Technology in the legal sector: How IT can help lawyers provide gold-plated service at bronze level prices December 17, 2015 Some industries have kept pace with the constantly-evolving world of technology. The legal industry, arguably, has not. This is not because the legal sector has not seen value in technology investments – the root of under-investment in IT stems from the global financial crisis, when law firms’ bottom lines were squeezed. Seven years on, times [...]
New Kid on the Block December 17, 2015 Mark Zuckerberg this month crashed into the list of the most important people in the charity sphere with news of his new philanthropic venture that will result in his giving away 99 per cent of his Facebook fortune. The announcement – made in the form of a letter to his baby daughter – caused a [...]
Work longer, live better: Our attitude to employment must change if we’re to have a healthy later life December 17, 2015 As a society, we must better recognise that “work” does not just provide people with financial rewards but also important social benefits, and helps contribute to a healthier and happier later life. Figures shared recently by pensions minister Baroness Altmann show that only half of the population aged 50-64 are still in work in some [...]
Helping refugees is a tech challenge December 17, 2015 While there have been many causes worthy of our attention in 2015, the plight of Europe’s refugees and migrants has been the most visible. There are currently 20m people feeing violence and oppression around the world and many of them arrived on our continent’s shores this summer in the hope of a better life. Shocking [...]
Brazil is banning WhatsApp for the next 48 hours December 17, 2015 Brazil has blocked WhatsApp across the entire country for the next two days, for failure to comply with a court order in an ongoing criminal case. Brazilian phone company association SindiTelebrasil received the order to shut the text service down on Wednesday afternoon. Access to the messaging service was cut off at midnight local time and will be blocked for [...]
How microfinancing has changed African communities for the better December 17, 2015 Education is essential in breaking the cycle of poverty but, globally, over 57m children do not attend primary school and the majority of that number live in Africa. For those that do attend, they walk great distances to get there and, when they arrive, classes are often overcrowded and managed by overworked teachers. Opportunity International, [...]
2016 Lord Mayor’s Appeal December 17, 2015 One of the most important – and most recognisable – charities in the City is the Lord Mayor’s appeal, which raises money for charities that are close to the heart of the current mayor. The 2015 Appeal has been a huge success, raising a whopping £2.2m for previous Lord Mayor Alderman Alan Yarrow’s chosen charities [...]
Liverpool Street signal failure causing severe delays on London Overground, Stansted Express, Greater Anglia December 17, 2015 If you've managed to dodge an alcohol-induced headache this morning, a transport-inspired one might be about to kick in instead. A signal failure at Liverpool Street was this morning causing severe delays on the London Overground, Stansted Express and other mainline services. On the London Overground, commuters travelling in from Hackney Downs faced major disruption while [...]
Embrace, engage and encourage: THE GENEROUS GENERATION December 17, 2015 Millennials will make up the majority of the global workforce by 2025 (between 55 per cent and 75 per cent) according to various statistics. That’s a fantastic opportunity for both charities and businesses, if they can adapt to meet the needs of this socially-motivated generation. Who are the millennials? Agewise they are the under 35s [...]
The City remain top dog for charitable activity December 17, 2015 Lord Mountevans, Lord Mayor of the City of London, on the City’s charitable highlights The year is drawing to a close and for the City, it has been a fantastic year for charitable outreach. In addition to promoting the City as a global centre for financial and professional services, I will be picking up the baton from my [...]