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PRESIDENT’S PAGE
Michael Frape President of the Cambridgeshire Law Society
Christmas and the turn of the year is a time when we have the space, time and motivation to reflect on the past 12 months and look forward positively to the year to come.
The last 12 months have been turbulent ones for the legal profession, the justice system and the rule of law. The state of the British justice system is a serious disgrace. A decade of chronic under-funding and cost-cutting measures have given us crumbling courts, legal aid deserts and a massive backlog in criminal and civil cases. The state of the criminal legal aid system is an outrage both to victims of crime and those accused of wrongdoing. The ever diminishing number of legal aid lawyers is a serious threat to the rule of law by restricting access to independent legal advice.
The rule of law was undermined during the Covid pandemic and continues to be threatened. The government’s legislation seeking to curtail the right to protest and to restrict human rights may not affect many of us, but is nevertheless reducing the extent of our freedoms and liberties and taking us down a path to a more authoritarian future which should concern all of us.
Looking ahead, however one should try to retain an optimistic disposition even if that may not be justified by the objective evidence around us. We can all do our bit to make our society a better place for all in many different ways. One way is to support a strong and independent legal profession upholding the rule of law. That is why CLS celebrates the excellence of our members at our annual LEA. I hope therefore that all our members will give serious consideration to putting themselves or one of their colleagues, or their team, or their firm forward for an award.
We wish all our members and their families a joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year and ask that you all consider those less fortunate than us and therefore give either of your time or your money to deserving causes and charities, who can make positive differences on our behalf.
Michael.
INFORMATION & EVENTS
OFFICERS
President
Michael Frape Ashtons Legal
Honorary Secretary
Emma Bowman Howes Percival
Treasurer
Gary Hanson
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Barristers Rep
Joshua Walters Fenners Chambers
Career Development and Mentoring Officer
Jessica Mason Birketts
Corporate Partnerships Officers
John Wright Woodfines
Andrew Lika Vardags
Corporate Sponsorships Officer
Joshua Walters Fenners Chambers
CSR & Pro Bono Rep
Ellen Cole Greenwoods GRM
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Officer
Scott Smith Howes Percival
International Relations Officer
Melissa Barker (Née de Carvalho) Birketts
In House Lawyers Rep
Anna Mortenson Nichino Europe
Junior Lawyers Division Representative
Alexandra Illingworth Mills & Reeve
LEA Officer
Jessica Mason Birketts
L&D Officer
Chris Hoole Appleyard Lees
Parliamentary Liaison Officer
Chris Thomas Appleyard Lees
Patent Attorneys Rep
Anwar Gilani Venner Shipley
PR & Social Media Officer
Josie Beal Birketts
Publications Editor
Kate Harris Birketts
Social Events Officer
Joanna Cotgrove Ashtons Legal University Liaison Officer
Kamakshi Puri Cambridge University Student Website Officer
Charlotte Vallins Ashtons Legal Administrator
Penelope Harrington
EVENTS 2023
Social
Thursday 2nd February
Networking Evening Clayton Hotel, Cambridge 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Tuesday 21st February
Diversity Network Evening Clayton Hotel, Cambridge 5.30pm - 7.30pm
L & D
Wednesday 1st February
NED Talk - Speaker Isabel Napper
Followed by networking Mills & Reeve, Cambridge 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Thursday 9th February 2023
IP Evening - Speaker Dr Jeremy Burroughes of CDT
Followed by networking Cass Centre, Cambridge 6.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 15th March 2023
Student Evening ARU Peterborough
Details to follow