Hexham solicitor Emma Heather was elected President of the Newcastle upon Tyne Law Society at the Annual General Meeting on 27^th March 2023. This was particularly fitting as the Law Society of England and Wales is currently marking an important milestone  - 100 years of Women in the Law.

Emma is a partner in the Hexham firm Nicholson Portnell and specialises in litigation, dispute resolution and family law.

At the Annual General Meeting the Society also paid tribute to two senior members of the profession Jill Mills and Lalage Swinburne.  Lalage, who is still a practising legal consultant with Lambert Taylor and Gregory in Corbridge, was admitted in 1956 and Jill in 1961. It is strange to consider that in 1956, when Lalage began her career, there were only 3 women solicitors in the north-east.

Emma commented “I am thrilled to have been invited, and elected, by my professional colleagues to be this year’s President of the Newcastle upon Tyne Law Society and to represent the interests of our local solicitors not only across the region but also at a national level.  We have a proud history of campaigning on matters of local importance, responding to national consultations and working in partnership with other local law societies around the country that have a similar geography and demographic to our area. This year we celebrate 100 years of Women in the Law: I want to champion this anniversary and diversity in general.”

At the same meeting Nigel Emmerson from Womble Bond Dickinson UK LLP (Newcastle office) was elected as Vice President and Paul Brown from Burnetts LLP as Deputy Vice President.