In 1965 I left school and went to work in a solicitor's office as junior clerk. I joined the institute and qualified as an Associate in 1972. I qualified as a Fellow (Criminal Law, Tort, Family Law and Family Practice). in 1996 and in the same year qualified as a Family Mediator with the Solicitors Family Law Association. In 2004 I was elected Vice President Elect of the ILEX national council, then became the Vice President and in 2006 I was elected President. 

As President I chaired meetings of the council and senior managers, had meetings with the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice, government ministers high Court Judges and the senior members of the Bar Council and the Law Society. I sat on the ILEX disciplinary tribunals. I chaired the working party which successfully persuaded the government to change the law to allow our Fellows to become advocates in the County Court and Magistrates Court and to be eligible to become a District Judge in the County Court and Magistrates Court. 

This photo is me with one of our local judges, District Judge John Mainwaring-Taylor, at the Lord Chancellor's annual service for the legal profession in Westminster Abbey in October 2005.