LegalEdCon 2023

LegalEdCon 2023 took place in-person at Kings Place, London on Thursday 18 May 2023. We’ll be going live with details of LegalEdCon 2024 soon. The Conference was headline sponsored by BPP University Law School, BARBRI and The University of Law, with The College of Legal Practice, The City Law School, Nottingham Law School and LexisNexis as silver sponsors, as well as partner charity The Food Chain. It is attended every year by over 100 leading law firm and chambers learning & development and graduate recruitment teams, as well as academics from universities across the UK.

LegalEdCon 2023 featured sessions on areas including lawfluencers, innovation, the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), the role of universities in legal training, as well as a separate stream with a session devoted to the future of legal education and training for barristers. Check out the Bar session page here.

Speakers

Joanna Hughes

Joanna Hughes

Solicitor apprenticeship expert and member of the City of London Law Society Training Committee

Julie Swan

Julie Swan

Director of Education and Training at the Solicitors Regulation Authority

Amelia Platton

Amelia Platton

Magic Circle trainee solicitor and founder of The Neurodiverse Lawyer Project

Maab Saifeldin

Maab Saifeldin

In-house trainee solicitor and career content creator (Life with Maab)

Maia Crockford

Maia Crockford

Solicitor apprentice and legal influencer with over 50k followers on TikTok (My Legal Career)

Dr Giles Proctor

Dr Giles Proctor

CEO at The College of Legal Practice

Henry Nelson-Case

Henry Nelson-Case

Consultant solicitor and content creator with over 67k followers on TikTok (thatcorporatelawyer)

Isabel Parker

Isabel Parker

Partner at Deloitte Legal

Jill Howell-Williams

Jill Howell-Williams

SQE National Programme and Student Affairs Director at The University of Law

Caroline Lister

Caroline Lister

Head of Consortium Programmes at BPP University Law School

Konstantina Nouka

Konstantina Nouka

Chair and Founder at Bringing [Dis]Ability to the Bar

Mark Neale

Mark Neale

Director-General at the Bar Standards Board

Patrick McCann

Patrick McCann

Chair of the City of London Law Society Training Committee and Director of Learning at Linklaters

Simone Start

Simone Start

BVS Programme Director at The City Law School

Victoria Cromwell

Victoria Cromwell

Head of New Business & Account Management at BARBRI

Dr Andrew Gilbert

Dr Andrew Gilbert

Senior Lecturer in Law at The Open University

Stephanie Lawrence

Stephanie Lawrence

Senior Product Manager at LexisNexis

James Catchpole

James Catchpole

Head of Department for Postgraduate and Professional Programmes at The City Law School

Kate Mills

Kate Mills

Principal Lecturer and LPC and SQE Course Manager at Nottingham Law School

Thom Brooks

Thom Brooks

Professor of Law and Government at Durham University

Beverley Dawes

Beverley Dawes

Head of BPC at The University of Law

Andy Unger

Andy Unger

Head of the Law Department at London South Bank University

Lisa Hart Shepherd

Lisa Hart Shepherd

CEO at Lamp House Strategy

Logan Mair

Logan Mair

Co-Office Managing Partner at Ashurst

Egbe Manton

Egbe Manton

Counsel at BP and Founder of Inspire Law Global

Dan Kayne

Dan Kayne

Lawyer and Founder of O Shaped

Eniola Adekunle

Eniola Adekunle

Year 12 student and aspiring solicitor apprentice

Shakeel Khan

Shakeel Khan

Year 12 student and aspiring solicitor apprentice

Mark Keith

Mark Keith

Director of Programmes at BPP University Law School

Rebecca Schrod

Rebecca Schrod

Graduate Recruitment Manager at Reed Smith

Nicola Willden

Nicola Willden

Senior Early Talent Manager at Taylor Wessing

Colleen Cumbers

Colleen Cumbers

Future Pupil Barrister at Crown Office Chambers

Dimitri Vastardis

Dimitri Vastardis

Senior Development Manager at Osborne Clarke

Sponsors

Headline sponsors

Silver sponsors

Additional sponsor

Tickets

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Final Release

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Please note that LegalEdCon is for professionals rather than students, who we do not charge to attend our events. However, we do have a limited amount of free tickets for our student campus ambassadors. You can find out more about the campus ambassador programme here.

Schedule

08:30-09:20

Breakfast

09:25-09:30

Opening address

09:30-10:45

What we can learn from lawfluencers

Speakers

  • Amelia Platton, Magic Circle trainee solicitor and founder of The Neurodiverse Lawyer Project
  • Maab Saifeldin, In-house trainee solicitor and career content creator (Life with Maab)
  • Maia Crockford, Solicitor apprentice and legal influencer with over 50k followers on TikTok (My Legal Career)
  • Henry Nelson-Case, Consultant solicitor and content creator with over 67k followers on TikTok (thatcorporatelawyer)

10:45-11:05

Morning coffee and networking

11:10-12:10

Meet the legal training innovators

Speakers

  • Dr Giles Proctor, CEO at The College of Legal Practice
  • Stephanie Lawrence, Senior Product Manager at LexisNexis
  • Isabel Parker, Partner at Deloitte Legal
  • Dr Andrew Gilbert, Senior Lecturer in Law at The Open University
  • Egbe Manton, Counsel at BP and Founder of Inspire Law Global
  • Dan Kayne, Lawyer and Founder of O Shaped

12:10-13:00

Lunch and networking

13:10-14:35

The SQE explored

Speakers

  • Caroline Lister, Head of Consortium Programmes at BPP University Law School
  • Victoria Cromwell, Head of New Business & Account Management at BARBRI (joined on stage by Lisa Hart Shepherd, CEO at Lamp House Strategy)
  • Jill Howell-Williams, SQE National Programme and Student Affairs Director at The University of Law
  • Rebecca Schrod, Graduate Recruitment Manager at Reed Smith
  • Nicola Willden, Senior Early Talent Manager at Taylor Wessing
  • Dimitri Vastardis, Senior Development Manager at Osborne Clarke

13:10-14:35

The future of the Bar

Speakers

  • Mark Keith, Director of Programmes at BPP University Law School
  • Beverley Dawes, Head of BPC at The University of Law
  • Simone Start, BVS Programme Director at The City Law School
  • Mark Neale, Director-General at the Bar Standards Board
  • Konstantina Nouka, Chair and Founder at Bringing [Dis]Ability to the Bar
  • Colleen Cumbers, Future Pupil Barrister at Crown Office Chambers

14:35-14:55

Afternoon coffee and networking

15:00-16:00

Legal training and the role of universities

Speakers

  • James Catchpole, Head of Department for Postgraduate and Professional Programmes at The City Law School
  • Kate Mills, Principal Lecturer and LPC and SQE Course Manager at Nottingham Law School
  • Julie Swan, Director of Education and Training at the Solicitors Regulation Authority
  • Thom Brooks, Professor of Law and Government at Durham University
  • Andy Unger, Head of the Law Department at London South Bank University

16:00-17:00

Keynote - solicitor apprenticeships

Speakers

  • Joanna Hughes, Solicitor apprenticeship expert and member of the City of London Law Society Training Committee
  • Patrick McCann, Chair of the City of London Law Society Training Committee and Director of Learning at Linklaters
  • Logan Mair, Co-Office Managing Partner at Ashurst
  • Eniola Adekunle, Year 12 student and aspiring solicitor apprentice
  • Shakeel Khan, Year 12 student and aspiring solicitor apprentice

17:00-17:05

Closing remarks

Venue

Image of the venue

Kings Place
90 York Way
London N1 9AG

About the sponsors

BPP University Law School

We build and shape legal careers. With over 25 years’ experience in delivering professional legal qualifications, we are proud to be one of the UK’s leading law schools. At the forefront of innovation in legal training, we are trusted by some of the most influential law firms, with 60 leading firms training with us exclusively. Our courses focus on employability, giving our students the edge to secure a training contract or pupillage. Preparing them to embrace the demands of practice from day one.

BARBRI

BARBRI has over 50 years’ proven expertise in preparing aspiring lawyers to succeed in their professional exams. The SQE assessment requires a breadth of knowledge in one multiple-choice exam not previously experienced in the law degree, GDL or LPC. Only BARBRI has the experience to prepare graduates to succeed in this style of assessment. BARBRI supports law firms, universities and graduates by investing in a new pathway to qualification and creating a generation of innovative, adaptable and diverse lawyers.

The University of Law

The University of Law (ULaw) is one of the UK's longest-established specialist providers of legal education, with a rich heritage and reputation for innovation. ULaw boasts over 250 tutors who are qualified lawyers and bring their extensive practical experience to the classroom, as well as a track record in impressive employment and pupillage rates.

The College of Legal Practice

We are a fully accredited postgraduate law school based in the UK. We offer highly flexible legal training programmes at competitive prices. We collaborate closely with organisations to build SQE training programmes that work for you, grounded in practical learning and specific to the competencies that matter for your future solicitors. Established in 2019, The College of Legal Practice formed as a wholly-owned UK subsidiary of The College of Law in Australia; a not-for-profit provider and market leader with over 50 years of experience in legal education and training.

The City Law School

The City Law School (part of City, University of London) is unusual amongst UK law schools in that we give equal weight to both academic and professional law. We offer a complete range of courses – from the LLB, the Graduate Diploma in Law conversion programme, LLM programmes, PhDs, through to vocational training for Barristers and Solicitors (leading to Postgraduate Diplomas or LLM degrees). Within a traditional University community, we support students to realise their full potential by equipping them with the knowledge, skills and values that they need.

Nottingham Law School

With over 50 years’ experience supporting students, Nottingham Law School is one of the UK’s largest and most established law schools. Through our first-class teaching, fantastic facilities and flexible programmes, we support legal professionals at every stage of their careers including the recent roll out of a suite of courses specifically designed to prepare students for the new centralised Solicitors Qualifying Examinations. We pride ourselves on our dynamic and personal Law School community, creating many fantastic opportunities for our students. The Nottingham Law School Legal Advice Centre, our unique and ground-breaking teaching law firm, provides a number of pro bono activities. Other school community activities include mooting, volunteering, work experience, overseas placements, summer schools, guest lectures, careers skills workshops, professional and networking lunches, prize giving ceremonies and much more.

LexisNexis

At LexisNexis, our mission is to advance the Rule of Law around the world. Everything we do – from our products and services, to how we do business, is about ensuring that all people are equal under the law. We collaborate with universities and academic organisations of every size to ensure students succeed with our legal research and guidance tools, as well as helping law teachers to progress their research, prepare for lessons and find useful teaching materials. We’re here to support you whatever your role – whether you’re educating the next generation of lawyers or training graduates in the workplace.

The Food Chain

The Food Chain exists to ensure people living with HIV in London can access the nutrition they need to get well, stay well and lead healthy, independent lives. We deliver meals and groceries, offer cookery and nutrition classes and communal eating opportunities to people living with HIV in London and their dependents. Supporting around 500 people every year, our community charity with a small staff team relies on trusts, grants, community fundraising and an amazing team of volunteers to keep our services running. Our offices are on Caledonian Road, and we run our twice-weekly meal service in Stepney Green.