City litigation boutique Zaiwalla & Co hosted a special lunch at the Law Society to mark the hanging of the portrait of I. Stephanie Boyce, the first Black and ethnic minority president of the nearly 200-year-old institution. The event highlighted leadership in advancing diversity within the legal profession.
Held on Tuesday, 26 November 2024, the lunch brought together prominent figures, including Chair of the Bar Council Sam Townend KC, Chief Executive of the Supreme Court Vicky Fox, Chief Executive of the Law Society Ian Jeffery, Lord Harris, Lord Dholakia, and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka.
Ms Boyce’s election to the presidency of the Law Society was a turning point. As The Times reported, “An in-house lawyer is to become the first ethnic minority leader of the solicitors’ profession in England and Wales.” By the time she assumed office in March 2021 – earlier than expected due to unforeseen circumstances – the world had changed dramatically.
A global pandemic had altered the way we lived and worked, exposing long-standing inequalities and structural issues that had too often been ignored. We also witnessed the harrowing events surrounding the death of George Floyd, sparking a renewed global push for racial equality. Here in the UK, voices grew louder, demanding fairness, equity, and representation.
Ms Boyce stated in her speech at the lunch “I was determined to make my time count. I wanted to leave a legacy of meaningful change.”
“From being told I would never make it as a solicitor to leading one of the largest bodies of solicitors through world crises – including the Covid-19 pandemic, the Afghanistan withdrawal, the war in Ukraine, and the passing of Her Majesty the Queen – I navigated turbulent waters with determination and purpose. I refused to be defined by labels others might attach to me. Instead, I led with intention, resilience, and a commitment to transformative leadership.”
During discussions, attendees recognised that there has been significant progress made in terms of diversity in the profession, but that nonetheless we can still be doing much more.
As the very first City firm founded by a person of colour, Zaiwalla & Co has always been a staunch champion of promoting and celebrating diversity in the UK legal sector, and has been a steadfast supporter of Ms Boyce’s work.
Zaiwalla & Co Senior Partner Sarosh Zaiwalla commented: “to have Stephanie’s portrait hanging in the Law Society Reading Room is a symbol of progress in the ongoing drive for a legal profession that is truly representative of our diverse society.”