Choose your Leeds JLD Committee for 2026
PUBLICITY OFFICER:
ALYSSIA ANTONEN

I'm a trainee solicitor usually based in Leeds, but since September have been based in London (I'm on secondment at a client office). When I moved to London, one of the first things I did to build new networks was visit the London JLD events page to see what was happening locally. As someone in my mid-20s (and post-uni days in particular), I have often turned to social media to find events or groups, and make new connections with people who share my interests and hobbies. Lots of organisations make this surprisingly difficult - pages can be out of date, confusing to navigate, or simply not engaging. The LJLD has always stood out as the complete opposite: its pages are welcoming, professional, and easy to follow.

 

While I have always enjoyed attending LJLD events (the speed networking and JLD ball being favourites), the last few months has shown first-hand how valuable JLD's are for providing networking opportunities, professional development, and a sense of community. That's the main reason I would like to join the LJLD committee as the Publicity Officer - having a current, accessible, and visible presence on social media is really important.

 

Before I was a trainee, as part of my part-time job I created social media content and wrote content for newsletters, which promoted events that the organisation I was working for was hosting or promoting. I also used to attend these events and take content which we could later post across various social media platforms (and would edit and post the content, captions etc.). This organisation was also not for profit, and similarly to the JLD served a wider, holistic purpose. The organisation I worked for had lots of parallels to the JLD, as events would have an underlying value that the content and promotional material also needed to share (be it welfare, mental health, growing your professional skills, networking, etc.).

 

I have also held committee roles during my time at university, where I was involved in coordinating events, collaborating with team members, and communicating with wider student groups. From these experiences I know how vital it is for every committee member to contribute ideas, take ownership of tasks, and support one another to achieve shared goals. As my committee roles were more on the side of organising events, I also understand how important good, effective publication of these events are - there is nothing more frustrating than putting hours of work into organising a fantastic event, that nobody knows exists!

 

Ultimately, I see the Publicity Officer position as the perfect blend of my interests and skills. It combines my enthusiasm for good communication with my commitment to supporting junior lawyers. I hope to help the LJLD continue to grow its visibility, and sense of community available to junior lawyers in Leeds.