Former journalist Dana Denis-Smith OBE has been elected as the new deputy vice president of the Law Society of England and Wales, taking office from October 2025.
Denis-Smith OBE spent a decade as a journalist before qualifying as a solicitor with Linklaters and is currently CEO of Obelisk Support, a legal services provider offering flexible legal solutions. She is an award-winning solicitor and entrepreneur, TedxTalk speaker and a leading campaigner for equality, sitting on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Membership and Communications committees; and sits on the Advisory Board of the Judicial Appointments Commission.
The recipient of the Legal 500 Lifetime Achievement Award and named one of the UK’s Top 100 Most Influential People, Denis-Smith was awarded the Order of the British Empire for her service to women in law in the New Year’s Honours List this year.
Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales welcomed Denis-Smith saying
“As we continue to celebrate 200 years of the Law Society, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Dana on becoming the newly elected deputy vice president. Dana emerged from a strong pool of candidates and her election is a testament to her dedication, expertise and commitment to the legal profession. I look forward to working with Dana to drive progress and help the Law Society navigate the future successfully for our members, the legal community and society. I wish Dana all the best.”
Dana Denis-Smith OBE said:
“I am thrilled to be elected as the new deputy vice president of the Law Society of England and Wales. Along with the president and vice president, colleagues and the Law Society as a whole, I believe we can champion more inclusivity to ensure all our members can have successful careers in the legal sector.
“We will continue to drive innovation and support our members to thrive in the digital age. Together, we remain committed to championing solicitors’ values and the crucial role they play in upholding the rule of law, access to justice and supporting our communities.”
Denis-Smith is the 183rd deputy vice-president of the Law Society. and will become vice president in 2026 and president of the Law Society in 2027. In 2014, she founded the First 100 Years, a national campaign to celebrate the first 100 years of women in the legal profession culminating in centenary celebrations in 2019.
She holds two honorary doctorates in law from the University of Glasgow and the University of Worcester.
