The Law Society’s archivist: “history changed my life – I like passing that on”
Exploring the Law Society archive
When I show our members historical documents and they have a “wow” moment, it’s very rewarding. Seeing solicitors connect to the history of their profession is always satisfying. Whilst my role is to preserve history for the future, it’s also about promoting awareness of the archive so solicitors can engage with it.
The item that surprises members the most is a book called the Attourney’s Academy from 1623. Back then, to be a qualified attorney all you needed to do was own this book. It’s fun to show it to new solicitors on admission ceremony days – they have to do a lot more to qualify these days! It reminds us how the profession has developed.
One of my most surprising discoveries was that former president Sir Ernest Bird, elected in 1943, was also our first disabled president. I came across this long-forgotten fact as I was reading obituaries. His obituary revealed he lost an arm in a shooting accident at the age of 14.
This information stopped me in my tracks – I immediately went down to the Reading Room at 113 Chancery Lane to see his portrait. There, I could see his pose deliberately concealed the lost limb – a reflection on how disabilities were regarded at this time. Without the obituaries in our archive, this fact could have been lost completely.
It’s hard to put a figure on the size of the archive – but there's over 80 metres of shelving in the history room. You never know what you’ll discover until you open a box and start searching through it.
I must have looked at thousands of documents since I’ve been here. There’s also lots of ephemera and personal papers – we’ve even got a top hat! The toughest part of being an archivist is that there's never enough time to look through every box.
Our digital exhibition is brilliant because the timeline gives you the historical context to the legal milestones. It also features regional stories which are integral to the history of the organisation. It was a challenge to research, but I enjoyed finding out things that nobody had thought to look for before.
Our archive is quite corporate – we have a lot of minutes from board meetings – so it can be a challenge to make it engaging. To bring those to life, I track down human stories behind them that make them relatable.
I've curated three exhibitions during my time here – it’s been an amazing opportunity. This role is one that I’m always going to look back on with pride. Bringing to life 200 years of history and educating people about it has been fantastic. I’m also very proud to have originated the tours of the library that happen on admission days.
It's important that the Law Society keeps, preserves and recalls its history because it's the heritage of the profession. History not only shows how things happened in the past but also reveals the things that will probably occur in the future. When you look at it, we're very much still doing now lots of what we were doing 200 years ago.
My unexpected journey to the archives
I’m the kind of archivist who likes educating people about the past. History changed my life, so I like passing that on. 
The first I heard the word ‘archivist’, I didn't have a clue what it meant – I had to look it up in the dictionary. I’d been ringing round different places seeking volunteer opportunities, and Tower Hamlet’s library responded because they were looking for a voluntary archivist.
I've got a diary entry from my very first day where I wrote: “I think I might be able to do this.” I’d been left in a room with all these artefacts and was trusted to get on with it. The experience gave me a lot of confidence – particularly as I’d been out of work for 10 years prior to that. From then on, I was set on becoming an archivist.
Growing up, I always had my head in a history book. I was lucky because I had a very inspiring history teacher. I grew up in east London in the 1980s, and nobody ever talked to me about university – it wasn't an option.
I always thought “people like me” didn’t go to university, but at the age of 28, I enrolled in a history degree. This made me the first person in my family to pursue higher education. For most of my relatives, the priority was to find a job to make money. No one understood why I wanted to study. I was lucky that my parents supported me to pursue my passion for history.
I’ve now been an archivist for 26 years. I’ve worked in the archives at a range of institutions in London including the V&A and RAF Museum. I’ve also been involved in writing several books and I've had over 50 articles published.
My interest in legal history drew me to this role at the Law Society. I find the story of legal aid fascinating. It’s been great to chart the Law Society’s role championing access to justice from its early days right up to now. Our current exhibition in the library highlights the work that’s been done in this area.
I’d urge anyone who’s not explored our exhibitions to take a look at our digital exhibition or to visit our library. The library is a welcoming space. You won't get shushed when you walk in the door – I promise! We’re always happy to show people around.
I want to know more
Explore our digital exhibition
‘The Law Society 200 years: a celebration of law’ is a fascinating insight into two centuries of social change.
It explores how the changes have impacted solicitors across England and Wales, the law and shaped the Law Society.
Open House Festival
Go behind the scenes at the Law Society – whether you’re a solicitor or not.
To celebrate 200 years of supporting solicitors, we’ll be opening the doors to our hall at 113 Chancery Lane on Saturday 13 September 2025 for Open House Festival, which offers special open days across the 33 London boroughs.
If you’re looking to explore historical buildings in the city, and find out more about legal history, read more about Open House Festival.
Our members' history and achievements
For centuries, solicitors have been providing individuals and businesses with the legal advice they need to keep our society, and our economy, thriving.
In our 200th year, we’re celebrating the impact solicitors have had throughout the history of our profession, nationally and internationally, and championing the role they play in protecting rights and promoting justice.