A Message From Our President

Dear All,

A New Year and a new chapter as we draw to a close the previously extended presidency of Chris Andrews. My thanks to him for his leadership and support during the last two difficult years and I must smile as I step forward to take the lead in the same month as ‘Spare’ is published by Prince Harry.

It should not go unnoticed and I am proud, to be taking the helm representing you, as the first female non-partner solicitor in this role and in the same year Chancery Lane leads us to celebrate the first woman, Carrie Morrison, being admitted to the roll of solicitors by the Law Society of England and Wales (1922). This was promptly followed by three others – Maud Isabel Crofts, Mary Elizabeth Pickup and Mary Elaine Sykes – who were all admitted to the roll in early 1923.

I was shocked to learn as part of this campaign, that in 1913 Bebb v Law Society had reconfirmed that women were not allowed to join the profession as they were not classified as ‘persons’ under the Solicitors Act 1843. In 1919, the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act was passed to open the profession to women – 97 years after the Law Society was established. This year, I will be the 87th President of the Suffolk and North Essex Law Society and in this same year I will recognise 20 years of being on the roll myself.

Whilst arguably slow to start, I have witnessed and been part of a more progressive profession during the last two decades. I recall as a trainee paginating court bundles by hand whilst the Partner worked from home, and whilst the fun has been ‘sapped’ out of this by advances in technology, more equality in hybrid working is now possible. There remains many tasks which ‘juniors’ must still endure as a rite of passage into the profession, but the age of the ‘junior’ is increasing and traditional Articles or Training Contract roles are no longer gatekeepers to a legal career. Traditional ‘Partnership’, whilst no longer the only route to a successful career, needs review as succession planning remains an important topic for all businesses. Nevertheless, it is refreshing to see the new methods of qualifying being embedded locally within Firms and without compromising the core values of the profession.

Through my original elected role on this Council in 2016, I have been able to extend relationships between the profession and local Universities. There will be further and continuing opportunities to work in partnership with law clinics, the University of Law and also Anglia Ruskin University this year, so please do get in touch if these opportunities would interest your Firm and together we can encourage and welcome the next generation of Solicitors onto the roll. We have also this year co-opted Dr Stephen Colman, Senior Lecturer at the University of Suffolk onto Council, and Morenike Ajediti as our first Local Government Lawyer representative.

I really do hope this year we can get together more, support each other more, and celebrate more the strength, depth and diversity of excellence across our counties and ensure East Anglia remains an enviable place to live and work.

It will be a difficult year, with pandemic repercussions continuing, inflation, war and the UK teetering in and out of a recession. However, we are so much more connected than we were 100 years ago. Our membership is diverse, outwardly looking and rich in history and entrepreneurship. Together we can compete with and support one another in this environment, looking positively to the future.

In the Chinese Year of the Water Rabbit, I look forward to working with you all in 2023 and despite the global challenges we all face, wish peace and prosperity to all.

Amanda Timcke

President, Suffolk & North Essex Law Society