Birmingham Law Society—Linden Thomas

The Birmingham Law Society is celebrating the election of Linden Thomas as its youngest ever president.

Linden has taken on a year-long tenure as president from the end of April, at the age of 34. In addition to being the youngest recorded president of the society, she is also the sixth woman to lead it throughout its 200-year history. Originally practising as an employment lawyer, Linden now works as an in-house solicitor, lecturer and manager of the Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research at the University of Birmingham, and also supervises and coordinates Birmingham Law School’s pro bono programme.

In her role as president, Linden will lead the society’s members in supporting two local charities—Citizens Advice Birmingham and the Central England Law Centre—which facilitate access to justice, one of the key focuses of her tenure.

Linden commented: ‘While there is an active and thriving legal community here in Birmingham and the wider Midlands, many people in the region lack the resources to access it. This means that people can find themselves with nowhere to turn when they need professional advice and support.

‘Citizens Advice Birmingham and the Central England Law Centre both provide vital services to plug this gap, yet there is very little funding to support their work. By raising funds and providing a wider platform for these fantastic organisations, Birmingham Law Society can help ensure that people in the Midlands are able to access fair, affordable legal advice when they need it.’