As many of you will know, Ingemar is passionate about environmental issues and in particular planting trees. To celebrate HCL’s 10th anniversary, we have partnered with Treekly to plant a forest of mangrove trees in Mteza Creek, Kenya. We have set up our own Treekly Community Group, and have already planted over 1,000 trees. We would love you to join us in this adventure. We’re funding 1 tree for each of you that takes part. Here's a link for info. You’ll need to download the ‘Treekly’ app to your mobile, create an account AND link to it a step counter on your mobile. The code is: HUNNINGS (you don’t need a password).
Treekly plant trees in areas previously devastated by deforestation. To help break the poverty cycle, local communities are paid to plant and protect the trees, with blockchain technology and sensors used to ensure the long-term defensibility of all reforestation projects. Via the Treekly app, users join a steps leaderboard and for walking 5000+ steps per day, trees are planted on their behalf. The app is free to download to your mobile. In addition to the first tree that we have funded for you, you’ll also earn another each month when completing 5000+ steps on 20 separate days. Great for our health and great for the planet!
https://hunningsconsultancy.co.uk/
Over this time we have grown from just Ingemar to a team of 14 and have helped over 800 law firms, other businesses and aspiring solicitors all over the world. The aim remains the same – to help businesses improve the way they run their business, but we have added on the help to those aspiring to become solicitors as this relates to the supply of talent to our law firm clients. Currently the work largely falls into 3 sections: work on case & practice management systems, compliance support and then the rest of the consulting work, the largest part of which is assisting Aspiring Solicitors on their path to qualification as solicitors through the SQE route (a lot of which is international work). 22.1.24
See the next post for what we're doing to mark the occasion.
Check out the website for info on what we do - or fill in the form below or email [email protected] or ring: 07887 524507
Artificial Intelligence has undoubtedly revolutionized the business landscape, offering both exciting opportunities and potential challenges. On the positive side, AI can enhance operational efficiency, streamline processes, and even boost innovation. However, it's not all rainbows and unicorns – businesses need to navigate carefully to avoid potential pitfalls, especially when it comes to data privacy.
Positive Impacts:
Negative Impacts:
Data Privacy Implications:
The integration of AI often involves the collection and analysis of massive amounts of data. Businesses must be vigilant in safeguarding this information to protect their customers and maintain trust. Here are some considerations:
Legal Implications:
So, while AI presents exciting possibilities for businesses, it's crucial to approach its implementation with a keen awareness of the potential impacts on data privacy. Striking a balance between innovation and responsibility is key to navigating the evolving landscape of AI in the business world.
Feel free to contact us should you wish to talk through or want help with regard to the Data Privacy implications of AI. Our Data Privacy consultants have helped many firms in the UK & abroad with their Data protection compliance.
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Or
There has been quite some confusion on this. We have sought clarification from the SRA and have published below the guidance they have given us.
An application for exemption from the SQE2 exam is open to those who are already qualified as lawyers. This could be outside the English & Welsh jurisdiction (often referred to as Foreign Qualified Lawyers) of indeed people qualified as lawyers [but not solicitors] in the jurisdiction of England & Wales.
Where they do not have an agreed exemption granted by the SRA (because their jurisdictional qualifications have been studied and approved by the SRA) you may apply for an individual exemption (link for more info).
If you are UNable to state that your qualification grants you ALL of the practice rights enjoyed by a solicitor of England & Wales, then you will have to fill in section 8 of the form as well as section 7. We have sought clarification from the SRA on this. Please find this published below for your assistance.
Email from the SRA:
Sensitivity: General
Our ref: AUTH/SQE/SP/Hunnings
Dear Ingemar Hunnings
Thank you for your email of 28 November 2023.
Anyone who has at least one practice right listed in section 2.2 is eligible to apply for an exemption from the SQE assessments. Section 8 is required for those who do not have all the practice rights, or in certain instances where they are not able to demonstrate two years of practical experience.
If they do not have all of the practice rights they should answer the appropriate question in section 7 based on their circumstances, and they will also need to complete section 8 in full. The Section 8 assessment table should include specific examples of work completed by the applicant, and explanations as to why they consider this demonstrates each topic/competence. The section 8 narrative should then be supported by documentary evidence (where available) to show the work they have done. The applicant’s evidence must also be supported by corroborative references from those responsible for supervising that work.
Section 8 asks applicants to demonstrate transferrable skills. Applicants are not expected to demonstrate these skills in practice areas not covered by their professional legal qualification. They will however need to show they have the required abilities across the full list of topics in Section 8 through the experience they have gained to date.
We are in the process of updating both the web guidance and the application form to better explain these requirements. However, I can confirm that this advice will apply to anybody who has at least one, but not all, of the practice rights.
If you have any further questions please let me know.
Yours sincerely
Simon Prior
Authorisation Officer
Authorisation
Solicitors Regulation Authority/Awdurdod Rheoleiddio Cyfreithwyr
sra.org.uk "
You will see that this is quite an exercise. As a rule, we do not get involved in assisting with the completion of section 8 other than giving the advice above. If we did, we would need to charge at our normal consulting rate of £200/hr. That ends up being uneconomic for foreign qualified lawyers.
We hope the guidance and advice will enable you to move forward with the preparation of your application.
Other help from HCL
(May we ask you to ‘Subscribe’ & ‘Like’ to help others find these resources.)
External QWE Confirmation Service
If you need an SRA regulated solicitor to confirm your QWE but have no-one in your organisation to do so - we can help. [QWE confirmation is ONLY required for people who are NOT already qualified as a lawyer.] Please see the link below and feel free to signpost them to us:
QWE - External Confirming Solicitor Service - for Aspiring Solicitors
The SRA uses the Pearson VUE centres in the UK and overseas for people to sit the SQE1 and the written part of the SQE2 exams. You book them through your 'mySRA' account or profile on the SRA website. The oral part of the SQE2 exam currently (2023) has to be sat in person at test centres in England or Wales (currently in London, Cardiff & Manchester).
There are variations which may apply in different times of the year or from time to time, particularly currently in North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Here is the link to the relevant page on the SRA website. It is best to check this for the current situation. The SRA state that the exact locations are confirmed when the booking for an exam opens.
https://sqe.sra.org.uk/exam-arrangements/dates-and-locations
Here is a link to a tool that the SRA has created to find the closest Pearson Vue centre to you
External QWE Confirmation Service
If you need an SRA regulated solicitor to confirm your QWE but have no-one in your organisation to do so - we can help. Please see the link below and feel free to signpost them to us:
QWE - External Confirming Solicitor Service - for Aspiring Solicitors
SQE2 Exam Exemptions
For information about this - please follow this link:
https://hunningsconsultancy.co.uk/sqe2-exemption-for-foreign-lawyers-review-advice/
YouTube
There are may videos on our YouTube channel giving information about the SQE, QWE & exemptions. Here is the link to the channel. Please feel free to subscribe:
https://www.youtube.com/@hunningsconsultancy999/videos
The SRA have written:
“There will now be a programme of on-site inspections and desk-based reviews to assess firms’ sanctions risk exposure and how they are mitigating their risk.”
Remember that they have gathered responses from all firms they regulate on how they comply. Now they will check.
We have anticipated this and have in place support & assistance packages which match that which we provide regarding AML compliance.
Sanctions Compliance Assistance
Sanctions Policy Documents & PWRA Review
Sanctions Regime - Independent Compliance Audit
Sanctions Compliance Update Retainer
Contact Us
Fill in the form below or email: [email protected]
Useful guidance below to avoid data breach by mistakes using BCC in emails. One of the most common data breaches is user error! Should you suffer a data breach each out to use. We provide a lot of Data Protection & GDPR support: https://hunningsconsultancy.co.uk/gdpr-support/
"Failure to use BCC correctly in emails is one of the top data breaches reported to us every year – and these breaches can cause real harm, especially where sensitive personal information is involved.
When you use the ‘BCC’ field to send an email, the recipients can’t see each other’s email addresses. You can use this if the personal information you’re sharing isn’t sensitive and there’s little risk. But if your email may reveal sensitive information about the recipients, you should assess whether using other secure methods would be more appropriate.
You could:
· set rules within your email system to provide alerts and warn email senders when they use the Carbon Copy (CC) field;
· set a delay, allowing time for errors to be corrected before the email is sent;
· turn off the auto-complete email function to prevent the system suggesting email addresses in the recipient’s box; and
· use the NCSC email security check tool.
Under data protection law, organisations must have appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to ensure personal information is kept safe and not inappropriately disclosed to others.
Organisations that use and share large amounts of data, including sensitive personal information, should consider using other secure means to send communications, such as bulk email services, so information is not shared with people by mistake.
Organisations should also consider having appropriate policies in place and training for staff in relation to email communications.
For non-sensitive communications, organisations that choose to use BCC should do so carefully to ensure personal email addresses are not shared inappropriately with other customers, clients, or other organisations."
From the ICO
LEAP have issued a new, updated spec sheet (they call it System Requirements) on 31st July 2023.
Here is a link for easy access.
For assistance with using your LEAP:
We have worked with LEAP since 2015 as implementation consultants, implementing into hundreds of businesses in the UK & abroad. In addition to implementing, setting up & initial training we also
Contact Us
Fill in the form below or email: [email protected]
A few Testimonials:
(For more visit our Testimonials page)
Jade Collier - Finance Manager at Wilson Davies Solicitors
"Excellent service from Brenda and Ingemar. They went above and beyond to ensure the transition to our new system ran smoothly. Would Highly recommend."
Vas Constantinou – Partner at Tyrer Roxburgh:
"A huge thank you to Ingemar and Brenda at Hunnings Consultancy who have provided clear, precise and excellent training in installing Leap as our new case management system. You have provided an excellent service throughout and have always gone over and beyond to help us, making this transition a smooth process."
Maxine Johnson:
"The training was excellent. I found Ingemar to be incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and easy to work with. I would highly recommend Hunnings Consultancy Ltd."
Helen Dickie MD of MD Law in Cardiff:
Thoroughly enjoyed my training with Ingemar! Not only did I have the opportunity to expand my knowledge in the firm’s investment into LEAP it was very useful to consider profit revenue and risk/compliance utilising the tools within LEAP to assist. Enjoyed the remote training session- thank you!!
Law firms regulated by the SRA must publish their diversity data. Here is a link to guidance from the SRA on where and how this should be done: https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/resources/diversity-toolkit/your-data/ This was guidance was updated in June 2023.
The SRA a very active in carrying out AML Audits. We help firms navigate their way through such an audit and then with any work the SRA ask them to do to comply. In addition we can assist with carrying out an Independent AML audit after a few months to check the actual implementation & operation of those AML policies & procedures.
It is best to contact us as soon as you receive notification from the SRA. They will ask you to answer some preliminary questions and submit your policies for review. How you answer them can help or hinder how the audit or inspection goes.
We charge at £200 + VAT
Below are the Agenda's the SRA send out in their letter giving notice of an inspection.
Agenda to Prepare for The SRA Inspection
| Deadline | Activity | |
| 1. | Within 7 days | We will arrange a date for the inspection |
| 2. | 14 days | Provide: a list of the fee earners at your firm open and closed matter lists for your fee earners your response to our questionnaire your firm wide risk assessment your firm’s proliferation financing risk assessment your firm’s AML policies and procedures your firm’s template client and matter risk assessment copies of any audits on your firm’s policies and procedures AML related training records and content High risk matters list if applicable File review template and list of file reviews completed in the last 6 months |
| 3. | 3-5 days before the inspection | We will provide a list of the files we wish to review on-site and confirm if fee earners have been selected for interview. |
AML Inspection Day Agenda
| Approx Time | Activity | |
| 10.00am | Introductions and context | |
| 10.15am | Interview with the Money Laundering Compliance Officer (MLCO) and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) | |
| 12.00am | Break for lunch | |
| 12.30pm | File reviews and review of SARs/DAML / opportunity to interview fee earners | |
| 2.40pm | Feedback to MLCO on files reviews and fee earner interviews. Thank you and close |
AML Support from us (HCL)
We provide a lot of AML support to businesses in the Legal Sector. Please see below for a summary and links for further information.
(Sanctions Regime compliance - see separate services for this on our website.)
Contact Us
Feel free to contact us, ideally by using the 'How can we help you?' form below.
