Jeff Lewis is in line to become president of the Law Society of England and Wales in 2028, which would make him the first Jewish Law Society president in more than 50 years. The Cheshire solicitor became the society’s deputy vice president this year.
Lewis said he was proud to take the next step in the leadership sequence. “It is a great honour. I am very proud that I am going to be the first Jewish president in over 50 years,” he told the JC.
The Route to Law Society President
Lewis will serve a one-year term as deputy vice president before becoming vice president and then president. Under the Law Society’s leadership structure, he is expected to become Law Society president in 2028. The last Jewish person to hold the presidency was Sir David Napley, who held office in 1976.
Lewis, 61, has practised commercial litigation since qualifying in 1989. He is head of litigation at Brabners solicitors in Manchester, where he has worked since 2005. He also works part-time as a judge and mediator.
His legal work extends to football regulation. Lewis sits on the Football Association’s judicial panel, acting as an independent legal chair for regulatory and disciplinary hearings. He is also a trustee of Manchester Jewish Community Care.
Lewis said promoting diversity would be one of his themes as the future Law Society president. “It is good that all faiths are represented at the top end of the legal profession, and, in fact, one of my themes will be the promotion of diversity. Having a Jewish president will be part of it.”
Lewis attends Bowdon Orthodox Synagogue in South Manchester. He previously produced and hosted Jewish Hour, a long-running BBC Radio Manchester programme, until it was axed in 2012 as part of a series of cuts. His community work includes serving as a trustee of Manchester Jewish Community Care.
A Long Route Through Law Society Roles
Lewis became involved with Manchester Law Society in 1999 and rose to its presidency in 2011. In 2016, he joined the national Law Society to represent Manchester. He was re-elected twice and later joined committees and projects.
Colleagues suggested that Lewis stand for deputy vice president, though he initially questioned whether he would be suited to the role. He eventually decided to run. “Every year, these places are fiercely contested,” he said. “I was up against five other candidates and it was quite a brutal process involving hustings and presentations.”
Lewis was selected in May. He is due to be inaugurated as deputy vice president at a ceremony in London next week. His path through the roles means the presidency remains planned for 2028, following the intervening one-year terms.
The appointment will place Lewis in the society’s top role after decades in commercial litigation, local and national professional leadership, and judicial work. His stated focus on diversity will form part of his term if he reaches the presidency.
Related coverage: Law Society mediation efforts have also drawn attention to its role in legal practice. A separate Law Society panel ruling covered professional conduct. Legal education and leadership are also examined in this report on business law faculty leadership.
The JC reported Lewis’s planned presidency and his account of the selection process.
