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Community Engagement

The Bristol Legal Sector Community Engagement (CE) Group was set up in 2019 with the vision:

to have an overview and promote CE activity in the Bristol region in general and within the legal profession, to promote best practise, to function as a forum for support and to bring this varying activity together to maximise the positive impact of the legal profession on the Bristol region
to appoint and oversee the activity of sub working groups which may vary from time-to-time;
CE for the purposes of the Legal CE Forum/ Group covers charitable giving, volunteering, and in-kind support but does NOT include pro bono advice
The CE Legal Group covers the geographical areas of Bristol and Bath within a radius of circa thirty miles
Pro Bono advice is distinct from CE activities and a separate and independent group BRISTOL PRO BONO GROUP supports, promotes, and develops legal pro-bono work amongst the legal community in Bristol and the surrounding areas.
Please note that BRISTOL PRO BONO GROUP and the Legal CE Forum are both independent groups co-ordinated and run by the participating member firms and are NOT sub committees of Bristol Law Society
BRISTOL PRO BONO GROUP and the Legal CE Forum do have common participating members and liaise closely with each other where there is overlap or potential benefits to both groups in doing so

The group is chaired by Peter Morris and administered by Helen Read of Bristol Law Society. It meets on a quarterly basis and is kindly hosted on a rotating basis by participating organisations.

Supporting schools is a key activity of the group from volunteers getting involved in reading schemes, career fairs, mock interviews, mock trials and debating events to connecting with the early years’ talent teams in the law firms to provide school information days and work experience schemes. We invite firms to list their info days and work experience schemes on our careers job search facility to provide an accessible and common platform where schools, children and parents can look for such opportunities.

The Group also includes the Bristol Trustee Group, which aims to share information from local charities with Trustee requirements (often with a desire for legal experience) across the sector and to also support those charities with events and information on the legalities surrounding Trustee roles together with other key stakeholders in the City. You can find details of organisations looking for Trustees with legal experience through our careers search facility.

If you would like to join the meetings, have ideas for collaborative CE activities across the sector, wish to list Trustee vacancies or school information days and work experience opportunities please contact Helen.Read@bristollawsociety.com.

Burges Salmon has been an enthusiastic supporter of BLS for many years. BLS provides a valuable role in uniting and promoting the whole of the legal sector across Bristol to benefit both its members and the city. It facilitates collaboration across the sector to ensure that we can all make a difference. Whether that is driving important initiatives in, for example, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and the use of new technologies, liaising with stakeholders and charities in our wider community or providing training to generations of lawyers, the service and support provided by BLS is invaluable. More recently BLS has taken a lead on promoting Bristol’s legal brand, encouraging legal and business services talent to come to the city, which in turn attracts clients and inward investment to our thriving and vibrant commercial community. BLS breaks down barriers and brings those in the profession together for the greater good. We are proud of our long-standing association with BLS.
Roger Bull - Managing Partner, Burges Salmon
Three things to say about my experience of working with Bristol Law Society. Their central team, council members and general hangers-on are just about the nicest, most generous group of people working in the legal sector today. The numerous events, awards, socials and conferences I’ve had the pleasure to attend over the years have been, without exception, top quality and supremely organised. And, thirdly, they consistently exceed and challenge the boundaries of what lawyers might assume a regional Law Society will restrict activities to – from a hugely successful charitable school meals drive to corporate social responsibility and diversity campaigns to being joint architects and coordinators of the region’s unique Bristol+BathLegalTech group, which it has been my privilege to co-chair for the last five years.
Chris Bull - Principal, Edge International
As one of the leading Insurance brokers for law firms in the UK and with a large presence in Bristol it seemed only natural for us to support the Bristol Law Society. Bristol Law Society is one of the oldest and most vibrant of the Law Societies in England and Wales. We are pleased to be working with them on important matters relating to law firms’ liability insurances and Risk Management. From Sole Practitioner to Top 20 law firms we are sure our two organisations can provide excellent support and assistance for the challenges faced by the legal profession.
Matthew Baker - Financial Lines Group, Howden Insurance Brokers Ltd
Joining BLS in 2013 and becoming President in 2018/19 has created many longstanding friendships and business relationships, whilst also unlocking doors to other opportunities in the City. BLS enabled a perfect balance of professional development and also opportunities to give back to the legal and wider community. I am pleased that my Firm has supported BLS in many capacities since 2013 and continues to do so.
Nicholas Lee- Managing Director of Paragon Costs Solutions and Past President of BLS