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



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.


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Henry Brothers Construction has delivered a brand-new endoscopy unit at the Leicester General Hospital. The new unit includes six procedure rooms, and 20 private pods for patients before and after their procedures, each with an en-suite.


Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Construction, said:

“We are delighted to have successfully completed our first project for the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and look forward to more successful partnerships in the future."

“The new Endoscopy Unit at the Leicester General Hospital will improve the diagnostic and treatment experience of patients and provide staff with a modern facility in which to work. Henry Brothers Construction is very proud to have delivered this new Endoscopy Unit which will play a key role in enhancing healthcare for the local community.”


The endoscopy team at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust already provides a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to more than 30,000 patients every year and this new facility will help patients to be seen sooner in a purpose-built environment.


In response to growing demand, the new unit will help ensure patients are seen more promptly, enabling quicker access to the next steps in their planned care. The unit will have the capacity to see an extra 9,000 patients every year, which will play an important part in reducing waiting lists.


Associate Director of Operations, Rachael Briggs, said:


“We know how important earlier diagnosis is for conditions such as cancer, which endoscopy procedures help to detect. We are delighted that this new facility is open to help our teams see and treat more patients, as well as bringing some of our services closer to this area of Leicester."

“As part of the new unit, we have used digital solutions to replace paper forms, allowing our clinical teams to have more time to care for patients. The new facility is bright, open, and modern, which will make a big difference to those working here and visiting."

"I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this project for making it a reality. Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, and this new unit will go a long way towards improving their experience, and that of our team.”


Work to deliver the one-storey unit started in March 2024 and was carried out by Henry Brothers Construction, along with project manager Selcon, quantity surveyor Rider Levitt Bucknall, principal designer Stephen George & Partners, architect P+HS, structural engineer Curtins, and mechanical and electrical engineer CPW.


James Almond, Managing Director, P+HS Architects, said:

“We’re delighted to have worked with Henry Brothers Construction and the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust on this important project. The new endoscopy unit is a fantastic example of how well-designed environments can enhance both patient experience and staff wellbeing. It’s a credit to everyone involved and we're proud to make a real difference to healthcare provisions in the region.”

Henry Brothers Construction, based in Nottingham, is part of the Henry Brothers Group headquartered in Northern Ireland. The group comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors.

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