The narcissicism of small differences

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> <p>[Please note: this website was designed to be viewed with frames. What is detailed below is simply the text content of the site]</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>ABOUT US </strong></p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p><strong>Who we are </strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>B J Macfarlane & Co is a law firm specialising in insurance, re-insurance, shipping and trade matters. We are committed to providing our clients with a personalised, swift and cost-effective service. </p> <p>  </p> <p>Our principal is Ben Macfarlane, who was for 15 years a partner at the niche City practice of Clyde & Co. Ben has 20 years of experience as a litigation lawyer working in London, Paris, Hong Kong and Singapore on a number of substantial shipping and insurance matters. </p> <p>  </p> <p>He is assisted by Reema Shour a non-practising Barrister who also has over 10 years experience practising with City solicitors in shipping and trade. </p> <p>  </p> <p>The practice is based in the heart of the City on Lombard Street. </p> <p>  </p> <p>This law firm is pioneering in seeking to outsource all of the back office functions normally associated with a law firm from secretarial work, through document handling to legal research functions. As a specialist practice, with low overheads, we are able to offer a much more cost-effective service to our clients than the large City firms. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h1>The Practice </h1> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p>The aim of the practice is to provide high quality and specialised legal advice and representation in the heart of the City. </p> <p>  </p> <p>As a result of outsourcing our back office functions, we can provide a clear competitive advantage in terms of time and cost. Our ability to outsource research and support functions to India, for example, means significantly reduced costs, and the ability to process work around the clock for fast and effecient results. </p> <p>  </p> <p>Thanks to the outsourcing of non-core support activities, we are able to punch above our weight in terms of carrying out heavy litigation. It likewise allows our lawyers to fully concentrate their legal expertise and energy on what counts-getting the client what they want. </p> <p>  </p> <p>This aspect of our bsuiness is of particular advantage to clients involved in the insurance claims process, as it means we can provide Preliminary advice on legal issues affecting claims which would otherwise be considered too modest or ambiguous to be worth sending for further scrutiny by solicitors. As such the service we offer can both sharpen the entire claims process by allowing a legal opinion to be obtained on claims that would not normally be considered worthwhile sending to lawyers on economic grounds. </p> <p>  </p> <p>In all our activities, we pride ourselves on our expertise, tenacity, comprehensiveness, and personal attention. This is demonstrated by our client charter, which we have formulated in order to demonstrate our commitment to the highest standards of practice and performance. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h2>OUR PEOPLE </h2> <p>  </p> <h4>Benjamin Macfarlane </h4> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p><strong>PROFILE: </strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>Ben is the principal of the new practice. </p> <p>  </p> <p>He is a pragmatic, solutions-driven international lawyer who delivers results. He was as Partner in leading London law firm Clyde & Co until January 31 st 2005. Prior to that he was articled at City firm, Macfarlanes, where his father had been senior partner. </p> <p>  </p> <p>Ben has almost twenty years of experience, specialising in litigation and providing advice on: </p> <p>  </p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="342" valign="top"><p>  Insurance </p></td> <td width="273" valign="top"><p>  Insolvency </p></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="342" valign="top"><p>  Reinsurance </p></td> <td width="273" valign="top"><p>  Energy </p></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="342" valign="top"><p>  Banking & Financial Services </p></td> <td width="273" valign="top"><p>  Transport </p></td> </tr> </table> <p>  </p> <p>These competencies have been developed and deployed in: </p> <p>  </p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="342" valign="top"><p>  Litigation </p></td> <td width="273" valign="top"><p>  Arbitration </p></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="342" valign="top"><p>  Dispute Resolution </p></td> <td width="273" valign="top"><p>  Advice on Regulatory Matters </p></td> </tr> </table> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p><strong>EDUCATION </strong>: </p> <p>  </p> <p>Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales </p> <p>Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong </p> <p>B.A. (Hons.) History, Magdalen College, Oxford University </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p><strong>OTHER QUALIFICATIONS </strong>: </p> <p>  </p> <p>Diploma in Business French for the Alliance Francaise </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h4>REEMA SHOUR </h4> <p>  </p> <p><strong>PROFILE: </strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>Reema is Ben's assistant. </p> <p>  </p> <p>She is a qualified but non-practising barrister with over ten years experience working as a litigator in City practices specialised in Shipping and Trade matters. </p> <p>  </p> <p><strong>EDUCATION: </strong></p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p>LLM in Banking and Finance Law, London School of Economics 2001. Subjects covered included banking law, financial regulation, legal aspects of international finance and asset finance. </p> <p>MA in Technical and Specialised Translation, University of Westminster, 1996, </p> <p>Bar Finals, Council of Legal Education 1988 </p> <p>LLB London School of Economics 1986 </p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p><strong>OTHER QUALIFICATIONS: </strong></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p>Advanced Diploma in French Language, Eurocentre Language School, Paris </p> <p>Advanced Diploma in German Language Goethe Institute Munich </p> <p>Secretarial Diploma </p> <p>  </p> <p><strong>OTHER SKILLS: </strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>Fluent in Arabic, French and German. Working knowledge of Italian. Computer literate. <strong></strong></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p>  </p> <h1>RATES </h1> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p>We pride ourselves on the competitiveness of our rates and our flexible approach to clients' needs. Please call us if you wish to discuss charges or to obtain a quote for any given matter. Our telephone number is: + 44 (0) 207 959 0111. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h1>CLIENT CHARTER </h1> <p>  </p> <p align="center">  </p> <h1>CLIENT CHARTER </h1> <p align="center">  </p> <p align="center">  </p> <p>  </p> <p>We believe that as a new firm our success will depend largely on the quality and cost effectiveness of our services and how we measure up to the numerous competitors supplying legal services across the world. Whether we meet our own stringent criteria, as set out below will therefore play an important part of our objective. To monitor our performance, you can expect at least one call from a market researcher, (at a time convenient to you) during which you will have an opportunity to convey your full and frank impressions of our services and air any concerns or complaints. However, this charter will not detract from our obligations under our terms of business or your statutory rights. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h1>OUR OBJECTIVES </h1> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001.gif" alt="*">To provide the best possible legal advice in the shortest possible time with particular emphasis on providing solutions to any problems we identify. </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0000.gif" alt="*">To provide commercial and practical advice at all times and to avoid legal jargon. </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0001.gif" alt="*">To give added value to clients by understanding as far as possible, the clients business and providing advice in context of that business as opposed to advising in a vacuum. </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0002.gif" alt="*">To keep clients fully informed of the progress of their cases and to avoid lengthy periods of inactivity (unless so instructed). </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0003.gif" alt="*">To provide full disclosure on our billing procedures. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h2>  </h2> <h2>  </h2> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h2>CONDUCT OF FILES </h2> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0004.gif" alt="*">Whilst recognizing that our people need holidays and will inevitably have to travel abroad at short notice, we will use every endeavour to avoid passing files from one lawyer to another but where this is unavoidable, you will be consulted and the reason given. That said, it is recognized that in order to provide a cost effective service, junior personnel may be better suited to fulfil certain routine tasks albeit under the supervision of a senior lawyer. </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0005.gif" alt="*">Recognising that claims and litigation require good teamwork between client and solicitors, the firm will provide, at no charge, a regular review of each matter we are handling for that client. This will take place every 2/3 months depending on the complexity and value of the case and will include a review of costs incurred and estimated future costs. </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0006.gif" alt="*">We will, if so requested provide you with copies (as opposed to abstracts) of all foreign lawyers reports or those experts retained on your behalf so you can see exactly what they are saying. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h2>REPORTING TO CLIENTS </h2> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0007.gif" alt="*">Recognizing that each client is different, every client will receive at the outset a brief questionnaire seeking the following basic information: </p> <p>  </p> <ul> <li>Preferred form of reporting e.g. e-mail, or telephone, fax or letter (including direct dial). </li> </ul> <p>  </p> <p>  Whether the client prefers detailed reporting complete with case law etc or summary form (although sometimes detail is unavoidable on complicated matters). </p> <p>  </p> <p>  We will provide details of two people to contact (including an emergency out of office number) about your case. We will ask for details of the two people in the client's organization from whom we can seek instructions or report to. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  Preferred frequency of billing and whether you want to be informed when billing reaches a pre-set figure. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  Whether to report only in the case of major developments or simply report on a regular basis in any event. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  Any particular aspects of the case, which clients believe, may be helpful in understanding the client's problems e.g. strong commercial relationships, which they are anxious to preserve. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p align="center">RESPONSE TIMES </p> <p align="center">(subject to holidays and time zones) </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0008.gif" alt="*"></p> <ul> <li>We will respond to all telephone calls, subject to time zone differences, within the following time limits. </li> </ul> <p>  </p> <p>Calls received before 1pm – the same day. </p> <p>Call received after 1pm – before 12 o'clock the next day. </p> <p>  </p> <ul> <li>All written communications, including e-mail will be acknowledged within 24 hours of receipt. </li> </ul> <p>  </p> <ul> <li>Any calls or written communications marked ‘urgent' will be acknowledged within 2 hours of receipt. </li> </ul> <p>  </p> <p>In case of an emergency, clients are encouraged to call our people at home (we will provide at least one mobile and or home number from the outset). </p> <p>  </p> <p><img width="15" height="15" src="index_clip_image001_0009.gif" alt="*">As already mentioned, it is essential that we achieve our own stringent controls if we are to distinguish ourselves from the numerous competing providers of legal services. If you believe that we are somehow failing, please do not hesitate to inform our principal, Benjamin Macfarlane. This charter is not legally binding and does not effect you statutory rights or impinge on our complaints procedure details of which will be provided on request. </p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <h1>ARTICLES </h1> <p>  </p> <p>To be downloaded from the Lexwerx website but then put onto BJ Macfarlane & Co headed paper. </p> <p>  </p> <h2>CONTACT US </h2> <p>  </p> <p>By telephone + 44 (0) 207 959 0111 </p> <p>By fax + 44 (0) 207 959 0112 </p> <p>By e mail: <a href="mailto:b.macfarlane@bjm-co.com">b.macfarlane@bjm-co.com </a></p> <p>By post B J Macfarlane & Co </p> <p>4 Lombard Street </p> <p>London </p> <p>EC3V 9HD </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <h1>PRIVACY </h1> <p>  </p> <p>1. This Privacy Policy sets out the data processing practices carried out in relation to the website: <a href="http://www.bjm-co.com/">www.bjm-co.com </a> (“the Website”) by its owners (“the Firm”). If you have any questions about our privacy policies, please contact us by telephone on 0207 959 0111, or by e mail at <a href="mailto:b.macfarlane@bjm-co.com">b.macfarlane@bjm-co.com </a> or by fax at 0207 959 0112. </p> <p>Information Collected </p> <p>2. The Company collects and processes details when you access/use the Website (“Your Information”). </p> <p>Use of Your Information by the Company </p> <p>3. By providing Your Information via the Website, you agree: </p> <p>(a) subject to paragraph 5, to allow the Firm to use Your Information to provide you with information or services; and </p> <p>(b) to the disclosure of Your Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. </p> <p>4. Whenever you provide Your Information, the Firm will treat that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. The Firm will act in accordance with current legislation and aim to meet current Internet best practice. </p> <p>5. If you do not want to receive information, products or services from the Firm please let us know. </p> <p>6. The Firm may also use and disclose information or data in aggregate (so that no individuals are identifiable) for marketing and strategic development purposes. </p> <p>7. The Firm will, from time to time and upon your request, amend or erase any incomplete, inaccurate or out of date information that it holds about you in relation to the Website. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>Disclosures </p> <p>8. Subject to clause 9 below, the Firm will only disclose Your Information to its officers, employees and contractors, successors in title to its business and suppliers it engages to process data on its behalf, unless otherwise agreed. </p> <p>9. The Firm may disclose Your Information if such disclosure is required by a person or body having a legal right, duty or obligation to have access to such information, but only in pursuance of such legal right, duty or obligation. </p> <p>Use of Cookies </p> <p>10. A cookie is a small piece of information sent by the web server to a web browser on your computer, which enables the server to collect information from the browser <a href="http://www.bjm-co.com/">www.bjm-co.com </a> uses cookies. The use of cookies is an industry standard and many websites use them. If you do not wish to receive cookies you may (if your website browser permits) set your web browser so that you do not receive them. </p> <p>Changes </p> <p>11. The Firm may change this Privacy Policy, with or without notice, in which case it will post these changes here so that you will always know what information it gathers, whether it will disclose it to anyone, and how it may use that information. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p><strong>TERMS AND CONDITIONS </strong></p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p><strong>  </strong></p> <p>WEBSITE TERMS AND CONDITIONS </p> <p><strong>IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE </strong></p> <p><strong>ATTENTION: THIS LEGAL NOTICE APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THIS WESITE UNDER THE DOMAIN NAME <a href="http://www.bjm-co.com/">www.bjm-co.com </a> (“Website”) AND TO ANY CORRESPONDENCE BY E-MAIL BETWEEN US AND YOU. PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS WEBSITE. USING THIS WEBSITE INDICATES THAT YOU ACCEPT THESE TERMS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU CHOOSE TO REGISTER WITH US. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS, DO NOT USE THIS WEBSITE. THIS NOTICE IS ISSUED BY B J MACFARLANE & CO(“the Firm”). </strong></p> <p>  Introduction </p> <p>  By accessing any part of this Website you shall be deemed to have accepted this legal notice in full. If you do not accept this legal notice in full, you must leave this Website immediately. </p> <p>1.2 The Firm may revise this legal notice at any time by updating this posting. You should check this Website from time to time to review the then current legal notice, because it is binding upon you. Certain provisions of this legal notice may be superseded by expressly designated legal notices or terms located on particular pages of this Website. </p> <p>  LICENCE </p> <p>  You are permitted to print and download extracts from this Website on the following basis: </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>  no documents or related graphics on this Website are modified in any way; </p> <p>  no graphics on this Website are used separately from accompanying text; and </p> <p>  the Firm's copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies. </p> <p>  Unless otherwise stated, the copyright and other intellectual property rights in all material on this Website (including, without limitation, photographs and graphical images) are owned by the Firm or its licensors. For the purposes of this legal notice, any use of extracts from this Website other than in accordance with paragraph 2.1 above for any purpose is prohibited. If you breach any of the terms in this legal notice, your permission to use this Website automatically terminates and you must immediately destroy any downloaded or printed extracts from this Website. </p> <p>  Subject to paragraph 2.1, no part of this Website may be reproduced or stored in any other website or included in any public or private electronic retrieval system or service without the Firm's prior written permission. </p> <p>  Any rights not expressly granted in these terms are reserved. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  SERVICE ACCESS </p> <p>  While the Firm endeavours to ensure that this Website is normally available 24 hours a day, the Firm will not be liable if, for any reason, this Website is unavailable at any time for any period. </p> <p>  Access to this Website may be suspended temporarily and without notice in the case of system failure, during maintenance or repair or for any reasons beyond the Firm's control. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  DISCLAIMER </p> <p>  While the company endeavours to ensure that the information on this Website is correct, the Firm does not warrant the accuracy and completeness of the material on this Website. The Firm may make changes to the material on this Website, or to the products and prices described in it, at any time without notice. The material on this Website may be out of date, and the Firm makes no commitment to update such material. </p> <p>  The material at this Website is provided ‘as is' without any conditions, warranties or other terms of any kind. Accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Firm provides you with this Website on the basis that the Firm excludes all representations, warranties, conditions and other terms (including, without limitation, the conditions implied by law of satisfactory quality, fitness for purpose and the use of reasonable care and skill) which but for this legal notice might have effect in relation to this Website. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  LIABILITY </p> <p>  The Firm, any other party (whether or not involved in creating, producing, maintaining or delivering this Website), and any of the Firm's principal, employees or agents of any of them, exclude all liability and responsibility for any amount or kind of loss or damage that may result to you or a third party (including without limitation, any direct, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damages, or any loss of income, profits, goodwill, data, contracts, use of money, or loss or damages arising from or connected in any way to business interruption, and whether in tort (including without limitation negligence), contract or otherwise ) in connection with this Website in any way or in connection with the use, inability to use or the results of use of this Website, any websites linked to this Website or the materials on such websites, including but not limited to loss or damage due to viruses that may infect your computer equipment, software, data or other property on account of your access to, use of, or browsing this </p> <p>Website or your downloading of any material from this Website or any websites linked to this Website. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  Nothing in this legal notice shall exclude or limit the Firm's liability for (i) death or personal injury caused by negligence (as such term is defined by the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977); (ii) fraud; (iii) misrepresentation as to a fundamental matter; or (iv) any liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  If your use of material on this Website results in the need for servicing, repair or correction of equipment, software or data, you assume all costs thereof. </p> <p>  </p> <p>  GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION </p> <p>This legal notice shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. Disputes arising in connection with this legal notice shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. </p> <p>Issue Date: </p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> </body>