This Week from Legal-Island

Head of Training and Development, Scott, will be working from home one day and attending the first NI CIPD meeting of the new season on Thursday. On Friday he has several meetings lined up, including Lucinda McMurrin from the NI Federation of Housing Associations; Nicola Shaw from BDO; Nichola Cherry from the Untility Regulator, Anne Dargan from Rapid Change Consultancy; and David Graham from Finance Matters (NI) Ltd.

Our CEO, Barry Phillips, has a different week coming up. He's in internal meetings today (Tuesday) and meeting Majella McClosky from CO£ for lunch. For the rest of the week he'll be on the intensive Certified Mediator training we are running in our training suite.

At the weekend, our hot air balloon took part in the Northern Ireland Balloon Festival:

Guest writer : CEO Barry Phillips

We have an unusually quiet work here on the Island. This is perhaps the result of a combination of staff on leave combined with limited networking opportunities over the summer. Jayne our MD is in the office all week with the exception of Thursday when she attends a BITC meeting. Oh and she's off on leave Friday. Lucky her.
Donna the office manager is busy tomorrow looking after new guests for the training centre, Halfords.
Scott our conference executive is working from home for most of the week with the exception of Wednesday when he's meeting our CEO. Talking of which I've a busy week. Today I'm in the office all day. Tomorrow I'm in Belfast meeting Strategem and then Daire Murphy from the Law Centre. In the afternoon I'm meeting Peter O'Reilly from Mediation NI. I like this guy a lot. He's honest, professional and loads of fun. On Thursday I'm in Dublin meeting amongst others Clive Byrne from NAPD and Carol Fawcett from Hayes Solicitors.
You might say this month is all about our mediation events. We have one place left on the 8 day certified mediation course we're running at the end of the month. The mediation conference planned for 21st September is also proving really popular too. Bring it on!

Barry Phillips, CEO

Guest Writer: Debbie Wilson, 15th Aug 2011

The 'Buzz' in the office this morning was just too much to handle.

A secret competition was scheduled by Heather to take place with no information given on what it may be but we were informed to bring as many 50 pence pieces as we wished to donate to charity in order to take part.

And so it began.....we were all lined up overlooking the balcony with the aim to throw our 50 pence pieces down to the ground below, closest to the target wins!!

Ainsley was closest right to the end but Heather snatched the victory in the end. Well done Heather!!

Our movements for this week are:

Our CEO, Barry, is busy today with internal meetings. Tomorrow he's giving evidence in a court case having witnessed an assult in Regents Park a few months back. That'll feel strange being back in court but in the witness box. Later in the week he plans to take a couple of days leave good weather depending. Somehow I have a feeling he may choose to stay at work.

Jayne, MD, is busy all week in the office catching up on her usual meetings.

Our Marketing Manager, Ainsley has a meeting in Belfast tomorrow with Brian Nelson from Forth Data.

Heather, Conference Manager for the South will be in the office all week with a meeting tomorrow about our Annual Review events before she jets off on holiday this weekend. Lucky girl!

Onwards into the busy week ahead........

Guest Writer - Arnold Majcher

This is one of the last quiet weeks in Legal Island. While some of the staff members are on holiday, others are working hard before second season of events begins.

Networking :

Jayne is in the office all week having her Performance Review on Tuesday with Barry and Ainsley’s Review on Thursday.

Our CEO, Barry Phillips has quite a light week by his standards. Today he has internal meetings. Tomorrow he's meeting James Carey from Hutchinson Homes and a Performance Review to do in the afternoon.

Wednesday to Thursday he's in the office. Almost a holiday for him!

Heather is meeting with Jennie from MacMillan regarding volunteering at the MacMillan Unit at Antrim Area Hospital.

Enjoy your week!

Guest writer: Jacqui

Rory McIlroy says he dislikes the impact the weather conditions are having on his game and I agree whole heartedly.

With a change in the weather comes a change in attitude, however that doesn't apply to us on the Island. Anyhow, enough about the weather.

We welcome Jayne back from her break in Spain and of course, she is ready, as always to take the reins and forge ahead into the second season.

Speaking of the second season, our Marketing department have finalised the programme of events for NI and ROI and are posting them out this week. To avail of our "early bird offers", why not take a look at our website.

Our CEO Barry Phillips, has a busy week ahead. Today he's in the office all day catching up on emails. Tomorrow he's meeting Ciaran Sheehan from Clarendon Executive for breakfast before heading to Dublin and meeting Sophie Rowan from Pinpoint and David Fagan from Eversheds. On Wednesday he's back in Belfast meeting Michele Groves from Charis Consultancy and Tom Evans from DEL for lunch. On Thursday he has a performance review to do and on Friday he's out networking meeting folk relevant to the Child Protection Conference we have planned for early next year. I said he was busy didn't I?

Heather has a meeting with Michael Maguire of Quintus Management planned for Friday when she will discuss his book "It's our thing, 300 Years of Irish Brands".

There's nothing to report for Scott, who is jetting off to Portugal for a well deserved break. And Kerry is also heading to sunnier climbs at the weekend when she to goes off on her hols, only to return rearing to get stuck into the second season too.

Enjoy your week ahead!!