FSLA newsletter: September 2007
Subject: FSLA newsletter: September 2007
Send date: 2007-09-24 18:30:14
Issue #: 5
Content:
Financial Services Lawyers Association - www.fsla.org.uk

Newsletter 1-09/2007 (apologies to those of you who inadvertently received a draft version of this newsletter earlier today)

Dear [NAME]

This is FSLA’s first bi-annual newsletter to members. In these letters we intend to let you know of developments that you may have missed over the previous six months as well as alert you to what’s happening in the year ahead.

Did you know? You can also sign up to have news items we add to the website emailed to you. That way you’ll know as soon as an event is advertised.

Membership

As you know, FSLA was launched last April. We now have over 500 members and that number is still rising at the rate of 50 to 100 each month. We are planning a membership drive in October so please tell friends and colleagues about the association. After all, the more members we have, the more we’ll be able to offer.

A number of employees of corporate members have not yet signed into the website in order to get user-names and passwords. Signing individuals up via the website is important as this is how event bookings are made, and where most FSLA resources are located. To encourage colleagues to sign in, we have produced a corporate members poster explaining the simple three-step process. Please feel free to email the poster to colleagues, or print it out for noticeboards to maximize your organisations’ benefits from membership.

Events

So far we have held two events, both panel presentations. Our launch event on Principles Based Regulation attracted 170 participants. Our event comparing UK, EU and US approaches to financial regulation attracted 70. We plan to hold a variety of events in future, aimed at different audiences. Most events will be open to FSLA members only and booking will be via the website. Take a look at what we have planned, you will find the full list in our online events diary as we finalise details…

Workshops – look out for our series of 11 workshops that will take place every second Wednesday between October and April. Subjects to be covered will include financial promotions, the FSA’s enforcement powers and regulating hedge funds.

Seminars – upcoming seminars include a look at the divergence between regulatory law and the common law in financial services litigation and analysis of how the regulation of commodities and derivatives has changed under MiFID.

Panel Presentations – look out for a panel presentation on market abuse on 26 November with speakers including Margaret Cole, Director of Enforcement, FSA; Simon Dodds, General Counsel UK & Europe, Deutsche Bank; Martyn Hopper, Partner, Herbert Smith; Stephen Pollard, Partner, Kingsley Napley, and a further panel presentation on re-insurance early next year.

Social Events – vote on the website for the type of social events you’d like to see organized! Choices include Christmas drinks, a formal dinner in the New Year or a cocktail party.

CPD Points

Lots of people have asked about these! FSLA's events (other than the social ones) should count towards your CPD requirements. We hope soon to obtain permission from the Law Society and the Bar Standards Board for our events to be accredited. Both the BSB and Law Society expect you to keep your own record of CPD completed. Your profile can help by telling you the last ten events that you attended.

Students

FSLA’s inaugural essay competition will be launched soon. Open to all students, trainees and pupils, we are asking "Are bank charges fair?". Check the website for its rules before you start writing but don’t miss the January deadline! Judges will be Andrew Whittaker, Eva Lomnika and William Blair QC. 1st prize – Paid summer internship at the FSA, 2nd prize - £1,000, 3rd and 4th prizes - £500.

Website

The FSLA website continues to grow. Since our launch as well as processing hundreds of individual and corporate membership applications, we have built up our collection of useful websites for financial services lawyers, added a forum for online debates and questions, and work is underway on a glossary of financial services terms. But we need your help. Please send us details of websites you find useful, and of glossary definitions to help de-mystify financial services jargon.

Best regards

FSLA Executive Committee
Andrew Onslow QC (Treasurer)
Carlos Conceicao (Secretary)
Tim Aron (Deputy Treasurer)
Farhaz Khan (Deputy Secretary)
Oliver Assersohn
Anna Boase
Parvez Khan
Jonathan Overett Somnier

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