Marcus Hayes highly commended for top legal award for pioneering work

Marcus Hayes, was highly commended last week at the Law Society Excellence awards which recognises and celebrates some of the very best work in the legal profession across the country. It follows on from his achievement earlier on in the week when he was the winner of the UK’s best telecoms, media and technology litigator at the national A1 legal awards.

Marcus, one of only 10 solicitors from 133,365 practising solicitors in England and Wales to be shortlisted in the category of Solicitor of the Year, regularly acts for prominent public and private concerns and high net worth individuals both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

But it is Marcus’ pioneering work since he in established his own charity, the Mason Hayes Charitable Trust in 2009, that has been particularly recognised.. The Trust has raised thousands of pounds for national charities, has helped to widen access to careers in the law through funding, work experience and mentoring support and has internationally supported the education of Romanian orphaned children.

In recent years the Trust, through Marcus’ indefatigable and pioneering work, has supported students attending at the University of Sussex, where Marcus studied, and where he has been added as a notable legal alumni. In 2014 Marcus was awarded a Fellowship from the University in recognition of his outstanding advocacy and mentoring and other voluntary work on its behalf. In 2013, in conjunction with the University of Sussex, the Mason Hayes first-generation scholarship scheme was shortlisted in the Widening Participation category at The Times Higher Education Awards.

The Trust is also actively involved in special needs education which has seen Marcus meet Ministers, Civil Servants and MPs as he continues to highlight the needs and educational requirements of autistic children. Working with the National Autistic Society, Marcus aims to establish a national pro-bono legal service for parents with autistic children as well as an internship programme for autistic undergraduates. During 2014 Marcus also worked with the Government on a variety of its potential commercial and civil justice reforms.

In commenting on Marcus’ success, the Law Society President, Jonathan Smithers said: “I am proud that my profession has so many impressive individuas like Marcus. It is inspiring and motivating to read of the fantastic work being done by Marcus and other solicitors across the country and profession.

THE MASON HAYES CHARITABLE TRUST RAISES THOUSANDS OF POUNDS FOR STOURPORT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Marcus Hayes has raised thousands of pounds for Stourport Primary School as part of a literacy initiative that the Mason Hayes Charitable Trust is working on with the school in the town.

Marcus established the Mason Hayes Charitable Trust in 2009 which provides financial and personal development support, mentoring and work placement opportunities to those who need it. During the last year Marcus has been visiting Stourport Primary School to present a series of literacy awards in memory of his father, Roy Hayes, who died in 2014 and was for many years a well- known resident of Stourport.

Following the announcement this year of Stourport Primary School’s best ever reading results, Marcus was keen to help the school further.  When Head Teacher, Jacqui Elwis mentioned that the School was trying to raise money to replace and update its library books and facilities, Marcus pledged to raise the £10,000 that was needed for the project.

In commenting on how the £10,000 was raised Marcus said: “ It was only when I started to drive home after my visit to Stourport Primary School did I realise after a couple of telephone calls, that the Charitable Trust’s budget had been spent this year, did the enormity of what I actually promised to do really start to sink in.

 The only thing I could think of at that time that I could use to raise some money was the 170 miles coast to coast bike ride from Morecambe to Bridlington which I was going to do at the end of last month with good friend, and Stourport resident,  Darren Wilson. Having said that, I wasn’t particularly optimistic. Who after all in the days of Just Giving and constant and ongoing requests for sponsorship, would want to sponsor two old men in lycra cycling across England?

But from the 1 July when I started fund raising and received almost £3,000 in pledges on that first day, I have been quite overwhelmed at the offers of sponsorship from Mason Hayes clients, Mason Hayes suppliers, professional contacts, family and friends. Everyone I spoke to from Brighton to Leeds wanted to know about Stourport Primary School!

 I am truly indebted to my business partner Karen Houghton who has helped me raise eye-watering amounts of money from some of our clients and to Darren Wilson for allowing our bike ride to be turned into a far more serious affair, for all his efforts to raise money himself and in securing an additional donation of books to Stourport Primary School.

I would also like thank everyone who has sponsored this cycle ride. In doing so not only have they contributed significantly to the on-going excellent work of Stourport Primary and its teaching staff, but allowed the Trust to help a great little Primary School”.

MARCUS HAYES HIGHLIGHTS THE BENEFITS MASON HAYES HAS ENJOYED BY ESTABLISHING A CORPORATE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

“Do good, have fun, and the money will come” is one of Sir Richard Branson’s better known quotes. In spite of a demanding business environment, more and more small businesses are setting up their own charities and charitable foundations. Although the founding principle of a philanthropic venture is a desire to make a difference, there is also a business case: social responsibility engages staff and clients and raises a legal firm’s profile, all of which can contribute to future business growth.

It was against this background that in 2009 the Mason Hayes Charitable Trust was born. Its aim was simple: to go one step further by delivering the professional values of my law firm through a corporate and social responsibility programme which would support future potential lawyers and assist them in overcoming the barriers to entering into the legal profession.

The Mason Hayes Charitable Trust today with a Board of Management and Patrons Michael Booth QC and David Morris, provides sponsored awards to primary schools, high schools and universities, together with scholarships, mentoring, lectures, workshops and a work placement scheme for university students offering over 50 work placements at some of the country’s leading legal establishments and blue chip companies to provide insight into a career in the law and real experience to enhance employability. The Trust promotes diversity and social mobility through affording opportunities for all. In partnership with the University of Sussex, the Trust was shortlisted in the Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative at The Times Education Awards 2013.

Staff at Mason Hayes are actively encouraged to become involved in the work of the Trust, not only by way of supporting the Trust’s work but also to fulfil their own learning and development needs. Paralegals regularly take part in the delivery of seminars and workshops to gain training skills which can then be transferred into the workplace. Support staff can volunteer to assist with the co-ordination of the work placements scheme to aid and develop their project management skills and Trainee Solicitors often mentor students in relation to application processes for the Legal Practice Certificate or in obtaining a Training Contract.

By demonstrating its professional values on a daily basis, Mason Hayes enjoys enhanced goodwill with its clients as many partake in the work of the Trust by offering work placements. The firm has a truly motivated and engaged workforce who also benefit from the Firm’s values through the learning and development opportunities they are afforded by the work of the Charitable Trust.

It has of course been a huge undertaking to reach this stage but if you enter into such a programme purely as a promotional tool for your legal firm, it won’t be supported and could ultimately backfire. I have always had had a genuine belief in what I wanted Mason Hayes to achieve because it was right and responsible and could change lives. The Trust was always the vision behind the brand, but I had to make sure the business was successful first.