The Law Society’s Bicentenary: Celebrating 200 years

The Law Society’s Bicentenary: Celebrating 200 years

About the Bicentenary

In 2025 the Law Society of England and Wales will celebrate its 200th anniversary. This is a huge milestone in our history and an exciting moment to be part of.

Our bicentenary will be about feeling proud of the Law Society and the legal profession and celebrating our diverse community. We want to engage with members more than ever before and we want to demonstrate the impact of the profession on a public platform. Our 200 years will also be a moment to reflect – on where we are now, on how far the profession has come, and where it is headed.

To celebrate this, we are planning a year-long programme of activities and events, showcasing the past, present and future of the Law Society and the legal profession.

The programme has been in the making for the past year and has been developed in tandem with our members, including local law societies and Council members. The bicentenary programme’s guiding thematic principles have been identified with members through the practicing certificate fee member consultation last year.

What the year will look like?

The bicentenary celebrations will start in October 2024, in line with the opening of the new legal year, and run throughout 2025.

The bicentennial programme itself will draw together existing work across the organisation and create new initiatives specifically for the bicentennial year. These include activities such as:

• A digital exhibition showcasing the history of the profession.

• An enhanced Presidential roadshow with special events across England and Wales focusing on local stories championing solicitors and the profession. We will base this tour on a ‘history road map’, highlighting important stories from the past and present.

• Admissions ceremonies with a unique 200-year focus and feel.

• International receptions and webinars engaging the significant member community working outside England and Wales.

• A Gazette special feature

• Creation of an expert art advisory group to help us diversify our current portrait collection and plan how it can better reflect and engage the modern profession.

• Launch of the Reframing Justice report (read about the project and our Year 1 findings) alongside the culmination of our work on ethics and 21st Century Justice.

Alongside our confirmed events, we would also like to open 113 Chancery Lane to the public as part of the much-loved Open House Festival weekend and showcase our heritage and beautiful historic building.

How you can support

We are keen to engage with our members across England and Wales to seek ideas and input for stories we might tell in a history of the profession. For this, we would like to understand the experience of regional law societies, particularly their experiences of celebrating similar milestones, and how they may wish to support the bicentenary programme.

We would be grateful to receive any ideas, be they significant solicitor stories from your region or milestones past and present. All ideas will feed into the research we are undertaking into historic and contemporary stories for the creation of our digital history and history road map.

If you are interested in finding out more, or would like to share information or a story of the profession in your area please contact amy.murat@lawsociety.org.uk ■

Amy Murat

Bicentennial Programme Manager Law Society