Selling ourselves

Much has been written already about the impact an independent Scotland would have on the laws of the land; the answer is a long way from the Simple 'Yes' or 'No' that the voting public were asked to make.

We have all read and heard stories about how families have been torn apart and, like any damaged relationship, the bond with Westminster will take some time to heal.

It has already been announced that further devolution will follow, but what those powers are and how close they come to a more independent Scotland is yet to be seen.

All we know for now is that there will be a great deal of constitutional, legislative, financial and political head scratching over the next few months, which may prove a significant and unwelcome distraction as we move into a general election year.

The headlines have been dominated by the referendum, which means you might have missed news about the London Design Festival, a week of events, installations and product presentations ergonomically nestled between Fashion Week and Social Media Week.

It's fair to say that London has been overwhelmed by a creative overload of half-mast trousers, unnecessary spectacles and more pocket squares than you might find in a magician's top hat. 

Developing a stream of work from fashionistas, inventors and designers is no easy task for a lawyer. On a mission to inform these creative minds of their legal responsibilities and what protections they should have in place for themselves and their ideas, I went into stealth mode.

In anticipation of the legal recoil, I stepped out of my suit and into something that might not have identified me quite so readily from the 'Eyewitness Guide to Lawyers'. This was a rare opportunity to speak with a broad variety of designers, each keen to exhibit and show-off their wares to colleagues, competitors and design leaders.

Like lawyers, many designers find it difficult to sell themselves, but not so difficult to sell their products, which will often speak for themselves.

For us as lawyers, we often sell our services as a quasi-insurance package, telling people they should expect the worst and taking action now, before things go wrong. Alternatively, people come to us 'after the event', usually too late when we are not selected to help, but to minimise damage.

This made me think about whether we are soliciting our advice or ourselves? If you know the answer, please let me know.

Kevin Poulter, editor at large

@SJ_Weekly #SJPOULTER editorial@solicitorsjournal.co.uk