Allow us to re-introduce ourselves: We are your QLS Future Leaders Committee

While the QLS Future Leaders Committee (FLC) has been established for a few years now, our presence within the legal community has grown. You might have seen “FLC” slapped on a slide at a CPD event, or a shameless LinkedIn plug for one of our events. As our engagement with the profession is booming, we thought it might be the right time to let you know a little bit about what we’re here for.

The FLC is a QLS-run committee designed to be an advocate and source of support for early-career lawyers within the profession. “Early-career lawyer” is a loose term, but we aim to serve everyone from law clerks to freshly admitted solicitors (regardless of age) to more senior practitioners who are moving into a new practice area. Basically anyone who feels out of their depth, in need of support and connection. 

The main things we strive to deliver are:

• Education through CPD events specifically for early-career lawyers;
• Opportunities to connect;
• Easily accessible online tools and resources;
• A sense of community; and
• A source of support.

Thanks to last year’s QLS member survey, we learned that early-career lawyers value events with a combined focus on education and connection. Looking ahead, our events will largely reflect that, ensuring there are frequent opportunities to upskill and meet practitioners who have experience and guidance to offer. Our early-career cohort also flagged a dire need for mentorship opportunities, which is something we are excited to be exploring over the next 12 months.

When it comes to tools and resources, we know a cheat sheet is invaluable when you’re learning the ropes. That’s why we have The Hub: an online QLS resource that exclusively provides tips and guides to succeed in the early stages of your practice. When you’re new to the profession, there’s a lot you don’t know, so we want to help point you in the right direction. Whether it be publishing some hot tips for court, keeping you updated with the latest events on the calendar, or letting you know about some of the QLS member benefits, we’ve got you!

We’ve got plenty in store over the next 12 months to help you feel connected and confident, so stay tuned.

Emma Kearney
President, Future Leaders Committee