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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

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
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