President’s Jottings

President’s Jottings

SPRING 2025

As my first jottings as President of the Society in 2025, I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to Dawn Lawson for her outstanding contributions during her presidential term. Dawn’s ability to champion initiatives and foster collaboration has been invaluable over the past year and saw her raise an incredible amount for Cancer Research UK.

This year, I am proud to support the Community Foundation for Surrey as my nominated charity. The Foundation plays an instrumental role in addressing local needs, helping to create strong, resilient communities across Surrey. I encourage all our members to join me in supporting this vital cause. You can find out more about their incredible work at www.cfsurrey.org.uk.

Another key focus for the year is ensuring that our members’ perspectives are well-represented in vital consultations impacting the profession. One such consultation is the SRA’s review on Client Money in Legal Services – Safeguarding Consumers and Providing Redress. The consultation addressed critical areas such as the proper handling of client funds, safeguarding these resources, and the sustainability of the Compensation Fund.

This consultation strikes at the core of public trust in legal services, and it was imperative that our members’ voices were heard. The Society submitted a robust response, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to Nick Ball, Kieran Bowe, and Hayley Lalsing for their efforts in putting this together. If you are interested, I encourage you to review the full response on the Surrey Law Society website.

On a lighter note, I had the pleasure of attending our recent social event in Kingston, one of the Society's new regional socials. These new additions to our events calendar—the Escape Room Challenge and the Night at the Wickets—were both fantastic opportunities to meet a variety of new firms and patrons. Seeing members engage in friendly competition and networking in such lively settings was a real highlight.

I also recently joined a meeting of the County Societies Group to discuss plans for our upcoming Reception at the House of Commons. Scheduled for 13th May, this promises to be an excellent opportunity to connect with local MPs and legal

professionals from across the country. It is a privilege to represent the Society in such a forum, and I look forward to sharing this event with many of you.

As we move forward into the year, I am committed to ensuring that the Surrey Law Society continues to be a vibrant and supportive community for all its members. Whether through training, social events, or industry representation, our shared goal is to strengthen the profession and help each other thrive. Look out for new categories at the SLS Awards which celebrate our members.

Thank you for your support, and I look forward to meeting many of you at our upcoming events and activities.

Warm regards, 

James Scozzi

President Surrey Law Society

“As we move forward into the year, I am committed to ensuring that the Surrey Law Society continues to be a vibrant and supportive community for all its members. Whether through training, social events, or industry representation, our shared goal is to strengthen the profession and help each other thrive.”