Trustees

If you would like to speak to one of our trustees, please email us on [email protected]

DANA DENIS-SMITH
Founder

Dana Denis-Smith OBE is a prominent legal sector leader, serving as CEO of Obelisk Support and founder of the First 100 Years campaign She founded Obelisk Support in 2010, providing flexible legal solutions for clients. The First 100 Years campaign, launched in 2014, led the celebrations surrounding the centenary of women in law and has now evolved into Next 100 Years.

Dana is widely respected for her advocacy in gender equality, entrepreneurship and legal technology and is recognised with numerous awards and honours. She was awarded an OBE on 31 December 2024 for services to women in the legal profession.

Dana was elected Deputy Vice President of the Law Society of England and Wales on 30 May 2025, formally assuming the role in October 2025. She is set to become Vice President in 2026 and President in 2027. She also serves on the Law Society Council, representing women solicitors and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In March 2025, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in Law at the Legal 500 UK ESG Awards. She is a TEDx and regular keynote speaker, described as a “voice of reason” on law sector topics.

ANGELA HOLDSWORTH

ANGELA NEUBERGER

Angela Neuberger (née Holdsworth) is an award-winning television producer, writer and editor with a distinguished career spanning broadcasting, documentary production and governance.

Angela began her career in politics before joining the BBC in 1971 as a current affairs researcher. She went on to produce and edit a wide range of factual and documentary programmes, becoming a leading figure in BBC documentary production. Her work included the acclaimed series Out of the Doll’s House, which explored the changing role of women in twentieth-century Britain and was accompanied by a Sunday Times bestselling book. She later became Editor of Crimewatch UK and the BBC’s legal programming before establishing herself as an independent executive producer and media consultant.

Alongside her broadcasting career, Angela has held a number of governance roles across the charitable, cultural and higher education sectors. These have included serving as a Governor of Arts University Bournemouth, a Trustee of the Grierson Trust, and chairing juries for the British Documentary Awards.

Angela is currently a Trustee of Spark21, the charity behind The Next 100 Years, which works to promote equality and celebrate the achievements of women in the legal profession. She brings extensive experience in communications, storytelling, governance and strategic leadership, together with a longstanding commitment to public service.

YANTHÉ RICHARDSON

Yanthé Richardson is a Partner at growing national Top 100 law firm Foot Anstey LLP and served as President of CILEX 2024–2025.  A senior leader with influence across the legal profession, she is a recognised advocate for social mobility and accessible routes into law.

During her presidency, Yanthé led CILEX’s first all-female Officer team, reinforcing her commitment to advancing representation and supporting women into leadership. She is a well-regarded public speaker and writer on the importance of socio-economic diversity and is known for her forward-thinking perspective on the future of the legal workforce.