The Latest with Law Simplified

Law Simplified was recently joined by Former Refugee turned lawyer, Qays Sediqi. He is the Head of Public law at Barnes Harrild & Dyer Solicitors (BHD) and a profound lawyer. During the interview, he was very open about his experiences as a refugee in Holland, before he, his siblings, and his mother moved to the UK. Qays personal experiences in his earlier life inspired him to become a lawyer. Today he helps many refugees who are navigating the asylum system. Qays told us the truth about UK's 'failing' immigration system and the Illegal Migration Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament. Qays shared his deep concern about the bill as he says it seeks to antagonise and ostracise refugees, who have had to flee their countries to save their lives. He talked us through the implications of the bill for refugees, and why they breach Human Rights laws and International laws. Do make sure to follow Law Simplified on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Remember, if you need a lawyer, we can help! We have a panel of law firms specialising in all legal areas. Simply send us a contact form on law-simplified.co.uk/make-legal-enquiry and we will be sure to get you speaking to someone.

Law Simplified sat with the first Asian, first Muslim, and the Seventh female President of The Law Society of England and Wales, Lubna Shuja. On 12 October 2022, Lubna made history by being appointed as The President, and demonstrated to the world that the legal profession is diversifying in the UK. Lubna qualified as a solicitor in 1992 and went onto work in a High Street Law Firm for 14 years, before setting up her own firm, Legal Swan Solicitors in Birmingham, in 2007. She specialises in professional discipline and regulation. Lubna has been a part of the Law Society since 2013, representing the interests of solicitors.  During our interview, she spoke about her journey to becoming a solicitor and the President, what her role involves, and told us about some of her key aims whilst in the office. This is not one to be missed.  This podcast is proudly sponsored by Dictalogic. If you work in the legal, medical, or financial industry and spend a lot of time typing, and can benefit from a powerful dictation system, then Dictalogic is for you. Dictalogic uses advanced Microsoft AI speech technology to automatically transcribe the audio before it reaches the transcriber, vastly minimising the turnaround times. With built in legal and medical dictionaries, the conversion of legal and medical terms is astonishingly accurate. Dictalogic, like Netflix, requires no installation and is accessible via the cloud from any global location. Simply login and dictate on the go. It allows multi speaker recordings to be transcribed into a formatted script. This is ideal for court room hearings, interviews, and meetings. Just upload your recordings and you will receive a script style transcript with the speakers, date, and time, clearly marked. Dictalogic has the most advanced and most powerful Dictation solution on the market. Why not see it for yourself? For a free trial and demo simply visit their website or reach out to them on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and twitter. Do also make sure to follow Law Simplified on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Remember, if you need a lawyer, we can help! We have a panel of law firms specialising in all legal areas. Simply send us a contact form and we will be sure to get you speaking to someone.

Law Simplified was recently joined by Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, UK's leading criminal barrister,  King's Counsel, and Head of Chambers at the new Sheffield annex of 33 Bedford Row Chambers (33BR) and all their northern annexes. He is also the Deputy Head of their London set.   He was born to a steelworker and trade unionist in Tinsley, Sheffield, and has spent his life there. During the interview, Gul Nawaz was extremely forthcoming about his extremely humble beginnings.  He shared how at the age of 10, he and his sister queued up outside Leopold Hotel in Sheffield, opposite the building that houses the new offices of 33BR Chambers, for free clothing when his father was on strike and money was tight. Many years later, he found himself in Leopold Hotel sitting next to a Court of Appeal Judge, Lord Justice Males, for dinner.  Gul Nawaz also shared some of his extremely interesting cases and told us about the new Sheffield annex of 33BR Chambers, based  in the Steel City House Building. He sends an open invitation  to all solicitors, either based in the region or those who happen to be passing through,  to drop in for a cuppa tea. He also told us about his infamous hair routine as he was recently shortlisted for an award for having the best hair at the Bar.   This Podcast is sponsored by 33BR Chambers, a leading common law set offering legal advice and advocacy in Civil, Criminal, Family, Immigration and Regulatory law at all levels including work with an international element. They  have over 80 barristers  including distinguished silks with experience at all levels up to and including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.   Head onto their website at www.33bedfordrow.co.uk and reach out to their clerks if you require any legal representation. Follow 33BR Chambers on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Do also follow Gul Nawaz Hussain KC on LinkedIn, Instagram and check out his profile on the 33BR Chamber's website. Podcast hosted by Faareen Ali.

Law Simplified was recently joined by Kush Birdi, a commercial and corporate law solicitor, Managing Partner at Birdi & Co Solicitors, a new dad, and a Formula 1 super fan.   He shared his journey to becoming a solicitor and launching a thriving law firm which is making great strides in business. Birdi & Co recently opened its doors in a prominent location in Central London, more precisely, near Liverpool St, and welcomed a new Partner, Leena Birdi. She is a highly-experienced corporate and commercial solicitor.  Kush shared some common mistakes made by businesses that can have a significant impact in the long-term. He shared how and why ALL businesses must prevent them. If you are a business, watch this podcast NOW to protect your business.  Kush also delved into the types of work his firm has been dealing with, and some thoughts on what businesses should do to prepare for the uncertain economic times ahead. He was faced with a quick fire-round and  imparted super helpful tips for aspiring solicitors, professionals, and wider public.   Podcast hosted by Faareen Ali This podcast is sponsored by Birdi & Co Solicitors. Birdi & Co Solicitors is an ambitious law firm offering a range of business law services, and solely works with small and medium-sized enterprises, larger corporates, and high net worth individuals.  They specialise in corporate law, commercial law, commercial property, employment, and banking & finance.  This law firm is one to watch as it is fast establishing itself as the ‘go-to’ law firm in London, Essex, other Home Counties and further afield for business law services.   Kush and the firm have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about their service levels, and are seen as a ‘law firm of the future’; not just focused on profits but client goals.  At Birdi & Co Solicitors, clients’ interests are above all. These beliefs have shaped the ethos and culture of the firm, hence the tagline ‘A Client-Centred Law Firm’.  Head onto their website at www.birdilaw.com and complete a contact form or give them a call on 020 3963 1936 now if you require legal assistance in their practice areas. Do also make sure to follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok (@birdi&cosolicitors)

Law Simplified was recently joined by Jo Sidhu KC, the Former Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, leading King's Counsel, and a highly respected criminal practitioner. He has a number of accolades under his belt. He was recently voted as one of top 101 most influential Asians in the UK and winner of the Asian Professional of the Year (2016). Jo shared his journey to the Bar and spoke at length about the strike action. He told us why he wanted to be the man that took up the fight against the government in a bid to save the failing criminal justice system, and what progress has been made since. We also wanted you to acquaint yourself with Jo, outside of his role as a barrister. He shared his favourite hobbies and activities and his most shocking case or moment in court.  This podcast is sponsored by Whiterose Blackmans Solicitors LLP, a highly respected firm of solicitors based in Leeds, specialising in civil litigation, commercial litigation, criminal law, family law, housing disrepair, immigration law, landlord and tenant, personal injury, and wills and probate. The firm employs specialist solicitors and barristers in all their practice areas. They represent clients across England and Wales and have been nationally recognised for their achievements on numerous occasions. They are independently audited every year and are Lexcel Accredited for Excellence in Legal Practice Management and Client Care.  If you require any legal assistance in their specialist areas, head onto their website (www.whiteroseblackmans.co.uk) and do give them a follow on Twitter and Facebook. Podcast Hosted by Faareen Ali. Remember to follow Law Simplified on all social media platforms.

Crime and Regulatory law Barrister, Ahmed Muen, of Drystone Chambers joined Law Simplified recently to set the record straight about practising at the Criminal Bar. He revealed how the justice system is struggling due to a lack of funding, which has resulted in a shortage of Judges and Barristers, significant backlog of cases and hearings being adjourned and/or relisted at the last minute.  Ahmed also enlightened us with his humour by sharing his funniest moments in court and did not hold back to ensure aspiring barristers know the truth about the difficulties of running a successful criminal practice amid public funding cuts. However, he tells us that things do get better over time and that he would never leave the Criminal Bar. Ahmed is also the Founder and President of the Arab Lawyers Association (ALA), which was formed to promote, and develop the legal profession among the Arab community within the UK. Ahmed expressed how he wants the Association to assist aspiring barristers and solicitors by presenting them with valuable networking opportunities. ALA is hosting its 5th Arab Lawyers Forum on 9th -10th May 2022 in London, where hundreds of lawyers from around the world will come together, including partners from major UAE law firms. The event is sponsored by big names such as Al Tamimi, Mahmood Hussain Law firm, Deloitte, Mishcon de Reya and Sultan Al- Abdulla & Partners, to name some. Head onto www.arablawyersforum.com to reserve your ticket now for absolutely free.  Connect with Ahmed Muen on LinkedIn and follow ALA to make sure you don't miss out on future events. Podcast hosted by Sara El Kaysi. Also, make sure to check out our special tiktok with Ahmed(@lawSimplifieduk). DISCLAIMER: Podcast recorded before the strike action by Criminal Barristers.

Sara sits down with criminal law barrister Ruth Reid from 3 Temple Gardens Chambers and the founder of the peer-based networking society Cake and Counsel, an NGO providing support for aspiring lawyers. Ruth is a criminal barrister with experience of both prosecuting and defending. In this episode she shared some of the main differences between prosecuting and defending in the criminal courts, in England and Wales. She discussed her previous and current roles with the Serious Fraud Office. Ruth also told us about her dream job as a child, which is so far apart from her career in law. As part of our fun quick fire round, she shared which celebrity she would wish to meet. Find out about Ruth’s hidden talents as well as her choice of superpower on TikTok! Make sure you check it out right now.

Sara El Kaysi sits down with UK’s first vegan wig inventor, Samuel March. Samuel is also a pupil barrister at 5 Paper Buildings, specialising in criminal, social, environmental and animal justice law. He is also a volunteer at Advocates for Animals. Samuel shares how he created the first vegan barrister wig using hemp. Ironically, hemp is the same species of plant as cannabis. Samuel shared a snapshot of his journey to the Bar and says that he intends on creating vegan alternatives for other court attire in the near future! Get in touch with Samuel for your very own vegan wig.

Faareen is joined by Muhammad Zahab Jamali, Partner and Head of Immigration at Ashton Ross Law and Barrister at Imperium Chambers to talk about UK hotel quarantine and how to apply for an exemption, in the event of medical or compassionate reasons, upon returning from a red list country. In this special episode, he tells us what the quarantine involves, talks about the conditions at these hotels, and the process of making an application for an exemption. He also talks us through some of his recent cases, where he represented parties applying for an exemption, some of which ended up in the High Court, the outcome in those cases, and the general approach taken by the government/court.  Zahab also touched on the progress of the widely publicised case where a muslim family was served bacon for breakfast and gave advice for people returning to the UK in these current circumstances.  For the government guidance on applying for an exemption, please click here.

Sara El Kaysi is joined by a top criminal law barrister, Jaime Hamilton QC, for another episode of 'The Latest with Law Simplified'. Jaime is a Queen's Counsel, a Deputy Head of Chambers at 9 St. John Street Chambers, Manchester and an accredited advocacy trainer with over 20 years of experience in criminal law. He is known for his constant blogging about the UK’s Criminal Justice System through his active presence on Twitter. (@ViewFromTheNorth). In this episode, Jaime simplifies the new Police, Crime and Sentencing 2021 Bill and the implications of it. He also talks about Encrochat, what it is and the admissibility of the messages in criminal proceedings.  For more information about Encrochat, check out a recent article which we published at www.law-simplified.co.uk. When asked, Jaime confirmed having dressed up as Batman and in the traditional QC outfit for a party and gave us a glimpse of the most bizarre case which he prosecuted, live now on Tiktok!! (@lawsimplifieduk). He also shared some really valuable tips for aspiring barristers wanting to enter the legal profession.

Sara El Kaysi sits with the Human Rights barrister Adam Wagner from Doughty Chambers who joined us to discuss some recent legal developments. Adam has been regularly appearing on national television, with his recent appearances including Good Morning Britain and Sky News.  In this episode with Law Simplified, he was quizzed by Sara El Kaysi about his journey to the Bar, the implications of the Supreme Court judgment in the Shamima Begum case, and the covid-19 regulations. Adam Wagner is well known for his thorough research into the covid-19 regulations as he has been reported to keep an account of all the changes in the law since their introduction. He also did a Tiktok special by explaining the 3 major misunderstandings among the public about the restrictions! Find out what we’ve all been getting wrong by heading onto our Tiktok RIGHT NOW at @lawsimplifieduk.

Podcast Host, Sara El Kaysi, sits with Mark Robinson who shares his unconventional route to the Bar. He also simplified some criminal law reforms and was put through his paces with a quickfire round at the end. Mark was a professional DJ for over 20 years, playing throughout the world. He produced and released an album with the Ministry of Sound and made it to number 24 on UK charts nationally. He was also responsible for several high-profile remixes of chart hits for artists such as David Guetta, Akon and Pitbull! Mark established a busy practice as a freelance solicitor and subsequently joined Great James Street Chambers as a criminal law barrister, following a full exemption from barrister training by BSB. He says he 'stumbled into the profession' after he successfully defended himself, without a lawyer, when charged with an offence he did not commit. He's regularly in court now, representing defendants charged with a wide range of offences. Find out what Mark said he would choose as a superpower, and head over to our TikTok (@lawsimplifiedUK) right now to meet him and to find out an interesting fact about him.  Come on, you know you want to!

Callum Gill is joined by Future Womble Bond Dickinson Trainee and Founder of Sim’s Legal Mentoring, Simranjeet Kaur Mann. Having successfully been offered three Training Contracts, Simranjeet set up Sim’s Legal Mentoring with the aim of offering advice to aspiring solicitors, particularly those from the South Asian background. Since its founding, Sim’s Legal Mentoring has amassed over 1000 Instagram followers and assisted numerous aspiring solicitors on their journey. With the application season for Vacation Schemes/Training Contracts on the horizon, we delve into the entire application process with Simranjeet and hear her top tips. Callum also explores Simranjeet’s motivations for a career in law and her journey, which led to her accepting a Training Contract with Womble Bond Dickinson. For any aspiring solicitors looking to get ahead with their applications, this is a podcast that cannot be missed!

Hasaan and Chris sit down to discuss Chris’ success story, his background, his humble beginnings working alongside his father, all within the first part of this podcast. Chris goes on to describe his path into criminal defence and delves into some of the biggest criminal clients he’s worked with. Chris goes on to provide an insight into #JusticeOnTrial, giving us a glimpse of what we can expect in his latest publication. As always, we put your questions to Chris, discussing a potential Netflix series, tips on Pupillage, and some very constructive advice for law students and legal professionals. Should we legalise drug use? Chris tells us why we should! Exclusively, with Law Simplified.

Hasaan and Sahar sat down to discuss topics such as pupillage with DWF Advocacy, the ever so current BAME discussion and Sahar’s current practise. As you can imagine, we had to quench Sahar’s expertise and experience for all it’s worth - so brace yourselves, it’s a lengthy one, but you really can not afford to miss this. For sound advice to both LPC students and BPTC students, lend an ear and give it a listen.

Our podcast host sits down with Solicitor, Head of Employment Law at Wildings Solicitors; Neelam Afzal. Hasaan and Neelam discuss furlough, redundancy and the Tribunal surge which is imminent as a result of COVID-19. Neelam is renowned for her work in the community as well as her backing of Birmingham City University students.

Our podcast host picks the brains of an established member of the Northern circuit; David Boyle. David sheds light upon his background, his drive to the bar, his motivations and a long awaited change in Civil practise. Providing an invaluable insight to future barristers within England and Wales. His advice to young advocates and aspiring barristers is available exclusively, with Law Simplified.

We welcome Hasaan Ahmad onto our Law Simplified Team as our Podcast Host, and Creative Operations Manager. A Litigation Executive for Peninsula, BPTC graduate and soon to be an unregistered barrister, following his call to the Bar of England and Wales later this year. In this podcast, he'll be giving us a glimpse of his journey. He tells us how he broke barriers coming from a socially deprived town in Manchester, bulldozing his way to the Bar. Hasaan's been given the most daring task of all: getting close and personal with barristers, solicitors, trainees, paralegals, judges ( where possible) and other legal professionals. He'll be engaging in a discussion with legal professionals about current updates within their practice areas, so we understand the clear implications of them. Hasaan will also be extracting golden nuggets about their journey, so we can all learn from them. Through this, we're flying the student flag high, and we aim to always support and open up opportunities where possible.

We interviewed the Founder at WillInherit, Ikhlas Ahmed, who talked about Wills, Inheritance Tax, and Estate Planning. He was brutally honest about his experiences, having worked in the industry for over a decade. Ikhlas was forthcoming about why we must all have a Will in place, and the dangers of dying without one. Some of the examples he shared during the interview included the following: - Families falling out and ending up in court, costing them hundreds of thousands in legal bills. They ended up walking away with little to nothing. - Children losing both parents, but having no guardians and no one willing to take them in. (You can appoint guardian(s) in the Will). - Hundreds of thousands paid in Inheritance Tax which could’ve easily been avoided. - Children not recovering anything after passing of their father, as their estate was worth less than £322,000. - Muslim couple failed to register their marriage (not legally married as a consequence) resulted in wife recovering ZILCH after husband's passing. Ikhlas Ahmed told us how he was called by a client who was on his death bed. He remembers how his client’s eyes kept rolling back and he was struggling to breathe. Thankfully he was able to declare his wishes before his last breath. Law Simplified has secured an EXCLUSIVE offer from WillInherit. ‘If you and your partner purchase a basic mirror Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney (x4) package” simply quote *LSM24* to receive an exclusive 15% discount. Offer ends on 15th June 2024 at 12pm. Terms and conditions apply.’ Simply drop us an email on info@law-simplified.co.uk or contact WillInherit on the details below and quote the reference.' Reach out to WILLINHERIT LTD now for a Will, to save money on Inheritance Tax, and/or for Estate Planning services. Head onto their website (https://willinherit.co.uk) or call them on 07495 424 571. Willinherit can also be reached by email (support@willinherit.co.uk) and on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/willinherit). Do also follow Law Simplified on all social media platforms including Tiktok, and reach out to us if you require a lawyer, in any area of law.

Scandal after scandal, millions of pounds are being recovered from high street banks and wealth management companies, amid large scale mis-selling. *You could also be entitled to thousands of pounds in refunds.* Head of Financial Mis-selling at AMK Legal, Michael Jordan, joined Law Simplified for a special podcast interview to discuss the scale of these scandals. It will have you shocked! Michael told us about the mis-selling of pensions, investments, and breach of terms by wealth management companies. Most wealth management firms, like St. James’s Place, take an annual management charge or ongoing advice fee from investments each year, in return for financial reviews. In high percentage of cases, this is not happening. AMK Legal have settled thousands of claims for unfair ongoing advice fees, and the sale of risky investments to ordinary consumers. AMK Legal is at the forefront of this niche area of financial mis-selling, and are now preparing to take on other major wealth brands, who have been doing the same for years. Their clients are recovering thousands of pounds ____________ Are you with a wealth management company and affected by the above? Do you believe you have been mis-sold a financial product? 👇 Reach out to AMK Legal now. W: https://www.amklegal.co.uk/ T: 01204 565331 E: enquiries@amklegal.co.uk L: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amk-legal-ltd/ X: twitter.com/amk_legal »»»»»»»»»»»» Subscribe to Law Simplified to watch more videos. Connect with Law Simplified Online: website: www.law-simplified.co.uk Find Law Simplified on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawsimplified20/ Follow Law Simplified on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawSimplifiedUK Follow Law Simplified on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawsimplified/channel Follow Law Simplified on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/lawsimplified Follow Law Simplified on TikTok: @lawsimplifieduk