Northern Lights and the SCL Boot Camp

With a reported shift in legal power towards the North, it is appropriate that the SCL Boot Camp has marched from its Bristol birthplace towards its spiritual home, Catterick. But intending participants will be relieved to know that it never made it. It has given in to the temptations of the flesh represented by a vibrant shopping and club scene and, perhaps echoing a renewed national obsession with goings-on in Weatherfield, has decided to bivouac in Manchester.

The SCL’s Annual IT and E-Commerce Law Boot Camp is to take place on 20 and 21 June at the Manchester Conference Centre. The near legendary mix of hard work, leading experts, fun and a practical grounding in the subject remains the same. Only the venue changes from what the Lonely Planet Guide describes as the “haughty grandeur” of Bristol to the “interesting and vibrant” city of Manchester – and those are the just the printable versions of a one-time capital of cool that can still cut it.

The course has been designed by SCL members who are the leading experts in the fields of IT Law and E-Commerce and is aimed both at lawyers in private practice and those employed in industry. This year’s event speakers include Lorna Brazell, Nigel Miller, John Yates and Bill Jones and the proceedings are chaired by Richard Stephens of Field Fisher Waterhouse. Privacy, surveillance in the workplace, mediation, IP on the Internet and the latest cases are examined in a series of sessions stretching through Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. The focus is on the real problems which arise and the practical approaches which will provide you with real solutions. By the time you leave on Saturday afternoon you will have taken significant steps towards becoming expert in this fascinating area of law which continues to see remarkable growth. And all this comes with the usual SCL high-value guarantee – top speakers at well below the normal commercial rate.

The Manchester Conference Centre itself is situated close to the city hot-spots made famous by such series as Queer as Folk, and within a stone’s throw of the new Harvey Nicks. You may even find time to visit the historic sites – you’re staying within the shock wave of the place where the atom was first split and but a short walk from many beautiful Victorian buildings. Reasonably priced accommodation is available at the MCC itself, although the bivouacking option is even cheaper (vests recommended). The fun element includes an opportunity to join the speakers for dinner in China Town, before a late-night session – studying the e-course papers.

So why not give your career a boost, give Manchester some consolation for missing out on the Olympics and have a memorable weekend? And your firm can benefit from your developed or renewed expertise too!

A booking form is enclosed with this issue or visit the SCL Web site or contact caroline.gould@scl.org