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Trailblazing lawyers at the top

20 October 2021
Issue: 7953 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Equality , Diversity
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I Stephanie Boyce has been inaugurated as the 177th president of the Law Society—making legal history as the first black office holder, first person of colour and sixth female president

Boyce stepped into the role in March after president David Greene resigned, but was formally installed into the post last week. A former director of legal services at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, she is the second in-house solicitor in nearly 50 years to take the reins at Chancery Lane. At the same ceremony, Lubna Shuja was officially installed as vice president while Nick Emmerson took office as deputy vice president.

Boyce said: ‘I am living testament to the growing social opportunity in the legal profession but I also recognise that more needs to be done. Here’s to another year of breaking down the barriers to accessing justice, to overseas markets, and ultimately, to a thriving profession―all while striving to protect the rule of law.’

It was a double celebration for Boyce last week after she was named, for the second year running, on Powerful Media’s 2022 Powerlist, which lists the UK’s 100 most influential men and women of African and African Caribbean heritage.

Boyce said she was ‘delighted and humbled’ to be named on the list.

Also on the Powerlist were solicitors: Leigh, Day partner Jacqueline McKenzie; Joshua Siaw, partner, White & Case; Segun Osuntokun, partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner; Marcia Willis-Stewart QC, director, Birnberg Peirce; Sandra Wallace, partner & joint managing director, UK & Europe, DLA Piper; and Dr Margaret Casely-Hayford, former Dentons partner and now chair of Shakespeare’s Globe.

David Lammy MP, Shadow Justice Secretary, and Harry Matovu QC represented the Bar on the Powerlist. Corporate counsel listed were Dr Sandie Okoro, senior vice president and group general counsel, World Bank; and Tom Shropshire, general counsel & company secretary, Diageo. 

Issue: 7953 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Equality , Diversity
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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