Michelle Thorp, CEO
Other articles (Insolvency Practitioner, October 2020):
Hello everyone. I write this as the Prime Minister has just announced the new three-tier system, and I am sure that, like me, this is not the autumn that you were hoping for. As Kevin mentions in his article this month, please do get in touch with us if you have any significant experiences to share as a result from an uptick in work triggered by Covid. You can contact us on secretariat@ipa.uk.com.
I wrote in my article last month about mental health and vulnerability, and its relationship with debt advice and insolvency marketing. In the same vein, we at the IPA pay attention to the wellbeing of our busy team and would encourage all members to keep this as a consideration, not just in these very difficult times but more generally too.
I am very conscious that this is usually the time when I and others from the IPA are on the move around the country, meeting members at our regional Roadshows. Instead, as many will know, we are offering four virtual events this year, designed to help you keep pace with everything affecting insolvency that 2020 has brought with it, as well as helping you to prepare for future developments. Equally, you may be looking to build skills and expertise within your own teams, ahead of the expected rise in insolvency appointments.
We have had a fantastic response to these events so far, with nearly 150 booking on to the roadshow on 15th October. Next up, the event on 5th November, covering UK-wide practice, will look at fraud and Anti-Money Laundering activity, insolvency regulatory requirements (including those around vulnerability), and the new Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act. A panel of legal experts joins us for the session on the Act, including Frances Coulson (Moon Beever) Amy Flavell (Pinsent Masons) and Amy Gallimore (Ashfords).
After that, on 10th November we pay particular attention to practice in Northern Ireland. We will welcome Jack Reid of the Insolvency Service, Department of the Economy, who will take us through the new monitor regime, how this interacts with existing rules, and the expected outcomes. Frances Coulson will join us at the event, with fellow legal expert Claire Massie (Pinsent Masons), and we will look at the new Ethics Code, get the usual valuable insight from the IPA’s inspection regime, and more.
Book your place for these popular events and find out about all the sessions and brilliant speakers on the bill here!
We have plenty more in store for you, as we will soon be launching the brand new Personal Insolvency Lecture Series – a set of short, convenient and interactive educational sessions to be held during November and December. This replaces our usual popular Personal Insolvency Conference, and while we won’t be together in one place, there are so many issues to discuss, so we wanted to provide you the opportunity to engage with this important agenda.
With insolvency in the spotlight more than ever, take advantage of the opportunity to gain useful insight for the future, as well as helping your team members to prepare. Each session will last for 60-90 minutes, and to help you get as much benefit as possible from the sessions, you will be able to engage with the speakers – one of which, I am delighted to confirm, is Professor David Milman of Lancaster University. David will be exploring in detail the state of things to come in the aftermath of Covid. We are also looking to cover online marketing, scam and fraud activity, volume insolvency solutions, the creditor perspective and plenty more.
We will be topping this exciting series off with a separate set of targeted workshops on the new Ethics Code, with the help of our partners, the excellent Insolvency Support Services.
More details to be released soon. I hope you will be able to join us for these opportunities. With the government spotlight turning to Personal Insolvency, following their work on Corporate Insolvency, the more we engage with you and understand your views, the more we can ensure that they are represented in our discussions with the Insolvency Service, those in wider Parliament, and in the press.
Don’t forget that IPA members receive a 10% discount on Insolvency Support Services’ Foundations in Personal and Corporate Insolvency modules (click the links for how to claim the discount!).
So, despite the uncertainty we are still living in this autumn, there’s plenty for us to eagerly anticipate here at the IPA. I look forward to updating you on our activity next month. Until then, all the very best from myself and the team, and if there is anything you would like to see in future newsletters, drop us a line on secretariat@ipa.uk.com.