In 2021, Stephanie Boyce was the 177th person, the sixth woman, the first Black office holder, the first person of colour and the second in-house solicitor in almost 50 years to become president of the Law Society of England and Wales. Stephanie has extensive experience in corporate governance, commercial, civil, public and regulatory law, gained in advising some of the largest not-for-profit bodies, charities, regulators, and local and central government in both a paid and unpaid capacity. Additionally, Stephanie holds a Master of Laws in public law and global governance (merit) from King’s College, London.
“To ensure real change, allies have a key role to play in supporting the race agenda with actions, not words.”
Educational background and career to date
My educational background is a varied and interesting one. After going to school in the UK and then the US, in 1999, I completed my Bachelor of Laws at the London Guildhall University. Having qualified in 2002, I’ve worked in corporate governance, regulatory frameworks and professional regulation.
In 2010, I completed my Master of Laws in public law and global governance at King’s College London (KCL). Earlier this year, I was awarded Alumna of the Year at KCL’s Distinguished Alumni Awards. I am also a fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute.
I have been an in-house legal advisor to the Pensions Regulator, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Ofsted and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Approaching a decade serving the Law Society
For almost a decade I’ve held various positions at the Law Society. I am a past chair of the Conduct Committee and am a council member of our Women Lawyers Division committee. I became deputy vice president of the Law Society in 2019, vice president in 2020 and president in March 2021. I am the longest-serving president to date.
As an office holder, I have been the Law Society’s main ambassador and have represented the legal profession at home and abroad.
My 18 months as president has been immeasurably rewarding to me as a solicitor. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to hundreds of aspiring solicitors, talking with government issues of public interest and on behalf of the profession and I’ve travelled around the UK and the world speaking to regional law societies and leaders in Europe, Asia and the US.
Staff at the Law Society have supported me throughout my term, and I am grateful for their hard work and professionalism, as we work together to uphold the rule of law and ensure access to justice for all.
Becoming president has been my proudest moment — it has been an honour to serve as the 177th president of the Law Society of England and Wales.
Importance of Black History Month: ‘Time for Change: Action Not Words’
Black History Month gives us an opportunity to highlight the positive contribution that Black people make and have made to our shared history. Black History Month is a time for reflection, education, celebration and a time for remembering so we don’t forget.
We have a real opportunity to effect change, putting in place a more strategic, structured response to the disproportionate outcomes in particular for Black people in the legal profession, and those with protected characteristics to achieve equality of opportunity. To enable a major cultural shift in the legal profession, to give everyone the opportunity to succeed and make the most of their talents regardless of their race, gender, disability, sexuality, religion, or background.
Black people are often given the double burden of experiencing racism and discrimination, and then being expected to fix it. Hopefully, by making the theme of this year’s Black History Month ‘Time for Change: Action Not Words’ we can come together to make a change for the better.
To ensure real change, allies have a key role to play in supporting the race agenda with actions, not words.
Role models from history and what they teach us
My role models from history include Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi.
Martin Luther King faced racism as a boy in the 1930s and made it his life’s mission to make all Americans aware of the racial and civil inequality in the US.
A former lawyer, Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his beliefs on apartheid in South Africa and became a bastion of hope for Black South Africans. He served as the country’s first Black president for five years.
A Nobel Peace prize winner, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to the poor, destitute and sick people of India. Her selfless act serves as an inspiration for us all.
Gandhi ran campaigns to ease poverty, called for basic human rights and for the elimination of injustices in the caste system in India, all while fighting for the country’s independence from Britain. In 1947, India became independent from British rule.
Coming up next
It has been my honour to serve as president and as the longest-serving president. My mission was to leave the profession more diverse and inclusive than the one I entered, but I was clear as president that this must be a shared ambition with each and every one of us playing our part.
I have stood upon an amazing platform as president and I will continue to use my platform to ensure that the promising of equity is fulfilled.
Nelson Mandela image credit: By © copyright John Mathew Smith 2001, CC BY-SA 2.0
