Writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth will be the guest host and speaker at the Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards 2016.
The charismatic former MP and Government whip will oversee proceedings at the annual event for the region’s legal community, which is being held at the International Convention Centre on 21 April next year.
Mr Brandreth has had a varied career in politics, the media and show business. Since the 1970s he has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows, including Countdown, QI, Have I Got News For You, The One Show, and Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4.
As the Sunday Telegraph Review’s editor-at-large and a journalist for many years, Mr Brandreth has interviewed both celebrities and world leaders and has written books on the Royal Family and politics, drawn from his time as a Government whip.
His career in politics spanned from 1992 to 1997, when he was the Conservative MP for the City of Chester. In 1995 he was appointed to a junior ministerial role as a Lord of the Treasury.
Today, as well as appearing on TV and radio, Mr Brandreth is a regular on the after dinner circuit.
Mushtaq Khan, president of Birmingham Law Society, said: “The focus of the evening is the awards and recognising the wealth of legal talent Birmingham and the wider West Midlands has. It’s also a celebration and a chance to have fun with friends, colleagues and peers, and who better to help us do that than Gyles Brandreth? Gyles’ sense of humour, wit, and penchant for telling stories and anecdotes from his long and varied career will be a fitting addition to the evening.”
The Legal Awards, which is being sponsored by office equipment supplier Midshire, is organised by Birmingham Law Society, the largest law society outside London, to recognise and reward the individual and collective achievements of the region’s legal community.
The awards include Trainee Solicitor of the Year, Barrister of the Year, Paralegal of the Year, Chartered Legal Executive of the Year, Assistant/Associate Solicitor of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility and Pro bono Lawyer of the Year, Partner of the Year, Law Firm of the Year (sole practitioner – four partners), Law Firm of the Year (5 – 15 partners) and Law Firm of the Year (16 plus partners), plus two new categories, Corporate Team of the Year and In-house Legal Team of the Year.
There will also be a special Lifetime Achievement award presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the legal profession during their career.
Nominations for the awards are now closed.
Mr Khan said: “We have been overwhelmed by the level of interest we have received in the awards this year. In fact, we have had a record number of entrants, which goes to show the awards are still held in high regard by the region’s legal sector.”
To book tickets for the event email events@birminghamlawsociety.co.uk