Last Thursday marked the culmination of the Law Society’s membership campaign for the 2025-26 practising year: Uniting the profession.

Without your continued support, this task would not be possible. I sincerely thank each of you for your contribution to strengthening our profession through your participation in the largest and most influential legal membership association in Australia.

The Law Society represents your interests and that of your 33,000 solicitor member colleagues, whether you run a solo practice in a country town, manage the legal affairs of a company as an in-house counsel, protect the interests of the state as a government lawyer, provide pro bono legal work to the community’s most vulnerable, or are an early career lawyer forging your path in one of our larger firms.

The support of every member of the Law Society is vital. That support enables us to continue our efforts as the voice of the profession, to deliver you the tools you need to succeed in practice at every career stage, and to provide support for your wellbeing. You can find a comprehensive list of the benefits of membership here.

As part of the membership campaign, we spoke to solicitors from across practice sectors in videos you may have seen in recent weeks across our social media channels. They each have their own reasons for being members.

Justine Zhou of Speirs Ryan said membership “makes me feel like I’m part of the greater community and profession.”

Government lawyer, Brett Thomson of the Crown Solicitors Office said he relies on resources provided by the Law Society at least once a week, and finds it “difficult to imagine how the profession would operate without membership of the Law Society.”

From my own firm of Clayton Utz, Dr Ashley Tsacalos says his “favourite part of membership is the connectivity and network that you build,” and Amanda Lyras appreciates “the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded professionals.”

At the Law Society of NSW, we take immense pride in serving the legal profession by uniting professionals like you and fostering a diverse and forward-thinking community.

Solicitors are an indispensable part of the fabric of our communities and there is no area of human activity that is not enriched or impacted by the work you do.

If you haven’t yet renewed your practising certificate and membership, you should do so as soon as possible.

Your renewal is not just a formality – it's a vital investment in the continued strength of our profession and the work we do to support, represent and advocate for you.

I think the purpose of the Law Society’s mission of uniting the legal profession is well expressed by last year’s President’s Medallist, Director of Orange-based firm, Cheney Suthers, Kirsty Evans. She says, “When we’re working together, we’re working for the betterment of the people that we serve.”

I couldn’t have put it better.

Jennifer Ball, President, Law Society of NSW