THE Bournemouth and District Law Society held its annual lunch at the Pavilion, Bournemouth welcoming BBC presenter, Louise Minchin, and national Law Society president Lubna Shuja as guest speakers.

Lubna, the first Asian, first Muslim and only the seventh female president in the 200-year history of the society, stressed the importance of the organisation getting out to the regions and talking to members.

She recognised “the huge contribution that local law societies make in supporting the local community.”

And she particularly wanted to hear about the challenges faced so the Law Society could ensure the right support for members.

Louise recounted stories about her 20 years at BBC Breakfast and paid tribute to her former colleague and friend, Bill Turnbull, who died recently.

BDLS president Emma Hamilton Cole said: “I was absolutely delighted to see so many members of the society and their guests attend our lunch. With more than 400 people it was the largest annual lunch for some years.

“Louise Minchin and Lubna Shuja were entertaining and impressive in equal measure.

“In my few words I reflected on the importance of professional networks from early on in our careers to help support us through challenging times, and highlighted the BDLS role in providing opportunities to forge those networks through training and social events.

Sponsors of the event were Paragon, ITEC, PKF Francis Clark, Finders, Search Acumen and Barclays.