AN INTRODUCTION FROM THE NEW MASTER

First, a big ‘hello’ to all CLSC and CLLS members. To introduce myself, I am the 2025-6 Master of the City of London Solicitors’ Company, and, by virtue of that office, also President of the City of London Law Society during that period.

To give a little of my background, although I am retired now I was an in-house solicitor for most of my working life, first working for British Telecom as an international commercial/corporate lawyer, including 2 years as International Compliance Manager, then working for London Underground as adviser on its PPP and PFI contracts. Since retiring, I have been Chair of four charities, and am now a trustee of The Solicitors’ Charity, trustee of the Investment Managers’ Guild’s Charity and Committee member of the Association of Women Solicitors, London.

I am extremely proud of being elected Master, and at my installation at the AGM in June I had great pleasure in being able to donate to the Company three new silk robes for the officers of the Company – Master, Senior Warden and Junior Warden. I had the idea for commissioning them when I realized that the existing ones, whilst having done sterling service, are not really designed for either the average height of women, or the heat so often encountered at formal events. They look pretty good on the male officers, too !

I have chosen as the theme for my year, ‘Connecting.’ I have become increasingly aware of the divisions, and sometimes suspicion and conflicts, between different parts of the legal profession. For example, between in-house solicitors, and those in law firms; and between solicitors and barristers. Then for those in either profession not yet qualified, the difficulties in getting to know colleagues in the same boat, and to make contact and be ‘seen’ by those already established in their professions. For example, Trainees and Apprentices, and pupil barristers. And the difficulties and barriers for those in either profession in getting a foothold in the first place, as interns, employed trainees or pupil barristers. I would like to facilitate connection between all of these parts of the profession. Also, until Past Master Ed’s recent efforts last year, the Company has been somewhat inward-looking, so I would like to facilitate greater connection with other Livery Companies.

There is a limit to what can be achieved in a year, but to start with connecting with the Bar, I am lucky in that my husband, Richard Salter, is Treasurer (like Master, only of a much bigger organisation) for the year of the Inner Temple Inn of Court.

So we have conspired to ‘connect’, bringing the Company and the Bar together by having our firstever Livery Dinner jointly with the Benchers of the Inner Temple (its governing body) in Inner Temple Hall in November (guest speaker to be announced). It will be preceded by a short, but beautiful, Evensong in the Temple Church, to which all those coming will be invited.

I am working with the Whittington-LEMs Committee (the name is a bit of a mouthful for historic reasons, but it is our main Committee for organizing many of the Company events) to focus on events specifically aimed at being of interest to in-house lawyers, who are now a substantial part of our membership. The idea will be to ‘connect’ with solicitors in law firms, by asking law firms to host events at which we will have speakers, and networking between those working in-house and those working for law firms. I have observed that, whilst both types of lawyers have much in common, there are specific problems and concerns facing each which are different, and could benefit from being shared.

I will also be encouraging this Committee to set up more informal (and less expensive!) events aimed at providing an informal environment where younger members can meet each other, and also more senior members, and hopefully can also bring along colleagues who might be interested in becoming members of the Company.

The Committee also organises our participation in inter-livery sporting events, of which there has been a positive explosion under Past Master Ed’s year, and I will encourage them to continue and expand –it is one of the best ways of ‘connecting’ with other Livery companies, as well as between younger members of the Company.

Our members deserve to see what impact the activities of the Company, and the CLLS, have achieved during the year, so I will be expanding the successful Celebration of Impact event we had last year. This year it will be at Founders’ Hall (a really lovely Hall, small, but perfectly formed!) and will encompass the nature and impact of donations made by our Charitable Fund, the achievements of our Award Winners, and examples of the highly influential work done by the CLLS Specialist Committees, as well as examples of stand-out

work done by the CLSC Committees. We will have speakers who will give short, and hopefully lively, snapshots of the impact of all of this work, and those attending will be given the opportunity to meet those involved in the work and explore how they, too, might become involved.

I am very pleased that Past Master Sarah de Gay has organized another in the extremely popular Lucky Girls’ series, this time on ‘Meaningful Mentoring’, in October. Anyone wanting to go should book early! Members who love our more formal events will be pleased to know that we are having our magnificent Banquet at the Mansion House in March next year. For those who have not been before, it is really worth going – just once a year! It is a spectacular evening – and also great fun! And no-one need worry about the formality of it, all our ‘old hands’ will make sure everyone is made welcome.

The one other thing I would like to mention here is the Master’s trip. This is an outing that each Master organises for a long weekend (usually Friday to Sunday) to visit somewhere special, usually for about 20-30 members and partners who want to come.

Pre-Covid we used to have some amazing trips to France, Italy and Spain, usually involving a number of vineyards and tastings, as well as spectacular scenery and convivial dinners. Post-Covid we have not ventured outside the UK, so for my year I would very much like to be a bit more (soft)-adventurous and organize a trip to Portugal, where as you know the Douro is spectacular for both its scenery and wines. This is still very much a work-in-progress, but is intended to take place next spring.

There will be other events coming up during my year, so please do keep a lookout for our Clerk, Kerri’s, very useful ‘Save the Date’ circulars, which also include other City events which our members might be interested in.

Finally, I hope that, together, we will all have a really good year – with a lot of fun along the way! ■

Ginny Cannon

Master, CLSC 2025-6