News in Brief: Wednesday May 14

LEEDS Chamber is to represent the city’s business community in a House of Commons inquiry on Lord Leitch’s Review of Skills and the progress of putting employers in the driving seat to raise the skills levels of Britain’s workforce. 

Gary Williamson, acting chief executive of Leeds Chamber of Commerce and Industry will put forward the views and experiences on behalf of its membership to the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee during a formal evidence session in Leeds Town Hall today at 2pm.

Mr Williamson said: ”As Lord Leitch recognised the business community must have a key role in the development of the learning and skills agenda to enable the country and our region to build the skilled workforce required to compete in the global marketplace. I will be telling the committee that we welcome many of Lord Leitch’s proposals but are concerned that Government’s positive intentions are being diluted and made over complicated by the ‘training and education establishment’ in White Hall.”

::

COMMERCIAL law firm, Brooke North LLP, has signed an agreement with the European operation of QBE, one of the world’s largest insurance companies to assess the risk in commercial claims and professional negligence claims.

As part of the agreement a team of specialists from Brooke North will assess the risk associated with After The Event (ATE) insurance claims bringing significant costs savings and protection to their clients.

ATE insurance is an insurance policy that provides cover for the costs incurred in the pursuit of litigation. 

The policy is purchased after a dispute has arisen which is why it is named ATE insurance and can be purchased for nearly all areas of litigation with the exception of matrimonial or criminal law.

Richard Stockdale, head of commercial dispute resolution at Brooke North said “Our agreement with QBE is a first in the UK.  ATE insurance is a very valuable tool for managing the cost risk of commercial litigation and making cases affordable for our clients.  It is also a powerful antidote to any attempt by an opponent to exhaust a client’s financial resources and stop them pursuing a claim”.

::

REPRESENTATIVES from Leeds Legal have taken part in a two-day exploratory visit to Dublin to look into potential business opportunities for the region’s lawyers in the area.

This is the second international delegation visit for Leeds Legal – the only city-based legal marketing campaign in the country –  following a trip to Milan in March,. 

Four delegates from Leeds, including chairman Alan Baker, had several initial meetings with key Dublin-based businesses and organisations responsible for facilitating trade.

These included The Law Society of Ireland, Institute of Chartered Accountants, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) – the government organisation supporting domestic companies doing business internationally and overseas firms wanting to invest the UK – Irish Taxation Institute and Irish Business and Employers Confederation.

Leeds Legal is a unique organisation dedicated to raising the profile of the world-class expertise of the city’s legal services sector.

::

PROPERTY consultancy DTZ has advised on the acquisition of a new trade counter unit at Seacroft Industrial Estate in north east Leeds.

Brandon Hire, the Wolseley-based tool hire business, will occupy unit A on Seacroft Industrial Estate, after looking to acquire premises in this specific area of Leeds for almost eighteen months.

The industrial / trade counter unit comprises approximately 5,792 sq ft and was taken on a 10 year lease with a five year break.

Seacroft Industrial Estate fronts the A6120 Leeds Outer Ring Road and is within four miles of Leeds city centre.