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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

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