Local News 9
Member’s view of Society’s COLP Forum
In the autumn of 2013 I was introduced to a fellow COLP at an
International Festival for Business dinner and I was helpfully
informed that the Liverpool Law Society had recently formed a
COLP Forum as an opportunity to get together with other COLP's
and discuss issues informally.
I made a mental note that it was probably a good idea to attend
these forums in order to discuss issues of the day with other
COLP's . I discovered that Liverpool Law Society organises COLP
and COFA forums which are one hour in length over a buffet
lunch at a cost of £10.
Therefore, I braved the pre Christmas crowds and made my way to
Bixteth St on 12th December 2013. Dr. Tony Harvey of Brabners
LLP ran us through his views as to the role of the COLP, his
experiences to date as COLP and current topical issues that are
high on the agenda for the SRA. He very helpfully summarised a
CPD event which had taken place on 29th November 2013 when
the Society had been able to persuade Mike Haley, Director of
Supervision from the SRA, to talk to members with particular
emphasis on the SRA's concerns over the financial stability of
firms.
Following Tony's presentation, the Chair opened up the forum to a
general discussion with the proviso that any issues were raised in
complete confidence within the four walls of the conference
room. This encouraged a friendly and frank discussion amongst
those present with concerns raised across all work types and all
manner of size of firm.
We were reminded in the Society's January newsletter that it is
now 12 months since the introduction of COLP and COFA's and
the SRA now expect us to be "seasoned professionals" ! Therefore
the Society and the Regulatory committee are to be commended
for establishing forums of this nature where members can discuss
burning issues informally. I personally found it very useful to listen
Steve Cornforth, Chair of the Society’s Regulatory
Committee and Dr Tony Harvey, speaker.
to the experiences of other COLP's as to how they were grappling
with the requirements imposed upon the profession by the SRA.
I've urged my firms COFA to attend the next COFA forum and I
recommend these forums to all COLP's and COFA's reading this
article as an invaluable resource for Compliance Officers.
Trevor Morris
Director
Bartletts Solicitors Limited
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