Local firms launch Preston junior lawyers’ division

A number of local law firms have joined forces with UCLan to form a support group for people starting out in a career in law.

Harrison Drury, Vincents and Forbes solicitors are teaming up with UCLan to form Preston Junior Lawyers Division (JLD), which aims to provide law students, trainees and young solicitors with mentoring support, information and networking opportunities.

Members will also benefit from access to career advice, continuing professional development (CPD) events and skills workshops.

As a group force, Preston JLD’s objective is to develop professional relationships in the local legal community. Membership is free and the group is backed by the Law Society of England and Wales.

Its first official networking ‘launch’ event will be hosted on Wednesday December 4 at Harrison Drury’s Preston office in Winkley Square. The guest speaker at the event is Jane Anthony, executive dean of the faculty of culture and the creative industries, at the School of Law and Social Sciences, UCLan.

Charlotte Hurst, solicitor at Harrison Drury and vice president of JLD Preston said: “This is a great opportunity to really pull together and support our budding new lawyers facing the many challenges when starting out in their career.

“I look forward welcoming new members to JLD. If you’re interested in joining, this event on Wednesday is a great way to get to know us. We hope to see many new faces.”

Ummeya Zaka, legal intern at UCLan, and president of Preston JLD said: “Our aim is to help support young lawyers and enable them to develop professional relationships within our local legal community.

“If you’re a Legal Practice Course (LPC) student or graduate working as a paralegal, or a trainee solicitor, please come along and be part of our JLD group.

“Along with newly qualified solicitors we also welcome solicitors with up to five years’ post-qualified experience and law undergraduates, graduate diploma in law students and young barristers.

“By providing a forum for junior lawyers in our area, the group is also an ideal base to feed common issues back to the Law Society. We can then ensure that steps can be taken to address the issues at national level to help develop confident and well supported future lawyers.”

Junior Lawyers Division operates as a division of the Law Society. It represents approximately 70,000 individuals across England and Wales.

As well as benefits at group level, JLD members have access to the society’s JLD online guidance, practice notes and professional FAQs, as well as helpful blogs and articles.

Preston JLD group was established in August 2019. It is run by four committee members and is overseen by three Law Society Council Members. The committee also has close links with other JLD regional groups.

The Preston JLD committee includes: President: Ummeya Zaka, (UCLan); vice president, Charlotte Hurst (Harrison Drury); education and events officer: Stephen Moon (UCLan) and treasurer: Dorota Estkowska (Vincents)

JLD’s launch event will be held at Harrison Drury’s Preston office at 1a Chapel Street, Winckley Square, PR1 8BU on December 4, at 6.30pm followed by a drinks reception.

It is free to attend, but booking is essential. To register your interest please email: prestonjld@outlook.com or uzaka@uclan.ac.uk