Join us for the most prestigious event in the legal calendar as our 200th President, Lesley Fairclough, hosts the Annual Law Dinner on Friday 9 October 2026 at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, Quayside.

This year's Dinner holds special significance as The Newcastle and North of England Law Society celebrates its Bicentenary, marking 200 years of supporting the legal profession across the region. Guests can look forward to a memorable evening of celebration, entertainment and recognition, shared with colleagues, clients and friends.

As part of the Bicentenary celebrations, all guests will be welcomed with a specially recreated cocktail originally served at the Society's Centenary Dinner 100 years ago. The evening will also feature our prestigious Awards Ceremony, recognising the outstanding achievements of the highest-performing law students and newly qualified solicitors from across the North of England.

We are delighted to welcome renowned barrister and television personality Shaun Wallace, best known as "The Dark Destroyer" from The Chase, as our after-dinner speaker. Entertainment will continue throughout the evening with one of the North East's most popular live bands, Hip Operation.

This year, our fundraising efforts will support our President's chosen charities, Smart Works North East and Suitability, helping local people gain the confidence, clothing and support they need to secure employment. There will also be a charity raffle on the evening with some fantastic prizes to be won and we welcome donations of clothing on the evening. 

The details are as follows:

• Friday 9th October 2026
• 6.45pm until late
• Hilton Newcastle Tyne Bridge
• Black Tie
• £80 per person (Discounted tickets apply to other membership categories)

The formal invitation is here, and the booking form can be found here. We kindly ask that you complete and return the booking form by reply to secure your place. Menu selections and the event programme will be shared nearer the time.

Award Ceremony.

There will be two Northern Prizes awarded to the highest-achieving LPC and SQE students who have gone on to secure a training contract with a firm in our region. The Northumbria University MLaw Exempting Prize will also be presented to the highest-achieving student who has secured a training contract within our region. Additionally, we have a new prize this year for the highest achieving family law student who has graduated from any of the Universities in the North of England. We look forward to receiving nominations for these awards by Friday 11th September.

If your firm has welcomed any newly qualified solicitors this year, please let us know their names so we can celebrate their achievements. Please share this information by Friday 11^th September. 

Information about the specific award can be found here.

We very much hope you and your colleagues will join us as we celebrate 200 years of The Newcastle and North of England Law Society at what promises to be another memorable Annual Law Dinner.

This promises to be a truly special Bicentenary celebration and an unforgettable evening. Please contact the office via mail@newcastlelawsociety.co.uk to register your interest and the programme and booking form will be shared with you.