Legal Practice Management conference is a hit

LSN's first Legal Practice Management conference on 17 May 2012 was a great success, with 43 practice managers and directors, operations directors and heads of finance from small to medium-sized law firms coming together at the Thistle Marble Arch Hotel in London.

Sponsored by DPS Software, Elite, the Financial Times, IRIS Legal, K-Cloud, Syscap, Thomson Reuters and Voicepath, LPM 2012 featured experienced leaders in the field, including:

» Joy Vollans, chief executive officer, EMW

» Richard Hill, practice director, Stepien Lake and vice-chair of ILFM

» Brian Rogers, operations partner (non-lawyer), Lewis Hymanson Small

» Cleo Howell, practice director and partner (non-lawyer), Last Cawthra Feather

» Gill Garrett, director of finance and business support, partner (non-lawyer), SA Law 

» Caroline Calverley, practice manager, Chafes Solicitors

» Alan Cousins, practice director, Paris Smith

» Martyn Bateman, practice manager, Breeze & Wyles Solicitors

...and many more. Delegates travelled from as far afield as Glasgow, Liverpool, Jersey and Bournemouth, representing firms including Preston Redman, MacDonald Oates, JPC Law, Morrisons, Baker & Partners, JB Leitch, drydensfairfax, Kilburn & Strode, Levison Meltzer Pigott and RT Law.

Ian Rintoul, practice director, Attwaters, said of the event: “It was an excellent idea – targeted at a very specific audience so all material was relevant. Much better than many other conferences I have attended over last 10 years."

Similarly, Joe Hughes, practice manager, BrookStreet des Roches said: “It was great to attend a conference where the audience are all from the same background and size of firm."

Topics covered included new entrants in the SME legal market, managing technology, SRA handbook and COFA, the role of the practice manager and influencing partners.

To find a full list of speakers and panellists, their presentations and a full run-down of what was covered over the day go to the event's webpage. You can also download the LPM 2012 agenda directly.

Were you there? We've posted a selection of the photos taken on the day in a special LPM 2012 photo gallery.