One Profession One Region One Voice Birmingham Law Society's New Leadership

nuse.

Guy Barnett has been sworn in as the 134th President of Birmingham Law Society, pledging to strengthen Council, connect Birmingham’s legal community and ensure the Society provides a strong voice for the profession across the region.

Barnett formally took office at the Society’s AGM on Thursday 24 September, becoming the latest custodian of a Presidency stretching back more than two centuries to 1818.

Barnett brings a wealth of legal experience and an unusually detailed understanding of BLS, having served on both its Board and Council and, most recently, as Interim Chief Executive. With Calum Nisbet now appointed Chief Executive, Barnett said his Presidential focus will be on representing members, and ensuring BLS speaks up on the issues that matter to Birmingham’s legal community.

Guy Barnett, new President of Birmingham Law Society, said:

“Birmingham Law Society must be a voice for the legal community it represents. That means being prepared to stand up and speak when it is needed, but it also means listening. We need to understand what our members are experiencing, the pressures and opportunities facing the profession and where their Society can make a difference."

“I bring decades of experience to the Presidency and hope that can provide a steady hand as we enter this next chapter. I want to strengthen Council and our committees, and ensure Birmingham Law Society is in an even stronger position when I hand over the Presidential chain next year to Sabina Kauser – the new Vice President."

“This isn't about one person or one Presidential year. It is about building on more than two centuries of history while ensuring the Society continues to evolve for the profession it represents today and tomorrow. My ambition is simple: one profession, one region, one voice.”

Four priorities for the Presidential year

Barnett has set out four pillars for his 2026–27 Presidency: Advance, Connect, Engage and Make a Difference. His approach will be to concentrate on fewer priorities capable of delivering lasting value.

Council

The first priority will be strengthening BLS Council and its relationship with the Society's Professional Committees and wider membership. Interest in joining Council has risen sharply. Last year's election attracted one applicant for four vacant seats; this year, 28 people initially applied for six vacancies.

Following the AGM, six newly elected members and four Presidential co-options will see 10 new people join Council, bringing additional experience and perspectives.

Barnett wants Council to focus on the questions that directly affect members: what does the profession need, what challenges does it face and where should BLS use its collective voice? Deputy Vice President Sam Ingram will lead work to strengthen relationships with the Society's Professional Committees.

Connecting Birmingham's legal community

A second priority will be making greater use of BLS's extensive professional network, spanning managing partners, CEOs and general counsel through to barristers, academics, solicitors and the next generation entering the profession.

Plans include developing greater engagement with managing partners and business leaders, exploring a proposed Geneva Conference and considering whether there is an appetite to revive Advised in Birmingham.

Barnett also wants stronger links between generations within the profession, including the continued development of the Birmingham Law Society Junior Lawyers Division and greater use of mentoring, introductions and shared events to connect established leaders with emerging legal talent.

Making membership matter

The third strand will focus on making BLS membership matter, providing greater value through representation, connections, professional development and a stronger sense of belonging to Birmingham's legal community.

Among the initiatives planned is LAWSTOCK, a proposed informal and inclusive family friendly event with an outdoor festival feel bringing together solicitors, barristers, junior lawyers, senior leaders and the wider professional community.

The proposed Golden Paper Clip Challenge will use friendly competition to encourage entrepreneurship, mentoring and new relationships across the profession.

Barnett summarised his approach simply: “Do fewer things, but do them well.”

Making a difference beyond the profession

Barnett's fourth pillar will focus on the Society's wider contribution to Birmingham, with Carter the Brave, supporting Birmingham Children's Hospital, chosen as his Presidential cause.

In January, he will exchange the Presidential chain for walking boots to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, using the challenge as the catalyst for a wider fundraising campaign involving firms, chambers, business leaders, committees, junior lawyers, sponsors and members.

Throughout his year, Barnett intends to visit firms and organisations across the region, meeting members at every stage of their careers and listening to what they need from their Society.

He added:

“I want people to talk to us. Tell us what BLS does well and where we could be better. Tell us about the issues affecting your firm, your organisation, your career or your part of the profession."

“Birmingham Law Society has extraordinary experience, expertise and energy within its membership. Our job is to listen to it, connect it and, when necessary, give it a voice."

“If Council is stronger, our committees are better connected, junior lawyers have a meaningful voice and new relationships have been created across the profession when I hand over the Presidential chain, we will have made genuine progress.”

Guy Barnett was sworn in as the 134th President of Birmingham Law Society on Thursday 24 September and will serve until September 2027.

Categories

Jan 6, 2025

2 min read

M&S Food has revealed its latest campaign to launch its two new health and wellness ranges, Brain Food and YAY! Mushrooms. The new ATL brings to life the nutrient rich and trend-led foods and positions M&S Food as the destination for customers looking to support their health this January and beyond.

The campaign runs across TV, VOD, Press, Digital Audio, PR, Paid and Organic Digital and Social, as well as in-store and CRM for the next month.

The TV ad will focus on the Brain Ball, the hero line from the new Brain Food range. Through the voice of Mark Heap – the British Actor and Comedian known for his roles in television comedies including Friday Night Dinner and Green Wing - Brian the Brain Ball will be subtly animated in a back-and-forth conversation with a voice over from legendary M&S Food ambassador, Dawn French. The creative showcases the innovation of the product in a playful way whilst highlighting the priority brain health supporting nutrients.

The 30 second ad will appear across channels including C4, ITV and Sky, including during shows such as The Masker Singer Special, This Morning and Wheel of Fortune.

Digital Out of Home will focus on the YAY! Mushrooms AM & PM Cold Pressed Shots, targeting commuters to kick start their day with the AM shot and wind down in the evening with the PM shot.

The new ranges are available in M&S Foodhalls and on Ocado. The M&S Brain Food range includes 13 lines, championing six key brain health supporting nutrients that people lack in their diets: omega 3, iron, iodine, folate, zinc, and vitamin B12. The M&S Brain Food criteria have been developed in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation. The YAY! Mushrooms range has been created in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and includes five new drinks featuring two key fungi, lion’s Mane and reishi, each with their own innovative properties.

Sharry Cramond, Marketing & Loyalty Director at M&S Food, said: “Insight, quality and innovation is at the heart of everything we do and these two new first to market own label ranges, M&S Brain Food and YAY! Mushrooms, are the perfect examples of when these three marry together. We’re seen as the leading retailer offering healthy choices and 80% of our customers say they are concerned about their cognitive/brain health, so it really made sense for us to introduce Brain Food to our Foodhalls."

"YAY! Mushrooms taps into our adventurous customers who love to try new things and also aims to open us up to new customers who may be familiar with lion’s mane but have not tried them in a delicious drink."

"The campaign brings to life the unique ‘only at M&S’ innovation, which is central to our marketing strategy as we have a complete ban on the generic."

“We’re absolutely obsessed by the quality of the products in our Foodhalls and that’s why we’ve partnered with industry experts to support our claims on both ranges. M&S truly is the home of health and we can’t wait to see what customers think of our exciting, tasty and beneficial new products.”

n.

nuse.

One Profession One Region One Voice Birmingham Law Society's New Leadership

nuse.

Most Read

Categories

Most Read

Categories

Recent Posts

Become a digital subscriber and support our publication enabling us to continue to share more news, each and every day.