Celebrating the success of our Forums

04 December 2024

R3 President and Addleshaw Goddard LLP Partner Tim Cooper reflects on his experience attending R3’s Northern, Eastern and SPG Forums.

Member engagement was one of my key priorities when I became President, and going to R3’s Northern, Eastern, and SPG Forums, which were attended by more than 400 people from the profession, gave me the chance to meet and catch up with a number of members from three of our busiest regions and one of our most critical constituencies – as well as being able to experience three superb Forums that I might not have ordinarily been able to attend.

Every one of these events I have been to has been carefully tailored to the membership, bringing in topics and speakers that reflect their markets alongside those covering broader issues. No matter where our members are based or the size of the firm they work at, their respective Forum always delivers high-quality, tailored information that supports their work and professional growth, and their success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the committees who design and deliver them.

From the coalface

For me, the most impactful aspect of these events is their ability to address relevant local and national issues. This was perfectly illustrated by the Northern Forum, where Gareth Harrison from the Bank of England spoke on the same day the Monetary Policy Committee announced its interest rate decision. This kind of timely insight shows how we are engaging with the biggest news of the day and putting key people from the institutions involved in it in front of our members.

It was a similar scenario at the Eastern Forum, where Joe Curl KC presented on the BHS case. We heard directly from an R3 member – an R3 Eastern region member – who had driven one of the largest legal cases of this year, and who gave members front-row insight into the case and its implications. That kind of intelligence is invaluable, and Joe did a superb job condensing a five-week trial into a 40-minute presentation – the content of which was widely (and warmly) discussed during the breaks between sessions.

SPG more than matched the other two Forums in this area as well, with keynote speaker Lee Castleton giving a raw and emotional account of the effect the Horizon scandal had on him and his loved ones. Not only did this session provide insights into one of the most high-profile scandals of this year from someone at the heart of it, but we also witnessed firsthand the emotional toll it took on him and his loved ones. It proved another instance of R3 giving members first-hand insight into one of the year’s biggest issues – and you would have been hard-placed to find anyone in the hall who wasn’t visibly moved hearing about his experience, myself included.

Inside and outside the box

A further highlight from the Northern Forum was the mock trial, which showed how the manner in which evidence is presented can change the direction of seemingly straightforward matters, and gave attendees insights into the realities of courtroom proceedings – something that many of us don’t get to see every day.

At the Eastern Forum, the employment law session was another personal standout for me –mainly because of its forward-looking focus. One example of this was the highlighting of the proposed change to the qualification period for unfair dismissal claims, which, although it does not directly relate to insolvency, could have a potential impact on business sales in the future.

The SPG Forum saw Miles Hacking provide an innovative approach to his session on the Insolvency Code of Ethics, which enabled those delegates who had not already completed their mandatory hour of CPD to do so. I found both the quick-fire quiz and the subsequent small group case study discussion an interesting intellectual stretch, and other delegates I spoke to felt the combination of these two factors help bring to life a topic which can potentially be dry.

Spotlighting emerging talent

Having been heavily involved with the Class of 2024 initiative at this year’s Annual Conference, I was particularly pleased to see this continue at the Northern Forum through the “Northern Stars” aspect of the programme and the “SPG Stories” aspect of the SPG Forum.

Hearing Simon Hudson talk about insolvency in the context of elite sports, Michael Martin discuss networking and Eleanor Temple KC (who, admittedly, is more of an established than a rising star) discuss her career journey and the role R3 has played in it, was a real highlight of the Northern Forum.

SPG provided a similarly strong series of speakers, with Nicholas Parton providing insights into the challenges of cryptocurrency tracing and Bradley Parrot outlining a three-step process for smaller practices to evolve their approach to EDI, and Francesca Tackie and Matthew Letts sharing their stories about entering and rising through the profession (and in Francesca’s case, running her own practice).  

Hearing these kinds of personal stories and individual insights from members has been a regular highlight of these Forums for me and for a large number of delegates who I have spoken to. We plan to continue this initiative at next year’s Annual Conference and I hope it becomes a feature of the 2025 regional and SPG Forums in the way it has this year.

Connecting and reconnecting

As President of R3, I have seen first-hand just how important these Forums are – not just for fulfilling educational requirements, but for providing the opportunity for members to connect with old contacts and new faces, share knowledge, and engage with one another and their markets. From my perspective, it is great to be able to speak to people across the regions and learn about what is going on locally, especially in those regions I wouldn’t usually get to see in my normal day-to-day work.

Of course, the content of these events is crucial, but it is also fantastic to see conversations about it continue during the breaks and see and experience members sharing their own experiences and insights with one another throughout the day.

Supporting the future

Another exciting announcement at all three Forums was the launch of the R3 Bursary, which will provide funding for those wanting to attend R3 events, courses and conferences but who wouldn’t be able to make the financial commitment. The Bursary is something I am particularly proud of, as it aligns with my presidential goal of investing in the future of the profession and will help ensure that emerging talent continues to be supported, whether they are presenting on stage or attending to learn from others.

Looking forward, it is clear that our profession is facing some major challenges and opportunities in the future, and these Forums play a vital role in preparing our members for these. Whether it is changes in government policy, shifts in the market, or new talent emerging in the profession, R3’s Forums provide the platform for us to stay informed, engaged, and ready for the future – whatever it may hold and whatever form it may take.