The Solicitors Group are the leading providers of high quality, content-led training and events. Across a variety of platforms, The Solicitors Group offers unrivalled educational programmes delivered by thought leaders and expert speakers to the legal profession. Our speakers and contributors include:-
Adam Pipe
Barrister
Adam has been a barrister since 1999 and practices in all areas of immigration and asylum law. For many years Adam has been ranked by Chambers and Partners as one of the leading Immigration Law specialists in the Midlands.
In 2016 Adam was part of the Bar Standards Board’s Public and Licensed Access Review – Task Completion Group.
Adam was shortlisted for Barrister of the year at the Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards in 2013, 2014 & 2019.
TSG titles by Adam include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online: Immigration 6 hours of CPD
Immigration, Asylum & Human Rights Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Deportation Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Mind the Gap: ILR, Long Residence & Overstaying [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Immigration, Asylum & Human Rights Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Andrew McLoughlin
Solicitor
Andrew Mcloughlin is a solicitor, who has Higher Rights of Audience for Civil and Criminal proceedings and sits as a Recorder in the Crown and County Courts.
He was appointed as a Court Examiner by the Lord Chancellor. His wide-ranging experience in practice coupled with ongoing training from the Judicial College gives Andrew gives a unique insight into judicial thinking and therefore what you should be doing.
His main areas of specialisation include civil and commercial litigation, as well as all types of personal injury from road traffic through to industrial disease and clinical negligence
Colin Beaumont
Non-practising Barrister
Colin has been involved in criminal law in one form or another for more than 40 years. He has been training the profession for more than 30 years. He initially qualified as a barrister in 1982 and then qualified as a Solicitor in 1996. He retired from private practice in 2016 and has returned to his Inn of Court and is a barrister (albeit non-practising) again. He is the Managing Director of his own legal training company. He has written a book in relation to advising clients at the police station stage and assisted Anthony Edwards in the book – Criminal Costs – legal aid costs in the criminal courts.
TSG titles by Colin include:-
LAW2022 Online
Law Online Criminal Law 6 hours of CPD
Youth Court Practice & Procedure [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Criminal Case Law Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Clive Smith
Called in 2003, Clive Smith spent over 10 years at the Bar, practising in London. Clive undertook almost exclusively defence work at all levels, from the Magistrates’ & Youth Court, to the Crown Court and Court of Appeal. Clive’s work spanned a wide spectrum, involving cases of armed robbery, kidnap, sexual offences and murder.
For the last 5 years, Clive has been lecturing for a range of clients on topics such as evidence, practice & procedure, sexual offences, bad character & hearsay, advocacy and many more.
TSG titles by Clive include:-
LAW2020 Online
LAW2020 Online: Criminal law 6 hours of CPD
David Keighley
Solicitor
David was admitted as a solicitor in 1982. Until his retirement from full time practice, he was a partner in and Head of Residential property at a Legal 500 firm.
He now uses his extensive experience and understanding of practical conveyancing to cut through the academic niceties and make things relevant for the busy practitioner. He is a contributing editor to the Law Society Conveyancing Handbook.
TSG titles by David include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online Residential Property (autumn) 6 hours of CPD
LAW2022 Online Residential Property (spring) 6 hours of CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
Residential Easements Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Reporting to Lenders: What are the Obligations? [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Elissa Da Costa-Waldman
Practising Barrister
Elissa is a practicing Barrister at New Court Chambers in London. She specialises in financial remedy cases and is also expert in cohabitation claims.
She is a regular speaker on legal topics and author. During her career, Elissa has contributed to Blackstone’s Civil Practice, co-authored ‘Family and Matrimonial Law’ (Cavendish), solely authored ‘Everything you wanted to know about Practising Family Law’(Cavendish) in 2004 and last year contributed the chapter on Trust Law to Resolution’s Cohabitation book.
Elissa encourages and practises non-court dispute resolution methods and is an experienced Mediator, Collaborative Lawyer, and Family Law Arbitrator (Finance).
TSG titles by Elissa include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online: Family Law 6 hours of CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
Qualified Legal Representatives Appointed by the Court [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Financial Remedy Autumn Roundup [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Fact Finding Hearings in Private Children Law Proceedings [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Security for Costs & Soft Loans [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Running a Schedule 1 Children Act Case [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Running a TOLATA [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Helen Swaffield
Barrister and Head of Contract Law Chambers
Helen has been a barrister for over 20 years and has worked in London and internationally before starting contract law chambers at Chancery Lane. Currently, she is involved in large multi-party cases involving hundreds of claimants in the high court. She has given seminars on contract and commercial subjects and litigation.
TSG titles by Helen include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online: Civil Litigation 6 hours of CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
CPR Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Civil Litigation Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
James Beresford
Lecturer
James Beresford is a lecturer specialising in Wills drafting and Estate administration matters and helps his clients deal with their legacy planning, providing a comprehensive and understandable solution.
He is a wealth preservation specialist focusing on inheritance tax for high profile individuals and advising business owners on succession planning.
He has been presented with two ‘Private Client Team of the Year’ trophies at the prestigious Manchester Legal Awards and is the author of “No Will – No Say. A simple guide to Wills & Estate Planning” published in 2017.
TSG titles by James include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online: Wills & Probate 6 hours of CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
Mental Capacity and the Preparation of Wills [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Lasting Powers of Attorney - An Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Helping your Client choose the Correct Trust in their Will [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Prof. Lesley King
Professor Lesley King is a leading professional author and lecturer in Wills, Trusts and Probate. Lesley is a former member of the Law Society’s Wills and Equity Committee and the Probate and Estates Committee of STEP and an honorary member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate specialists. She is also a Professional Development Consultant at the University of Law and writes and lectures extensively on private client matters.
TSG titles by Lesley include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Wills & Probate (autumn) 6 hours of CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
Avoiding and Dealing with Claims under I(PFD)A [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Where are we now on the Trust Register? [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Mark Shelton
Freelance Legal Trainer
Mark has worked in major commercial law firms for 29 years. As a property litigator he has acted for a range of clients from FTSE100 investment companies and major corporate occupiers, through to small businesses and individuals. He is an expert in commercial property management law, and as well as advising on the structuring and documentation of transactions, Mark has conducted a wide range of commercial property disputes, acting both for landlords and for tenants. Mark is now a non-practising solicitor, and works as a commercial property management law trainer, putting his expertise and experience to good use in training both lawyers and surveyors.
TSG titles by Mark include:-
LAW2020 Online
LAW2022 Commercial Property (autumn) 6 hours CPD
LAW2022 Commercial Property (spring) 6 hours CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
Security for Rent - Guarantees, Deposits and Other Options [2022] 1 hour CPD
Vacant Property, Property Guardians and Rental Auctions [2022] 1 hour CPD
Nicola Laver
Legal update expert writer
Nicola Laver is a legal journalist, editor and author of more than 20 years and a non-practicing solicitor. Her work includes legal news and content for publications ranging from The Times and the Guardian, as well as regularly contributing to The Solicitors Group Legal Update. She has also written for law firm websites in the UK and internationally, as well as other legal publishers and organisations including LexisNexis, Legalese and Thomson Reuters. Nicola has also lectured on conveyancing and wills and probate for the Legal Practice Course.
Nicola can be contacted at [email protected]
Priya Solanki
Priya is a busy and experienced specialist in immigration, asylum and nationality law. She practices from One Pump Court Chambers. Her work includes refugee and human rights claims, modern slavery/trafficking cases, family and private life matters, deportations, European applications, points-based system cases, interim relief applications, unlawful detention claims, nationality matters, civil penalties for illegal workers, asylum support and unaccompanied and age-disputed migrant children.
She is ranked in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 as a leading junior in immigration (including business immigration) with the directories stating “She is tactically astute, good under pressure and very persuasive in court” and “She is always up to speed with the latest legal developments and is very good at assisting with the strategy of cases…. Her drafting is strong. She is reliable and extremely thorough."
She has a particular interest in and experience of cases involving domestic and sexual violence, mental health issues and vulnerable clients. She is the Chair of Trustees at Maa Shanti, a charity that provides assistance to survivors of domestic violence.
She regularly provides in-house training, seminars and webinars for solicitors.
She has been involved in several notable cases and has represented high-profile clients. Her cases include Yilmaz & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] EWCA Civ 300 and QH v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] EWHC 2691 (Admin).
Priya is an Independent Funding Adjudicator for the Legal Aid Agency and the Co-Chair of the Legal Aid Agency Review Panel.
Priya was awarded the Richard Isaacson Memorial Scholarship Award for the highest Bar Vocational Course mark achieved by a new practitioner on the Northern Circuit in her year.
Priya is also very committed to pro-bono work. In 2013 Priya was nominated for the Sydney Elland Goldsmith Bar Pro Bono Award in recognition of her outstanding commitment to pro bono work. She is the Advocate Pro Bono Champion at One Pump Court Chambers. Priya is also an Immigration Lead Reviewer for Advocate.
TSG titles by Priya include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online: Immigration 6 hours of CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
Immigration Medical Cases under Articles 3 and 8 ECHR - Where Are We Now? [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Case Law Update - Family & Private Life Claims/Article 8 ECHR [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Modern Slavery/Trafficking Update [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Seeking Leave to Remain as a Parent of a Qualifying Child [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Richard Snape
Head of Professional Support at Davitt Jones Bould
Richard has been the Head of Professional Support at Davitt Jones Bould since 2002. He was formerly a senior lecturer in law and Head of Land Law at the University of West of England, Bristol. He speaks at numerous courses for law societies all over the country, various public courses, in-house seminars within solicitors firms and has also talked extensively to local authorities and central government bodies. His areas of specialism include both commercial and residential property, in particular in relation to local government law, conveyancing issues, development land, commercial property and incumbrances in relation to land.
TSG titles by Richard include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online: Residential Property 6 hours of CPD
Enquiries and How to Respond to Them [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Leasehold Dwellings Update in the Light of Recent Statutory Changes [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Building Regulations [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Safda Mahmood
Safda has extensive experience in both practising and teaching Family and Children Law for over 27 years. Safda practices predominantly in children law proceedings, alongside his lecturing and legal writing. He has been a continuous member of the Law Society Children Law Accredited Scheme for approximately 20 years, and is both an assessor, and an author, having written in various legal publications including for the Law Society. He is a highly articulate and popular speaker, who has a practical and pragmatic approach to his subject.
TSG titles by Safda include:-
LAW2022 Online
LAW2022 Online Family Law (autumn) 6 hours of CPD
Webinar Learning Titles
Principles of Parental Responsibility and use of Section 8 Orders in Family Law [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Domestic Abuse - Key Principles and Developments [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Enforcements of Child Arrangements - Options & Dilemmas [2022] 1 hour of CPD
Trevor Hellawell
Trevor Hellawell is a solicitor and legal training and management consultant working with major law firms, local law societies, many legal training providers and other clients. Until going freelance in 1999 he was a full-time lecturer with the University of Law, ending his career as a Principal Lecturer at the York Branch.
Until recently returning to the freelance arena, he was Head of Law Programmes at BPP. Throughout his career, he has lectured extensively on Money Laundering, Cybercrime and Fraud, the SRA Accounts Rules, Professional Conduct, Management skills such as Client Care, Time Management and Appraisals, Financial Services matters as well as mainstream academic law subjects.
He was formerly a member of the Law Society’s Planning and Environmental Law Committee and is the author of the Environmental Law Handbook, now in its seventh edition.