Guest Writer - Ainsley

The leaves are changing colour, the weather warnings are more frequent and the heating's back on. Yes, it's officially Autumn! We sowed our seeds in Spring, meticulously planning and preparing some fantastic events and now its time to harvest the fruits of our labour.

In Northern Ireland this week we have 106 delegates attending our Mediation event: Resolution Revolution at the La Mon Hotel on Wednesday. Our NI Conference Manager Kerry will be hosting the event, ably assisted by Jayne and Peter G.

In the Republic of Ireland this week we have two events; Equality Law in Ireland Update and Comparative Employment Laws: UK and Ireland. Our ROI Conference Manager Heather will be running these two with a bit of help from Scott, who's chairing the Equality Update.

The other half of Scott (having split himself in 2 this week) will be attending the Equality Commission event: Strengthening Protection for all Ages on Tuesday, as well as meeting with Joe Blair and Nicola Cherry, who will be delivering a role play on dismissing older workers with dignity at this year's Annual Reviews of Employment Law. On Wednesday, Scott will be a speaker at the Resolution Revolution event and on Friday he will be woring from home writing the weekly review of developments email for the NI Email Update Service. He then joins himself back together, packs his hankie and flies to Paris at lunchtime to stay with his sister and her family. Saturday should be a trip to Versailles, followed by Le Louvre on Sunday. Let's hope he returns on Monday more cultured than he will be when he leaves!

Scott's not the only busy one this week. Our CEO, Barry Phillips, also has a busy week this week. He has meetings pretty much all day today and tomorrow. Tomorrow evening he's meeting Becky Hess for dinner. Becky is one of the many speakers we have lined up for the Resolution Revolution including Barry who is opening the event. On Thursday and Friday he is on an ILM coaching course along with Jayne, Kerry, James, Donna and myself.

Jayne is also out and about this week. As well as doing the coaching course and hosting at the Resolution Revolution, Jayne is also attending the Employers for Childcare: Childcare Works Awards at Belfast City Hall with Kerri.

We would also like to welcome the Public Health Agency, who are using the Training Centre tomorrow.

Have a great week.

Guest Writer - Kerry Murphy

The summer has flown in and its hard to believe we're hosting the first events of season two this week. The Legal-Island team have a busy few months ahead in the run up to our Annual Review of Employment Law events in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. 

Staff movements this week:

Our CEO, Barry Phillips, has a busy time of things before taking his long weekend this week. He has internal meetings pretty much all day today. Tomorrow he's meeting Pauline Thompson before heading off for an evening seminar at Queen's University. On Wednesday he's meeting the MD to review the Investors in People report.

Jayne Finlay, MD, has her usual internal meetings then on Friday afternoon is meeting Raymond Bell at our offices to discuss IIP.

James Dyer and Ainsley Hirst will be meeting with Alex Park from Invest NI on Thursday.

I will be hosting our Essentials of Employment Law and  Comparative Law update on Wednesday in the Hilton Hotel Belfast.  On Thursday I will be back at our premises here in Antrim to host our Discipline & Underperformance worshop.

We have the BAAF in the Training Centre on Tuesday, Community Dental on Wednesday and the Northern Trust on Friday.

Here's to a crazy but fun season!

Guest Writer Allison

So, that’s it, the summer of all things Olympian is finally over.  

However, if you set foot on ‘The Island’ you would think it was still in full throes.  We’re jumping through hoops and running the gauntlet as we step up to the Annual Review of Employment Law Conferences mark.

Our CEO Barry is under starter’s orders as he faces a busy week ahead. He has internal meetings pretty much all day today. Tomorrow he's attending a staff engagement seminar at BITC.  Then Wednesday see’s him doing some software training. On Thursday he's brainstorming some rather wonderful new product lines. At the moment his schedule is looking free all Friday but that will no doubt change very quickly.

On Wednesday, our wonderful admin team will be making a presentation to one of Legal-Island’s chosen charities for 2012 –Tiny Life!  You may recall our Family Fun Day that took place in July raised a whopping £1,056.00 for the premature and vulnerable baby charity.  This is the week where we have the pleasure of handing over the money that was raised in their name.

James is busy, busy as he takes a break from his abacus to meet with Jane Barr from Invest NI on Thursday morning.

Our Marketing Maestro, Ainsley will be performing some spectacular mind moves as several staff take an active part in some serious brain storming with John Mckee on Thursday.

I am on Annual Leave this Wednesday, however, I will pop in with BHSF who are holding a Belfast Breakfast Seminar in W5 before enjoying the rest of my day.

Don't forget the Resolution Revolution conference taking place on Wednesday 26th September at La Mon Hotel and Country Club.  If you're only venturing out of the office once this month, this is where you should be going ... places are really scarce so, you'd better be quick!  

Guest Writer Barry Phillips CEO

It's the first week in September - officially the beginning of the “Silly Season”! This is the season in which we go full out here at Legal-Island with one big event after another for the best part of 12 weeks. It's a heads down, third lane (tonne up), take no prisoners kind of thing. Get my drift?

I'm delighted to report that Peter Gilpin has now joined us permanently in the Marketing and Sales department bringing the M&S team up to 5 when Pamela returns. Well done Peter. Great to have you on the Island permanently!

Conference Manager ROI Heather is attending a Volunteer Now lunch on Friday which is on the theme of Time Banking apparently while her northern counterpart Kerry will be attending a Purposeful Leadership course with Toward Consulting on Thursday & Friday.  She will also be chairing the First Thursday Mediation Club on Thursday evening at the Legal-Island Training Centre.

Scott is attending the ST Meeting on Thursday, followed by the Mediation First Thursday Club. On Friday, he, along with Michele Groves of Charis Consultancy Services is delivering training on investigation and discipline/grievance handling to a group of managers at FOLD Housing in Holywood.

I've a busy week of networking ahead. I'm meeting Stuart McClean from Chooboo.com tomorrow. On Wednesday I'm meeting with the guys from Team Solutions. On Thursday I'm attending a meeting of the First Thursday Mediation Club before heading off to an art exhibition at the Waterfront. On Friday I've a day off walking in the Mournes with a friend. Can't wait.

Busy week! Let’s do it!

Guest Writer - Julie McCloskey

After a nice long extended weekend off due to the bank holiday it's back to a busy working week ahead on the Island for most of us as a few staff and still on their summer annual leave!

Movements for staff this week are as follows:

Barry
There's no rest for our CEO this week. He has meeting's all day today including one with old friend of Legal-Island Stanley Wallace of the CIM.. Tomorrow he's taking a team to Ineqe in Belfast for a meeting. He's meeting Paul Fieldhouse on Thursday and Trainingsolutions on Friday

Scott
Scott hopes to work from home on Wednesday and Friday. One Thursday he has a breakfast meeting with David Graham of Finance Matters (NI) Ltd and his PR consultant, Sheila Davidson. This meeting will be followed by another with Rosemary Lundy of Arthur Cox. He’ll then return to the office.


Ainsley
Ainsley is going to meet Ineque tomorrow morning with Barry and then I’m off on Thursday and I’m doing the final session of my Export Management and Leadership programme on Friday


Donna
Donna is meeting with Stanley Wallace of CMI today with Barry.

Kerry
Kerry is in the office until Thursday. She has an Annual Review upstae meeting on Wednesday and on Friday morning she has a meeting with CIPFA regarding next years Payroll Update event. On Friday afternoon she will be volunteering at Stormont for the Marie Curie Walk Ten event taking place on Friday evening.



Have a good week!

Guest Writer- Kerri McOscar

"You'll never walk alone!" Liverpool FC.

The Premier League has kicked off this weekend for all you football fans. Which team will lift the trophy this year? I'm backing Liverpool, much to Scott's dismay :) I am hoping Liverpool beat Hearts this Thursday night!

Now for the movements of our team here at Legal-Island...

Barry: Our CEO, Barry Phillips, is back at work today after a lovely break in Italy and no doubt he'll spend a good part of the week catching up wading through countless emails. On Wednesday he's meeting Michele Groves about the "Resolution Revolution" Conference which is really taking off. On Friday he's working with a consultant on process mapping.

Jayne: Our Managing Director is working hard in the office all week.

Scott: On Wednesday Scott is getting a medical, courtesy of Action Cancer; on Thursday he is facilitating discussions with the SMT at FOLD Housing, along with Michele Groves of Charis Consultancy Services; and on Friday Scott is process mapping with others in Legal-Island. Scott hopes to work from home on Tuesday if he can rearrange a meeting or two.

Kerry: Kerry is meeting with the Conference Sales Manager of the Hastings group on Thursday afternoon to discuss opportunities in 2013.

Ainsley: Ainsley is out of the office quite abit this week. He is meeting Paula Milligan from PM Sales Solutions for lunch on Wednesday, then meeting Jim O’Callaghan from the Housing Rights Service on Thursday and on Friday he is in Belfast completing the final week of the Export Leadership Management Programme.

Donna: Donna is over seeing our de-clunk day tomorrow.

    Blood Donation:

             On Thursday; Donna, Peter F, Debbie, Jacqui and Jayne will all be going to give blood in Antrim. Unfortunately not all of us could make it this time around but will hopefully get next time.

Two quick quotes to get you all thinking...

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." ~Winston Churchill

How far that little candle throws his beams!

So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

~William Shakespeare

Have a great week!
Kerri McOscar

Guest Writer Scott

Today's blog has been written by the now 50 year old Scott Alexander, Head of Training and Development.

Elton reckons Madonna's career is finished. If he's right she can always apply to write our blog or clean out the chickens. But we won't be holding our breath, unlike when we clean out the chichens.

Barry is still away this week, having attended the Olympics last week. The consensus in the office is that the closing ceremony wasn't a patch on the opening one. Not that we're blaming Barry for that but someone should be held responsible for giving Victoria Beckham a bigger profile at the Games than David. At least we were spared any close-up of her 'singing'.

Scott will be in the office on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday he will be in Dublin to meet Marian Jennings, chair of this year’s Irish Annual Reviews of Employment Law; Niall Saul of Symbio HR and Patricia Slevin of Sanders Sidney O’Shea. On Thursday, Scott will be working from home in the morning and will be making a presentation on Mediation to Lawyers in the afternoon at the offices of O'Reilly Stewart. Scott will be working from home on Friday.

Jayne is in the office all week, except Friday, when she's on annual leave.

Heather will also be in Dublin this Wednesday to meet Niall Saul. In addition, she will be checking out possible event venues for 2013: Chartered Accountants' House; The Morgan Hotel; The Gibson Hotel

Ainsley is attending an Export Management Leadership Programme on Friday.

Everyone else is either in the office or off on holiday.