JUNIOR LAWYERS DIVISION
Surrey Junior Lawyers Division W
ith a committee that now numbers 19 strong, Surrey JLD eagerly anticipates the year ahead. In this report we cover our committee members both new and old, along with what we have planned and how you can get involved.
Our strategy At the top of our agenda are our members’ well-being and careers, both in terms of access to the profession and development.
A new committee Access to the profession is at the heart of what we do so we are delighted to have Amber Matheson join us as both an Events and Diversity & Inclusion Representative, since those two roles complement each other so well. Amber joins fellow Events Representative Adele Edwards, while Katrina Burrows steps into the new Charity Representative position.
Therefore, in addition to talks on acquiring training and newly qualified positions, we intend to have talks on becoming a senior associate and partner. In January we are due to have an event with Elizabeth Rimmer the CEO of LawCare, the mental health charity for the entire legal community throughout the UK and Ireland including aspiring lawyers.
Digital marketing is vital to us as a committee and needs an expanded dedicated team. Joining Alexandra Milson as a Social Media & Publications Representative is Tabitha Lee. Chloe Wallington fills the new role of Website Officer while former Chair of Nottinghamshire JLD Kim Wintle is now our Media & Communications Representative. The acute demand for mental health and well-being events and resources has prompted the election of an additional Wellness Representative. Sonay Erten is joined in this position by William Smith-Brix.
Cocoa With The Committee is now focusing on various practice areas to help aspiring and trainee lawyers understand what it is like working in those areas of law. So far we have had an Intellectual Property Law Cocoa and a Family Law Cocoa, with upcoming Cocoas to cover Employment Law, Injury and Clinical Negligence Claims Law, Investment Law and Tech, Art Law and Equine Law. We are particularly keen to give Surrey JLD members looking to stand out in their chosen practice areas the opportunity to be speakers to help support their careers, so please do contact us at surreyjuniorlawyersdivision@gmail. com in order to be considered. ■
Furthermore, it is important to have our members represented on our committee, including their various routes to qualification. We’re pleased to have local government representation in the form of our In-House Representative James Fry. Sponsorship Representative Victoria Batstone is now also our CILEx Representative, while Nedra Daniel is our Career Changer Representative. Novel positions have been created for some new committee members including our Universities & Colleges Student Representative Bethany Walker, and Seema Gill, our Solicitors Qualifying Examination Representative. The role of Student Representative has been renamed to University of Law and LPC Representative, which this year is occupied by Grace Butler. Martin Whitehorn has been elected Chair and will also remain National JLD Representative, representing Surrey’s junior and aspiring solicitors at the national JLD committee meetings. Alice Barrett and Sapphira Gold continue in their positions as Secretary and Treasurer respectively, helping ensure the effective administration and financial management of our group. Kate Lewis is now our Surrey Law Society Representative, responsible for driving collaboration between our two organisations. Many thanks to outgoing Chair Yasmin Curry, Media & Communications Representative Chantelle de Filippis, CILEx Representative Daniel Crate, and In-House and Surrey Law Society Representative Tilly Greenstreet-Carter for all your work. SURREYLAWYER | 25
