Michael Frape
I joined the committee in 2016 and was appointed President at the AGM in 2019. The Society’s 150th anniversary year will therefore coincide with my third and final year as President. The President has overall responsibility for the strategic direction of the Society in accordance with its mission, vision and values. The role also involves managing the Committee and its members and chairing its meetings as well as an outward-facing role as the figurehead of the Society at events and in respect of relationships with other local law societies and organisations. I am a dispute resolution partner in Ashtons Legal specialising principally in commercial disputes of various shapes and sizes and have been Chairman of the firm since 2018. My outside interests include a love of the theatre (especially Shakespeare), visual arts, history, and literature, as well as mountaineering and endurance running events. I have two grown-up children who have not been tempted to train as lawyers.
Ellena Forman
My role within the society is to assist the Court Users Groups in Cambridge to support and improve the experiences of all individuals who use the courts. All users of the court are welcome to contact me with any feedback they may have to ensure the court process in Cambridge is as user-friendly as possible. I am a barrister at Fenners Chambers practising in predominantly Family and Crime. Outside work I love to read; to travel, to eat out with family and friends, and I have my own embroidery and cross-stitch online shop.
Francesca Lofts
The role of CLS Career Development and Mentoring Officer is a new committee position for 2021, created to help drive excellence and better connection throughout our legal community in Cambridgeshire. My role involves co-ordinating programs for the development of members’ careers by holding training events, Q&A forums etc. and creating, leading and facilitating the mentoring programme. I am an in-house lawyer; my current role is associate counsel (Commercial and Corporate) at Cambridge University Press. In my spare time I enjoy cycling, running, and baking, and I am a school governor for a local primary school.
Joshua Walters
I am the Member Benefits Officer at CLS which means that I liaise with local businesses and try and obtain great deals, discounts and offers for our members. My aim is to get lots of local businesses to offer money off deals and packages to make sure that you get real value for money with your membership. My role also involves working with the events team to set up events with local businesses, for example the wine tasting in summer 2020 in conjunction with Cambridge Wine Merchants. I am also the Bar liaison representative and I make sure that the barristers in Cambridgeshire are represented on the committee and have a point of contact. I am a Barrister based at Fenners Chambers in Cambridge, which I joined in 2015 after completing my pupillage. I specialise in Family Law, with a particular focus on private children and ancillary relief matters. In my spare time I love nothing more than going for a walk with my wife and daughter especially if we can drop in at a local pub on the way home. I am also a keen amateur cook and play the saxophone (reasonably well).
Natasha Adams
I am the President of the Cambridge Junior Lawyers Division and because I oversee and arrange the activities of the Division, I also have a position as the CLS Liaison for the CJLD. In my role, I attend CLS meetings and events in order to represent the interests of the junior lawyers in the Cambridge community and look for opportunities for the CLS and CJLD to work together. I am a Dispute Resolution solicitor at Ashtons Legal, working on a mix of commercial and property litigation cases. I assist clients with a variety of disputes and try, where possible, to resolve them before formal Court action becomes necessary. When I’m not working, I enjoy cooking and Facetiming my family who lives in Canada.
Gary Hanson
Following the decision to retire as a partner and running the BDO office in Cambridge, which I initially opened in 2007, I let slip to Michael that I was looking for new roles and he invited me to be (honorary) Treasurer to CLS. Given many happy hours spent with corporate lawyers in the city on transactions and my monthly networking lunches, I accepted and look forward to working with the rest of the Committee along with some other new roles in the pipeline. My role will be working with Penny to prepare forecasts, manage the financial accounting and prepare an annual report for the members and executing some independent oversight and governance. In the new world and away from BDO, I am preparing travel plans and setting to reduce my golf handicap and look forward to meeting up with everyone again.
Rebecca Austin
My role as CLS Regulatory & Compliance Officer involves responding to Law Society Consultations and also keeping an eye on the regulatory framework that we work within, updating members and providing training as needed. I am the Risk & Compliance Partner at Hewitsons LLP, I play an active role in the implementation and ongoing review of the firm’s risk management procedures. I also provide regulatory advice on a variety of matters including anti-money laundering and the requirements of the Solicitors Code of Conduct. I undertake the renewal of the firm’s professional indemnity insurance and investigate concerns raised by clients and staff alike. Outside work I like to spend time with my family, and enjoy running, reading and music.
Amanda Narkiewicz
As Corporate Sponsorships Officer I am responsible for developing and managing the society’s relationship with its corporate partners and sponsors. I enjoy this role because I get to work with interesting companies in the local area and nationally. The support of our sponsors is integral to the society’s ability to put on fabulous events like the Legal Excellence Awards! I’m a Principal Associate solicitor at Mills & Reeve LLP. I advise on various aspects of contentious and non contentious regulatory and healthcare law and health and safety. In the summer enjoy rowing in the Town Bumps for Mills & Reeve’s rowing team. Outside of work, my passion is travelling and experiencing different cultures.
Charlotte Vallins
My role as CLS Website Officer involves procuring website content from colleagues on the Committee and third parties and coordinating that content to ensure that it is current and relevant. I also liaise closely with the Committee’s PR, CLS Connect and LBL reps to ensure that the website is consistent in the delivery of the CLS vision. I am a senior associate solicitor at Ashtons Legal and act for a range of business clients in connection with their corporate real estate and investment portfolios, dealing primarily with commercial landlord and tenant matters. Outside work I like to spend time with my friends and family and enjoy the outdoors and baking.
Melissa de Carvalho
My role as International Relations Officer involves building new and maintaining relationships with international bar associations to provide a cross-border benefit to our members. The role was created in 2020 to mirror the benefits some of the other Law Societies in the UK have experienced and the initial focus is on Europe. I am also the representative for the Relationships sub-committee which involves maintaining and reporting on progress within the sub-committee to the management board. I am an Associate at Birketts LLP in the Private Client Advisory team and advise individuals, families and business owners on their personal finances and I am increasingly advising international individuals on UK tax implications based on their domicile and residency status. Outside of work, I am a keen netballer and enjoy spending time with friends and family.
Chris Hoole
My role as Learning & Development Officer involves organising, arranging and hosting webinars, seminars and interactive sessions on a range of relevant topics from current legal updates to soft-skills in the workplace. I also liaise closely with committee members across the spectrum of CLS to gather and deliver content, including in identifying key speakers. I am a partner at Appleyard Lees IP LLP specialising in contentious and non-contentious intellectual property rights and trade mark protection. I act for a range of clients from blue-chip internationals with global brand portfolios, tech-start-ups, to sole-traders, in enforcing and protecting their IP rights on a global scale. Outside work I can be found on my road bike, in the gym or spending time with my family, including a very active toddler.
Richard Lane
I am a senior solicitor having been qualified for 37 years specialising in Private Client work, such as Wills, Powers of Attorney and Probate. I have been a CLS committee member for over 10 years and my role is Sole Practitioners and Small Firms Rep. I work at Thomson Webb & Corfield. When I qualified, the latest technology was the golf-ball typewriter: the legal profession has changed quite a lot over those 37 years. Outside work my hobbies include not doing my garden and not maintaining my house.
Josie Beal
I am an Associate in the Employment Team at Birketts’ Cambridge office. I joined the CLS committee in January 2020 as PR Officer, promoting the society’s events, initiatives and presence in Cambridge. I recognise the benefits of a well-connected and engaged legal community, having been an active member of the Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) and the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) prior to qualifying as a solicitor.
Anwar Gilani
I am the CLS patent attorney coordinator – in this role, I aim to create more connections between Cambridgeshire’s patent attorneys and other legal professionals. I am a partner at Venner Shipley where my clients include Cambridge technology companies as well as overseas clients from the USA and the Far East seeking European or UK patent protection. I have a young family who keep me busy outside work and (if not locked down!) I enjoy playing football and travelling.
Emma Bowman
I joined the CLS committee in July 2019 and became Honorary Secretary shortly after. My role involves organising committee meetings and the AGM, recording minutes, and managing the membership records and renewal process, all with the invaluable help of our administrator Penny. I am a solicitor in the real estate team at Hewitsons and deal with commercial landlord and tenant matters, sales and purchases, lending, and development. When I’m not working I love walking my border terrier Jemima, playing tennis, reading and eating cake.
Kate Harris
I joined the Committee of the Cambridge Law Society in March 2020 as the Editor of Light Blue Law, the Society’s periodical publication. I am an Associate Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell specialising in Wills Trusts and Estate Disputes, dealing with a wide range of disputes including claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, will disputes, contentious Court of Protection applications and other litigation relating to trusts, including claims in connection with beneficial interests in property. I work from both the Cambridge and London offices of Irwin Mitchell but based near Cambridge and prior to joining Irwin Mitchell, worked for a large Cambridge firm for 9 years. Outside of work, I am a keen horse rider and a parent to two small children who keep me very busy.
Joanna Hill
My role as CLS Pro-bono and CSR Officer includes researching charities that we may potentially support in the future and building relationships with them, as well as identifying potential scope for pro-bono initiatives in Cambridgeshire. I am a Medical Negligence Paralegal at Irwin Mitchell providing assistance to clients often experiencing life changing events. My role involves running my own caseload, as well as providing support and assistance to the fee earners in my team. Outside work I like to keep active. I also enjoy travelling and spending time with family and friends.
Sarah Cooke
I became a member of the CLS committee in November 2019, following a career move to Cambridge a year earlier, with the aim of getting to know the Cambridgeshire legal community better. On joining the committee, I took up the role of CLS EDI Officer. I support CLS’ aim to create a more equal legal community through encouragement of diversity and inclusive practices. I consider committee matters from an EDI perspective and write and procure EDI-related content from the wider Cambridgeshire legal community for CLS publications. In my ‘day job’, I am a Principal Associate in the Real Estate team at Mills & Reeve, where I help a range of clients buy, sell, develop, let and manage commercial portfolios within the UK. Outside work I’m kept busy by a young family and various pets but enjoy sports and fitness activities when I can find the time!
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