The President’s Foreword

INTRODUCTION

The President’s Foreword

NOVEMBER 2020

Welcome to Central London Lawyer. I was elected President of Westminster and Holborn Law Society at our AGM in mid-October. A number of new officers were elected along-side me, who will help in the continuing growth of the society.

We all owe a great debt to Carolina Marín Pedreño, my predecessor, and now the immediate past president. She guided the society through unimaginable circumstances. From the highs of our very successful annual dinner in March through the complete lockdown a week later, where it became a crime to even leave your home except for a prescribed reason. Yet the society has kept going and indeed kept holding events – by Zoom.

Thanks also to Anisha Birk our secretary who also stepped down. She did a great job.

This edition of CLL is themed around Black History month.

Our society member Stephanie Boyce, who became Vice President of the The Law Society earlier this month has contributed an interesting article on diversity in the profession. Whilst as a profession the upper reaches could benefit from change, it appears solicitors are way ahead on diversity in comparison to other professions.

Last year’s runner up of the Gamlin prize, Andrew Marks has written a thought- provoking article on LGBT rights.

There are a number of other articles on diversity which certainly are well worth reading.

With Covid, it’s here-we-go-again with a lockdown of one sort or other. This edition contains a number of helpful articles from working from home to your legal rights regarding redundancy.

As for what I would like to achieve during my year as President, it’s simple - grow the Society, and represent solicitors where The Law Society has failed to do so. Whether it’s our colleagues who rely on legal aid, those threatened with an attack on their incomes because they bring judicial reviews, or colleagues who practice employment law, our voice must be heard.

We also need equality of arms for junior solicitors who are hauled before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. They make mistakes because of stress but are disproportionately hounded by the SRA. They must be adequately represented and I will speak out on their behalf and campaign on this issue. ■

Paul Sharma

President

Westminster & Holborn Law Society