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Sally Penni
England
Christina Blacklaws was the 174th president of the Law Society of England and Wales and the fifth woman to hold this office. Christina has 25 years’ experience in legal services, running high street, legal aid and virtual practices and, latterly, as the director of family law and director of policy at the Co-operative Legal Services. She set up Blacklaws Consulting and works with law firms on market intelligence, insight, and analysis.
Millicent Grant FCILEx KC (Hon); CILEx Past President 2017/18; CILEx Professional Board Member. Millicent, a Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) board member and a former CILEx President and first Chartered Legal Executive to be appointed an Honorary Queen’s Counsel. Millicent has worked to tackle diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and the judiciary. She gave evidence to the Constitution Committee regarding the eligibility of Chartered Legal Executives for judicial appointment and contributed to the Pre-Application Judicial Education (PAJE) group and programme. She was awarded the UK Diversity Legal Awards of ‘Black Solicitors Network Lawyer of the Year’ in 2017 and is an ambassador for social mobility and Chair of the Knights Youth Centre.
Sally Penni MBE is a barrister at Kenworthy’s Chambers, Manchester. Her practice covers Criminal (including cyber-crime) and Employment Law. Sally is a Bencher at the Honorable Society of Gray’s Inn; Founder of Women in the Law UK and regular broadcaster of the highly acclaimed podcast talking law which has over 44k listeners. She interviews distinguished leaders from law.
Northern Ireland
Karen O’Leary leads Caldwell & Robinson’s Family Law practice. Qualified to practice in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, England, and Wales, Karen is regularly consulted by government and state agencies on legal matters from other jurisdictions. She is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), an organisation of leading global family lawyers. She is also a regular speaker on family law matters and has addressed the Four Jurisdictions Family Law Conference and the European Family Justice Observatory.
Scotland
Alison Atack, Past President of The Law Society of Scotland. Formerly, Alison was a member of the Regulatory Committee and convener of the Client Protection Sub-Committee. She was a partner at Lindsays until March 2018 and has detailed knowledge and experience of private client work, including succession planning and agricultural property.
Wales
Janem Jones kick-started her successful career as a solicitor after being awarded the Welsh Office Prize and the Cavendish Prize for Criminal Law. She practiced for many years as a partner and senior partner in a West Wales firm where she specialised in Family Law, Education Law and Criminal Law. She works as a consultant for Williams and Bourne as an experienced advocate.
Jenine Abdo is a Partner and Head of the Children and Public Law Team at Hutton’s Law. Jenine is the Immediate Past President and EDI Officer for The Cardiff and District Law Society. Jenine is also a committee member for Show Racism the Red Card Wales, school governor at Howells School Llandaff and South Wales Resolution (family law) committee member. Jenine has also previously taught family law students at the University of South Wales as well as held various pro bono clinics within the local community, at domestic violence agencies and prisons to ensure that her legal knowledge and skills are able to help the most vulnerable and marginalised in society seek access to justice.
LegalWomen Editorial Board Members
Christina Blacklaws
Millicent Grant
Karen O’Leary
Alison Atack
Janem Jones
Jenine Abdo