Lawyers Advisory Board

Mr Paul Batchelor

Paul Batchelor

Paul is newly qualified and started his training contract in September 2005 at Cobbetts LLP in their Birmingham Office. In March 2006 he was elected for one year as Chairman of the Birmingham Trainee Solicitors' Society (the "BTSS").

During Paul's tenure as chairman of the BTSS he guided the committee board of directors and built up many contacts within the legal community.

He has been involved with the Birmingham Law Society and the National Law Society by actively feeding back the views of lawyers starting out in their careers.

Ms Diane Benussi

 

Diane Benussi

 

Diane Benussi led the trend for legal specialist practices by setting up Benussi & Co as a stand alone matrimonial practice in 1993. She was a pioneer, employing a counsellor and an in-house forensic accountant.

Benussi & Co is used by high-profile individuals seeking a discreet service. Diane works to develop Birmingham as a centre of professional excellence. She is a former President of the Birmingham Law Society and the National Law Society.

She is currently Chairman of Birmingham Forward, an organisation representing and networking the professional and financial sector.

Her charity work is chiefly involved in medical fields, sometimes hands-on. She cycled 300 miles around Beijing for a local hospital appeal.

Ms Carla Hull

 

Carla Hull

Carla Hull is Director and Solicitor-Advocate at Carla Hull Solicitors Limited. She specialises in Family Law, largely for high net worth individuals, and advises upon a vast range of issues.

Carla has obtained Higher Rights of Audience (All Proceedings), which provides her with the authority to appear in all Courts in England and Wales without limitation in exactly the same way as a Barrister.

She is also one of a handful of lawyers in the region to have fully qualified as a Collaborative Lawyer, which offers an alternative way to conduct family law disputes.

Chair of Birmingham Law Society’s International Committee, Carla also sits on Birmingham Future’s membership committee and the Resolution Committee for the West Midlands. 

Mr Greg Lowson

 

Greg Lowson

 

Greg is currently the Managing Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution & Litigation Group at Pinsent Masons in their Birmingham office. He qualified in 1984 and handles some of the firm's largest and most complex litigation.

Greg is an accredited mediator with significant mediation experience, and a Solicitor - Advocate.

He is a Council Member of the CBI West Midlands and Director and Council Member of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, and a director of mac, Birmingham's arts centre.

Mr David Owen

 

David Owen

 

David is one of the Corporate Finance community's best-known lawyers, having over 50 years experience.

David retired as a consultant at Hammonds in 2006. He joined the firm when it was known as Edge & Ellison in 1955, qualified as a legal executive and took articles with the senior partner. He was made a partner on qualification as a solicitor in 1973.

He served as a non-executive director of Aston Villa plc until it was taken over in 2006 and is a non-executive director of Forward Group which is an evergreen private Equity Fund.

Mr Philip Steel

 

Philip Steel

 

Philip is a partner at robin Simon LLP, a niche professional indemnity law firm, based in their Birmingham office.

Philip qualified as a solicitor in 1987 and specialises in the defence of professionals including that of solicitors, accountants and stockbrokers.

He advises on coverage and policy interpretation. He is the former President of the Birmingham Law Society having been President for the one-year period to April 2007.