About us
Since 2006 Legal Support Network (LSN) has been building a community for people in law firm management throughout the UK.
LSN brings the legal business services community together online through our website, our events, publications and social media channels. To support our online activities, LSN hosts a number of networking events annually across the UK, which provide the community a tangible platform to meet, establish and collaborate with peers. LSN also produces Briefing, a monthly digital magazine aimed at delivering thought-leadership content to the community and Legal Practice Management magazine, the only magazine for law firm managers. In 2011, LSN introduced a conference arm to the business with a view to delivering delegate conferences, seminars and workshops, these are: Briefing Operational Leaders In Legal conference, Briefing Business Transformation conference and the Legal Practice Management conference.
Who works in a firm like this?
Directors
David Sparkes
Founder/managing director
David Sparkes has worked in the legal industry since 1992. He started out at Thomas Eggar Verrall Bowles, later moving to HCL Hanne & Co. In 1997 he joined Adept Recruitment, a legal recruitment consultancy.
In 2006 he set up legalsupportnetwork. The rest, as they say, is history...
David's icebreakers:
Golf, cycling, Chile and triathlons.
Contact David:
0870 112 5058
07958 655 288
davids@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/david-sparkes
Sarah Cox
Client services director
Sarah Cox spent six years working for TFB (now TikitTFB), eventually managing the company's marketing department. Sarah joined LSN in 2009. She's responsible for keeping all LSN's clients happy and making sure everything client-related runs like clockwork.
Sarah's icebreakers:
Exploring the sights of London, running and horoscopes. Trainee domestic goddess.
Contact Sarah:
0870 112 5058
sarahc@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/sarah-cox
Rupert Collins-White
Head of content and community
Rupert Collins-White has been in legal publishing since 2005. He spent nearly five years at the Law Society Gazette, rising to features and commissioning editor, and de facto head of web. Rupert trained post-grad in journalism and has worked for IT Week, PC Advisor and SC Magazine, among others.
Rupert's icebreakers:
Can tend a small vineyard, if required. And I studied Star Trek at university. No, really, I did.
Contact Rupert:
0870 112 5058
07824 645 406
rupertw@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/rupert-white
Content and production
Richard Brent
Editor, Briefing magazine
Richard has had a varied career in business journalism and publishing, with particular experience covering the legal sector. He was the editor of Managing Partner magazine for top 100 law firms from 2006 to 2010 - but has also written for organisations as diverse as the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Administrative Management and the National Pharmacy Association.
Richard's icebreakers:
Has been found moonlighting on stage, but is now more often found watching from the cheap seats.
Contact Richard:
0870 112 5058
07824 645 406
richardb@briefing.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/richard-brent
Kayli Olson
Assistant editor – Briefng and LPM
A recent film studies and journalism graduate from Kingston University, she hails from the rocky mountains of Colorado to join the LSN team on Briefing and LPM magazines. On her breaks you can find her studying Japanese or reading science articles.
Kayli's icebreakers:
Science fiction, horror, and B movies or anything related to Asia.
Contact Kayli:
0870 112 5058
kaylio@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/kayli-olson
Client services
Holly McDaid
Client services manager – Briefing
Holly studied media arts at Royal Holloway, University of London and upon graduating, set herself the mission to see as much of the world as possible (just don’t ask her about Morocco!). Now as part of the LSN team she really feels that she has found her calling! Claim to fame – her parents were on an episode of Homes Under the Hammer.
Holly’s icebreakers:
Cats, Las Vegas, handbags and baking.
Contact Holly:
0870 112 5058
hollym@briefing.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/holly-mcdaid
Emily Nash
Client services manager – LPM
Emily Nash comes from a BD background in music education. Having been responsible for development in both her own business and a large music education exam board, it is now her position to manage all things LPM – conferences, the magazine and its supplements – as well as ensuring all LPM clients are happy and well looked after. Emily is also a semi-professional musician and her claim to fame is that her previous landlady was a well-known regular pro dancer on Strictly!
Emily’s icebreakers:
Acoustic nights, travelling and quirky city adventures.
Contact Emily:
0870 112 5058
emilyn@lpmmag.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/emily-nash
Chris Lambert
Delegate sales executive – Briefing
Chris is responsible for introducing law professionals to the latest business management solutions, ideas and technologies via Briefing magazine’s conference series.
Chris's icebreakers:
When not indulging in whatever football match satellite tv has to offer Chris can be found attempting to understand the latest big ideas in physics, maths, tech or philosophy to a Spotify driven musical backdrop. Or re-reading his Stephen King collection for a bit of light relief.
Contact Chris:
0870 112 5058
chrisl@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/chrislambert123/
Ahmed Mohamed
Delegate sales executive – LPM
Born and raised in Holland, Ahmed is football fanatic (a proud Arsenal Fan) who graduated with a degree in Sports Psychology from University of Roehampton. Having had previous experience in design and sales, Ahmed joined the company in April as a delegate sales executive for the LPM side of Burlington Media Group.
Ahmed's icebreakers:
Football, talking and the gym.
Contact Ahmed:
0870 112 5058
ahmedm@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
Events
Benita Igbinedion
Conference producer – Briefing and LPM
Benita has a Masters in political communication from City Unterversity and over five years of experience working in events and conferences.
Beths’s icebreakers:
Good books, politics and food.
Contact Benita:
0870 112 5058
benitai@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/benita-igbinedion
Beth Fellner
Conference producer – Briefing and LPM
Beth studied ancient history at Newcastle University and can still be found spending hours at the British Museum. She has been running events and CPD programmes since 2012 and joined the Burlington Media Group team in 2017 to work on a number of Briefing and LPM conferences and other exciting projects.
Beths’s icebreakers:
Beer, burgers, walking, films and sunny Sheffield (where she's from).
Contact Beth:
0870 112 5058
bethf@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/bethfellner
Cezara Iovu
Events co-ordinator – Briefing and LPM
Cezara graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2013 with a degree in hotel management. She developed an interest in events after helping out at a National media council in the Middle East. Having worked previously on finance and engineering B2B events, Cezara joined Burlington Media Group in June 2017 and is enthusiastic about starting a new challenge in the legal sector.
Cezara’s icebreakers:
90s music, sports, Moldavian food (tasty!), classic cocktails, photography etc.
Contact Cezara:
0870 112 5058
cezarai@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/cezaraiovu
Legal Support Network
Carly Woodcock
Client services executive – Legal Support Network
After completing a degree in Photomedia, she moved from retail to the office environment working on online content delivery for hotels and spas, and as an online photography coordinator within the world of e-commerce. Having joined Burlington Media in January 2018, Carly is responsible for looking after our networkpartners online content, as well as organising passes and sponsorship for networking events.
Carly's icebreakers:
Dogs, GBBO and history books.
Contact Carly:
0870 112 5058
carlyw@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
Ash Baggott
Corporate partnerships – Legal Support Network
Ash was the owner of his own theatre company in Birmingham. He went on to live in North Italy and taught English as a second language at a private language school.
Ash’s icebreakers:
Film, travelling and prosciutto.
Contact Ash:
0870 112 5058
ashb@burlingtonmedia.co.uk
Claire Adam
Event co-ordinator – Legal Support Network
Claire studied public relations at university, which was followed by working within the events industry for a year organising corporate events. Having recently joined Burlington Media Group in August 2017, she is responsible for organising all of LSN’s networking events across the country.
Claire’s icebreakers:
Travelling, events and music.
Contact Claire:
0870 112 5058
clairea@lsn.co.uk
Marketing
Tea, dogs, walking, skiing and Belgian beer.
Operations
Gina icebreakers:
Travel, food and music.
Accounts
Tina (aka Evil Accounts Lady) has been working as a bookkeeper for the past 8 years, but has a background in HR and hotels, the latter of which can bring a plethora of ‘interesting’ celeb/guest stories.
Tina icebreakers:
Tina enjoys travelling, watching sport (especially football and rugby) and pubs.
Other
Whilst Mike is not a direct employee of LSN we still consider him part of the team. Mike has been integrally involved in the design and creation of the LSN brand from day one. We are always keen to acknowledge his creative input and amazing efforts into the LSN brand and all our media information. Basically, he's in this list because we love him. We love ya, Mike.
To find out more about Mike's work, get in touch: mike@simpkinsdesign.co.uk
Here's what Mike had to say...
It's not hard to see why Dave and the team are so successful at what they do. Complete dedication and an infectious enthusiasm for providing an unrivaled level of service.
Mike's icebreaker:
Stronger in the arts department. Enjoy tickling the occasional guitar string.