Partner becomes first black president of Birmingham Law Society
Partner Inez Brown, who leads the team at Medical Accident Group, sister company to Harrison Clark Rickerbys, has been inaugurated as president of Birmingham Law Society, the first black person to hold the post, and has committed herself to enabling talented students to overcome disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a legal career.
Inez, who herself came from such a background and did her law degree while working full time as a legal secretary for various Midlands law firms, with her husband paying her fees, said: “I had to overcome a number of obstacles in order to enter the legal profession, and I will set up a Diversity Inclusion Scheme to enable two students to take up that chance.”
Scholarships and funding have already been pledged by Inez’s own alma mater, the University of Wolverhampton, and also by the University of Law; successful candidates will also be supported with mentoring and advice by Harrison Clark Rickerbys and another Midlands firm.
Inez is a specialist clinical negligence lawyer, with many years’ experience; her first big case brought about a change in procedures for local doctors from other countries working in the UK. The case, David Gray v Dr Ubani, followed the death of Mr Gray after Dr Ubani, a German locum, administered 10 times the correct dose of diamorphine because his English was limited and he did not understand prescribing practice in the UK. Afterwards, an English language test and a competency test were introduced for all international locums.
Rod Thomas, managing partner of Harrison Clark Rickerbys, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Inez is the society’s new president; she has served them very well for some years and thoroughly deserves this honour. Her plans are inspiring and wide-ranging and I have no doubt that she will have a successful year.”
Harrison Clark Rickerbys has more than 500 staff and partners based at offices in Birmingham, Worcester, Cardiff, Cheltenham, the Wye Valley, Hereford, London, Thames Valley, and Cambridge, who provide a complete spectrum of legal services to both business and private clients, regionally and nationwide. The firm also has a number of highly successful teams specialising in individual market sectors, including health and social care, education, technology, agricultural and rural affairs, finance and financial services, defence, security and the forces, and construction.
About Harrison Clark Rickerbys
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Award-winning firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys provides a complete spectrum of City-quality legal
services to business and private clients across the South and West Midlands, Thames Valley and
Wye Valley corridors, the southwest of England and in Wales.
The firm has grown through several mergers, both locally and with specialists, all answering client demand. It has more than 500 staff and partners operating out of offices in Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Hereford, London, Thames Valley, Worcester and the Wye Valley and a turnover of c£35m.
The firm has specialist expertise in health and social care; defence, security and the forces; finance and financial services; construction and engineering; education; technology, and agriculture and rural affairs.
Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ work in all aspects of law is nationally and internationally
recognised. Clients’ comments about the quality of its work has led to the firm being listed in Tier 1 of the prestigious Legal 500 and Chamber and Partners directories of the major law firms in England and Wales.
For more details, visit www.hcrlaw.com