Evans, who is the society’s third president from Wales, practised as a property and private law solicitor at Allington Hughes for 28 years before moving into education—experience which may come in handy given the government is currently consulting on home-buying and conveyancing reforms. During his term, Evans said he will focus on tackling social mobility barriers to the profession, promoting mental health and wellbeing, and boosting awareness of legal aid ‘deserts’ around the country where ‘solicitor numbers are declining and communities are struggling to access legal advice and justice.
‘To help address this, I want to highlight non-traditional routes into the profession and help to equip small and medium-sized law firms with the tools they need to ensure access to justice,’ Evans said.
One specific goal is to persuade the Welsh government to match the offer available in England and fund the level 7 apprenticeship so students can stay and train in Wales. He also intends to support solicitors in managing their own welfare.
Evans said: ‘Long hours, high workloads and client care can have an impact on solicitors.
‘It is critical that we continue the conversation about mental health and wellbeing and ensure that it is not stigmatised. This year, I aim to support solicitors by holding crucial discussions on wellbeing across the legal sector and by engaging with local law societies, communities and networks to ensure we are united in prioritising our members’ welfare.’
Evans will be supported by vice president Brett Dixon, a former president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and deputy vice president Dana Denis-Smith, the entrepreneur behind flexible working company Obelisk Support and founder of the First 100 Years project.
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