Our next Annual Dinner, being the 89th, will again take place at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington on Thursday 16th April 2009. The current President Elect, Alistair Gough, will have taken over as President from Ian George that afternoon and will be "in charge" on the night.

The 2008 Annual dinner took place on Thursday 17th April 2008 when 362 attended the:

Clive Coleman was called to the Bar in 1986 and joined the chambers of Robin Stewart QC at 2 Harcourt Buildings, Temple His career started in spectacular fashion when he managed to get his first client off with a mere six month prison sentence. That was for a parking offence, though, to be fair, he had just parked on top of his social worker! As a criminal barrister Clive undertook defence work and prosecuted cases for the Crown Prosecution Service. His civil practice included personal injury, medical negligence, property and insolvency. In his medical negligence work he has acted for both claimants and defendant insurers across a range of medical and clinical negligence claims.

From 1990-99 Clive was also a Principal Lecturer in Law on the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law, where he helped to pioneer skills training for barristers. Clive lectured and wrote widely on advocacy, communication and the art of persuasion. He also taught Evidence, Civil Litigation, Drafting, Negotiation and ran the Professional Ethics course for aspiring barristers. During this period Clive started to develop his writing career. In 1992, he won the prestigious BBC Radio Light Entertainment Contract Writers Award (previous winners include Angus Deayton and Rory McGrath). Clive regularly contributed to ‘Weekending’, ‘The News Huddlines’ and wrote the sit-com ‘Hair In The Gate’, starring Alistair McGowan.

Clive’s television comedy credits include: ‘Spitting Image’, ‘Smith and Jones’ ‘Clive Anderson Talks Back’, and ‘Dead Ringers’, though he is perhaps best know for ’Chambers’ his hit BBC1 sit-com about barristers, starring John Bird, James Fleet and Sarah Lancashire. In 1998 he won the BBC’s inaugural ‘Frank Muir Award’, for outstanding comedy writing. His current writing commissions include a new sit-com for the BBC, a comedy drama for ITV and a drama series set in a firm of high street legal aid solicitors struggling to survive in the world publicly funded law.

Clive’s television drama credits include: ‘The Bill’ (for whom he also acts as a legal consultant on court based storylines), ‘Heartbeat’ and ‘Crossroads’. Since 2004 Clive has been the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s flagship legal analysis programme, ‘Law In Action’. He also writes on ‘The Times’ comment pages, and for ‘The Independent’ and ‘The Guardian’. He regularly appears on news and current affairs programmes including ‘The Daily Politics’, ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and ‘News 24’ to comment on legal matters.

For the past ten years, he has regularly performed on radio with credits including co-writing and performing in Radio 4’s ‘Control Group 6’ (nominated for the 1996 Writer’s Guild Award for Best Radio Comedy), Radio Five Live’s ‘The Game’s Up’, with Alistair McGowan; and ‘You Cannot Be Serious’, with Kevin Day. Other regular guest appearances include Radio 4’s, ‘The News Quiz’, ‘Quote Unquote’ and ‘Loose Ends.

Newell is currently Chief Executive Officer of USA's NPTA Alliance taking up the role in February 2007 and is responsible for leadership of the paper, packaging and facility supplies distribution trade association, based in Farmingdale, New York State. Formerly with Unisource he was President - Paper responsible for $2.5bn. U.S. paper distribution business, based in Norcross, GA. Prior to 2004 Newell was Senior Vice President of Xpedx Midwest Region based in Denver, CO and before that he was Vice President & General Manager of International Paper's bleached board business in Memphis, TN. Prior to 1991 Newell was Vice President of Sales for 5 years with the Dillard Paper Company in Greensboro, NC prior to its acquisition by International Paper in that year.

Brian Greenan was President of the Society of London Toastmasters in 1998 and is currently the Honourable Secretary. His clients include the Variety Club, the Lord’s Taverner’s, the Lady Taverner’s and the Lady Rattling’s, as well as many other high profile charities, institutions, organisations and corporate clients. In January 2004 he was the Toastmaster at the Royal Inaugural Ball on board the world’s biggest cruise ship, the Queen Mary 2, just one of the many Royal functions he has officiated at. In October 2004 he was made an Honorary Barker of the Variety Club of Great Britain.

Directions

By Rail: The hotel is accessible from all London mainline stations via the Circle line tube to High Street Kensington. Alternatively take a taxi directly to the hotel from all mainline stations.

By Tube: The closest station to the hotel is High Street Kensington station on the Circle and District lines. From the station turn right onto Kensington High Street. The hotel can then be found 200 metres away on the left hand side of the street.

By Car: The Hotel is situated on the A315 which is accessible from the A4 (please see map).

By Air: Heathrow Airport
15 miles / 24 km west of Central London just off the M4 motorway. A traditional black taxi will cost you in the region of £45-£50 to or from Heathrow and will take around 35-40 minutes. The quickest, cheapest and most reliable way of travelling to or from Heathrow and Central London is by the Piccadilly Line Tube with a journey time of approximately 50 minutes and a cost of £3.80. The Heathrow Express runs from Paddington Station and takes about 15 minutes at a cost of £15 each way.

Gatwick Airport
30 miles / 50 km south of London off the M23 motorway
A traditional black taxi will take you there in around 60 minutes. The cost is negotiable as it is outside the London perimeter and the cab driver is not obliged to use his meter, so good deals can sometimes be had! Expect to pay around £90. The Gatwick Express train from Victoria Station is the fastest and easiest service to Gatwick. The journey takes about 30 minutes and trains run every 15 minutes at a cost of £13 one way and £20 return.
The Flight Line bus from Victoria Coach station is cheaper than the Gatwick express, however takes 75 - 90 minutes at a cost of £7.50.

Special room rates have been agreed at The Royal Garden Hotel for the night of the dinner. A single room can be booked for £185.00 and a double room for £200.00, both rates include VAT and a continental breakfast. Rooms must be booked prior to Monday 17th March 2008 by quoting "NAPM Dinner" on 0207 9378000.

Special room rates have also been agreed for the night of the dinner at The Kensington Close Hotel & Spa on Wrights Lane, Kensington, just a short walk away from The Royal Garden. A single room can be booked for £129.00 and a double room for single occupancy for £145.00, both rates include VAT and an English breakfast. Again rooms must be booked prior to Monday 17th March 2008 by quoting "NAPM Dinner" on 0870 751770.