Have you thought about joining The City of London Solicitors’ Company?

Have you thought about joining The City of London Solicitors’ Company?

If you are practicing or have practiced as a solicitor in the City of London or Canary Wharf, you should consider doing so. Here’s why.

The City of London Solicitors’ Company is the Livery Company for practising and formerly practising solicitors in the City of London. It was established in 1909 and received its Grant of Livery in 1944.

The Company has around 1000 members, 350 of whom practise at the largest law firms in the City of London. Almost 100 members practice in the City In-house.

There is an active Sports Section; engagement with charities; and new special interest societies are being formed. We have many dinners, an active lecture series and opportunities to network and socialise with professionals.

We have members aged from their 20s to their 90s. Our Livery Company really is for life.

We have members aged from their 20s to their 90s. Our livery company really is for life.

In the City of London alone there are 111 such Companies, and some trace their roots back to the 13th Century. Our Solicitors’ Company is one of the ‘newer’ ones, dating back to 1908. We are the second oldest of the so-called ‘modern’ Livery Companies.

Our history is important to us and, yes, we celebrate it with all the splendour and aplomb it deserves. But we are a Livery Company for today. This magazine shows that we are ready to discuss the big, often unspoken issues that affect solicitors; such as discrimination, mental health, ethics - and so much more. We help bring these issues to the fore to make a difference and to make our profession a more enlightened one.

We also try to learn from other jurisdictions and to forge relationships with members of our profession across the waters for the mutual benefit of all.

Just over 100 years ago, in 1924, a “most unique occurrence” took place. The American Bar Association - for the very first time in historyvisited the UK with the purpose of studying - up close and personal - how our own legal system works and compares with their own.

The visit incorporated a combined banquet with the then nascent Solicitors’ Company (formed just 15 years before) at Salters Hall. One of the lawyers. J. Carroll Hayes said;

““It gave us a splendid opportunity and stimulus for the comparative study and weighing of the judicial and social systems of the two countries. As iron sharpeneth iron, so this intimate contact of minds, this friendly comparison of ideas and ideals cannot but bring about fruitful results in the future relations of the great English-speaking countries.”

A century later, in November 2024, the City of London Solicitors’ Company, in collaboration

with the City of London Law Society (CLLS), hosted a breakfast at the Inner Temple as part of the American Bar Association’s Fall Conference in London to celebrate the past and to forge associations for the future.

The theme of the discussions was around the Rule of Law; a subject fundamental to society and the duty of our profession all over the world to uphold.

A huge success, as well as a thoroughly enjoyable affair, this breakfast not only celebrated a century of collaboration but laid the foundations for what is to come.

As well as seeing ourselves as spokespeople and thought leaders on the stuff that really matters, we also have charitable funds which support two educational initiatives, one providing help for people from less fortunate backgrounds to be provided with the support, training and mentorship to enter a profession that may well have considered closed to them and a project, SWSQF which provides funding for those working in social welfare law organisations so they can actually become solicitors in this vital area. This is an initiative we work on with our partners the CLLS who we collaborate with on many pieces of groundbreaking work. Both of these charitable initiatives show how the Company, while celebrating the past, is also working to create a somewhat different, more inclusive picture for the future.

But the Company is not just about doing good works; it is about fun too. A vast array of sports allow you to shake off the stresses of the day over a game of tennis, a football match, a round of golf - whatever your exercise of choice happens to be and you get to meet other members, not just from our own Company but other Livery Companies too.

There are many social events to enjoy (you can see some images of recent events on these pages) including a very connected and knowledgeable wine society which hosts regular tastings and tours designed to make your enjoyment of the grape even more fulfilling.

There are lots of ways you can get involved in our Company from simply enjoying the events in the diary to being more active and joining one of our new societies (such as the History Society) or working committees (such as our active and enthusiastic Communications Committee). We are really keen to extend the membership to the next generation of lawyers who can make it even better in the 21st Century.

The first step is to apply for the Freedom of the Company (using the form on our Website: www. citysolicitors.org.uk) and, once accepted, you will be admitted with your fellow cohorts in a ceremony in front of the Court. Then you apply for Freedom of the City, a glorious tradition which dates back 800 years. Then you may become a Liveryman.

Not many organisations have such a rich past which is not just remembered but actually brought to life with yearly events. Fewer have the platform to be able to make significant changes in the profession today. And even fewer are in a position to help shape the future.

The Company can and does all of these things; we hope you will become a part of it. ■

For more information contact;

The City of London Solicitors’ Company 020 7329 2173 mail@citysolicitors.org.uk

We also have comprehensive information on how to join on our website: www.citysolicitors.org.uk