The City of London Law Society (CLLS) has created a scholarship in memory of its former director of strategic relationships Stephen Denyer, who died last year.
Denyer – a former partner at legacy Allen & Overy and an influential figure in the International Bar Association – was active within the CLLS and as a senior figure in Chancery Lane, before his passing in January 2024.
The CLLS Training Committee this week announced the foundation of the Stephen Denyer Scholarship, with the participation of City legal bodies, many of whom attended Denyer’s 2024 memorial service at the Temple Church.
The scholarship will support four aspiring social welfare solicitors at North East Law Centre (NELC) with their Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) journey. The Denyer scholars will now have their SQE1 and SQE2 course and assessment fees fully funded, while the Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund (SWSQF) will aim to match the donation by financing an additional NELC candidate each year for the next four years.
The scholarship is being created in partnership with the Denyer family, who donated £50,000 to the initiative.
Patrick McCann, CLLS CEO and one of the co-founders of the SWSQF, wrote on LinkedIn: “Stephen was a gentle giant – intelligent, wise and kind in equal measure… His early and steadfast support for SWSQF and [the solicitor apprenticeship initiative] City Century, has already helped open the door to qualification for well over 1,000 future solicitors.”
McCann added: “This scholarship ensures that his commitment to access to justice, to the North East and to helping others into the profession, will continue to make a difference for years to come.”
In a statement, the Denyer family said: “Stephen cared deeply about increasing access to justice and helping aspiring lawyers enter the profession. Having had his own talent unlocked in the North East at Durham University, he would be so pleased that his legacy now helps emerging talent qualify as social welfare solicitors here.”
Michael Fawole of the North East Law Centre also welcomed the news, saying: “This scholarship will allow us to support and train talented future lawyers who might otherwise never have the opportunity to qualify.”
Colin Shaw, current chair of the CLLS Training Committee, added: “Stephen championed potential wherever he saw it. This scholarship reflects the values he lived by – opening doors, expanding opportunity and strengthening the profession through inclusion. The Training Committee is honoured to support this legacy.”
Responding, Law Society chief executive officer Ian Jeffery said: “This scholarship is a fitting tribute to Stephen’s remarkable contribution to the legal profession.”
Jeffrey added: “During his time at the Law Society, Stephen was a driving force in building relationships across the UK and internationally and shaping connections with law societies, governments and universities. His insight and guidance continue to influence colleagues worldwide.
“By supporting aspiring solicitors in the North East through their SQE qualifications, this initiative reflects Stephen’s commitment to championing solicitors from underrepresented backgrounds and strengthening the legal profession.”
IBA executive director Mark Ellis, who worked closely with Denyer as a senior IBA officer, warmly thanked the founding partners for the initiative and welcomed its purpose. He called the scholarship “a wonderful and fitting tribute to a remarkable figure whose life and career stood for exactly what this initiative embodies”, calling it “a wonderful step forward”.
Ellis concluded: “May it flourish and may Stephen’s life and values continue to inspire all who benefit from it.”
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