Archive for January, 2005
HR Recruitment
Posted by Rob in Personal ramblings on January 25, 2005
I learnt something about HR departments in law firms today. They don’t always know what they’re doing when sifting through applications.
I applied to a law firm last week for an employment paralegal position, and I received a reply a few days later via letter informing me that I would NOT be invited for an interview. It so happens that my best mate works at the same firm, so I asked him what he thought. He said he would pass on my CV to his boss, who is Head of Department.
Later on in the day, I received an sms saying that his boss was incensed because he was impressed with my CV and yet had never seen it. I have to admit I was surprised not to be asked for an interview, especially as I have plenty of employment experience plus I’m studying a LLM in employment law!!
It makes me wonder: how many applications have I sent to firms during the past few years that have fallen at the wayside simply due to incompetent HR personnel who don’t really know what they’re meant to be looking for. How often do the lawyers themselves get to look at the applications? How do they know the HR departments are picking the right candidates for the job?
Disabled Person’s Transport Committee Appointments
The DTI has announced the appointments of the Disabled Person’s Transport Committee. The press release can be found here, and is below.
Date: January 19, 2005 Time: 15:45
DISABLED PERSONS TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
The Department for Transport today announced the new membership of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).
The announcement follows the statutory review of membership at the end of 2004. The twenty members bring to the Committee a combination of experience and expertise in disability and transport.
Reflecting statutory requirements and the Government’s approach to diversity in public appointments, the new Committee has 65% of members who are disabled, 45% who are women and 20% from minority ethnic communities. They also represent a wide geographical spread.
The Committee continues to be chaired by Neil Betteridge whose appointment was not subject to this review.
Notes to Editors
1. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) is a statutory body established under Section 125 of the Transport Act 1985 to advise the Secretary of State for Transport on matters affecting the transport needs of disabled people.
2. Membership is limited to a Chairman plus twenty members, at least half of whom must be disabled.
3. Those appointed in this round will serve for a period of three years to 31 December 2007. The remaining members, appointed in 2003, will serve until 30 June 2006 and a further review will take place early next year for those appointments.
4. All appointments are made on a personal basis, rather than on the basis of affiliations. A full list of members, with biographies is attached to this press notice.
5. DPTAC can be contacted through its Secretariat at
The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
Department for Transport
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR
Telephone : 020 7944 8011
Minicom: 020 7944 3277
Fascimilie: 020 7944 6998
Email: dptac@dft.gov.uk
Website: www.dptac.gov.uk
DfT Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
Membership of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
* indicates new appointments made in 2004
** indicates re-appointments made in 2004
Neil Betteridge
Neil is the Acting Chief Executive at Arthritis Care. He spent many years at RADAR (Royal Association for Disability and Rehab) and is also Vice Chair of ARMA (the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance), the umbrella body for the arthritis community in the UK. He is also Vice President of (EULAR) European League Against Rheumatism. Neil has spent some years as a representative of JCMDP, the Joint Committee on Mobility for Disabled People.
Pravinkant Amin
Pravin is the Special Projects Manager in the Engineering and Transportation at the Department of Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He is the President of National Congress of Gujarati Organisations and Trustee of ASHRAM (Lambeth Asian Elderly Centre).
Ann Bates**
A member since 2002, Ann is a wheelchair user who has arthritis. She is a member of the Rail Passengers Committee working closely with train companies and the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). She is also a non-executive member of a National Health Trust and has professional involvement with both the National Association of Teachers and Lecturers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) and the Trade Union Disability Alliance.
Sean Bolton*
Sean has Cerebral Palsy. Sean is a new member who has been involved in a number of groups looking at issues concerning access for disabled people in the built environment and transport. At 23 Sean is the youngest member of DPTAC. He is a member of Scope Bristol Management Committee.
Josephine Clairmont
Josephine, a wheelchair user, is a town councillor, and former mayor of Market Rasen. She is a Trustee of RADAR and the Lincolnshire Rural Housing Association. She has held various posts with the Disabled Drivers Motor Club since 1989, and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists. Josephine has been a member of DPTAC since 2003.
Lekh (Vidur) Dindayal **
Vidur is an architect who has worked on access design for over 30 years. Appointed in 2002, he is a member of the Disability Appeals Tribunal, and former member of the London Regional Passenger Committee and LTUC.
Jean Dunlop
Jean is a wheelchair user and has been a member since 1997. She is the Vice-Chair of the Scottish Accessible Information Forum and Chairperson of P.H.A.B Scotland. She is a Scottish Executive nominee. Jean is also a disability equality trainer.
David Finnegan **
David is a wheelchair user who has spent fourteen years working in the access field with Merseytravel Passenger Transport Executive. He has undertaken other disability work through the Spinal Injuries Association of which he is a Trustee and he is a member of the Access Association. He also has an interest in environmental issues. He has been a member since 2002.
Julie Giles
Julie is Managing Director of Westlands Associates Limited, and is also a freelance transport advisor. She is the former Operations Director of West Midlands Travel, where she gained extensive first hand experience of the transportation issues facing disabled passengers. She is Chair of Governors for Penn Hall Special School. In a voluntary capacity she has a wide experience of transporting and supporting disabled students at various events, this includes her 13 year old son who has Cerebral Palsy. Julie has been a member of DPTAC since 2003.
Roger Hewitt
Roger is deaf. He is Opportunities for Volunteering Projects Manager for the United Kingdom Council on Deafness, Treasurer and Trustee of the Deaf Broadcasting Council and a committee member of TAG and the Royal Shakespeare Access Advisory Group. He is also a Freelance Trainer, Researcher and Consultant for Deaf Issue. Roger has been a member of DPTAC since 2003.
Grahame Lawson
A member since 1996, Grahame has been involved in transportation for over 30 years and has had a particular interest in disability issues for 15 years. He undertook a lead role in the recent review by DPTAC of the Blue Badge Scheme. Grahame is Head of Planning and Transportation with North Lanarkshire Council and is an adviser to Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) on disability matters.
Jenny Meadows
First appointed to DPTAC in 1995, Jenny is the former Executive Director of the Community Transport Association and has a long professional and voluntary involvement in community and voluntary transport services.
Alan Norton*
Alan is a new member. He is a wheelchair user and recently took up the role of Director of the Disabled Living Centres Council. He has worked in the voluntary sector, actively engaged in disability issues for the last ten years, specialising in transport and access to the environment. He is a disability advisor for the Community Legal Services in the Northwest region.
Thomas Martin Pey **
Tom is blind. He is Director of Policy for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and a trustee of the Royal London Society for the Blind and chairs its governance committee. He is currently lead DPTAC member for taxis and private hire vehicles. He was appointed to the Committee in 2002.
Katherine Phipps*
Katherine is a new member. She is currently the Head of JMU Access Partnership, a pan-disability access consultancy service supported by RNIB. She has been working in the access field for several years at JMU, and previously at RNID. She was a member of DIEL (the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People) and is also a member of BERG, the DRC led Built Environment Research Group based in Scotland. Katherine has a particular interest in the requirements of deaf and hard of hearing people stemming from her own experience of becoming severely deafened.
David Pugh **
David was a regional industrial organiser for the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) specialising in passenger transport and a former bus driver. He is a lay member of the Employment Tribunal Service and a member of the Disability Rights Commission Mental Health Action Group. David is the Convenor of the Mental Health and Transport Group, a trustee of the Manic Depression Fellowship and a member of Mind. David, who was first appointed in 2002, was the first DPTAC member with mental health interests.
Keith Richards **
Keith is Head of Consumer Affairs at ABTA with special responsibility for access issues. First appointed in 2002, he was a member of the DfT Air Access working group responsible for producing the Code of Practice on air travel for disabled people. Keith is also on the European Civil Aviation Conference Facilitation working group on air travel for disabled people.
Laura Smales
Laura is the “Involving Young People” Youth Worker at Surrey Council and has a keen interest in transport issues for young people. Spending a year on secondment to DPTAC as part of the Workable scheme. She is an active member of a Peer Training Project and a Millennium Fellowship Award Winner with the British Council for voluntary work within the community. She also undertook a work placement with Sheffield Children’s Hospital focusing on the psychological and social effects of long term health issues in young people. Laura campaigns for the awareness of hidden disabilities, some of which she has herself. Laura has been a member since 2003.
Kate Smyth
Kate, who was appointed in 2003, is a freelance regeneration, economic development, housing and disability advisor. She is currently undertaking various projects for Rochdale M.B.C, Tameside M.B.C, Cumbria County Council, Groundwork NW, the North West Training and Development Team which works with people with Learning Disabilities, and, Learning and Skills Council Lancashire. She is a Board Member of Calico Housing and North West Disability Arts Forum. Kate is a wheelchair user.
Carol Thomas
Carol has been involved in the access field for many years, initially working for Disability Wales, and more recently as part of JMU Access Partnership RNIB. She has been a DPTAC member since 1999, and has chaired the Education and Training Working Group for the last two years. Carol is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Access Association, and sits on the management panel of the National Register of Access Consultants. She provides the secretariat for the Joint Committee on Mobility of Blind and Partially Sighted People. Carol represents DPTAC on the Wales Transport Forum.
Richard West
Richard is deaf and has a learning disability. He is a member of GLAD. He works with CHANGE dealing with transport issues. He helps the organisation look at information to make it more accessible for people with a learning disability, along with other bodies such as Transport for London. He has been a member since 1999 when he became DPTAC’s first member with a learning disability.
Weakest Link looking for disabled lawyers!
Anyone who is stupid enough to be made a fool of by Anne Robinson, read on …
Thanks for agreeing to help to publicise auditions for the forthcoming
series of the Weakest Link. Anyone who wishes to do so can call me on 020 8225 9747 or e-mail me at jamesDOTmedhurstATbbcDOTcoDOTuk** and I will send out an application form, and these are also the contact details for any enquiries about access for either the auditions or the show itself. We do not currently have an audition schedule for the new series but we would like to receive application forms from people as soon as possible so that we can get in touch when are holding auditions in their local area.
Thanks and best wishes,
James Medhurst,
Researcher, BBC Weakest Link.
——
** Make the appropriate changes. We are doing our bit against spam here …
Request for Tsunami Pro Bono volunteers
Posted by Alison in Uncategorized on January 12, 2005
Whilst this does not relate specifically to Deaf issues, unless unfortunately Deaf people have been caught up in this disaster, the request is being published here to to the disaster’s magnitude and the fact that it probably preoccupied all our thoughts after Christmas and into the New Year.
On the thoughts of the possibility of Deaf people being caught up in this, surely it makes sense for the Solicitors Pro Bono Group to collect specific skills solicitors have to use when matching with potential clients. The obvious one that springs to mind is additional languages used, which includes BSL.
In terms of Pro Bono work, the usual complication surrounds the willingness for a firm to pay for interpreting support (as it is already donating its services for free) and meeting its legal obligation around this. In theory, one would argue that it is the luck of the draw, and putting oneself forward for such a scheme comes the ‘risk’ of accepting a client who would come under the DDA, whereby reasonable adjustments would need to be made. However it seems, practice is somewhat different.
If you are willing to join this list please send your details (name, firm, phone number and area of expertise) to us volunteer @ probonogroup . org . uk** We will then contact you if and when we receive suitable requests for assistance.
Best wishes
Susan Bucknall
Chief Executive – Solicitors Pro Bono Group
—————–
** spaces added for protection against spam robots, these obviously need to be removed when contacting.
Henry Vlug Q.C.
Posted by Alison in Deaf Lawyers on January 11, 2005
Henry Vlug, a Deaf Lawyer in British Columbia, Canada has been appointed a Queen’s Counsel (Q.C.) by the British Columbia Bar. He is possibly the first Deaf lawyer in Canada, if not internationally to be bestowed Q.C. status and to take silk.
Congratulations, Mr. Vlug Q.C.
Below is a Press Release announcing his appointment, amongst other appointees.
For Immediate Release
2004AG0047-001083
Dec. 17, 2004
Ministry of Attorney General
2004 QUEEN’S COUNSEL APPOINTED
VICTORIA Thirty distinguished British Columbia lawyers have been appointed Queen’s Counsel.
The QC designation is an honour conferred on outstanding members of the legal profession to recognize exceptional merit and contribution. Appointments require that nominees demonstrate professional integrity and good character, and be a member of the British Columbia bar for at least five years.
Each September the attorney general calls for Queen’s Counsel nominations. Nominations can be submitted from any person who wants to recommend a nominee. Deadline for submissions was Nov. 1, 2004. All applications are reviewed by an advisory committee, which recommends deserving candidates to the attorney general. The appointments are made by cabinet.
The committee includes the chief justice of British Columbia, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the chief judge of the provincial court, the president of the Law Society of British Columbia, a member of the Law Society appointed by the benchers (directors), and the deputy attorney general. The president of the B.C. Branch of the Canadian Bar Association is also included in the process.
BACKGROUNDER
QUEEN’S COUNSEL APPOINTMENTS
Mark D. Andrews is the leader of the commercial litigation practice group of Fasken Martineau’s Vancouver office. He has acted as counsel in the supreme and appeal courts of British Columbia, and appeared in the Tax, Federal and Supreme Court of Canada.
Robert C. Brun focuses his Vancouver practice on civil litigation, primarily in the insurance field. He takes an active teaching role through Open College, Continuing Legal Education and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Last year, he was the president of the B.C. branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
Elisabeth A. Burgess has made a significant contribution through her career as both a crown counsel for the province, and later as the director Special Justice Programs. Currently, she is the executive director of the Criminal Justice Reform Office of Ministry of Attorney General in Vancouver.
D. Ross Clark of Vancouver has practised for over 30 years. He specializes in litigation, personal injury and environmental law, and has considerable expertise in the area of professional negligence. He served with the International Society of Barristers and Skilex, an organization that arranges international conferences of judges and lawyers.
Brian Coleman has practised criminal law for over 30 years. He has shared his knowledge and expertise with secondary students and articling students throughout the years. In his capacity as the chair and founding board member of the drug rehabilitation society CONNECTIONS, he has worked with the City of Vancouver and the provincial government.
Wendy Elizabeth Dawson has contributed 20 years as a Crown counsel for the Ministry of Attorney General. During that time, she has specialized in prosecutions for violent offences, and has become a valuable resource on dangerous offender prosecutions. She has shared her knowledge formally and informally with students, the police and other organizations in Vancouver.
William F. Dickson is a partner with Vancouver’s Lawson Lundell, focusing on corporate and commercial law, particularly securities, corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. Admitted to the B.C. Bar in 1968, he is a past member of the board of the Continuing Legal Education Society and a past member of the Council of the B.C. Branch, Canadian Bar Association.
Robin M. Elliot is one of the top constitutional lawyers in Canada. He has served as executive legal officer of the Supreme Court of Canada, and as professor and associate dean at the University of British Columbia Law School, and has been actively involved in a variety of legal societies and associations.
David C. Harris specializes in commercial and product liability litigation. In addition to his Vancouver practice, he regularly instructs at continuing legal education courses, and volunteers in the community.
John Wellesly Hogg is a 25-year veteran of the Office of the Legislative Counsel. He has been responsible for drafting legislation in many areas including natural resources, gaming, financial institutions, tax and Crown corporations. In addition, he has been active in the Victoria community through his support of cultural and educational institutions.
Richard Henry Jensen has focused his Kamloops practice primarily on commercial and corporate law, and has been a key leader and participant in fundraising for child-related charities and sports and recreational activities. In 2003, Mr. Jensen was presented with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal.
Clarence Burton (Cal) Johnson is a Vancouver lawyer and partner in Fasken Martineau specializing in electric and natural gas energy related issues. He has experience in litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.
Jeffrey J. Kay has practised law for almost 25 years, primarily in the fields of family law and commercial litigation. He also has an extensive immigration practice. He has appeared as counsel before immigration tribunals, prepared numerous applications for landed immigrant status, and intra-corporate transfer and work permits for applicants resident in the USA and elsewhere around the world.
William Knutson is a civil and insurance litigator with experience in mediation and commercial arbitration. He has been active as a lecturer with the Continuing Legal Education Society and through the University of British Columbia.
Derek LaCroix practised law for almost 20 years before becoming the executive director of the Lawyers Assistance Program of British Columbia, a Vancouver-based confidential support service for lawyers, their families and support staff. He has been active with the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs Western Recovery Foundation, and has contributed articles to the Advocate on lawyer wellness.
Bruce Austin Laughton has an extensive Vancouver labour, administrative and employee benefit practice, and has been recognized as a leader in the areas of labour and employment law. He has been active in the Canadian Bar Associations labour law sub-section, and has been a member of the Labour Relations Board Practice and Procedures Committee.
James M. Lepp has an extensive Vancouver civil litigation and appellate practice, and has represented clients in a variety of forums including the Labour Relations Board, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Human Rights Commission and all levels of court.
Dinyar Marzban practises primarily in the area of family law where he is recognized as a leading authority. He is a partner in the firm of Jenkins, Marzban Logan of Vancouver and is an editor of the Family Law Sourcebook for British Columbia; Annotated Guidelines and Family Practice, published by the Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C.
James Kenneth McEwan practises as general counsel in both civil and criminal litigation in Vancouver. He is recognized as a leading practitioner in the area of class action lawsuits, and has extensive experience in securities, corporate commercial and product liability litigation.
D. Paul Nixon has practised for almost 30 years. A specialization in the areas of corporate and commercial law has contributed significantly to economic development in the Vernon area. He actively participates in the Vernon Business Forum, and works to raise funds for children with developmental concerns.
Darrell John O’Byrne, has practised law for 24 years. He was Crown counsel for Ministry of Attorney General for two years in Terrace before going into private practice in Prince Rupert. He has volunteered extensively with the B.C. Law Society, the Legal Services Society and the Lawyer’s Assistance Program.
Vincent Orchard has almost 30 years experience in the area of civil litigation with an emphasis on insurance, personal injury, negligence, and tort and product liability. He has frequently participated at legal education seminars, and has maintained active participation in many professional organizations in Vancouver.
Henry Jeffrey (Hank) Reiner has practised law in Vancouver for over 25 years. He has been a Crown counsel in Vancouver for 17 years, and leads prosecutions on serious and violent offences. He is one of the directors of the B.C. Crown Counsel Association.
Donald H. Risk, concentrates his Vancouver practice on corporate and commercial law. He has served on the board and as chair for the Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C., the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation, and the Science World Foundation.
Kenneth Julius Sarnecki has practised civil and criminal litigation for over 20 years. He brought several years experience as an RCMP officer to his law career. His public service and dedication to his colleagues is demonstrated by his participation and leadership in the Canadian Bar Association. He has also been active in the Kelowna community and local charities.
Grant C. Taylor has practised criminal, family and personal injury law for 30 years. In addition to his trial experience, he is a qualified mediator and has brought this expertise to both personal injury and family law matters. He is currently a bencher of the Law Society of B.C.
Henry Vlug has made significant contributions to the deaf community in Vancouver. In addition to providing expertise on criminal, family and estate law, he has acted as a consultant and special ombudsman officer to the Office of the Attorney General during the Jericho Hill School investigation.
Peter George Voith is a commercial litigator focusing his Vancouver practice on land use litigation, acting for major resource companies in western Canada. He has served as director of the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, and has been a member of the ethics committee of the Law Society of B.C. for the last six years.
Mary Anne Waldron is a Professor of Law and associate vice-president of legal affairs at the University of Victoria. She has taught for 28 years, and has served on every major faculty committee and most university committees.
Paul Wylie Walker focuses his Vancouver practice on civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on professional malpractice related to health law, product liability, class action litigation and all aspects of insurance coverage and commercial litigation.
Media
contact:
Kelly Harris
Public Affairs Bureau
Ministry of Attorney General
250 387-1253
cell 250 361-8349
Visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca for online information and services.
Michael Schwartz
Posted by Alison in Deaf Lawyers on January 10, 2005
The following article appeared in the Belfast Telegraph. It relates to a Deaf law professor in the US.
By Bob McCullough
07 January 2005
“The new law professor uses big gestures and an animated face. His background as an actor enlivens his lectures at Syracuse University’s College of Law. You almost don’t need to hear him to understand his message”.
The front-page story in the Syracuse Post Standard, the local newspaper of the university in New York, is about my friend Michael Schwartz, the first deaf faculty member hired at SU’s law school. There are estimated to be between 120 and 180 deaf or hard of hearing lawyers practising in the USA, but only two work as professors in law schools.
Evelyn and I got to know Mike well when we were invited to meet his family and join them in a memorable Passover meal with during a visit to Gallaudet University in Washington many years ago.
He is a frequent visitor to our province and tells me he has a love affair with Ireland and would love to settle here if the opportunity arose. He was a guest speaker at Queen’s last summer and was in raptures when we took him out for dinner at a local pub.
Mike was born deaf and had the good fortune of a supportive family, money for tutors and special help, parents who instilled a thirst for books and education, a desire and an opportunity for travel.
After an early oral education, Mike gained a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in theatre, a law degree from New York University and a master’s from Columbia University. He is also finishing his doctoral dissertation in education under the title: Deaf Patients in the Medical Setting.
But none of this is evident when you meet Michael. He has a positive, happy, exuberant personality and an almost uncanny ability to communicate with nearly anyone he meets. His law school friends remember him as such a well rounded individual ? ’someone who has always challenged himself, whether it be his career or his life outside the classroom’.
He swims five mornings a week and cycles to campus. His reading is mostly non-fiction, biographies and political science and he once told me with conviction that he hates Bush.
At one time he wanted to be an airline pilot but settled for a private pilot’s licence, which allows him to fly single-engine aircraft under visual flight rules.
His late father, a college professor, had a zest for life and was not willing to let him settle for anything else. His mother felt the same way and as Mike was growing up they took him everywhere; the theatre, museums, movies, bookstores and Europe. He was fascinated with French mime Marcel Marceau and watched him perform 75 times.
With this oral background, it was some time before he came to accept his own deafness and it was not until he joined the National Theatre of the Deaf at age 23 that he became comfortable with the language of sign and feels this has helped him to grow as a person.
Mike is married to Trisha, a hearing teacher of the deaf working as an interpreter. In 1999 they travelled to Vietnam to adopt Brianna when she was three months old. The beautiful baby is now five and the delight of their lives.
For all his success, Mike is cynical about the ability of society to change. In 1990 when the Americans with Disabilities Act took effect, he tells his class, the unemployment rate for the disabled was 66%. Today, 14 years later, it’s 66%. “What does that tell you?” he asks the students.