Centenary Conference an outstanding success

Centenary Conference Outstanding Success

The Society’s Centenary Conference took place on Friday 23 September at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast and was the centre piece event of the Society’s celebrations to recognise its founding in September 1922.

While many of the Centenary events were about celebrating the profession’s contributions to Northern Ireland over the past one hundred years, the Conference was firmly about looking forward, bringing together 350 members to explore the theme of “Shaping our Future Together”.

Opening the Conference, the Law Society President, Brigid Napier lauded the progress made by the profession over the last century and called on the profession to cement its future success by embracing diversity, opening access, and tackling inequality, taking this opportunity to launch the Society’s first Diversity & Equality Action Plan.

Other highlights from the Conference:

• The Lady Chief Justice, Dame

Siobhan Keegan, spoke across a diverse range of topics, including the need to modernise and embrace technology

• Professor Richard Susskind led a lively session considering the future of the profession, what the key drivers of change are likely to be and how rapid changes in technology will disrupt and redefine what it means to be a lawyer

• Following on from a special address from former Irish President and

UN High Commissioner for Human

Rights and Climate Justice activist

Mary Robinson, the profession heard from Dr Tara Shine on how Climate

Change is affecting everyone, including the legal profession and what solicitors can do to help build a fair and sustainable future for all

• Eminent journalist and author Fergal

Keane spoke of the importance of mental health and wellbeing, offering an invaluable insight into his own experiences as a war correspondent • The day closed with a fascinating look at media law and the rise of social media, led by local solicitor

Paul Tweed, hearing from a panel including RTE’s Miriam O’Callaghan,

Stephen Nolan from the BBC, Irish music producer Louis Walsh and publisher Graham Ogilvy.

The Conference would not have been possible without the generous financial support of sponsors who included:

- WTW (Joint Principal Sponsor) - ABL Group (Joint Principal Sponsor) - GMcG Chartered Accountants - Advanced Legal - Danske Bank - Xperience Group - Kingsbridge Healthcare - Clarendon Executive - Law Society Financial Advice

The Society is grateful to those who attended, contributed and supported the conference in making it such an outstanding success.

From left: Tara Shine, Co-CEO Change by Degrees, Prof Richard Susskind, Brigid Napier, President of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, Fergal Keane, journalist, and author, David A Lavery, CB, Chief Executive, Law Society of Northern Ireland.