Laywer gets platform at Discrimination Conference

A Chelmsford lawyer with her own experiences of disability discrimination will be helping a national audience to understand the complexities of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Sherie Griffiths, head of Griffiths Legal, will be among the high-profile speakers at the CBI Conference Centre in London on February 28. The "Disability, Equality at Work Conference" is aimed at promoting the effective involvement of disabled people in the workplace.

Sherie's fellow speakers include Ann McGuire MP, Minister for Disability, Kay Carberry, assistant General Secretary of the TUC, and Liam Proudlock who has been responsible for providing accessible work places at the BBC since 1992.

Sherie, who is based at Lyttleton House in Chelmsford in Essex, will be adding her views from the perspective of a businesswoman as well as from the perspective of a person with a disability.

Sherie, who is blind, will be sharing her legal expertise on how businesses can use the law pro-actively to enhance their efficiency and profitability.

She said: "Discrimination is the fastest changing area of employment law and disability is one of the most complicated parts for employers to get right."

Sherie is particularly keen to dispel the perception that the DDA is an enormous cost or threat to businesses.

She will elaborate on the proven commercial benefits for companies who promote employment opportunities for disabled employees.

Sherie said: "Employing people with a disability improves the potential to recruit the best people; improves staff morale; enhances the company's profile and improves the bottom line."

Caption: Speaking out - Lawyer Sherie Griffiths

Issued on behalf of Griffiths Legal Ltd (www.griffithslegal.com by Words Worth Public Relations, for further information: Adrienne Lowing 01268 756261

23.2.07

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Sherie's tuned into Podcasting

Lawyer Sherie Griffiths is not particularly musical but she is a rising star of the I-Tunes charts.

Sherie, who heads up Griffiths Legal in Chelmsford, believes she is one of the first UK lawyers to set up a podcast.

Her jargon-free legal advice broadcast via her website - www.griffithslegal.com - has made her the number 11 business podcast with I-Tunes.

Sherie's monthly programmes, designed to help business people find their way around the legal maze, have built up a steady following. Issues she has covered include how the shake-up in company law could affect directors, health and safety and new age discrimination regulations.

Sherie, who is blind, had never written a script before but she was determined to continue her philosophy of communicating in plain English. When recording the podcast she works from a Braille script.

She said: "I have to script the features because they need to be quite tightly structured, although when it comes to recording it's just a guide - talking around the issues sounds much more friendly and informal. "Podcasting enables me to reach a larger audience than I could with any other communication means."

Designed to be heard as complete programmes or individual features, the podcasts can be listened to on a PC or downloaded to any MP3 player. Each programme comprises what Sherie calls tasters on thought-provoking issues and at least one fun piece.

She said: "The law can be laughable."

Many of the features interlink and they are all archived on the website.

Sherie said: "It is far more successful than I ever envisaged. Getting to grips with adapting to the technical side took time but it has been well worth it. I have had far more business inquiries since I started."

Notes to editors: Find Sherie's podcast on I-Tunes under the podcasts Business category, labelled "Be Business Wise"

Issued on behalf of Griffiths Legal Ltd www.griffithslegal.com
by Words Worth Public Relations, for further information: Adrienne Lowing 01268 756261
email: adrienne@wordsworthpr.co.uk

07.11.06

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