Swindon solicitor Ramona Derbyshire has been elected as the new president of the Gloucestershire & Wiltshire incorporated Law Society (GWILS), continuing its recovery from near dissolution last year.
Ramona, pictured, a partner in Thrings’ company commercial team, replaces Gloucestershire-based solicitor Andrew Ewart-James on a one-term basis. 
GWILS, which was formed in 1817, was in danger of being wound up last year after a perceived lack of interest from younger members of the legal profession across the two counties.
However, vice-president Rachel Wooddisse of Cirencester law firm Sewell Mullings Logie – who had been approached by the society’s previous committee to potentially dissolve it – sprung into action to revive it and form a new committee.
GWILS is now regaining its role as the voice of the legal profession in Gloucester and Wiltshire, providing functional and practical support to its members and liaising with the national Law Society to express their views.
During her year-long tenure, Ramona and her committee aim to expand GWILS’ 150-strong membership base to include those working in all areas of the legal profession, including solicitors, trainees, paralegals, legal secretaries and legal executives.
It will also stage a number of social, networking and training events across Gloucestershire and Wiltshire as well as updating the society’s website with a range of new and improved features, including the chance to read and contribute to group discussions on topics currently affecting the national and regional legal industries.
The new site will also include training and recruitment sections, details of specialist members’ events and links to courts and judiciaries as well as the national Law Society.
Meanwhile two of Ramona’s colleagues at Thrings have been elected to GWILS’ 17-strong committee. Joanna Apperley assumes responsibility for members’ social events and training and Louisa Smith becomes honorary secretary.
Ramona said: “GWILS has actively and successfully represented the views of its members in the legal community for almost 200 years, as well as providing training and guidance on legal and regulatory issues to solicitors through its associations with the Law Society.
“No organisation should ever stand still, and over the next 12 months the committee and I will be working hard to uphold GWILS’ history and traditions while implementing progressive changes which support the society’s ethos of being a modern legal services network and promoting the many benefits which membership brings to those working in the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire legal community.”
