Changes are afoot at ELA Briefing in relation to our editorial board and I wanted to use this month’s editorial to thank two of our outgoing members, Bernadette Daley and Stephen Levinson.

Both have been on the editorial board since I joined at the invitation of Daniel Barnett, the then deputy editor to Suzanne McKie, in … well, a long time ago; probably, the mid-2000s. Bernadette worked for Mayer Brown and always made a good contribution to the debate on what to include and what not to, as well as making a regular contribution as an author. She subsequently moved from private practice to work in-house, which provided us, and our authors, with an added and valuable perspective.

Bernadette has decided that with the weight of her work commitments that it is time to step down as a member of the editorial board. I thank her for her contribution over many years and wish her well for the future.

Stephen has been involved in the Employment Lawyers Association and ELA Briefing for many years. I have always thought of him as being a grandfather of employment law. When I had been an employment lawyer for only a year or two in the mid- to late-1990s, I picked up a matter for a client who had been advised by Stephen in relation to an employment tribunal claim (or industrial tribunals, as they were then known). The client gave me a copy of Stephen’s advice to read. I can’t remember whether the advice was correct (I am sure it was) but the analysis was a pleasure to read and I remembered the name at the top of the letter. I was delighted to meet Stephen years later as I had always thought of him as such an impressive employment lawyer.

Throughout the years that I have served on the editorial board, Stephen has always made a contribution and always has something to say, an opinion to give. Not everyone always agrees with him, but that has meant for lively debate and discussion, always with good humour.

Stephen is retiring from practice and that will be a sad loss to the ELA Briefing and the wider association. I wish him well for the future.

These changes mean that it is time to refresh the editorial board membership. We have a number of positions to fill and welcome applications from employment lawyers across the UK. The role requires setting some time aside each month to read the articles we receive and commission. You would then need to attend the monthly editorial board meeting, either in person or by telephone, to discuss content for the next issue. Ideally, you would be able to contribute to some of the writing, although this is not required.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with me. If you would like to be considered, send me an email by the end of July with a short biography, setting out why you would like to join.

Alex Lock, DAC Beachcroft LLP