There is also a constitutional requirement to hold an AGM and the Conference is an appropriate forum to fulfil this requirement.

Transcription

1 BIALL Conference Strategy meeting 2016 conclusions The Role of the Conference within BIALL The Committee noted that, although there is no constitutional requirement to hold an annual conference, under the BIALL constitution, one of BIALL s Objects is to enhance the status of the profession through the organisation of meetings and conferences. There is also a constitutional requirement to hold an AGM and the Conference is an appropriate forum to fulfil this requirement. Venues: City centre or out of town venues The Committee discussed the advantages and disadvantages of conference locations and noted that many members are dependent on public transport to attend. It was also noted that one of the strengths of the Conference is the way in which it is attended by younger members of the profession, and that early career members may not be able either to afford or claim expenses for taxi fares. The Committee agreed to survey all members after the 2016 Conference (whether or not they attended the Conference) to ask whether members would wish BIALL to hold the Conference in an out of town venue and other matters affecting future conferences. The electronic survey will also include suggestions for locations and venues, based on a template of our requirements, as well as topics and speakers for future conferences. Hotels vs. Dedicated Conference Venues The Committee agreed that the choice of hotels will to some extent be driven by what is available at the location. It is desirable that in some years delegates should be able to choose between different hotels, depending on the package available to BIALL from the venue. However, the option of one hotel, e.g. the Hilton Brighton Metropole, saves costs as our buying power is strengthened and creates better networking opportunities for delegates and exhibitors. The Committee agreed that dedicated conference venues should be considered alongside other venues as they facilitate better networking opportunities and that all BIALL members will be asked whether they would attend future out of town conferences. It was agreed that BIALL would not select an out of town venue without the consent of the majority of the membership. In recent years the Conference has been very successful and this is partly because previous Conference venues have worked well. The Committee noted that it can be difficult to find venues of the right capacity and size. Location: Cardiff and other potential future locations. Prior to the Strategy meeting, a rudimentary demographic survey of the membership was undertaken to help ascertain whether the Association has held previous conferences within easy access of the majority of members. The survey was based on the region option of the 2015/2016 membership list. In some instances, a national law firm, with institutional membership and a head office in London, would have been allocated to London despite having several regional offices. Thus some regions could be slightly under represented. The Conference Committee is aware that the Conference was last held in Wales in 2003, and it was agreed that it would be desirable to hold the Conference in Wales again if a suitable venue can be found. However, it was also agreed that any potential conference location must have excellent national and international transport links, including weekend services. The Committee noted that, according to the 2015/2016 membership statistics, 11 of BIALL s 670 members are based in Wales. TS4/ /02/CLB/CLB 1 00 XXX :00

2 Other locations mentioned during the course of the discussions included Bournemouth (for which the nearest main airport is Southampton), Birmingham, York, the South West, Oxford and Manchester. It was noted that in the past, the Conference had alternated between northern and southern locations, with additional locations in the home nations inserted into the cycle. It was agreed that although one approach would be to have a rotating cycle of regular locations, flexibility in selecting venues also brings some advantages, including financial advantages. The Committee agreed that Catherine Bowl should summarise the requirements for BIALL Council and the Membership. The Association should be open to suggestions for new locations that fit the specification set out in the Sovereign Conference template. The contents of this summary are available here Current format and length The Committee noted that the current format, which straddles two weekdays and a weekend, has developed over time and in response to preferences expressed by the BIALL membership. The Committee considered alternative formats, noting that a regular problem is exhibitors taking down their exhibition stands before the end of the Conference. The Committee felt that concluding the Conference after breakfast on Saturday morning would turn the Conference into a two-day event, and that delegates might leave before dinner on the Friday night. Conference programme The Pre-Conference seminar must be on a topic that can sustain itself for three hours. The Committee felt that the choice of more general and practical subjects that relate to soft skills works well, and noted that delegates welcome opportunities for some interaction during the session. The Committee agreed to continue to market the event as pre-conference although some delegates choose to attend it as a half-day course. The Committee agreed that commercial conferences which are cross-sector do not compete directly with the BIALL Conference, although there may be some BIALL members who would wish to attend other conferences which are relevant to senior managers. The Committee agreed that the strap line for the BIALL conference should be The Premier Conference for the Profession. The Committee discussed the Senior Managers Stream and agreed that it is appropriate for some locations, such as those within easy reach of London or in other large urban centres, but not necessarily for others. Its inclusion in future conferences should depend on location and venue. The Committee considered the possibility of offering other streams, and agreed that this could be achieved by setting series of parallels on particular themes against each other. For example, there could be a KM and a technical session set against each other in each parallel, which would allow delegates to choose a stream for themselves. Plenary and Keynote speakers have tended to be drawn from beyond BIALL s membership, and it was noted that distinguished lawyers are often eloquent speakers, which is appropriate for a format in which the keynote speech is also a rallying cry to the profession. Emphasis should be on the quality of the speaker as well as the topic. While it is sometimes appropriate to approach individuals or institutions in the search for speakers, the Committee felt that it would also be desirable to disseminate the Call for TS4/ /02/CLB/CLB 2 00 XXX :00

3 Papers more widely than previously. It was agreed that in addition to using the BIALL and LIS-Law mailing lists, the Website, the Blog and Twitter, the Calls should also go to CILIP and sister organisations, subject to the caveat that BIALL will only pay local travel expenses. It was also agreed to send information about the Call for Papers to the BIALL Supplier Liaison Group. The Committee agreed that as part of post-conference feedback, delegates should be invited to suggest speakers as well as topics. The Committee agreed that whilst vendor participation is very welcome (for example in the Product Showcase), the speaker element of the Conference should not be dominated by vendors. The Committee agreed that where more than one discount could apply, only one concession should be offered (whichever is the greater), plus an honorarium, if appropriate. The Committee discussed whether the honorarium should be increased, noting that it has been fixed at 100 for a number of years and that some speakers donate it to charity. It was agreed that, in the interests of consistency, this was a matter for BIALL Council as other BIALL committees may have comparable arrangements. It was noted that vendors are offered 50 off the day delegate rate at the Dublin conference if they give a Lightning Talk. However, this discount is not connected with the Exhibitor rates. Requests from vendors for honorariums should be considered on a caseby-case basis. The Committee agreed to review how successful these are in 2016 and then decide whether to charge vendors for Product Showcases at future conferences. Future charges might cover the opportunity to include a logo in the programme or a leaflet drop. It was agreed that feedback might be shared with speakers on request. Trips and library tours The Committee was of the view that offering delegates and exhibitors an optional cultural event on the Saturday afternoon, along with a preferential rate for an extra night (if this could be negotiated) would encourage delegates to stay until the close of the Conference. This is going to be investigated for the 2017 Conference. The Committee agreed that any such cultural event should usually be charged for, in order to ensure that those signing up for it commit to attend it. Exhibition The number of stands is to some extent determined by the venue, and, although there have sometimes been over 40, the Committee agreed that 36 stands, with space for catering, works well. Publisher mergers are likely to decrease rather than increase the potential number of exhibitors. The Committee noted that for the exhibition to feel truly part of the Conference, it needs to be accommodated on the same level, and considered that the exhibitor charge could remain at the same rate as it has for a number of years. Prior to the Strategy meeting a supplier speed-dating or the Supplier Forum as a Conference session was proposed. However, it was agreed not to take this suggestion forward because those who do not attend the Conference would be excluded and the Conference is not an appropriate environment for those kinds of discussions. TS4/ /02/CLB/CLB 3 00 XXX :00

4 Sponsorship The current levels of Sponsorship levels are: Platinum sponsorship significant sponsorship Gold sponsorship financial spend in excess of 5, Silver sponsorship - financial spend in excess of 2, Bronze sponsorship - financial spend less than 2, The Committee took the view that, although the 2016 Conference has only one platinum sponsor, this is not a cause for alarm. Potential sponsor companies have merged in recent years resulting in a reduction in the number of possible sponsors. The Committee discussed the possibility of raising Civic sponsorship in some locations. The Association has received Civic sponsorship in the past. It was agreed not to chase sponsorship but to keep an open mind if opportunities arise and to draw up a list of aspects of the Conference that might be sponsored, while bearing in mind the principle that sponsorship should be for the Conference itself, rather than for an event. Costs, including hotels The Committee plans the Conference with a view to breaking even, but sometimes sponsorship comes through unexpectedly or at a late stage. The Committee considered concerns that had been raised about the cost of the Conference and agreed that rather than adopting a less prudent approach to financial planning, it would be preferable to encourage more BIALL members to apply for bursaries, with a view to making attendance as inclusive as possible by offering financial support to more delegates. It was agreed that charges for delegates and exhibitors should remain reasonably stable from year to year. The Committee considered the possibility of committing to particular hotels or groups of hotels for the Conference over a number of years enable BIALL to gain more advantageous terms. The Committee acknowledged this, but agreed that it is equally advantageous to BIALL to retain flexibility in matters relating to location and venue. Conference bags Prior to the Strategy Meeting a suggestion was made to have more eco-friendly conference bags. This has also been previously discussed at Have Your Say. The Committee felt that in view of the legislative requirement for large shops to charge for carrier bags, members would be more likely to re-use conference bags designed as shoppers. This type of bag is being introduced at the 2016 Conference. Lanyards and ribbons Prior to the Strategy Meeting, it was suggested that we charge for lanyards to raise money for a student bursary. However, the Committee decided against charging, but agreed that the 2016 Conference lanyards should have the BIALL web address. It was agreed that an assortment of ribbons be made available on the BIALL stand at the Dublin conference for delegates to attach to their badges. Outsourcing of admin functions It was agreed that the services of a professional conference organiser such as Sovereign Conference is essential and that, as part of continuity planning for the Conference, Catherine Bowl should discuss the future shape of administrative support with Jennie Mort of Sovereign. TS4/ /02/CLB/CLB 4 00 XXX :00

5 It was noted that it is important to ensure that BIALL should retain ownership of data relating to the Conference (including mailing lists) if at some time in the future Sovereign were, for example, to change hands. Save the Date Calendar It was noted that the Conference "Save the Date" calendar, which is sent with the December issue of Legal Information Management, remains both useful and an excellent marketing tool, even if the Conference programme in future years will usually only be sent out electronically, rather than being printed. Catherine Bowl June 2016 TS4/ /02/CLB/CLB 5 00 XXX :00