The Law Society

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Nicholas Peter Fluck, who served as the president of the Law Society of England and Wales from 2013 to 2014. Nick Fluck made a range of prominent contributions to the Law Society and legal profession during his time as president. He worked tirelessly to support our members and defend the profession. His keen interest in communications and data technology enabled him to lead the profession into a new era of innovation. With extensive experience from a distinguished legal career, Nick was a steadfast advocate for access to justice and the rule of law. Our president Nick Emmerson said: “Nick was highly regarded and lauded for his kindness, sincerity and diligence by colleagues and members alike. His commitment to the legal profession transcended his time as president, as he continued to support the profession as a Council member for Lincolnshire. “He will be thoroughly missed by those in the organisation and across the profession. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”

A "legal Alexa" at your fingertips ⚖️ Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo, law and technology professor at Leeds Beckett University, gave a talk on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in the legal profession to save time and improve workflows and research. Here are three key benefits we learned: 🌟 Enhancing Legal Practice with AI "AI offers numerous opportunities to enhance legal practice, streamline processes, and improve outcomes for legal practice." Practical examples include document and workflow automation. 🤖 Virtual Legal Assistance AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots are becoming common in law firms. "Legal chatbots provide legal information, guidance, and assistance through natural language conversations,". Nnenna likens them to a "legal Siri or legal Alexa." 📊 AI in Legal Research AI is revolutionising legal research with tools like Case Text and Lex Machina. These tools can examine large amounts of documents; making research more efficient and accurate. Watch the full talk: Dive deeper into these practical examples and explore the potential of AI in the legal profession, challenges, and next steps! 🤖➡️ https://ow.ly/yUlE50SFmsP #LegalTech #AI #Law #Innovation

👑 “I never would’ve competed in Miss England if I hadn’t left a Magic Circle law firm.” Meet Alice Cutler, a former Magic Circle trainee turned regional commercial property solicitor ⚖️ From competing in Miss England to marathon running, discover why Alice chose to leave the City in search of a better work-life balance ⬇️ “After university, I was offered a training contract at a Magic Circle firm, but overall it was a strange experience. "I moved to London just before COVID hit, so most of work was remote. I didn't know anyone and I felt quite alone at times. "I also got an honest insight into the reality of working at this type of firm without the London office, socials and client dinners. "Instead, I was sitting in my room every day working into the early hours.” “After qualifying, I left the Magic Circle firm – people thought I was mad. "But I’ve got a long bucket list I want to tick off and when you’re in that kind of job, it’s really the only thing you can do. "Even at a regional firm, there’s a lot of expectation. I still have billable targets and demanding clients. The difference is, here you can switch off a little bit. “Since then, I’ve competed in Miss England, which was a big thing on my bucket list. I would never have had the time if I hadn’t left the Magic Circle firm. "I’ve also recently ran my first ever half marathon raising £1,000 for charity! "If there’s something you really want to do, just go for it! Be brave and take a risk: you never know what might happen." ✨ Discover more here: https://ow.ly/VRzm50SEouT

"Once a little girl from Small Heath who worked behind the till at her parents’ corner shop [and] never dared to dream she would be sitting before you today, counted among the holders of this role" - Congratulations to Shabana Mahmood, who has been sworn in as the first female Muslim lord chancellor. Yesterday was historic for multiple reasons, as it also marked the first time that a lady chief justice swore in a female lord chancellor ⚖️ Shabana is pictured with our president, Nick Emmerson, who said it was a "privilege" to speak at the historic ceremony on behalf of the solicitor profession. We look forward to working with Shabana as we continue to advocate for the legal profession and a strong justice system.

What a wonderful admissions ceremony in Cardiff! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿✨ It was a pleasure to formally welcome another cohort of solicitors from across Wales and the surrounding areas, at our bilingual ceremony 👏 Attendees ranged from newly qualified, to those who qualified some 46 years ago, proving that it's never too late to celebrate your success! 🌟 llongyfarchiadau / congratulations to our attendees! 🥳 Book your place at one of our upcoming ceremonies: https://ow.ly/aGgq50SBk6R

"We can’t do this alone. We must work with business every step of the way. It’s why I’m asking some questions of business owners to help shape our approach." Read more about our Secretary of State's meeting with businesses 👇

“I know that talented, intelligent, tenacious solicitors can be found in every corner of England and Wales. 🌟 “Whether you’re in London, Leeds or Leighton Buzzard, you’ll always find solicitors working hard and serving the communities they live in. “That’s why it’s important that our Council reflects the diversity of the profession, from the high street to the high court.” - Our president, Nick Emmerson. ⚖️ Help shape your professional body and make sure you’re happy with the person speaking on your behalf, by voting in our Council elections. ✅ 🫵 This is your opportunity to choose a representative who you are confident will advocate for the issues that matter most to you. Have your say and cast your vote – but be quick, elections close tomorrow (Friday 12 July)! 🚨 If eligible, you will have been sent a link via email from UK-Engage where you can learn more about each of the candidates running and cast your vote. Discover more: https://ow.ly/USaM50SzryU

65% of firms had been a victim of a cyber incident. * And yet, 35% of firms still do not have cyber mitigation plans. * *(According to a Cert-UK report published in 2022) The recent NHS cyber-attack was a stark reminder that cyber threats loom over every business, law firms included. ⚖ Almost 400GB of private data was allegedly extorted after ransomware hackers infiltrated computer systems. Does your firm have a cyber-attack plan in place? Here’s how you can make sure your firm doesn’t become a cyber target 🔽 https://lnkd.in/dCW-VryA  

“It is essential that we have an opportunity such as this to acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of individual solicitors who leave an indelible mark on the legal landscape by going above and beyond their work to achieve greatness.” - Parvien A., director of Bright Legal and one of our Legal Heroes 2024 judges. Over the last two years, Legal Heroes has been an opportunity to honour solicitors who have significantly improved the lives of others, their local communities and society. As someone who was previously nominated as a Legal Hero, Parvien reflects on the quality of talented solicitors who have been nominated: “I was shortlisted last year myself and was amazed by the calibre and sheer brilliance demonstrated by all the nominees. “Our profession demands exceptionally high levels of commitment, dedication, and strong ethics. “Not only are these solicitors highly motivated, committed, and passionate about their work, but they also inspire and uplift all those around them.” Find out more Parvien and all the other 2024 Legal Heroes judges here: https://ow.ly/XXqG50SxOrC

From playing cricket against national teams and featuring in a Bollywood movie, to becoming partner at Dechert, Evan Flowers's journey into law is fascinating 💡 Read more about Evan’s story below ⬇️ “Growing up on the east coast of Australia, my career dream was to play cricket for Australia and/or to study wildlife. I did not manage either. "My career as a global investigations, government enforcement and criminal defence lawyer in London has been an unlikely one for a ‘bush’ lawyer who initially came to play cricket for a season in England. “While my cricket career was not quite as serious, I have had the thrill of playing cricket against six national teams…I even had a fleeting role in a Bollywood movie, aptly playing a failed English cricketer, before deciding that my talents were best utilised in ‘big law’. “At law school, I worked as a courthouse car park cashier and security attendant. I was also a paralegal in the public interest legal centre at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, which ran free legal advice clinics… "That period taught me about the flawed justice system, while also reaffirming the power of law as a force for good in the hands of lawyers with passion, integrity and knowledge. “There are parallels between playing competitive cricket and being a lawyer. Both have their own strange language, conventions and dress codes and require individual accountability in a team context, tenacity, managing pressure, prolonged frustration and some pain. "One particularly enjoyable aspect of both is the rich tapestry of diverse personalities they attract from all over the world, many of whom have become lifelong friends.” Thank you, Evan, for sharing your story!