

Our Legal 5K will take place in just two weeks, on Thursday 23 April, and we have extended the deadline until Friday 17 April to register! The race raises vital funds for special needs charity Skylarks, and we have hundreds of sign-ups from across the sector.

Our fun and friendly race in Regent’s Park is open to all levels and you are welcome to run, jog, walk – or come along (for free) as a spectator to cheer on your colleagues and partake of the cash bar put on by Royal Parks’ chosen supplier Benugo. Designed to promote health and wellbeing in the sector, there’s also a team competition to find the fastest law firm and chambers in the land, as well as prizes for the fastest individuals and fastest managing partner.

Each team needs a minimum (there is no maximum) of three men and three women in order to get a team time – we look forward to seeing you on the start line!

Join our final run club session

Our run club on Tuesdays in central London has one last session on Tuesday 14 April – don’t miss out!

Join an expert running coach (a sub-15 minute 5K runner) for an energy-packed hour of training, motivation, tips and Q&A support, with all abilities welcomed.

What does purpose mean to you?

Our recent Question Time–style panel event tackled the controversial question of what purpose really means in law firms, with a high-profile panel of leaders from within the sector and without.

Each panel member shared what purpose means to them, both professionally and in their personal life:

• Matt Meyer, MP of Kingsley Napley, says: “Purpose and culture are the thread within our organisation that joins us all up and gets us engaged and motivated.”
• Mark Evans, The Law Society President, writes: “Having a profession that is fit for the future, championing our members, and supporting wellbeing.”
• Joint Managing Partner of Lewis Silkin, Jo Farmer, explains: “Purpose, professionally and personally, is the things that you do when no one’s watching.
• Chris Macfarlane, VP at Peloton Interactive, states: “Purpose is around helping teams to grow, helping individuals to grow, helping people come into the profession who may not have had the opportunity to do that, but also doing it in a kind and respectful way.”
• Global Head of Employer Brand at Unilever, Kelly Lane (née Wheeler), notes: “Purpose should be how you make a difference to the people around you, no matter what you do.”

If you’d like to know more about our purpose workshops and employer brand work, contact James Hayhurst.

International growth support

It’s six months until the International Bar Association Annual Conference – the hotels are all booked out and plans are getting finalised to make the most of the international growth opportunities in the beautiful setting of Copenhagen.

Attending IBA events is one of the most effective forums for independent firms to build relationships, raise profile and win international work. But it only delivers real value if approached with a clear plan.

We help firms turn their IBA attendance into a genuine growth driver that delivers ROI, and we have attended the IBA Annual Conference and mid-year events since 2011. If you’re planning to attend Copenhagen and want to do it more strategically, or are still weighing up whether it’s right for your firm, we’d love to speak so please do drop us a line.

Different arenas, but all rooted in the same belief and purpose: that using your voice, whether in business, leadership or advocacy, can help drive positive change.

JR challenge on SEND reforms in The Times

There has been a development in the ongoing legal challenge to the Government’s proposed SEND reforms. Following further pre-action correspondence from our legal team, the Government Legal Department has revised its earlier position, however the consultation document itself remains unchanged. Concerns persist about the fairness and transparency of the process.

The Government has now confirmed that previous statements – suggesting certain elements of the reforms were not open to consultation – “did not accurately represent the Secretary of State’s position”. Ministers will now consider representations on all aspects of the proposals.

The case has been featured in The Times today, reported on by Catherine Baksi. My lawyer, Polly Sweeney of Rook Irwin Sweeney, says the “whole process is completely flawed and needs to be started again with absolute clarity over the proposals and their impact, including questions that allow parents and others to properly respond”.

We are deeply grateful to our legal team, Polly Sweeney of Rook Irwin Sweeney, acting through their Social Justice Fund, and to Steve Broach KC of 39 Essex Chambers, for his pro bono support.

I am committed to making sure that the families of children with special needs aren’t sidelined, but are instead given a genuine opportunity to shape the decisions that affect their lives.

P.S. Don’t miss our upcoming resilience event!

We are planning an event with Ash Alexander-Cooper focusing on his book, Mindful Soldier and how law firms can build more resilient teams.

The event will be in early July and aimed at leadership teams and anyone who manages teams in law firms – get in touch to register your interest.

Ash, who spoke on our mental wellbeing webinar series during lockdown, is a former soldier who has written a practical guide for navigating adversity, trauma, and high-pressure situations. Drawing on his experience as a wounded veteran and elite military officer, he shares lessons on leadership and mental clarity.