Guest writer: James

Tomorrow will finish our best ever Annual Review season! 

These flagship events are always successful but this year has seen a superb effort by everyone to make sure we continue to improve year-on-year.  It's hard to see how we can top it again next year but I'm sure we will.

Last week's event in the Ramada Hotel, Shawsbridge was the biggest event we have ever held in Northern Ireland.  Even with the increased numbers to cater for the feedback has been exceptional.

To pick out just one of the comments from a very satisfied delegate:

"The Legal Island Annual Review is the Upper Class of employment law conferences...from the moment you arrive you are greeted with a smile and ushered to your departure area by professional staff and then once you take your seat you are treated to an array of N Ireland's leading employment law practitioners. If you only go to one employment law event a year this has to be it......left with all the information I require to help me through the next year of HR trials and tribulations"

For our last Annual Review at the Stillorgan Park Hotel, Dublin you will need to be quick to secure one of the last remaining places:

http://www.legal-island.ie/events/all-events/324/annual-review-of-employment-law-2011-only-8-places-left/

Additionally this week we have one or two smaller events as we prepare for our biannual training week involving all staff next week.

The first day of the Mediation 2 day course is on Thursday:

http://www.legal-island.com/events/all-events/329/internal-mediation-resolving-workplace-disputes-2-day-course-only-1-place-left/

At the time of writing there is only one place left!

And on Friday morning we are hosting a free event for local businesses on the topic of Employee Engagement.  If you would like to come along please contact kerry@legal-island.com

This week Barry will be attending the Annual Review and then staying on for some networking on Wednesday.  He is hosting the first Mediation Club meeting on Thursday evening and then presenting along with Sue Robinson (Firmus Energy) at the Employee Engagement event on Friday morning.  A meeting with Richard O'Rawe on Friday afternoon will complete another busy week.

Scott is chairing a powwownow teleconference with Stephen Mearns and Maxine Orr tomorrow. They will be answering questions from delegates that attended the annual review of developments conference last week. Otherwise, he hopes to work from home most of the week.

On Thursday, Jayne will be meeting Caroline Duffy from Poised for Success; Ainsley will be at the BITC Awards Seminar and Vanessa will be volunteering at Restore.  On Friday morning Ainsley will attend the Invest NI High Tech Skills seminar.

Apologies to anyone I've left out but I think I've typed enough with my sprained wrist.

20th November 2011 Guest writer Phyllis McMahon

Time is just passing us by.  We have already completed 3 very successful Annual Reveiws with only 2 more to go.  The next is on Wednesday at the Ramada Hotel and we have just a handful of places left.   The final Annual Review of Employment Law conference of 2011 is at the Stillorgan Park Hotel, Dublin on Tuesday 29 November.  If you haven't booked yet, you're in danger of missing out!


So what is everyone doing this week?


Our CEO, Barry Phillips, has a busy week ahead. Today he's in meetings pretty much all day. Tomorrow morning he's conducting mock interviews at Antrim Grammar school with his PA, Phyllis. On Wednesday he's attending our Annual Conference for part of the day whilst meeting Terry McErlane, Frank Cassidy and then visiting Common Purpose. On Thursday/Friday he's back in the office finishing the week with dinner along with Kerry and six other notables who qualified as mediators earlier this year.

Scott is chairing the last of our NI Annual Reviews of Employment Law conference 2011 at the Ramada, Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast on Wednesday. Scott is visiting Scotland on Friday and working from home on Tuesday and Thursday.

Jayne has her usual meetings today, meeting Ray McCabe from Rutledge Recruitment at 11.30am tomorrow. She also has a Certain Events demonnstration on Tuesday afternoon. Hosting at the Ramada on Wednesday. On Friday Jayne is doing her volunteering  - Time to Read at St Brigid's Primary School.

Ainsley has his usual meetings today. He is hosting at the Annual Review on Wednesday and on Thursday he and Peter are in London attending an EBA Web Marketing conference.

Kerry is heading up the largest Northern Ireland Annual Review in our 11 year history on Wednesday at the Ramada, Shaw's Bridge with a team of 7 staff. 

Kerry will also be attending the Mediators dinner on Friday evening with Barry and the 6 other delegates who attended the 8 day course in September.

Debbie is out volunteering in Antrim Primary School this morning, through the Young Enterprise Scheme.

So as you can see a very busy week for everyone.

14th November: Guest writer Arnold Majcher

Welcome on board. This week we are extremely busy because 2^nd of south Annual Reviews will take place in Radisson Airport Hotel. There are still places available for a Final Annual Review event at Stillorgan Park Hotel but you have to be quick before it will be sold out.

For north there are still places available for Ramada Annual Review which will take place on 23^rd November.

Barry

Our CEO Barry Phillips has another big week ahead. He's in the office all day today. Tomorrow he's visiting the local grammar school to help some Oxbridge candidates with interview skills. On Wednesday he has a finance meeting and is welcoming visitor, Olivia May to the company. On Thursday he's working on strategy stuff with the MD, Jayne before heading to Dublin for meetings all day on Friday.

Jayne

Jayne have her usual internal meetings on Monday, on Tuesday email service meeting followed by Gold Star Customer Service Workshop with CforC. Wednesday, finance meeting. Thursday Strategy meeting with Barry. Thursday night attending WIB awards with Heather and on Friday she is volunteering with St Columbs Ballymena Time to Read

Ainsley

Ainsley is meeting Michael from Centre for Competitiveness tomorrow with Jayne and Vanessa, followed by the Radisson for Annual Review on Wednesday.

Heather

She will be at Annual Review on Wednesday and she has her last day volunteering in Ballycraigy primary on Friday

Peter

Peter will be working with our website providers Tibus this week to make a few updates and subtle amends. On Wednesday he is helping out with the hosting of the Annual Review of Employment Law conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin Airport

Onwards!

Onwards!

7th November: Guest writer Jacqui McCaughan

Never mind the excitment of the EMAs and the hustle and bustle around Belfast over the weekend!! That's the norm here on the Island, especially in November.

The first of this year's Annual Review of Employment Law took place on Thursday and was as usual, a great success, a big well done to Heather and the team of Hosters on the day.

Sweets provided by heavenly-temptations.co.uk

The delegates on the day were offered a selection of sweets instead of the usual chocolate fountain, which is so passé!!!

This was just one of the extras available and it went down a treat (pardon the pun).

Tomorrow will see the first of the NI Annual reviews taking place at La Mon House 

with Kerry heading the team. With 121 delegates, 17 speakers and 11 exhibitors there should be a great buzz around on the day!

and there are still a few places available, so if you don't want to miss out on what promises to be a fun and informative day, click on the link above.

With the Annual Reviews in full swing, there isn't much time for anything else, however here is a round-up of what is going on, on the island this week:

Our CEO Barry is actually in the office pretty much all week which is unusual for him. Today he has internal meetings all day. On Tuesday he's attending the morning part of the Annual Review Conference at La Mon before heading back to the office. On Wednesday evening he's attending the Annual Dinner of ASCL at the Hilton Hotel Templepatrick and catching part of their conference the following day. On Friday he's back in the office before enjoying a much needed break over the weekend.

Jayne and Ainsley will be carrying out a 2nd round of marketing interviews.

Donna has Business in the Community coming in on Wednesday to do a biodiversity audit.

Scott will be chairing the first of the NI annual reviews of employment law on 8^th November. On Thursday he will be attending the tribunal users’ group and an in camera dinner with the Minister of Finance and Personnel, organised via the NI Chamber of Commerce.

Debbie will be out doing her Volunteering in Antrim Primary School this morning through the Young Enterprise scheme.

Heather will be preping for the next Annual Review in the Radisson on the 16th.

And I said there wasn't much else happening on the island.....................