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Manchester Law Society elects new president for 2016

A lawyer with almost 20 years’ experience of helping people with serious and life-changing injuries has been elected as the new president of Manchester Law Society.

Michael Hardacre, a key figure at city centre law firm Slater and Gordon, was sworn in at the AGM earlier this month and will hold the post for the forthcoming year.

He says he is looking forward to working with and on behalf of the society’s 2,700-plus members.

He will also host the Manchester Legal Awards, a glittering ceremony held every year to recognise the region’s most outstanding talent.

Rochdale-born Michael, 48, originally worked in sales and marketing in London before qualifying as a solicitor in 1997.

He undertook his training at Sedgwick Phelan and Partners in Old Trafford before joining Pannone, where he was made partner four years later.

The firm was acquired by Slater and Gordon in 2014, moving earlier this year from its old Deansgate base to new offices on Mosley Street.

Michael, who lives in Stockport, says he is ‘thrilled’ with his new appointment and hopes to use his 12 months in office to bring members closer together.

He said: “One of my goals for the year is to reach out across the profession and foster a stronger sense of solidarity; to emphasise the thing we have in common which is representing the interests of people who need our help.

“I also think it’s useful to understand what other people in the profession do. We are all lawyers, but we tend to work in isolation, often not knowing or understanding the work of our colleagues.

“Manchester Law Society is a relatively small, but very well-respected organisation.

“We run a lot of courses and conferences and I would like to see more members get involved.

“The chief executive, Fran Eccles-Bech, is one of the reasons the society is held in such high regard and I look forward to working more closely with her.”

Michael has been involved with Manchester Law Society for several years, serving on the council and as vice-president before being offered his current role.

Away from the office, he enjoys triathlons and travelling – taking a 12-month sabbatical in 2003 to see more of the world.

His chosen charity for his presidential year is Forever Manchester.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Susan Carr .