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Benefits of Membership

What does it offer?

To its members:

  • A first class legal education programme

  • A lively and varied sequence of social events

  • A topical monthly magazine

  • A chance to have a say in the way our profession runs

  • Contacts with a wide range of business, media and professional organisations

  • Opportunities to network with fellow practitioners and other professional and business people in many different ways

  • Referrals from business and members of the public

  • And in amongst all that a bit of fun!

To the public:

  • A voice for the media from our profession

  • A contact point for people wanting legal advice or services

  • A sympathetic source of general information about our profession

  • An information channel for complaints

Legal Education

  • First class, top quality speakers

  • Topical subjects

  • Accredited for CPD by the Law Society and the Bar Council

  • Competitive rates heavily discounted for Members

  • Seminars, conferences, work shops and management courses, as best suits the nature of the subject matter

  • Convenient timings

  • Easy to book post, telephone or internet

Social Events

The types of events held during the year are:

The Annual Dinner which is open to members and their guests. This is a formal black tie dinner with a wide range of firms attending and gives members the chance, whilst entertaining their firms and/or guests to network with other professional within the city. The VIP list includes the Presiding Judges, Circuit Judges, District Judges, Presidents of other local law societies and professional bodies, including bankers, insurers, STEP, Surveyors, Architects, Legal Cashiers to name a few, Lord Lieutenant, High Sheriff, Lord Mayor as well as many others. There is a formal dinner and speeches from the local President and national President before dinner and a professional (and hopefully highly amusing) speaker after dinner. This dinner is usually held on the second Thursday in March.

The Charity Ball which is open to all members and their guests and other professional bodies. The ball is themed every year and some past themes have included Viva Las Vegas, Heaven and Hell, Venetian Ball. The Ball has been held thirteen times and has raised over £150,000 for local charities over the years. The evening is a fantastically glamorous event and has become one of the highlights of Manchester Social diary. With a champagne reception, meal and fantastic prizes on offer and lots of surprises in store during the night this is one not to be missed! It provides a wonderful platform to entertain your clients or to reward your staff whilst at the same time raising money for local charity and raising the profile of the profession within the City and who knows you may end up in Cheshire or Lancashire Life who always attend the event and to top it off there are no speeches!!

The Manchester Lawyers Dinner Clubs are held regularly throughout the year. They are purely an informal social networking event and are held at different restaurants in the City on a Monday evening. The venues for this year are Lotus on King Street, Obsidian on Princess Street, Sam?s Chop House on Chapel Walks and The 2nd Floor at Harvey Nicholls.

Pub Quiz which is held each year in September. Why not get a team from your firm and pit your wits against other firms in the City. This is a really entertaining and fun event with prizes for the winning team, the best team name, and a wooden spoon for the loosing team! Rounds include general knowledge, art & literature, science & nature, current affairs, how well do you know Manchester, sport, geography, history, music, film & TV, legal and photo round.

The Beaujolais Bash is held in November in association with other professional bodies and attracts some 1300 younger professionals from all business across the City. It is a fantastic opportunity to meet with friends, colleagues and other professionals and a free bottle of Beaujolais nouveau is given to all attendees!

The Summer Barbecue is held in July and is an informal social networking event. It is held in a local bar in the City centre and drinks and burgers flow all night and it is open to all.

And many others throughout the year!

The Magazine

  • Topical monthly magazine sent to all members

  • Regular features include President's column, Legal Services column, notices from court service, practice directions and comment and guidance from Manchester judges.

  • Lifestyle features including wine column Forever Thirsty.

  • Special offers for members from legal service suppliers, hotels, restaurants, shops, bars and spas etc

  • Dissemination of information

  • Advertising page including situations vacant, situations wanted, missing wills etc which is FREE OF CHARGE to members

Links

The Society maintains regular links with:

The National Law Society through our National Law Society council Members, liaison with the North West Regional Office, response to consultation papers, representations on specific matters, conference attendances and committee memberships

Neighbouring Law Societies (Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop) through their affiliation

Association of North Western Law Societies through representative attendance at meetings

Major provincial law societies (Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool) through quarterly meetings and representation on joint committees

Court Users and Consultation Committees through representation on them

The Society fosters these links as channels for discussion of practical problems, dissemination of best practice and for influencing the development and regulation of the profession

Members are encouraged to contribute to debate on such matters. Specific points can be raised in the appropriate forum by referring them to the Executive Director. Members can also offer to participate directly by sitting on the relevant committees.

Contacts

Manchester Law Society has been around a long time (since 1838) and there are not many local organisations in and outside legal circles that we don't have a contact with. Try us for:

  • The Bar, Judiciary, Magistrates, Court Staff

  • City Council, Local MP’s, MEP’s

  • Local press, radio & tv

  • Universities and other legal academic institutions

  • Bankers, Surveyors, Insurers, Accountants, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce & industry etc

  • Hotels, Restaurants & Bars

  • And a good many others

Networking

Manchester Law Society sees this as a key service, particularly to younger members.

In today's business place exchange of views, knowledge, opinions and acquaintance is a vital element in professional success.

The Society's legal education and social programme contribute to this and networking potential is always a part of the design of our events. Take for example:

The Young Professionals Network which are a series of valuable networking events to enable our younger members, as they move forward in their career, to become confident and effective networkers. The events are attended by professionals from other sectors from the financial, legal and business community across Greater Manchester. There are four events held throughout the year with 2 hours of CPD for each event. We encourage our young members to come along for a glass of wine, nibbles and networking and to put their new found knowledge into practice with professionals from all sectors.

Referral

The Society receives a great many calls from the public, businesses, other professional bodies and the media asking for advice, contacts and spokespersons in all areas of the law.

Enquiries are directed to members most likely to meet their requirement.

It is intended, by way of improvement to this service, to further refine existing data on skills and services available from members.

Further Information & Contact

For further information on the services offered by the Society or for any advice or to discuss matters further please contact Fran Eccles-Bech, Executive Director on 0161 831 7337 or e-mail fran@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk or visit our web site - www.manchesterlawsociety.org.uk - where you can find application forms for all our legal education programme and social events and further information on all our services.

 

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