“It was great to feel part of the legal community at my admissions ceremony, and to celebrate with others who had taken their own paths to achieve their goals.

“It was a reminder to persevere, that disappointments, challenges, and difficult situations are often temporary. With focus, determination and a bit of grit we can come out the other side stronger.” – Laura-Louisa Betts, solicitor at Santander UK.

Over the next year, we're celebrating 200 years of supporting solicitors by delving into our rich history and looking back at solicitors’ achievements over the last two centuries. 🌟

We want to celebrate you and share more of your stories to mark this special year! What was your inspiration for being a solicitor? Do you have a remarkable legal family history? How has your career been shaped by your life experiences? ⚖️

Get in touch with us via DM or drop a comment to share your story! ✨

The Illegal Migration Act meant children could be locked up for weeks—with no way to challenge their imprisonment.

As for the Rwanda Act, it ‘legally’ stripped people of their rights altogether.

Unjust. Unworkable. Unlawful.

Now, they’re (mostly) history.

Having fought hard against these policies, we’re not sorry to see most of their worst aspects go.

But two damaging laws that undermined justice, ignored international obligations, and put lives at risk should never have been passed in the first place. And it must not happen again.

With a new immigration bill now on the table, we want to see the current UK government:

💡Fully repeal the Illegal Migration Act and other parts of harmful immigration law
💡Protect asylum seekers from criminalisation
💡Justify shifting powers from courts
💡Explain retrospective detention powers
💡Prioritise legal representation and legal aid

Standing up against bad lawmaking is crucial to ensuring a strong rule of law and full access to justice.

It’s an important part of what we do as the voice of solicitors in England and Wales. — because laws must be fair, workable, and respect fundamental rights.

“My metaphoric door is always open to anyone who may like to meet for coffee and chat.” ☕

Law Society Council member, Bethany Walker, reflects on her priorities not only as an elected representative for the legal profession, but also as a mentor.

She says, “no matter what level you get to in this industry, it is so important to remember your roots and reflect on that, once upon a time, that student seeking advice was you.”

“Mentoring is mutually beneficial and a rewarding experience for both parties.” ⭐

Sitting on the Law Society Council as the representative for junior solicitors, Bethany is passionate about supporting solicitors’ wellbeing and addressing the serious problem of burnout in the industry.

Bethany looks after her own mental health and wellbeing by taking part in her local Legal Runner group in Surrey: “Running allows me to switch off from the everyday pressures of life, including work.”

“Being able to do this with likeminded people in the industry makes those times where you are using running to switch off so much more enjoyable, as you know they are also in the same boat and understand exactly some of the pressures you might be going through too.”

“As solicitors, we’re often helping to support clients through what are usually overwhelming and highly emotional periods”, but, Bethany adds, “this is incredibly fulfilling and rewarding”.

Thank you, Bethany, for sharing your thoughts! ✨

From leaving school aged 14 and working in a chip shop, to becoming a qualified housing and discrimination solicitor ⚖️

Gary Steel is a proud awardee of the Diversity Access Scheme (DAS) 🌟

“I grew up in Skegness and, because of the education system at the time, I fell through the gaps. I ended up working in a chip shop.”

Gary discovered law after sneaking into his partner’s law lecture. He remembers thinking: “If those students can do it, then so can I.

“[At university] I had the reading age of a 10-year-old and writing age of about 13.” Gary’s perseverance meant, with the support of DAS, he proudly graduated with a high 2:2 and began a meaningful law career in social welfare. 👏

✨As we mark 200 years of supporting solicitors, DAS is one way we’ll be celebrating the diversity of our legal community.

DAS applications for 2025 are now open! If you’re an eligible aspiring solicitor worried about funding, industry contacts or lack of opportunities, we encourage you to apply: https://ow.ly/xpBw50UU8LS

For anyone on the fence about applying, here’s Gary’s advice:

“Ask yourself, are you going to get to 40 and regret not doing it? I would have.

“I couldn’t believe it when I was successful – things like that didn’t happen to people like me. Getting DAS was a massive confidence boost.”

💡 Test your knowledge: How much do you really know about data protection?

Tell us how you'd approach the problem below. 👇

🤔 Problem:
Your client, a data controller, wishes to adopt new software enabling them to register employee attendance at work using facial recognition scanning. |

They are going to contract with a third-party company who will provide the technical infrastructure to support and administer the project.

What next steps would you take to make sure your client is compliant with information law?

Let us know in the comments ⬇️