ISSUE 56 ~ July 2006 give yourself the Advantage... HEALTH WARNING: This magazine contains comments that may disturb the bar

...office products for the professions

Telephone: Fax: 0845 370 3500 0845 370 3501

Save Introduce Receive a around a simple quarterly 5% 20% on & effective retrospective discount ALL your ordering office from one system to of the PAGE 3 PAGE 8 PAGE 11 PAGE 20 supplies your staff Legal Buying Scams Passwords Ted & Alice Caption NOW Groups Competition www.clerksroom.com/magazine Circulated FREE to Barristers’ Clerks in the United Kingdom Can we help?

Services for Chambers and their clients:

G Use of the 199 Strand address. G 3 Meeting Rooms for 1-14 people (£125-£175 + VAT). G A desk for people to work quietly with PC & MS Office. G DX facilities. G Telephone & Fax. G Internet & Email (Broadband with Wi-Fi). G Photocopying & Printing. G Mediation Suite Hire (£425 + VAT). G Tea, Coffee & Chilled Water. G 24/7 access including weekends. 199 Strand opposite the Royal Courts of Justice

Email Stephen Ward:[email protected] or contact Tel: 0845 083 3000 (International: +44 1823 442671) Fax: 0845 083 3001 (International: +44 1823 443236) Editors Page Secretarial

The July edition should reach you shortly Solutions before the long vacation, so this month we feature foreign car hire and insurance as well as a summer sporting theme - but not a professional typing service football! I am sure you have watched and ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES TO: read enough about the World Cup final. As We do exactly what it says in the leaflet [email protected] usual it’s impossible to write the script for such an event which is what makes it so Our clients agree: Bob Moss entertaining. However I feel a sense of “Gerald ine at Secr injustice by one Italian player against the Staff Problems? So etarial EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES TO: lutions is ma great Frenchman. I know players wind each other up and it is part of the e rvellous - Our team of legal secretaries can: verything ha [email protected] s come bac tactics, but he has changed the story ending by what he started. I shall fine - so k much better boycott Italian restaurants and support the French. Their wine is better. reduce staffing costs free up support staff the than temping ag N ency. o complaints solve recruitment problems avoid employment issues at all.” This edition of the Clerksroom Now the World Cup is over perhaps the female members of the 3 Clerksroom would give me some inspiration for articles/topics for Magazine has been kindly supported Visit website: conversation that would interest them. We could start with equal by the following companies: opportunities and end with equal salaries, but I am sure there are other www.secretarialsolutions.biz "The change over to Secretarial Solutions topics of interest. produced excellent results and the services offered by Advantage Office Supply Systems Ltd This leads me to mention the new feature - an agony aunt column for Digital Dictation Equipment clerks! Ted & Alice’s “A problem shared” is a response to clerks asking Geraldine Eaton were Unit 10, Poole Hall Industrial Estate, second to none." for help on a wide range of topics. Ted and Alice have between them We can supply and set you up with appropriate digital Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH66 1ST. Edward Hughes, nearly 40 years experience in a variety of roles in chambers and have dictation equipment and the necessary software to ensure T: 0151 357 3500 seen most things! They hope you will participate in their new column. compatibility with our equipment. F: 0151 356 3459 "Geraldine Eaton who created Secretarial E: [email protected] I return to one of my favourite topics which is free telephone calls. Solutions puts a lot of effort There is an update on VOIP (Voice over the internet protocol). Five Confidentiality into providing an million users at any one time worldwide suggests that Skype must be We take this very seriously outsourced typing service doing something right. designed to meet the typing Corner House Design & Print Ltd We undertake to keep any and all information supplied by the needs of legal offices." The Old Chapel, Manchester Road, So there’s no more World Cup football, and Wimbledon is finished for client strictly confidential. Southwark Law Centre Carrington Village, another year (why do we have male and female American commentators when this year that country failed to produce anybody in week 2 in the We do not use information supplied by the client for any Manchester M31 4BL through singles?), to be replaced by some test match cricket (not too hopeful) ipts faxed T: 0161 777 6000 purpose other than typing/ transcribing "Manuscr ck accurate and the Open Golf at Hoylake. The course is only fifteen minutes from came ba F: 0161 777 6060 - ." We restrict all such information to those typists who have signed and on time home so it would be almost rude of me not to attend. a Confidentiality Agreement E: [email protected] 14 Grays Inn Square I can’t believe we are already a month beyond the longest day. It won’t be long before the clocks go back! In the meantime enjoy the summer. If you would like a leaflet or to try our services, Clerksroom Magazine is produced under licence by please ring Geraldine direct on JAR Holdings Limited, No 10 The Technology Centre, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 3EN. 0151 357 3828 Please keep sending me your emails on whatever topic takes your fancy. 0151 355 4433 Email to [email protected] № 10 The Technology Centre, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 3EN Tel: 0151 355 4433 Fax: 0151 355 9165 Email: [email protected] clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Page 1 Advertisement

Gill Butchard 5-A-Side Football Competition Principal of Butchard Associates The Clerksroom Cup

The annual 5-a-side barristers and solicitors tournament took place on Saturday 3rd June in Liverpool. I was Do you have a Mailshot or saddened to read the fixture list and to discover that Marketing Event to Organise? only two chambers, Sedan House, Chester and Young Street, Manchester had entered. Surely this is a missed Are you snowed under, and have opportunity to mix with solicitors. The firms who entered from the North West make an impressive list. no time to deal with it? Unfortunately there were no surprises. Paul Crowley beat D.P. Robert Hughes & Denye in the final 7-0 having only managed to scrape through against the Perhaps I deal with it for you. same team 2-1 in the qualifying group. Unfortunately Can I help you with any of the following? the same success was not enjoyed by the two chambers who managed one win and two draws between them. I Manage the Marketing Event They did not progress beyond the group stages. I Co-ordinate the mailshot Looking at the teams they played against, it could be argued that narrow defeats or draws would have been I Co-ordinate the responses their diplomatic excuses. However, having seen the lads going at each other, I think pride took over. The final I Co-ordinate the production of handouts/marketing material stages are printed below. I Carry out the event ‘follow up’ for you Quarters 4.00 9 Fentons 3-0 Silverbeck Rymer Gill could also help you with: 4.00 10 0-3 Paul Crowleys 4.00 11 D P Roberts Hughes & Denye 1-0 Goldsmith Williams Supplier review Debt Collection 4.00 12 Bartletts 2-4 Jackson & Canter Expenditure Analysis/Review Holiday/Sick cover Management Reports Job Training Semis Database Management Procedural review 4.20 13 Fentons 3-6 Paul Crowleys 4.20 14 D P Roberts Hughes & Denye 1-0 Jackson & Canter Client Management Business Review Marketing Final For more info: 4.40 15 Paul Crowleys 7-0 D P Roberts Hughes & Denye See Gill’s website at www.butchards.co.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 0772 591 1320 www.butchards.co.uk clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Page 27 Advertisement Article

“Our Villa is a brand new, 4 bedroom, 3

bath, luxury villa situated at Orange Tree, a Foreign Car Hire – The Scams

prestigious development surrounded by By the Editor

orange groves. It is a year ago that I reported to you on the excess If you are going the extra mile to protect insurance cover costs when you hire a car at a foreign yourself, I suggest: airport. I suggest you check out www.insurance4carhire.com. Their annual policy covers G If you’re expected to return the car with a tyres, windows, roof and undercarriage. The last is full or partially full tank of fuel particularly important in countries with poor road surfaces. It’s easy to damage a petrol tank but G What time the vehicle must be returned by Disney World is only a expensive to replace. I am pleased to see that the on the day of departure Sunday Times caught up recently when they described 15 minute drive away and all of this racket as a scam and also referred readers to the G Keep the petrol receipt(s) just in case the best food, shopping and same website. Although there has been a modest £2.00 increase, the annual policy cost is still £51.00 per Remember that every time you scribble your initials in a entertainment that Florida has year within Europe and £125.00 worldwide. One or box on a printed form, you may be agreeing to pay for to offer is within easy reach” two others have realised there is a band wagon to an extra you neither want nor need. CDW (collision board. They include www.holidayautos.co.uk and damage waiver) reduces your liability in the event of an Contact Linda Haigh by email: [email protected] or visit their website: www.orangetreeorlando.co.uk carrentals.co.uk, who will charge to cover the excess at accident. Without it you could face a bill equal to the the rate of £2.50 per day. replacement cost of the vehicle. Hopefully you will avoid problems this summer and the media band The Sunday Times went further to campaign for wagon will start to roll against these “scams”. the industry to clean up car hire and in PLAYA BLANCA - NEW VILLA ON LANZAROTE particular: Stuart Sellen at Thomas More Chambers has a new villa on Lanzarote and it should be ready for holidaymakers Available G No more excess charges early September (when the other properties on the plot August are also finished). 2006 G All insurance included in the quoted price onwards Playa Blanca is regarded as the most “up-market” part of the G Clear and simple documents Island and the warmest. G The end of nasty credit-card surprises The villa has 5 beds and can sleep 10 to 12 comfortably, 2 baths, 2 living rooms, 1 kitchen and 1 utility with a private pool c. 150 yards from the sea, with views of Fuerteventura. The newspaper also reported on the petrol rip off scam which I had also referred to a year ago. They suggest The plot is next to the Hotel Rubicon which has at least 4 this can be avoided by checking the terms and restaurants and bars which can be used by people staying in conditions before you book, at least thereby avoiding the Villa. some of the worst culprits.

Stuart will offer reduced rates to colleagues and friends. It certainly pays to be meticulous at both collection and I suggest you contact him direct. drop off of the vehicle and insist that it is checked. You hear some frightening tales, and it’s always difficult to PLAYAEmail BLANCA [email protected]. challenge when you are back in this country.

Page 26 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Page 3 Article “What Makes a Chief Executive Tick?”

This month we spoke to Chris Owen at Radcliffe Chambers [named after Sir Cyril Radcliffe KC, the Chancery silk and Law Lord]. Chris has lived through the merger of ail Bags for Chambers 11 Old Square and 11 New Square Personalised Plastic M I Do you send back 20 or more briefs a day? Or

When did you start working in Chambers and in I Does your Chambers get through 100 or so plastic what capacity? I came to Chambers as a consultant in October 2004 and mail bags every week? after a short period was asked to stay on as the CEO. I started officially on 1.1.2005. I Would you like Chambers’ logo and details printed on What motivated your move to Chambers? your plastic mail bags? Having been an articled clerk for 8 years and then a senior clerk for 25 I took a break for almost 4 years as a I Interested? consultant to the Bar (which I thoroughly enjoyed); however this was a challenge I could not refuse. I have known this chambers since the 1970’s when 4 members I were door tenants on my door in Leicester. 2 are still Send for details. here. What has been your worst moment in Chambers? Recently realising we had trades people coming in at the Email to: What is it like to live through a merger? week end to do vital work before the merger and we had [email protected] Extremely busy, very long hours, although exciting at the changed the combinations to our door locks… thankfully same time. I remembered just in time! Over the years, a really good barrister not getting silk, it affects me. What pearls of wisdom would you pass on? Preparation is the key and a sense of humour, plus in my Who has been the greatest influence on your case a very understanding wife who for many months career? saw very little of me; and still doesn’t. A few people, the senior partner in a Leicester law firm who I was articled to; Walter Berry; every head of So far what has been your best moment in chambers I have worked for but in particular Sir Desmond Chambers? Fennell OBE and Sir John Goldring. Seeing the new sign board outside with all the names on it, past and present, and the merger announcement in the What irritates you the most? press gave me a sense of satisfaction. Not being allowed to get on with my job.

...continued on page 7

Page 4 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 MAILPAC IS THE TRADING NAME OF JAR HOLDINGS LIMITED, № 10 THE TECHNOLOGY CENTRE ELLESMERE PORT CHESHIRE CH65 3EN

Article Interview

...continued from page 4

Skype gets top marks What is the best aspect of the job? Your favourite film? The challenge of bringing 2 sets of chambers together 2, Gladiator and The Bridges of Madison County and working with new barristers, new staff and new I was pleased to see in the July edition of Computing Free VOIP Services Tested by Computing Which? Which? that Skype came out top with an overall score of Magazine clients. Your favourite music? 85% when tested with 5 other free VOIP (Voice over James Taylor. Internet Protocol) Service Providers. As you may recall, 1. Skype www.skype.com What is the worst aspect of the job? Skype was bought by e-Bay about a year ago and now 2. Yahoo!Messenger http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com Not getting home on time. So what makes you tick? claims to have over 100 million accounts worldwide with 3. SipgateX-Lite www.sipgate.co.uk Work and family. over 5 million users regularly making free concurrent phone 4. Google Talk (trial) www.google.com/talk What is your best characteristic? calls. Skype was being compared with similar products 5. MSN Messenger http://messenger.msn.co.uk from Yahoo, Google and MSN, as well as lesser known 6. Babble.net www.babble.net Hard working. If you had not gone into Chambers, what would providers Sipgate and Babble. Skype scored particularly you have become? highly for ease of use, performance and versatility. Please remember that you cannot use VOIP to dial 999. Do you have any bad habits? I failed my law finals to be a and am a frustrated I am lazy at home. so a solicitor advocate or a Baptist minister. Broadband certainly enhances the quality of the telephone If VOIP is not for you, then perhaps it would be worth connection. visiting www.jajah.com. There you are invited to join the JAJAH free global calling service which “allows you to Some of the providers do give you the option of upgrading make free local and international phone calls. It applies to to a paid service which allows you to make cheap calls landline calls to and within the UK, Germany, France, Italy from your computer to standard landline numbers. Skype and most other European nations”. This applies when both have this service which they call Skypeout. Making such call participants are registered and active users. cheap calls is not confined to landlines in the UK. Roger Sheen, Managing What is the Catch? The website claims that there is no Director of Advantage Office It has been widely reported in the press in the last few catch. You just use JAJAH to make your calls. The free weeks that the mobile phone companies are going to be service depends on users paying for other JAJAH services Supply Systems Limited, hammered for overcharging for making or receiving phone and it depends on people using JAJAH in a “fair and recently caught up with calls on your mobile whilst abroad. Some of them have reasonable” way as described in their “fair use” policy. been getting away with charging 75p to 95p per minute. Consequently the company ask that you limit your free Stephen Graham, Chairman of You can drastically reduce this by using Skypeout to a hours to about an hour a day, 5 hours per week or about landline. 1000 minutes per month. They do acknowledge that they the Clerks Benevolent Fund, can only offer free services if enough people also use their My wife was recently on a Greek Island where the mobile paid services. This includes similar service to Skype-out, but to hand over the first cheque phone reception was not brilliant. She would find a is largely more expensive at .020 euros per minute. landline at a hotel or taverna, and text me the for £356.00 as reported in establishment’s landline telephone number. Dialling the I have not tried JAJAH and would be interested to learn the March edition of the landline through Skypeout at .017 euros per minute usually from anybody who has experience from using the service. meant that my wife and I could catch up on the gossip Clerksroom Magazine. every night for half an hour at a cost of about 35p! Windows 98

The same tariff applies throughout most of Europe. Calls Microsoft announced that with effect from 11 July 2006 are paid for through Skype’s website by buying time in they will no longer provide technical support for the Stephen Graham commented: chunks of either 10 or 25 euros at a time. Once you have Windows 98 operating system. They have been threatening registered with Skype, all you need is a relatively modern to discontinue this for some years, but as they still have 70 “The idea that a charity should benefit from every pound spent with computer with a sound card attachment, a headset with million users worldwide, it has been harder than they Advantage is really very clever and I would hope an incentive to potential microphone and broadband. There’s no doubt VOIP will imagined to get people to upgrade. This might include one become of greater significance for those chambers with an or two older members of Chambers still using an early PC. customers. I am extremely grateful to Advantage for choosing to support the international client base. All the technical information relating to Windows 98 can be Barristers’ Clerks Benevolent Fund in this innovative way”. found on a Microsoft Website and clicking onto “Support”.

Page 22 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Page 7 Article Write down your passwords, says Microsoft

Something for Chambers risk management review?

In Part 2 on the topic of passwords we Apparently use of the same password reduces reproduce below part of the text of an article overall security. by Microsoft. This security policy has been in operation for about a year now and is the He added: "Since not all systems allow good opposite of what we were taught in the early passwords I am going to pick a really crappy one, days of computers and password security. use it everywhere and never change it. If I write them down and then protect the piece of paper - or Companies should not ban employees from writing whatever it is I wrote them down on - there is down their passwords because it forces users to use nothing wrong with that. That allows us to the same weak term on many systems, according to remember more passwords and better passwords," a Microsoft security guru. So said the security industry had been giving out the A senior programme manager for security policy at wrong advice about passwords for 20 years and the Microsoft told a conference in Australia last year delegates at the conference agreed. However, they that the security industry had been giving out the did not think it was practical. Some collated wrong advice to users by telling them not to write personal passwords in an encrypted file because it down their passwords. "made more sense" than trying to remember multiple strong passwords. "How many have password policy that says under penalty of death you shall not write down your Others said storing a password list in an encrypted password?" asked the manager, to which the file may work for the administrator but it would not majority of delegates raised their hands in work for users because they would then forget the agreement. "I claim that is absolutely wrong. I claim password to decrypt the password file. that password policy should say you should write down your password. I have 68 different passwords. We all have a lot of passwords these days, If I am not allowed to write any of them down, not just for computers and software, but for guess what I am going to do? I am going to use the the bank, Easyjet, the Trainline, online music, same password on every one of them," he said. email…

Mind you 68 passwords is a little excessive!

Page 8 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Competition

Caption Competition July 2006 Edition

Gill Butchard sent me this photograph of her husband Robin umpiring a Cricket Society match. As this is the test match season I thought you might like to suggest a caption for the bubble.

It can be politically incorrect, sporting, or risqué but not too rude!

Please take a photocopy and fax your caption to 0151 355 9165. Best entry wins the customary bottle of Champagne. Editor’s decision is final. Closing date is the 10th August 2006.

Page 20 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Corporate Identity - Creative Design for Print - Printing - Promotional Point of Sale - Photography Packaging Design - Large Format Display Material - PR & Copywriting - Web Design - Illustration

The New Children’s Hospital Appeal is part of The Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospitals Charity. Registered Charity Number 1049274. Competition winner Article

Sudoku competition result - a problem shared!! Winner6 of June 2006 competition Quality Mark or Barmark do not cover everything, nor does the The first correct entry drawn out of the hat to win the bottle of 2 Chambers Manual. Sometimes people skills have to be learnt the 153427698 Champagne for June 2006 was: hard way, Sometimes topics can be a little sensitive and need to be James Seale at Coram Chambers. 269158437 discussed with anonymity. So we have enlisted the help of “Ted & Alice” and in the coming months will draw on their vast experience of clerks rooms and life in general. 9 874939152 They are real people who understand real problems. Congratulations and a bottle of Champagne will be with 7 him shortly. 517962843 Feel free to email any issues, questions, or observations you may have to Ted & Alice via the 392841576 Editor and your problem will be dealt with incognito. Just mark the subject heading of the email: No Sudoku for this month as we have gone for a caption “To Ted & Alice”. And remember that a problem shared is a problem halved. competition. If you would like to see a Sudoku4 puzzle or indeed 648573219 any other kind of puzzle included in the magazine, please email conclusion – and that only leaves me with 5 425796381 Dear Ted ‘n’ Alice the Editor. The annual Chambers’ party looms – any privately funded cases that have been 1 786314925 suggestions as to how I can ensure that outstanding for 3 months. Would someone mind telling me how I can get water from a stone, The correct numbers for the June Competition are Members of Chambers network with the clients, 931285764 and don’t stay huddled in a corner talking to because it might be easier than trying to get printed opposite. 3 some money in over the next fortnight. 8 each other? Ted: Preparation pays! Get them to identify just 3 Alice: Stick with the miracle theme and tell her turning solicitors each they want work from, research their water into wine is a little tricky on your salary, but your careers, and make them introduce themselves. To break will ask a friend of a friend who knows Vinny Jones to the ice, stick a bottle of red and white in each of their “sort it”. Last resort or perhaps first – try visiting the hands and tell them to circulate and find solicitors they solicitor with the short skirt routine. want targeted. The choice is theirs – stay a wall flower Ted: Let us know if you do! continued from page 16 or work the room! Alice: A little flirtation never hurt anyone! Dear Ted ‘n’ Alice The warmer weather is here once again, and the Vikas concludes, “It would be great if all our users capabilities to accommodate this and now allow the Dear Ted ‘n’ Alice broom cupboard that we four clerks squeeze prioritised Chambers management software above all diary to be automatically synchronised with a Microsoft I have just been asked by Ms Penny Less of into each day gets really hot. Last year we tried counsel to get some fees in because she to broach the subject of having an air others, as whilst this is often the case with clerks and Exchange Server Calendar. This provides visibility and desperately needs funds in order to be able to conditioning/cooling unit in the room: apart practice managers, we recognise that barristers may be synchronisation for any device that can link to an pay her tax bill, her VAT bill, the school fees not from the fact that it would be difficult to to mention the cruise that she will have to pay accommodate in our room which is already more focused on applications like Outlook, or their PDA Exchange Server, including Outlook for PC and Mac, the balance for next month, and the builders, somewhat cramped, especially when members for example. To minimise disruption to their workflow Blackberry and just about every other device you can decorators and internal designers who have leave their blue and red bags lying around, the been doing up her home and will requirement barristers are up in arms about the additional we have also recently extended IQL’s integration think of being used by today’s mobile workforce”. payment soon. expenditure. Help!

I have looked at her aged debt – the really old Ted: Health & Safety! Always worth a mention. Risk fees are unlikely to come in now, and should be assessment failure means you cannot tick the box, so no Quality or Bar Mark, so no work from certain For more information or assistance in setting up your preferred architecture and details of written off – but she wants to have a healthy looking aged debt to support some financial “quality” firms. There – hit a nerve at last! today’s most advanced chambers systems with proactive support – arrangement or other with the bank. A majority Alice: Nice one Ted! contact [email protected], telephone 0116 225 2000 or visit www.inquisita.com. of her cases will not pay until they reach their

Page 18 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Page 11 Why You Should Record Telephone Calls? Some industries, such as certain financial institutions, are required by legislation to record telephone calls; others may wish to record their business transactions for playback in the event of a customer dispute.

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www.inboundsolutions.co.uk Article Article Seamlessly connected A Good Time to Buy? - integrating all remote user types with Chambers BY JOHN GOULD SENIOR PARTNER OF RUSSELL-COOKE SOLICITORS WHO HAS ADVISED AROUND 30 SETS OF BARRISTERS CHAMBERS ON STRUCTURES FOR THE “In today’s chambers environments it appears that there are potentially three distinct ACQUISITION OF FREEHOLDS OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS. remote access user types requiring connectivity to management systems,” explains Vikas Singh, one of the Senior Developers at Formation Software Limited. “It is with this in mind Many barristers seem to think that the changes to buildings and this survives the change in regulations pension regulations which came into effect on 6 April almost completely unaffected. This approach gives each that the flexibility of InQuisita Law (IQL) can be exploited and configured to fulfil the this year had the effect of making it much less individual barrister a choice as to whether or not to requirements”, adds the proud member within formation’s expert team – a Certified attractive for chambers to buy buildings. Those that participate in an investment in a freehold building Microsoft Gold Partner business for their Software Solutions. understand the new regulations know, however, that without being disadvantaged within chambers, or to this is wrong. Although the regulations brought about decide the level of individual investment and the change, they did not put any insurmountable hurdles in amount of borrowing for which he or she is responsible. “First of all there is the power user, who needs performance and functionality can actually be much place and, if anything, allow more choice and flexibility. In addition, there is now the opportunity to secure up access to a wide range of software and reporting better for intensive tasks. The cost and complexity to around £80,000 first year tax relief. The change that most people point to as a problem functions and would typically be processing large however, should only make this a viable option for relates to the new limits on borrowing by self invested Back in the 1990s it took a little while for barristers’ volumes of data – effectively replicating the those users that need access to simple desktop personal pensions. Previously a SIPP could borrow 75% chambers to see the potential for structures to buy of the purchase price of a building, secured on the freeholds of chambers. In the period leading up to the environment at their desktop PC, generally working applications and more primitive software”. Vikas building itself. Now the SIPP itself is only allowed to change in the regulations, demand for property was from a single fixed location (e.g. branch or home warns that “with remote desktop effectively borrow a sum equal to half of the assets within a SIPP. very high from barristers’ chambers which made This means that a new SIPP into which a contribution of property scarce and pushed prices up. This demand office). As a true browser-based application it is representing another desktop PC, always check that £100 is made can borrow in addition a further £50, may have cooled for the present and there may, therefore possible with IQL to access each and every software licenses do not require you to purchase giving it £150 available to purchase an asset. Many therefore, be a period of opportunity for those able to chambers purchasing buildings prior to the change in make the fairly modest effort to get to grips with the function of the system through a firewall from any additional copies for this virtual machine”. regulations borrowed at or near the 75% limit and it is new (but not so very different) landscape. remote location, without the need for any additional therefore understandable that a certain amount of pessimism now surrounds the idea of freehold software or configuration of the remote computer”. Thirdly, for users without the need to access older purchases. In fact other changes in the regulations give systems or requiring a simpler, less expensive and the potential for more flexibility and choice to individual barristers, potentially higher up-front tax relief and “Secondly, in addition to satisfying a power user, more agile method of getting connected to the borrowings at or near the previous level of 75%. there is often a user type who demands access to primary Chambers application, “our native web This arises because the regulations now permit an additional systems and data outside of a specific interface will suffice, where all that is required is a individual to split his or her investment in a property to system like IQL, for this a favoured solution is the fixed connection to the Internet and a firewall to hold part inside a SIPP and part outside. Also the level of initial contribution to a SIPP attracting tax relief may remote desktop. This requires some server based protect from unwanted intrusion. As IQL processes in many cases be much higher than the previous limit. software with client access licenses and software, data at the server and only sends the results, the The SIPP borrowing limits do not of course apply to that part of the investment held outside of an individual ideally used in conjunction with VPN software to network traffic is always relatively light in SIPP. secure the connection to Chambers. Once connected comparison with a standard network application. The upshot of all this is that an individual has much this user has access to a virtual desktop computer, This solution is ideal for clerks and barristers who more choice as to whether to maximise up-front tax which could be configured with the full range of occasionally need to access from remote locations relief or to invest on the basis of borrowings of around Chambers software and systems. As all processing without the hassle of any pre-configuration”. 70%. happens actually on the server, there is much less A trust based approach has for some years been the data traffic to the remote computer and continued on page 18 most popular among barristers’ chambers for buying

Page 16 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Page 13 Appointments Appointments

CHAVASSE COURT CHAMBERS

Fees/Junior Clerk

Criminal and Family Law set require a Fees/Junior Clerk.

Duties will include billing criminal and family cases, assisting the Clerking Team in the diary management, administration and smooth running of Chambers.

Previous experience in criminal and family billing using the Meridian System an advantage.

Salary commensurate with experience.

C.V. and covering letter to Mr Colin Cubley, Chavasse Court Chambers, 18 Queen Avenue, Liverpool L2 4TX. Or by e mail to [email protected]

Page 14 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 clerksroom magazine ~ No.56 July 2006 Page 15