The City of London Law Society (CLLS) is searching for its next Chief Executive

The Role

The Chief Executive (CEO) is the senior executive of a small team at the CLLS and therefore responsible for all aspects of its operation on a day-to-day basis. The new CEO will provide leadership to the existing staff and support to the Society’s main Committee and specialist committees.

The CEO is accountable to the main Committee for the overall success of the CLLS in (i) maintaining and growing its influential voice in all the key areas of its operations; (ii) increasing its membership; (iii) representing its members effectively on issues facing the profession in the City; and (iv) ensuring the CLLS’s vision is kept up to date and aligned with the challenges facing City law firms.

The CEO will support the Chairman as spokesperson and advocate for the Society in order to continue (i) to raise and maintain the profile of the Society and (ii) to represent the needs and interests of members and the profession in the work they do for their clients with confidence and purpose, including through external relationships with regulators, government, the media, the Law Society, TheCityUK, the City of London Corporation, and our sister organisation, the City of London Solicitors’ Company.

It is important to note that the CLLS is a society of practitioners and firms that have come together for common purpose. The CEO, therefore, has a primary role to play in managing the consensus view and ensuring that it is forged into a progressive programme of work.

Key Responsibilities of the CEO

• Work with the Chairman to develop the CLLS strategy and business plan in order to provide demonstrable value to member firms.
• Working with our Legal Policy Analyst and our main committees, identify key business issues affecting members as a result of market developments and regulatory changes as well as the work programmes of CLLS specialist committees and working groups in order to brief the Chairman on these to facilitate his and the Society's advocacy role.
• The CEO will also work in conjunction with our Legal Policy Analyst to advise on areas and issues which the CLLS should research, including policy activities and, where appropriate, ensure that this is easily accessed by and disseminated to the Chairman and membership.
• Support the convening of main Committee meetings and prepare all necessary papers in advance of each meeting, in close consultation with the Chairman and CLLS staff.
• Provide leadership to the CLLS team, supporting and overseeing their work, including on the overall CLLS strategy. The CEO will therefore need to be a person who has hands-on experience of effective team building, encouragement of colleagues, and ensuring organisational structures are kept up to date.
• In cooperation with the Chairman and main Committee, develop positive relationships with other stakeholders including industry bodies, Regulators, Parliament, Government, and media; to promote the CLLS as a trusted conduit between City firms and Westminster/Whitehall, and as appropriate to help the Society to foster good international relationships.
• Play a leading role in communications with members and City firms through regular newsletters, in particular (together with the Chairman) maintaining relationships with Managing and Senior Partners and ensuring engagement with younger City lawyers.
• Maintain the Society's close relationship with the City of London Solicitors’ Company so as to enable an effective working relationship between the Society and Company pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding that exists between us. In particular, to establish good working relationships with the Company's Clerk and its Master.
• Build the CLLS value proposition and increase member engagement to ensure retention and selective growth in membership of the CLLS.
• Manage the finances and business functions (in-house and outsourced) to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the CLLS office. In particular, and working with the Society's Treasurer, the CEO will need to achieve a good financial result.
• Continue the development of the CLLS website and wider member communications, including its programme of member events and media messaging.

Anyone interested in this role, please contact [email protected] for an informal discussion. If you wish to be formally considered, please send your CV and a letter of application to [email protected].

Notes  

The City of London Law Society is the professional representative body for solicitors and law firms in the City of London, including all the largest national and international practitioners. Its membership takes in more than 21,000 solicitors and 67 corporate member firms.

For media enquiries please contact George Kyrke-Smith (Panterra) on +447834658631 or [email protected].