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Cultural Heritage Dinner
Date: Saturday 28th June
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Venue: Tipu Sultan Majestic Dining, 43 Alcester Road, Birmingham, B13 8AA
Price: £30 +VAT per ticket (please note if you would like a table, a full table is 9 places)
Dress Code: Dress to impress—traditional attire encouraged—as we celebrate the rich diversity that defines our profession
The BLS REACH sub-committee invites you to the Cultural Heritage Dinner.
Join us for an inspiring afternoon of culture, connection, and celebration as we mark 200 years of The Law Society of England and Wales.
Mingle with legal professionals and aspiring lawyers over a delicious three-course meal at Tipu Sultan, with dynamic guest speakers including Karen Bailey, Lubna Shuja and Shaid Parveen.
Karen Bailey established the award-winning firm of Bailey Wright & Co. in 1996. She was the first female African-Caribbean solicitor to set up a practice in central Birmingham. The firm specialises in Child Care Law, Education and Discrimination Law. One of her discrimination/employment cases became the subject of an award-winning film – The Whistleblower, starring Rachel Weisz and Vanessa Redgrave.
Karen has been a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel since 2000, making her one of a select group of lawyers able to represent children as well as adults in family proceedings.
She is a trustee of 2 charities. WAITS (Women Acting in Today’s Society) provides support and empowerment to vulnerable women, particularly those who have experienced domestic abuse. The Ladywood Community Project provides support and relief for families in the Ladywood area who are experiencing poverty and financial hardship.
Karen is also a founder and co-director of the Black Family Practitioners Network, a CIC established to improve practice within the family justice system, particularly in relation to families of African and Caribbean heritage, as well as offering support and guidance to practitioners of African and Caribbean heritage working with such families and within the system.
Additionally, Karen undertakes mentoring of aspiring young lawyers, including offering work experience in the firm.
Lubna Shuja is a Former President of the Law Society of England and Wales (2022/23) which was established 200 years ago in 1825. She is the first Asian, the first Muslim and only the 7th female to take office as President. She was on the Law Society Board for 5½ years.
Lubna has been a solicitor for over 32 years and a Mediator for 18 years. She has her own firm, Legal Swan Solicitors in Birmingham. She is a member of the Ministry of Justice’s Online Procedure Rule Sub-Committee.
Lubna spent many years as a litigator and has specialised in professional regulation for over 18 years. She Chairs misconduct and disciplinary hearings for various professional regulators. She was a Deputy Clerk at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for over 13 years.
Lubna has extensive experience of public speaking internationally and in the UK. She has frequently appeared in the media discussing and writing about a wide range of legal issues.
In 2024 Lubna received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Aston University and in 2022 she received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Law. In 2023 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Westminster and an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Asian Legal Awards. In 2021 she was awarded the Sole Practitioner of the Year Award from the Black Solicitors Network.
Shaid Parveen is a lawyer and an advocate with a proven track record for employability, equity and inclusion in the legal profession and higher education. She is the founding Chair of Birmingham Law Society's Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) subcommittee and serves on the Law Society of England and Wales’ Women Solicitors Network Committee. At Aston University, Shaid is the Associate Dean for Development and Engagement and a Senior Teaching Fellow within Law and Social Sciences. Her leadership extends beyond academia as Shaid is a Non-Executive Director for a CIC, school governor and advisor for the West Midlands Combined Authority taskforce for jobs.
Don’t miss this vibrant inaugural event!
Please note this is a sober event and there is limited parking available.
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