I choose to be optimistic. The nights are getting lighter and the clocks are going forward, I have had my first jab, the vaccine roll out is going at an amazing pace and I am hoping that my now 19 year old can actually stop working nights in a warehouse and do some volunteering – the “real” reason for his year out! So, with that optimism in mind DDLS has been re-arranging. The Derby City Schools Debate Competition still involves 11 teams and will take place in the Summer term. Sadly, still mostly on line but fingers crossed the Final will be LIVE ( we will have forgotten what face to face means) after the lockdown restrictions are lifted towards the end of June.
The Past Presidents Dinner has been re-arranged to Wednesday 22nd September 2021. The Annual Awards Dinner has been re-arranged to Friday 5th November 2021.DJL hopes to run a Derby Legal Walk this year – date to follow. For the sake of completeness the AGM has NOT been re-arranged and will take place on Zoom on Wednesday 5th May – notices and meeting links will be sent out in due course.
You will notice that we have a new Gold Sponsor for this year and huge thanks to DG Legal – we are pleased to be working with you – please read their introduction on page 14. We are grateful as ever to Severn Trent Searches for their ongoing sponsorship and our relationship with the University of Derby goes from strength to strength. The Triathlon will take place this year on teams for 14th April 2021 and is a great event for trainee solicitors and law students alike.
DDLS is proud to announce the formation of a new BAME sub-committee. We will be working with the University of Derby and looking into projects and events to promote and support lawyers from A BAME background. This neatly coincides with Stephanie Boyce taking office as President of the Law Society. She has said that “the trail is ready to be blazed” – not sure DDLS is quite at that point but her message of “
increasing diversity, inclusion and social mobility, improving access to justice and technology, and promoting good mental health and wellbeing” is one that we are ready to get behind. Anyone interested in becoming part of this sub-committee or suggesting projects/ events please e-mail me – you don’t have to be part of the main committee.
This year DDLS is 135 years old. I have started to write a few history pieces for the Bulletin. Anyone wanting to contribute please do let me have your memories/ stories and dare I say photos.
Take care
Julia Saunders
admin@derbylaw.net
01283 734989