EDITORIAL
06
President’s
Report by Glynis Wright Dear Members,
to run all of my planned events up to and including
challenge. We raised over £10,000 for the Alex’s
Since the last edition of the Leicestershire Law
the Triumphs of Leicester prior to the lockdown, as
Wish Charity which is phenomenal. For those of you
Society magazine, the legal world as we know it
the events brought in a considerable profit for the
who may be interested in more adrenaline activities,
has become unrecognisable. Little could I have
Leicestershire Law Society which has transpired to
I am undertaking a loop de loop in 2021 in a small
imagined that by the time I was writing my next
be a blessing indeed given what has now occurred,
bi-plane in 2021 and am looking for others to join
President’s Report for the magazine, we would be
and the fact that the LLS is unable to generate an
me for more fundraising! Do contact me if you are
facing a world-wide pandemic, and a justice system
income during this period. I promised faithfully at
interested!
under such acute strain that it is unlikely to recover
the start of the Presidency that I would be a careful
for years to come, unless record levels of funding
steward for the LLS and would look to shore up our
Leicester” gala dinner was also a sell-out. I had
are made available from the government. Since the
financial stability. I have done so, which means that
conceived of the theme for this dinner before I
East Midlands has not even had the benefit of a
the LLS has a healthy bank balance and is still in a
became President and it will remain very close to
Nightingale Court being funded to ease some of the
strong position financially notwithstanding the effect
my heart. It was an opportunity to truly celebrate
backlog in the region, the recovery here is likely to
of the pandemic. It is a strategy that now seems
Leicester and Leicestershire. We heard from some
take even longer.
rather prescient given what was to come – otherwise
of the most significant individuals who have hailed
we may not have had a Law society at all.
from Leicester including (for Law) Sir John Goldring,
Law firms were forced to close their doors and set up remote working in no more than a week.
As you will all know, the “Classical Extravaganza”
I was immensely proud that the “Triumphs of
and again, you can read more about this event later
Although we as law firms will have had disaster
Annual Dinner and Legal Award night that Lucy
in the magazine. I was delighted to work with the
planning in place for contemplated emergencies
and I had worked so hard to organise was a virtual
University of Leicester in producing a film for the
like cyber-attacks or flooding, none of us could
sell out with just under 400 tickets being sold.
night celebrating extraordinary people who have
have been ready for what hit us with the pandemic,
That was pulled with great sadness a week before
come out of Leicester, which was shown on the
or could have conceived of the possibility of
it was due to take place on the 20 March 2020. It
night to general acclaim and has been released
surviving intact after not one, but two, lockdown
was of course absolutely the right thing to do. The
by the LLS and the University of Leicester on their
situations. It is a credit to the Leicestershire legal
event was rebooked for the end of September in the
social media channels.
community that we have been so resilient and
expectation that the country would by then have
have continued to provide high quality services to
risen out of the pandemic and that mass gatherings
should have ended in May 2020 but I was asked
our clients throughout this awful time. At my last
would be possible, but sadly that has not transpired
to stay on as President until the end of September
Main Committee meeting, we had the Deputy Vice
to be the case. The Legal Awards have therefore
2020 to see LLS through the worst of the
President of the national Law Society Stephanie
been moved to May 2021 where the “Classical
pandemic. I was happy to do so on the basis that
Boyce give an address at which she spoke of
Extravaganza” will still take place, but where I will be
there could not be a worse time for a new President
how impressed she was with the Leicester and
delighted to share the event with the President that
to take up the reins. This will therefore be my final
Leicestershire legal communities who were dealing
will be taking up the seat following the AGM on the
President’s Report and I wish to conclude with my
so effectively with the second lockdown.
30 September 2020. The candidates shortlisted in
enormous thanks to my Main Committee members
2020 will remain in place for the 2021 event, and a
and my fellow Executive Committee members
focussing on providing as much training and
new competition will be run in 2022. I am so pleased
for their support and continuing commitment
support as we can during this period. We have
that our entertainment in the form of the scintillating
to the Society. Most of all, I wish to thank Lucy
offered training to our members aimed at helping
electric string quartet “The Sirens” and acclaimed
Miller, the LLS Manager for her conscientiousness
them deal with the impact of the pandemic such
mezzo-soprano Rozanna Madylas and baritone
and excellence in discharging her duties. Sadly,
as an overview of the different financial schemes
Lancelot Nomura will still be performing on the night
Lucy will be moving on shortly to pastures new.
and grants available, marketing strategies for law
along with the fabulous “Likuid Blu” who will take
I know that all who read this report will want to
firms post-Covid by our Patrons D G Legal and by
us all onto the dancefloor after the awards are given
pass on their best wishes to Lucy who has been
Rachel Tombs, compliance education particularly
out. I am also thrilled that BBC Radio Presenter Jo
outstanding. It would be fair to say that Lucy and
with reference to Covid-related health and safety,
Hayward will still be our glamorous compere for the
I have enjoyed working together immensely, no
SQM remote audits, and other general courses such
evening as planned. I have comforted myself that
doubt bonded by the mutual stress of running the
as Modern Slavery by Olwen Davies and Court of
the event, although postponed, will be twice the
events that we have, as well as the excitement and
Appeal work, and Behavioural Biases by one of our
celebration because of what we will all have been
challenge of those times, and of course, our desire
Patrons Finance Lab. Charnwood Accountants who
through. I certainly hope that will transpire to be the
to do our very best for the members of LLS. Lucy
are also our Patrons offered courses on succession
case.
will be sorely missed but I am sure you will all be
The Leicestershire Law Society has been
planning and SRA Accounts Rules. We have run
Since my last report, and prior to the pandemic, I
As you may well be aware, my Presidential seat
delighted to welcome Kauser Patel back as the
courses in Conveyancing with Ian Quayle and the
held two events which will stay with me as the most
LLS Manager who you will recall left following the
national Law Society conducted a consultation
wonderful memories. The first was the Presidential
birth of her second baby. Therefore, I am assured
with some of our members on what the national
ZipWire Challenge where I was joined by lawyers
in my mind that Lucy and I will be leaving the LLS
Law Society are doing to support law firms during
and local businesspeople to undertake the fastest
in very good hands with Kauser and of course the
this time and what is available from them by way of
zipwire in Europe. It was truly a thrilling and breath-
new President who will be taking over from 30
resources. All in all, we have doubled the training on
taking experience as we achieved speeds of nearly
September 2020!
offer to our members the majority of which has been
100 mph as we hurtled down the zipwire. The best
completely free.
part of the event was the generosity shown by
Glynis Wright
those who pledged to support us as we took up the
President of the Leicestershire Law Society
I count myself as very fortunate that I was able
www.leicestershirelawsociety.org.uk
