'TAKE THE LEAD' confirmed as the theme of the 2016 YLNI conference; Herbert Smith Freehills to act as headline sponsor

Herbert Smith Freehills is delighted to announce that, for the fifth consecutive year, it is headline sponsor of the annual Young Leaders Northern Ireland (YLNI) Conference.

This hugely popular event is aimed at encouraging and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow across industry and the professional services in Northern Ireland – through education, sharing ideas and the creation of personal development opportunities.

We are especially pleased that Baroness Mone of Mayfair, Michelle Mone OBE MBE, will 'Take the Lead' at the conference, heading up an exciting line-up of speakers who include Michael Corbidge, Gareth Dunlop and Meraid Griffin, with David Meade returning as compère.

Taking place on Friday 27 May at Riddel Hall, Belfast, the conference will bring together over 220 young leaders, who will share best practices and learn from these established business leaders as well as from their peers. It is anticipated that this year's event will once again be a sell-out. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased via www.youngleadersni.org or getinvited.to/ylni/conference2016

At the event, the Herbert Smith Freehills' Young Leader of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding young professional who has shown exceptional leadership skills and demonstrated continued commitment to personal development(both their own and that of others). Nominations for the award must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday 11 May. Entrants can be self-nominated or alternatively nominated by a third party who considers that the entrant meets the above criteria. Entry forms may be obtained via www.youngleadersni.org or by emailing [email protected].

Lisa McLaughlin, Director of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP's Belfast office, where its Alternative Legal Services business was launched, stated, "We are very pleased to be sponsoring the Young Leaders NI Conference for the fifth year running and excited that it has attracted such a high calibre of speakers. Developing and nurturing leadership skills is central to our vision of creating opportunities for Northern Ireland's best young legal talent. This year's conference will bring together a rich blend of youth and experience as we seek to inspire the next generation of young professionals to take on leadership roles."

The Chair of YLNI, Sinead Fox-Hamilton, added, “I am delighted to launch this event which aims to encourage and inspire the leaders of tomorrow. The speaker line-up is exceptional this year and we are thrilled to have Baroness Michelle Mone included. She is a true entrepreneur and one of the most successful businesswomen of her generation. We believe her presentation will make for a really inspirational and motivational listen and will most certainly close the 2016 event on a high.”

About Herbert Smith Freehills
Operating from 26 offices across Asia Pacific, EMEA and the US, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium  quality, full-service legal advice. The firm provides many of the world’s most important organisations with access to market-leading dispute resolution, projects and transactional legal advice, combined with expertise in a number of global industry sectors, including Banks, Consumer products, Energy, Financial buyers, Infrastructure & Transport, Mining, Pharma & Healthcare, Real estate and TMT.  www.herbertsmithfreehills.com
Follow us on Twitter  @HSFPressOffice

About Alternative Legal Services
Alternative Legal Services was established in Belfast, in April 2011, with a team of 26. It was created in response to client demand for top quality legal products & services provided in the most efficient, technologically-advanced and cost-effective way. Since then, due to rapidly increasing client demand, it has expanded to include team members in Australia and London.  An integral part of the Herbert Smith Freehills network, the global team now numbers well over 300 lawyers, technologists and legal technicians and offers clients a seamless, 24/7 service.

 About Young Leaders NI
Young Leaders NI is a group formed by the Junior Chamber International Belfast, the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors’ Association, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Northern Ireland and the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ulster Society Young Professionals Group.