By Lucy Caulkett-
Midlands sole practitioner Lubna Shuja was today inaugurated as the 178th, first Asian, first declared Muslim and seventh female president of the Law Society of England and Wales in its near 200-year history.
This is the first time in the Society’s history that it has had two consecutive women presidents. Shuja’s accession coincides with the centenary of the first woman in Carrie Morrison being admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.
She takes on the highly respected post and challenging task of defending legal principles and promoting high standards in both the legal profession and in society on matters concerning law.
Suja, a sole practitioner from Birmingham-based Legal Swan, specialises in professional regulation and disciplinary law. She has acted as deputy clerk to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and beenin various leadership roles on conduct committees for accountants, social workers, healthcare professionals and chiropractors.
She also acts as mediator in civil, family, probate and commercial disputes.
Formerly a partner at West Yorkshire firm Sampson Horner, where she worked for 13 years having first qualified at legacy City firm Fladgate Fielder in 1999. she succeeds Stephanie Boyce at the conclusion of her extended 18-month term, making it the first time in the Law Society’s history that two women have served as president consecutively, with Boyce being the first black women to hold office.
Boyce in turn succeeded David Greene as president following his resignation in March 2021 to contest ongoing professional disciplinary proceedings relating to a dispute with a former client.
Shuja previously held leadership roles with the Society, serving on its board. She was chair of the Sole Practitioners Group in 2012, before being elected to the Society’s council in 2013.
Rule Of Law
Shuja said she was honoured to serve as Law Society president, adding that she has taken on the role at a “difficult time” for the legal profession.
“The rule of law has been in the spotlight as never before in recent history. The UK’s economy is on a knife-edge and businesses are having to deal with rising interest rates and high inflation,” she said.
Shuja’s year-long term in office will see her launch a major focus on ethics in the profession to help solicitors through the “minefield” of criticism she said has become more pronounced in recent years and has at times been unfair criticism of lawyers for “representing their clients and doing their job.”
The focus on ethics is intended to help the public understand “the finely balanced ethical issues solicitors weigh up on a daily basis to ensure the rule of law is upheld,” and will work in tandem with a concerted effort to educate the public about the role of justice, the solicitor profession and why they are vital to society.
Professor Richard Moorhead, of Exeter University, congratulated Shuja on her historic first, “but also on putting ethics centre stage”.
But he added: “I hope she will say clearly to her colleagues, as they often say to me, that much of the criticism of lawyers’ ethics is not unfair but fair. The problems run much deeper than persuading the public on the rule of law. A renewed focus on integrity requires responding openly and constructively to failures which appear to have become increasingly common and prominent.”
Shuja will also build on Boyce’s work on improving diversity, social mobility and social inclusion.
“I am the first Asian, first Muslim and only the seventh female president of the Law Society. I am a Northerner, originally from Bradford and I am from a working-class background,” she said. “Diversity, social mobility and social inclusion are very important to me.”
Gender Parity
Noting that more needs to be done to achieve gender parity in terms of pay and progression, Shuja said she intended to “understand better the barriers that firms and businesses are facing when trying to reach and promote diverse candidates as well as identify the challenges facing those seeking to enter and progress through the sector”.
The Law Society has also named Nick Emmerson, a commercial partner at Lewis Mathys Emmerson and criminal legal aid lawyer, as its new vice president and Richard Atkinson, managing partner of Tuckers’ Kent branch, as deputy vice president.
Each year the Society elects the deputy vice president; the previous year’s deputy vice president becomes the vice president and the vice president becomes president
Professional Discipline
Shuja, admitted in 1992, specialises in professional discipline and regulation. She also has experience in contested wills and probate, divorce, child access, personal injury and contractual disputes.
She said: ’I take on the role at a difficult time for the legal profession. The rule of law has been in the spotlight as never before in recent history. The UK’s economy is on a knife-edge and businesses are having to deal with rising interest rates and high inflation.’
’If the pandemic has proven one thing, however, it is that solicitors are resilient and adaptable. They keep the wheels of justice turning by providing services remotely, innovating at pace and ensuring the public can get the justice they deserve.’
Setting out five main priorities for her presidency, Shuja said: ’My plan focuses on improving the justice system, upholding the rule of law and supporting our members.
Ethics
A major focus will be professional ethics, she said. ’Solicitors’ primary duty is always to the court and they must act in the best interests of their client. Parts of the profession have been unfairly criticised in the past for representing their clients and doing their job. These criticisms have become more pronounced in recent years, directed at lawyers practising in areas as diverse as immigration and financial services.
’As president, I intend to launch a major focus on ethics in the profession to support solicitors though this minefield. This will help the public to understand the finely balanced professional ethical issues solicitors weigh up on a daily basis to ensure the rule of law is upheld.’