LDP - The Legal Week

The Crunch Bunch

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:13:44 +0000

This time last year we all hoped that we might be turning the corner of the economic crisis, perhaps contemplating a lean Christmas, but awaiting the return to form that we all expected 2009 to bring. In hindsight, such optimism was misplaced, and I include myself amongst the misguided. I take comfort from the fact that people far wiser and better placed were similarly mis-footed. Consequently, being on DLA Piper's table at Thursday's Institute of Financial Services Dinner (aka the Institute of Banker's Dinner) at the BT Convention Centre made for an interesting evening.

DLA Piper helps Obama become US President

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:13:44 +0000

As America went to the polls yesterday to cast one of the most significant votes in its history, DLA Piper played an important role behind the scenes. With cadres of volunteers, DLA Piper supported the work of Election Protection, the nation's largest nonpartisan effort to protect the rights of voters to cast a ballot and have it counted.

The Pound in your Pocket

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:33:18 +0000

I attended the Professional Liverpool lunch last week to hear Mr Andrew Bailey, Chief Cashier to the Bank of England. For those who don't know (and with apologies to Mr Bailey for reducing him to a scrawl on a piece of paper), he is the person whose signature appears on bank notes, and for that reason alone, I felt (quite inexplicably) like I was meeting some sort of celeb, made all the more surreal by virtue of the fact that his signature is more widespread than his face. I managed to maintain my composure and resisted the temptation to ask for an autograph, being in possession of several already.

Less is more

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:36:44 +0000

DLA Piper is one of the founding law firms of the Legal Sector Alliance, an organisation which wants to work collaboratively to help law firms across the UK commit to environmental sustainability.

Results from a recent survey by the LSA suggests many firms have not begun to measure their carbon footprint as they do not know where to begin. Now the body is developing the LSA Carbon Footprint Protocol in collaboration with the sector to encourage more legal practices to consider the issue. The protocol, launched in July, included a document outlining scope and methodology, a spreadsheet measurement tool and practical guidance addressing common issues faced by law firms. The LSA believes it is essential for firms to measure their carbon impact before making efforts to reduce it.

For further information, visit http://www.legalsectoralliance.com/

Better to stay put... than to travel

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:25:48 +0000

As part of DLA Piper's Global Sustainability Initiative, a firm wide TravelSMART campaign is running from Monday October 6, through to Friday October 31 2008.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage alternatives to travel and promote technology solutions - such as web and videoconferencing - which are less damaging to the environment, less time consuming, less stressful on participants and more cost effective. The campaign will also promote more environmentally friendly forms of travel, such as public transportation, when travel is required.

Gurkha Jerker

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:32:07 +0000

Immigration is always an emotive subject and one that has, in recent times, been heightened by concerns over security (be that economic or personal), but it was refreshing to see commonsense hold sway in the High Court ruling concerning the Gurkha's rights to residency in the UK.

Shanghai Surprise

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:53:42 +0000

With relatively little hullaballoo, Liverpool's delegation to Shanghai in anticipation of the 2010 World Expo have been there, done that and got the t-shirt. If you are like me then you will know little about what a World Exposition actually is, but it is quite illuminating to do a little digging.