London Opening of the Legal Year 2024
11 October 2024
Caption: (L-R) Greg McIntyre SC, Law Council President; Anne Bodley, Chair, Anglo-Australasian Lawyers Society UK Chapter;
Richard Atkinson, Vice President, the Law Society of England and Wales; and Elisabeth Bowes, Deputy High Commissioner.
Between 30 September – 2 October 2024, Law Council President Greg McIntyre SC joined international counterparts and bar leaders from over 60 law societies and bar associations around the world to attend the Opening of the Legal Year in London.
In addition to the ceremonial events associated with the Opening, the President attended the annual Bar Leaders Discussion jointly hosted by the Law Society and Bar Council of England and Wales. The event focused on the role of bar associations and law societies in the lead up to, during, and after elections. Leaders from the American Bar Association, the National Bar of Mexico, the French National Bar Council and the Malaysian Bar offered reflections on the elections taking place this year in their jurisdictions on a panel moderated by the President of the Law Society of England and Wales, Nick Emmerson. Discussion centred on the legal profession’s engagement with democratic processes and how legal professional associations can help politicians recognise the importance of justice issues in the context of competing demands for public services.
The President also attended a Commonwealth Bar Leaders Briefing jointly hosted by the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Law Society of England and Wales. In the briefing, former President of the Malaysian Bar and former Vice President (Australasia) of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association Steven Thiru. Mr Thiru’s presentation highlighted the CLA’s ongoing initiatives and strategic plans including the upcoming Commonwealth Bar Leaders’ Summit to be held in 2025.
On 1 October 2024, the Law Society of England and Wales hosted a reception for the Australian and UK legal profession to celebrate the ties between the legal professions of Australia and the UK. The reception brought together representatives of legal professional associations of Australia, England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Australian High Commission, the UK Ministry of Justice and UK Department of Business and Trade. Attendees included Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ms Elisabeth Bowes PSM; President of the Law Society of New South Wales Brett McGrath and Senior Vice President Jennifer Ball, and President of the Australian Bar Association Peter Dunning KC. The President delivered a speech on the strong ties between both legal professions and acknowledged the ongoing Legal Services Regulatory Dialogue established under the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement.
Caption: (L-R) Lisa Sam, President, Law Society of Singapore; Nick Emmerson, President, Law Society of England and Wales;
Shyam Divan, President of LAWASIA; Greg McIntyre SC, Law Council President; and
Steven Thiru, Vice President of Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
Last Updated on 08/01/2025