BDLS Annual General Meeting

Captains Club Hotel, Christchurch - Monday 16 June 2025

This year’s Annual General Meeting was held at the beautiful Captains Club Hotel in Christchurch. Guests enjoyed a sunny afternoon with the opportunity to network and take in the stunning riverside views before the formal proceedings began.

Members were treated to a powerful presentation by Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of LawCare. Her talk “Navigating and Supporting Mental Health in Your Firm” highlighted the need for a cultural shift in how the legal profession approaches mental wellbeing.

Elizabeth began by outlining the mission of LawCare: to support and promote mental health and wellbeing across the legal community. She emphasised that LawCare is not just a helpline but offers emotional support, information and training to legal professionals at all stages of their careers.

Her presentation focused on three key areas:

1. Practical Steps for Firms: Elizabeth shared strategies that firms can implement to foster a healthier work environment. These included encouraging open conversations about mental health, providing access to support resources and a flexible approach to how people work.

2. The Role of Leadership and Supervision: She stressed the importance of good people management, noting that supervisors and senior staff play a crucial role in setting the tone for workplace culture. Training managers to recognise signs of stress and burnout and to respond with empathy and support is essential.

3. Regulatory Pressures and Mental Health: Elizabeth acknowledged the unique pressures faced by legal professionals, including the demands of regulatory compliance and the evolving expectations of clients and colleagues. She urged firms to be mindful of how these pressures impact staff wellbeing.

It was a fitting prelude to the AGM itself, reminding all present that the health of the profession depends not only on legal excellence but on the wellbeing of those who practice it.For more information about LawCare and the support it offers, visit www.lawcare.org.uk

Following Elizabeth Rimmer’s presentation Nick Gallagher, CEO of The Solicitors’ Charity, reflected on the impactful work it was doing. Drawing on insights from the soon-to-be-released Big Report—hot off the press—Nick shared compelling highlights that underscored the Charity’s growing role in supporting the legal profession with a range of wellbeing services.

The Big Report revealed a large increase in solicitors helped compared to the previous year with a notable rise in support for those facing health conditions and mental health challenges. £1.2m in awards were made to solicitors and their dependents which included direct financial aid, psychotherapy sessions and career coaching. All this helped legal professionals navigate issues ranging from debt and unemployment to housing instability.

Nick also introduced an exciting new initiative: a membership product aimed at law firms and suppliers to the legal sector, called Firm Friends. This offering is grounded in recent research involving over 100 sector leaders and suppliers, which found that 8 in 10 believe legal charities like The Solicitors’ Charity should be supported by the profession. The membership scheme aims to formalise that support offering firms a meaningful way to contribute to the wellbeing of their peers. The Charity will circulate more details to members when they are available.

Nick encouraged attendees to follow up after the AGM to learn more about how their firms can get involved and help build a more resilient legal community. Please contact Nick direct at Nick@thesolicitorscharity.org for information about the support offered and how you can get involved with helping the profession via Firm Friends and, of course, the donation of unclaimed client balances.

For further details, visit www.thesolicitorscharity.org

General Committee Appointments 2025/2026

The AGM commenced shortly afterwards with the following appointments:

President: Mark Proctor, Aldridge Brownlee

Senior Vice President: Adrian Falck, Preston Redman

Junior Vice President: Lauren Day, Ellis Jones

Honorary Secretary: Ana Dilling, Rawlins Davy Reeves

Honorary Treasurer: Conor Maher, Ellis Jones

Assistant Honorary Secretary: Emily Green, Trethowans

In addition, the following General Committee Members were appointed who will each serve a term of three years:

Daniel Stanton, Preston Redman

Helen Clement, Lester Aldridge

Jean Cross, Woodstock Legal Services

We hope that they all enjoy their terms of office with the Society.

Presidential Remarks

Newly appointed President, Mark Proctor, expressed a strong commitment to promoting inclusivity throughout his tenure. He takes great pride in the BDLS lecture programme, recognising it as a key platform for advancing professional development within the society. Mark is also eager to foster deeper member engagement through the society’s social events, aiming to ensure that BDLS remains relevant, resilient, and inclusive for all.