Manchester In Conversation

Women In Law – On The Road to 100 Years

We are excited to announce that First 100 Years is on the road! Our aim is reach the biggest audience we can in order to celebrate and showcase the achievements of women in law over the last 100 years, as we pave the way for the next 100 years.

Join us in Manchester on Thursday 17th May for an exciting evening of conversation with some of the law’s leading lights who will share their journeys to success and the barriers they’ve overcome. As well as discussing:

– What does equality and justice mean today, for those working in the law?
– How can we help further the progress of women in the sector?
– With an opportunity for audience Q&A.

The evening is being kindly hosted by DLA Piper in their Manchester offices, with drinks provided and an opportunity for networking. A welcome address will be made by Alison Fagan, Partner at DLA Piper. The discussion will be chaired by Dana Denis-Smith, CEO of Obelisk Support and founder of First 100 Years.

Speakers

Her Honour Judge Sarah Singleton QC
After studying Jurisprudence at Hertford College, Oxford and a pupillage at Littleton Chambers, Sarah practised as a family law barrister in Manchester from 1984, taking Silk in 2006. She was the first woman junior of the Northern Circuit in 1988, and has helped to organise advocacy training and social events for the Northern Circuit. She is a bencher in the Middle Temple.

Lauren Riley
Lauren is an entrepreneur, solicitor and the founder of The Link App, which is redefining the relationship between law firms and their clients and has been named one of the top five best mobile start-up companies in Britain by KPMG. Lauren is passionate about solving the day-to-day problems faced by law firms and their clients through the innovative use of technology. She is also well known for her media appearances, including the BBC’s The Apprentice in 2014.

Eve Holt
A former public law and human rights lawyer, Eve is the director and co-founder of Happen Together CIC, which provides coaching, facilitation, research and human-centered design to help people and organisations work well and achieve their goals. Eve is also co-founder of DivaManc, growing women’s participation and power in Greater Manchester and the devolution process, co-lead for Parliament and Project North supporting women to run for political office, and founder and co-lead of the BikeHive which supports more women to ride and fix bikes.

Professor Julia Rouse
Julia Co-Founded the Sylvia Pankhurst Gender and Diversity Research Centre in Manchester Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Business and Law. She leads the Generating Routes for Women’s Leadership (GROWL) Project, a toolkit of Enquiry Tools, Network and Ideas Bank that are connecting women and businesses with evidence that can create transformational change. She researches women’s enterprise, women’s careers and entrepreneurship. Working with Visiting Professor Helen Pankhurst, ‘The Sylvia’ has a year-long programme to celebrate the centenary of (some) women winning the vote. They look forward to also celebrating the centenary of women in the law.