BLOG: Tony Wilson, senior partner, Hill Dickinson

By Legal Week Administrator on Mar 26, 08 07:24 PM

Kathy Perrin in our Liverpool office has enjoyed an experience few lawyers ever do - a case heard in the House of Lords. And she only qualified two years ago. The case of Young vs Catholic Care (the latter our clients) is actually the second we have had in the Lords in a short space of time.

Most cases stop at the Court of Appeal and it's rare for them to be given leave to appeal to the Lords. For any litigation lawyer it is a dream come true. She did a great job and was even quoted in The Times on the implications of the law around compensation for child abuse victims. What with the grim news emerging from Jersey, this will be an area likely to stay high profile.

We've been joined by renowned city lawyer Roger Arden, an expert in ecclesiastical law, and are delighted that he's bringing with him a wide range of legal work for the Diocese of Liverpool including property, employment, ecclesiastical and charity. Our first major legal instruction through Roger is the ambitious redevelopment of Church House, the Grade II Listed building on Hanover Street - and former home of the Diocese's offices .

Roger has been working more or less on his own for some years. He has moved from working in an ancient Church Commissioner's House outside the city centre with just a couple of secretaries, into our spanking new St Paul's offices with all mod cons. Quite a contrast - but he is really enjoying the difference.

As a progressive and modern law firm, we're always prepared to challenge the city's legal market through innovation. We're certainly doing that by appointing barrister Sarah Venn to head an in-house counsel team - a first in the city. It was great to see this reported on the front page of The Lawyer magazine and in its editor's leader column.

Finally, I was doubly cheered by the launch of the new Daily Post business magazine. Not only was the mag creating a buzz at the launch event, but there alongside the event desk was another desk - for attendees of the Hill Dickinson property update. How pleasing to see our practice right at the heart of things in the same venue.