MARK A. COHEN

CEO & Founder | LegalMosaic

CEO of Legal Mosaic, a legal business consultancy that provides strategic advice to corporate legal departments, law firms, legal service providers, legal networks, entrepreneurs, and law schools. Mark is frequently engaged as a keynote speaker and has spoken and consulted throughout North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. He is currently engaged in a series of live, online events with Richard Susskind called "The Uncertain Decade." They discuss a wide array of legal industry topics including digital transformation, new legal models, regulation, access to justice, and online courts.

A regular contributor to Forbes for five years, writing on the global legal marketplace. Mark has also written frequently for Bloomberg Law, The ABA Journal, The American Lawyer, Legal Business World, and The Canadian Bar Journal. He has authored three eBooks and is an inaugural member of the ALM Intelligence Fellows Program. Mark was recognized by the American Bar Association as one of the fifty leading legal blogs in the world.

JAMES PICKERING QC

Deputy HCG | Enterprise Chambers

James specialises in all areas of commercial litigation with a particular emphasis on commercial disputes, insolvency, and professional negligence.

Highlights include representing the administrator in the high profile A1 Grand Prix insolvency, the financiers behind a Hollywood movie, provisional liquidators in one of the first crypto-currency insolvencies, several well-known football clubs, the shareholders in a leading celebrity chef-owned London restaurant, a lender in a professional liability claim arising out of Channel 4’s Brookside housing estate, and a defendant in a Liechtenstein trust fraud trial. As well as the above, James has appeared in numerous well known and reported cases and is highly regarded within the Chancery and Commercial Bar.

In February 2016 James was appointed as a Deputy Master of the High Court and in September 2018 he was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge. In March 2019 he was elected as Head of Chambers.

TRISTAN YELLAND

Forensic Accountant | Associate Director | Grant Thornton

Tristan is the associate director Grant Thornton's forensic and investigations practice. He first joined the firm in 2008 and has been helping companies investigate fraud, asset misappropriation, bribery and corruption since 2012. Tristan has worked with a wide range of clients and has particular experience of working with clients in the financial industry and large corporates, often in an insolvent or distressed context.

SALLY PENNI

Founder | Women in the Law UK

Sally is a high profile award winning Barrister.

Outside of this role she is also a Public Speaker, Leader, Radio Broadcaster & Contributor, Diversity Leader, Patron and Board Member and most importantly a Proud Mother of three.

Founder of Women in the Law UK, supporting the next generation of leaders in law and encouraging career progression through personal development. The next stage is to find a way for organisation to progress and improve social mobility in the profession and learn from our colleagues in business and other sectors.

Sally also sits as Non-Executive Director on a variety of boards bringing her experience and expertise in a variety of areas including governance, employment law & cyber security.

LISA SANFILIPPO

Psychotherapist | Sleep Recovery Expert

Lisa is a researcher. A sociologist and qualitative researcher with her training background in post-colonial liberation studies, social justice, women’s studies, and social movements. She is a relentless seeker for concepts that guide practice, and tools that work. Learning and teaching through introspection and close communication with students, trainees, and clients, as well as research, medical, sociological, journal articles, Lisa brings a level of knowledge and understanding to sleep recovery through psychotherapy and yoga.

PJ KIRBY QC

Joint Head of Hardwicke Chambers

PJ has enjoyed a long and successful career at the Bar having previously been a partner in a Holborn firm of solicitors. He took silk in 2013 – the only costs specialist to do so that year. PJ is Joint Head of Chambers at Hardwicke.

PJ’s practice covers costs litigation, commercial dispute resolution and professional negligence. He is instructed by a wide range of solicitors from City firms to High Street practitioners. As well as cases in England & Wales PJ has appeared in the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal in relation to the legality of CFAs and in the DIFC in Dubai and much of his work has an international dimension.

PJ is recognised as an expert in the field of costs and is often instructed on appeals in relation to problems over retainers, CFAs etc. He is also often instructed to draft bespoke DBAs, CFAs or CCFAs for firms of solicitors.

CHRIS DAW QC

Criminal Law | Lincoln House Chambers

Chris Daw QC was called to the Bar in 1993 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2013. Before taking silk, Chris built his reputation in the criminal courts, acting in high profile  trials and appeals, from serious organised crime to commercial fraud. As a QC, whilst maintaining a substantial criminal and serious fraud practice, Chris acts in a broader range of matters, including business, regulatory and professional discipline instructions.

In addition to major document-heavy criminal and regulatory cases, Chris has a niche practice advising and representing high net worth individuals in sensitive personal and criminal matters, where the consequences for a client’s reputation may outweigh the gravity of the issues involved. He also advises individuals and corporations on the tactical use of criminal law strategy, such as private prosecution, in both personal and commercial disputes.

Chris is a passionate advocate of social mobility, speaking at schools, colleges and other events, encouraging students from state schools to make it into the legal profession.  He is a member of the Bar Council Barristers for Schools scheme and recently judged a sixth form advocacy competition at the Supreme Court, organised by Big Voice London.

CHRISSIE WOLF

Founder | Law & Broader

Founder of Law and Broader - a Youtube channel, mentoring and events company for the benefit of law students or anyone trying to break into the legal profession from any background who is interested in improving their employability and sharing my experiences in law and life.

Avid fan of all things Lawtech and innovation and a proud pioneer of legal edtech.

Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell specialising in international personal injury claims and cosmetic surgery.

RUSSELL CONNEELY

Founder & CEO | LTDO

LTDO focuses on helping practices achieve massive growth through respect based marketing. We invest our time in learning what makes your ideal customer tick. This ensures that you have a targeted audience. Our approach is very unique, coming from understanding your customers and their decision-making process. This helps us drive more highly engaged leads in to your sales pipeline. And as we all know highly engaged leads are ready to do business!

MICHAEL KAIN

Chairman | Kain Knight

In 1976 Michael had the idea to make costs drafting a profession as opposed to a cottage industry and set about revolutionising and whole new arena of costs drafting. Like so many others working in that cottage industry at the time, Michael started  working from his mother’s front room as a sole practitioner. In 1978 he formed a partnership opening offices in Bishop’s Stortford and London and in 1990 re structured the business and was  the first Costs Company to became a PLC.

Michael has been at the sharp end of costs for over forty years and  has been recognised not only as an  innovator but as a market leader. He has been called at times the “Godfather of Costs”.

He still has a passion and the desire to drive the business forward.

Although Michael has worked on some of the largest costs cases in the last decade his main focus has been on the development of the group which now has a National and International flavour. He recognised at an early stage that quality and service is the key to any successful business and  concentrated on recruiting the right people, understanding the requirements of the business and delivery what is needed.

These days you will find him in the board room as opposed to the Court room but he is still happy to get his hands dirty there.

STEPHANIE WOODWARD

Founder | Agency II Change

Stephanie has spent the bulk of her career as a Communications Executive and Coach to C-Suite and senior leadership teams during times of significant organizational change – helping them to manage themselves and lead their teams through uncertainty. 

Stephanie has worked across industries and with organizations of all sizes, with leaders ranging from high-potential early management to C-suite. She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and certified in the globally-recognized leadership assessment tool, The Leadership Circle Profile. She is also a Certified CMHA Psychological Health and Safety Advisor, trained to design and deliver workplace culture programs that align with the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

TIM WALLIS

Co-Founder | Trust Mediation

One of the most experienced specialist personal injury and clinical negligence mediators in the country, Tim has been mediating claims since 1994 and was a founder member of Trust Mediation in 2008. As well as mediating hundreds of individual claims, Tim is also experienced at high-value multi-party mediations. He consistently demonstrates extraordinary empathy combined with a direct and determined approach that gets results.

JEFF GOSLING

Growth Specialist | Action Coach

Award-winning Business Planning & Growth Specialist | Business Coach | Mentor | Advisor | Mindset Coach | Business Value | Scale-up | Sales & Marketing Strategy

CHRIS ROBINSON

Managing Director | Lessons from the Battlefield

Chris Robinson has lived a life of danger, survival, leadership and honour after a 23 year career in the British Army. Having been posted to some of the world’s most inhospitable places and having accrued more air miles travelling the planet than most would achieve in multiple lifetimes

As a Key Note speaker Chris uses real life examples of dealing with conflict, decision making and facing extreme adversity in the workplace. Having fought on the front line in Iraq & Afghanistan, as well as serving time in war zone countries including Sierra Leone and Somalia, not only did Chris have to keep himself alive but also had to ensure the survival of his fellow soldiers in the Yorkshire Regiment. Having to make survival decisions and judgment calls whilst being under enemy attack in extreme situations has taught Chris unique leadership skills.

INGEMAR HUNNINGS

Principal Consultant | Hunnings Consulting Ltd.

Ingemar Hunnings LLB is the principal consultant. Before setting up the HCL Management Consultant business he spent nearly 25 years working as a solicitor in the legal industry, 14 of which as an equity partner. He served as a Board member and ran a department of 60 staff. Although his practice area was civil litigation, he has acquired an exposure to a broad range of practice areas. He also worked in manufacturing, the green energy generation sector, launched an invention into the logistic industry and have also carried out managerial/consultancy work in the 3rd Sector. Since leaving private practice as a solicitor he has consulted into many businesses. He has assisted over 300 law firms and other businesses with new Case Management Systems, advice on strategy, improving efficiency, profitability, people management, compliance and generally in running their businesses. He is also a qualified Civil & Commercial Mediator and Non-Executive Director. Working with so many firms, many small practices, he has seen many different ways of working, but also seen many of the problems faced by legal practices.

SEANA PEELE

Founder & Strategist | Brandhabit

With an eye for sophisticated and minimal design, Seana brings a unique approach approach to her work with a keen understanding of what it takes to build brand experiences to drive long term results for her clients. With a background in sales and marketing, and more than 16 years experience in strategic consulting and creating brand experiences across digital platforms for arts, wellness, fashion, beauty and legal industries. 

Seana has been contracted by internationally recognized brands for features and collaborations, including WK Interact, Houston Grand Opera, NARAL Pro Choice America, Clayne Crawford, Prajna Yoga, and Chef Mark Reinfeld to name a few, and has been featured in publications New York Magazine, Nylon, Marie Claire, and Elle to name a few. 

DAPINDER SINGH QC

Barrister | New Park Court

Dapinder Singh QC has expertise and vast experience in dealing with complex frauds and serious crime. He has a very busy practice and is in demand by both companies and individuals. He regularly deals with the country’s largest cases and is currently dealing with a £2 billion corruption case (a multi-jurisdictional matter which has been discussed at United Nations level), cartel case involving the galvanised steel tank market and a £220 million mortgage fraud.

TONY GUISE

Principal | DisputesEFiling

Providing effective IT for the civil justice community: full service Online ADR, ODR and capable of supporting cases in the civil courts. White label and neutral options. Bespoke solutions for ADR schemes, Government funded ADR, civil litigation professionals and Litigants in Person.

ZHANNA ZENINA

Founder | Linkilaw

Zhanna Zenina is the co-founder and CEO of Linkilaw Solicitors. She is an experienced corporate lawyer with an extensive track record of advising emerging and established companies. Prior to founding Linkilaw Solicitors, she worked at top law firms in New York, London and Moscow, headed the legal department of a London-based family office and acted for clients as their trusted legal adviser and board member. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Moscow State University with a passion for delivering practical solutions to clients, while applying legal knowledge, business acumen, integrity and ethics. Zhanna is a bilingual lawyer qualified to practice in New York, Russia, England and Wales.

GARETH ELLIS

Legal Growth Strategist | LTDO

LTDO is helping practices achieve massive growth through respect based marketing. We invest our time in learning what makes your ideal customer tick. This ensures that you have a targeted audience. Our approach is very unique, coming from understanding your customers and their decision-making process. This helps us drive more highly engaged leads in to your sales pipeline. 

JORDAN HALPERIN

CEO | High Impact

Growing up a huge fan of sports (basketball, first and foremost), Jordan satisfied his fascination with numbers by poring over box scores, being an early adopter of fantasy sports and analyzing trends that may affect his favorite teams. Equally captivated by the stock market and business, Jordan figured he would end up on Wall Street trading securities. However, after graduating with concentrations in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia, Jordan realized that he wanted to be more directly involved in the development of businesses and has pursued this route throughout his career.

This path has led Jordan to take on roles as manager, board member, entrepreneur and investor in multiple businesses, with great success. The businesses have led Jordan to all corners of the country, where he has relished coordinating with fellow managers to develop unique growth strategies for these companies. Not having had prior experience in a given industry has never fazed Jordan, he’s made his mark in businesses ranging from retail flooring to funeral coach manufacturing and B2B graphic design solutions, among others.

LINDA FORD

Chief Executive | CILEx

Chief Executive | CILEx

Linda Ford is Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, which represents 20,000 Chartered Legal Executive, paralegal and other legal practitioners in England and Wales.

Linda has a background in regulation, law reform, professional education and standards. She specialises in change management, modernisation and reform of professional membership associations and regulatory bodies. She has a passion for work designed to support public trust and confidence in professionals through high standards of training, qualification and conduct and her career to date has spanned across education, healthcare, criminal justice and legal sectors.

Prior to that, she worked for the Police Service on a number of high profile national projects, focussing on public safety, counter-terrorism and drugs awareness and in the FE sector developing new training courses and qualifications.

SIMON MCCRUM

Founder | McCrum & Co.

Simon qualified as a Commercial Litigation solicitor in 1990 at Pannone. His role gradually evolved into a marketing and management role. He became Head of various teams, Marketing Partner, Director of Business Development, and part of the Management Team at Pannone.

In 2007, Simon became Managing Partner at Darbys Solicitors. The firm made a trading loss in 2007 but after going a long way backwards - and during the Credit Crunch - the firm emerged to have its most successful year ever in 2010 and in 2013 it was the country's fastest-growing law firm.

In 2016, Darbys was acquired by Knights Professional Services and Simon exited to form McCrum & Co, a management consultancy for law firms. He now works with law firms to help them to do the things he did right, and to avoid the things that he did wrong. He has pulled all of this together into a model which he calls The Perfect Legal Business. A dedicated “growth” merchant and an ardent believer in law firms being charged with changing clients’ lives for the better, Simon helps firms to move towards becoming The Perfect Legal Business, which brings profit-rich and cash-rich growth, quickly.

Simon is the author of the “Law Firms in Lockdown” series of reports, and he has just published his book, “The Perfect Legal Business”.

RICHARD MORRIS

Founder & CEO | The Giving Machine

As Chief Executive and co-founder, Richard is the only director who works full time as a member of the 'Ops Team. He manages the development programme, leads major projects, drives the team and ensures that everything runs smoothly.  Richard is responsible for promoting TheGivingMachine to the wider community to help connect us to organisations such as the Social Enterprise Mark CIC, Deloitte Social Pioneers, and other similar groups. He is married with 2 children, 2 dogs -called Max & Sid.

JAMES NEWELL

Founder | Clear Sales Message

Because selling is all about communication. It's a conversation with money at the end.

Forget everything you think you know about selling, there is no need for pushiness, greediness or pinstripe suits.

It's all about COMMUNICATION.

.....and human beings are machines for processing information. They have an 8-second attention span and the average reading age of a 9-year-old (in the UK).

If you want to sell, you need to know how to communicate clearly and what to say in which order to peak interest and understanding.

STEPHEN WARD

Managing Director | Clerksroom

Stephen Ward has been a barristers’ clerk since 1983, becoming a senior clerk to Chambers in 1993. Aged 25, Stephen was one of the youngest senior clerks in the UK after 10 years experience in the Temple and Grays Inn, London. Now Stephen is Managing Director of Clerksroom, manages a team of 20 clerks and oversees the worldwide operations of Clerksroom.

IAN GOLDING

Customer Experience Specialist

Ian Golding, is a Certified Customer Experience Professional and Customer Experience Specialist. A certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Ian has spent over twenty years in business improvement, working hard to ensure that the businesses he works for are as customer focused as possible.

Ian spent 17 years working in a variety of corporate organisations, including The Royal Bank of Scotland, GE Commercial Finance, GE Reinsurance and Brake Brothers Foodservice. In his last permanent role as Head of Group Customer Experience, Ian developed and deployed the Customer Experience strategy for one of Europe’s largest online retailers – Shop Direct.

MITESH MODHA

Origination Director | Woodsford Litigation Funding

Mitesh joined Woodsford in June 2019 from Kain Knight, a market leading costs litigation firm, where he was a Director.

In his 9 years at Kain Knight, he was exposed to every aspect of costs litigation on large commercial matters including costs recovery, adverse costs and costs hearings. In particular, he was instructed to advise in respect of funding and budgeting issues on a significant and widely publicised group shareholder action against a UK bank. He also advised on solicitor client matters such as the form of retainers and billing arrangements. Mitesh was also responsible for internal training and the delivery of seminars to solicitors and barristers on various aspects of costs law.

In addition, Mitesh gained exposure to the Dubai litigation market during a 3-month secondment to the region. He was a Director and General Manager of a debt recovery entity for 2 years and was also responsible for growing Kain Knight’s reputation in the region as it sought to increase its exposure to international litigation markets.

Prior to joining Kain Knight, Mitesh was a freelance County Court Advocate for 5 years, having previously completed the Bar Vocational Course. Prior to that he was awarded a 1st Class Honours LLB degree from the University of Kent.

VANESSA UGATTI

Motivational Speaker

Vanessa Ugatti is a motivational speaker, coach and Author of Amazon Best Seller, ‘True Worth: How to Charge What You’re Worth and Get It’, with her own unique story: she went from utterly clueless and powerless to expert and confident when charging her clients.

She helps law firms and sole practitioners to create a solid foundation to take charge and get paid what they are worth ethically and confidently, while creating a healthier work-life balance by sharing her TRUE WORTH blueprint. At the core of her work is increasing self-worth which she says is at the heart of everything we do and drives behaviour.

By tackling her own self-worth issues head on, she was able to bust through her blocks, enabling her to see her own value. The knowledge gained, combined with her natural talent for simple communication, innate empathy and high energy, enabled her to assist others to do the same.

Described as: “A miracle worker” “magic” and “simply the best”, Vanessaloves to empower transformation in those who provide an excellent service yet undervalue themselves.

She is a great believer in practising what she preaches so incorporates daily meditation and exercise into her schedule. In normal times, live music, restaurants and travel are also important ways for her to enjoy life.

She is a fluent French speaker and when living in Djibouti, was mistaken by the French Captain of a vessel stationed there, for being French. Her Spanish is fast catching up!