In Brief: BPP Law School; Sheffield LEP; Airedale Chemical
LAW students are bringing learning into the digital age by using Skype to offer legal advice to clients all over the world.
The innovative digital clinic runs at BPP Law School’s Pro Bono centre in Leeds and is the first official LawWorks clinic of its kind to launch in the north of England.
The webcam advice service has supported individuals from as faraway places as Australia and America, as well as clients closer to home, since first being launched at the end of last year.
The new clinic service, based at Leeds Whitehall Quay, offers advice on a range of legal issues including family, property and employment law, in addition to private client and Court of Protection matters.
“Skype has taken BPP Leeds’ clinic experience to the next level. It’s another innovative way of giving our students the skills they need for their professional career,” said Emma Blackstone, Pro Bono manager for BPP Leeds.
“Students get practical learning, are able to work on their communication skills, gain experience of preparing written advice and get to work on real client cases. It is an all-rounded approach to learning.”
Twenty-three fee earners from Clarion have also signed up to supervise BPP’s group of Leeds LPC and BPTC law students who have volunteered for the Skype project.
BPP Leeds’ collaboration with Clarion has also increased the existing number of supervisors in family and employment law – where client demand at the pro bono clinic is at its highest.
The new Skype service extends BPP Leeds’ existing general clinic provision, which includes a commercial clinic run in collaboration with Eversheds. The introduction of the Skype service has doubled the clinic’s overall weekly appointment capacity.
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BUSINESS owners and managers in the Sheffield City Region are invited to a series of workshops aimed at giving their employees the skills their businesses need to grow.
Sheffield City Region LEP is working with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to host the events which will take place in Doncaster, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Retford in February and March.
These new events will give businesses advice about how they can grow their companies by taking advantage of the training and apprenticeship opportunities available in the Sheffield City Region. Events will include presentations from small businesses that have grown by taking advantage of opportunities to train their staff and take on apprentices.
LEP board member Nigel Brewster said: “The benefits of taking on an apprentice or investing in skills training for staff are clear. However, we know that for some sole-traders and small businesses the whole process can seem time consuming and knowing where to start can be a barrier. These events will begin to tackle this by giving local business owners practical advice about how they can upskill their workforce. Business growth is at the heart of the LEP’s vision, and we recognise that if business owners and managers give employees the right skills then they will be better able to grow.”
Events will take place on the following dates and times:
Tuesday 10 March, 9am to 1pm, Casa Hotel, Lockoford Lane, Chesterfield
Friday 13 March, 9am to 1pm, Royal Victoria Holiday Inn, Sheffield
Tuesday 17 March, 9am to 1pm, West Retford Hotel, Retford
Events are free but places are limited.
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WEST Yorkshire-based chemical manufacturer Airedale Chemical has invested £500,000 in three new vehicles for its distribution fleet.
It said the investment will boost its ability to deliver its own-manufactured chemicals to markets across the UK, Northern Ireland and Europe.
Airedale Chemical’s transport manager Graham Bird said: “As the company has grown year-on-year, so has our product range and, conversely, the volume and reach of our deliveries. Meeting this demand has meant our fleet has doubled in the last three years and with these latest vehicle additions, it is set to continue growing.”
Bolstering Airedale Chemical’s position as a leader in both chemical manufacture and distribution, is its investment in vehicles that are designed specifically to provide controlled transportation for a range of chemicals.
“Until now, we had used external haulage to transport some chemical types however, the lack of control over availability and costs prompted us to invest in our own rubber-lined tanker which gives us complete flexibility over deliveries meaning we can meet customers’ requirements instantly,” said Mr Bird.
