Liverpool Law Mar 2017

News
Introducing the Black Solicitors
Network (BSN) North
Meet the Chair of BSN: Kyle Blackburn
Kyle Blackburn is a Business
Development Manager for
JMW’s referral network,
Lawshare. Kyle joined JMW in
2014 from Pannone where he
worked for eight years in various
business development roles.
Lawshare currently has over 290
law firms across the North West,
ranging from sole practitioners to
large multi-site commercial firms
and Kyle spends much of his time
travelling the region visiting
Lawshare members.
Kyle studied for a law degree
whilst working at Pannone and is
currently studying for the LPC
and an MSc. He will be taking up
a training contract with JMW in
September 2018 and hopes to
eventually specialise in either
commercial litigation or family
law.
The Black Solicitors Network was
launched over 20 years ago in
London in response to Legal Aid
Franchising. Kyle says “The
Network was launched because
the introduction of Legal Aid
Franchising was affecting High
Street firms, many of whom
employed BME lawyers. An early
success was a delay in the
introduction of civil contracting
which gave all firms further time
to plan and prepare. That dialogue
was of benefit to all firms not just
BME led practices.”
The BSN North was re-launched
earlier this year and the initial
committee elected Kyle as Chair
of the network. Since the launch,
membership has already grown to
around 70 members within
Greater Manchester. Kyle’s
mandate is to establish BSN as the
primary voice for BME lawyers
and growing the membership. Its
target membership geographically
covers the Midlands, up to Carlisle
in the North.
Kyle adds “Membership of the
Black Solicitors Network is open
to anyone interested in equality in
the profession, from students to
partner level solicitors. We have
members in private practice, local
authorities, central government
departments, the CPS and also the
Judiciary. It is a very broad church
and we have no political
affiliations.”
Nationally the BSN has over 6,000
members and is the largest
recognized Law Society Special
Interest Group. In October 2006
BSN was the recipient of the
Judge’s Award for Outstanding
Contribution to Promoting Race
Equality by the Law Society and
Commission for Racial Equality.
With a full time career, studying
for the LPC and Chairing the
BSN, Kyle has little time for
‘hobbies”. He is also renovating a
house, but says that when time
permits, he attempts to play
squash and enjoys travel and the
theatre.
If you would like further
information about the Black
Solicitors Network, please
contact Kyle at
kyle.blackburn@jmw.co.uk
Latest News from the BSN
It has been a busy couple of months: October saw the official launch
of The Black Solicitors Network in the north. Many hours of work
culminated in a grouping of some of the north’s most prominent BME
lawyers gathering at DWF’s Manchester office to share their
experiences of entering the profession and overcoming the obstacles
one would expect to face.
Amongst our illustrious guests was the Lord Mayor of Manchester, who
gave a short speech expressing his pleasure at seeing such an enthusiastic
group, whose aims are to encourage diversity in the profession and foster
a culture of
In November, BSN hosted its annual Diversity Awards in London. Law
Society Vice President, Joe Egan, introduced ideas to attract talent and
support people as they develop their legal careers. We heard about the
innovative work being undertaken by numerous solicitors, who the Law
Society call ‘The Ambassadors’, who assist solicitors with social
mobility. A further 10 inspiring solicitors (willing to nominate
themselves or a work colleague) to help others interested in knowing
more about the law. For further information email ask-anambassador@LawSociety.org.uk
I also met with Jerry Garvey, The Law Society’s Diversity
Representative, to discuss the many ways they are seeking to support
BSN’s objectives. We will be working more closely with The Law
Society over the coming year to offer new and interesting courses for all
ranges of lawyers.
The Committee is now busy planning our next event, which is likely to
be a social gathering in February or March at a venue to be confirmed.
Plans are also underway with our ‘Springboard’ programme, which is
aimed at providing students from all backgrounds with advice and
guidance on navigating their way from degree to qualification. We hope
to pair a student with a lawyer mentor who will give one-to-one support
for a few months to help in their preparation for training contract
applications.
If you would like further information on any of the initiatives or
would like to join BSN, please feel free to contact me at
kyle.blackburn@jmw.co.uk
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www.liverpoollawsociety.org.uk
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