Ramona, a partner in Thrings’ Company Commercial team in Swindon, will continue to lead GWILS – the voice of solicitors, trainees, paralegals, legal secretaries and legal executives in the two counties – for a further twelve months.
GWILS - which was formed in 1817 - has also bolstered its executive team, with Thrings’ Steven Rice taking on the role of company secretary, and Rachel Saunders from Forrester Sylvester Mackett and Zhenja May from Thrings joining the committee.
Since being elected in 2016, Ramona and her committee have introduced a number of new initiatives and benefits for GWILS members. This includes delivering numerous social, networking and training events, hosting education events with speakers from the Law Society, cost lawyers and insurers, and launching a new website, logo and brand.
The society has also continued to develop its working relationships with a number of professional services organisations, including the Association of South Western Law Societies (ASWLS), accountancy and business advisory firm Hazelwoods, and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Meanwhile, GWILS’ annual Legal Excellence Awards dinner has gone from strength to strength, with last year’s event – held at the Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in Calne – attracting more than 140 members of the counties’ legal communities.
Ramona said: “I am both honoured and excited to have been given the opportunity to lead GWILS for another year, and to be working closely with our new-look committee to represent and provide training and guidance to our growing membership in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
“This year will see the third running of GWILS’ flagship event, the Legal Excellence Awards, which will be held at Steam on 21 November. It’s clear our regions enjoy celebrating the outstanding achievements in the legal community, and our aim is to make the 2019 event the biggest and best yet.
“Amid an ever-changing legal landscape, it is imperative that GWILS’ focus remains on supporting, representing and providing professional development opportunities for its members. The committee and I are looking forward to the year ahead, and in particular, to extending our reach across our two counties to ensure we continue to offer the best support to firm of all sizes.”
GWILS committee includes members from Thrings, Tanners, BPE, Forrester Sylvester Mackett, Harrison Clark Rickerbys, Wansbroughs and Sewell Mullings Logie.