Sector Focus


Legal Sector Focus The latest news from the sectors that matter to business


Puppy love: Shakespeare’s Pups Appeal is being supported by law firm Lodders


Guide dogs to benefit from Lodders


Future generations of guide dog puppies are among the first who will benefit from a new charitable foundation set- up by local law firm Lodders. The firm has created its


Lodders Charitable Foundation with the aim of supporting regional charities where it can make a real difference. The Shakespeare’s Pups


Appeal is one of three local charities chosen by the Foundation as beneficiaries of its fundraising. The Foundation will also


raise funds for the Farming Community Network (FCN) and The Time Out Group. The Shakespeare’s Pups


appeal supports the national charity, Guide Dogs for the Blind. The Stratford-based organisation aims to help fund the training and progression of guide dog puppies for the blind, each of which is named after a Shakespeare character. FCN has its local regional


office in Warwickshire and has strong and longstanding links with the farming community and agriculture throughout England and Wales. From its Stratford upon


Avon base, the Time Out Group specialises in providing support for young people with complex disabilities, challenging behaviour and communication needs, and their families. Lodders has formed the Charitable Foundation under the expert guidance of the firm’s charity law expert Mark Lewis. He said: “The Foundation aims to support regional charities where a real difference can be made, something which reflects Lodders’ ongoing commitment to the community. “We are delighted to be


backing these three charities through a year-long calendar of fundraising events across the firm.”


48 CHAMBERLINK February 2017


Business ownership is key to staff retention


Eight out of ten graduates in the West Midlands claim the prospect of employee ownership schemes is a key driver to deciding on where to work, according to research by law firm Shakespeare Martineau. The firm’s research reveals that


graduates are increasingly looking for more than just a job that they can clock in and out from. The prospect of having real


ownership, responsibility and influence within a business is far more important to them than salary and reward packages and now is the time for businesses to act. Although more than a third of


graduates state that specialist expertise (36 per cent) and a good reputation (34 per cent) provide a huge bearing on where they choose to work, the prospect of employee ownership far outweighs them and large remuneration packages. Gary Davie, head of the


employee ownership division at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “The so-called Generation Y has a reputation of being disloyal and quite flighty when it comes to employment, but this simply isn’t true. “It seems that some businesses


are failing to keep their finger on the pulse of what this group of future employees are looking to get out of their careers. “Adopting an employee


ownership model, where possible, could help to narrow the skills gap, enhance innovation, productivity and stimulate business growth. “It is clear from the research that


businesses that want to attract graduates need to think about the


Class act: Businesses need to find ways to attract – and keep – graduates


‘The so-called Generation Y has a reputation of being disloyal and quite flighty when it comes to employment, but this simply isn’t true’


main motivator – ownership and having a real say. “Creating business structures


that continually involves and rewards employees is a very real possibility and may give businesses the competitive edge when it comes to recruiting candidates of this nature. “Although employee ownership


isn’t right for every business, businesses must seek to introduce more imaginative ways to retain and gain a top quality workforce, and for those businesses looking at succession planning or start-ups in


the fledging stages of the business lifecycle, moving to employee ownership is a real possibility that should be a consideration. “As Brexit looms, market


uncertainty is inevitable and employee ownership could provide West Midlands businesses with the answer to employee retention right when they need it the most. “Making the transition to


employee ownership doesn’t happen overnight but can be done in stages or by way of deferred payments in order to alleviate any pressure on cash flow or bank.”


Expansion for family team


Teresa Mannion has joined the family team of Birmingham law firm Sydney Mitchell. She specialises in family law, is a trained collaborative lawyer and is a member of the Law Society Advanced Family Panel. Teresa, who has more than 20


New role: Teresa Mannion


years’ experience of family law, has joined the firm’s Shirley office from Alsters Kelley.


She said: “Sydney Mitchell is a


well-respected law firm. I am pleased to join the strong family team at Sydney Mitchell and am looking forward contributing to its future success.” “I am committed to helping


couples resolve their relationship issues and to help them achieve fair and practical solutions that benefit them and their families.”


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