BDLS Annual Dinner

Highcliff Marriott Hotel, Bournemouth - Friday 25 April 2025

BDLS hosted its prestigious Annual Dinner on 25 April at the elegant Highcliff Marriott Hotel on the West Cliff in Bournemouth, bringing together 215 guests from across the legal profession. The event was a remarkable evening of fine dining and networking, highlighted by the presence of esteemed guest speaker, Clive Coleman.

Society President, Joanne Clarke, welcomed the top table guests and our sponsors, thanking them for their continued support.

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the speech delivered by barrister, Clive Coleman, a much respected legal commentator and former BBC legal affairs correspondent who has also written comedy for film (including 'The Duke' starring Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent) and television (including

'Chambers’ starring John Bird and Sarah Lancashire), and theatre (including ‘Young Marx’ directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner). With his trademark wit, Clive shared stories from his days at the Bar, and his encounters with a raft of extraordinary clients, judges and opponents. He also gave an insight into the terrifying world of live broadcasting, concluding that messing up in court didn’t even come close to messing up in front of 5 million television viewers!

Bournemouth & District Law Society’s Annual Dinner once again proved to be an unmissable event, fostering both professional connections and a shared passion for the law.