As President of the Birmingham Law Society I am delighted to introduce this Birmingham Post supplement that showcases the legal talent in our region.
Continuing uncertainty over Brexit, its timing and consequences for business continues to cast a shadow over all of us.
But we are a resilient lot in the West Midlands and the latest Legal 500 survey bears that out when it reports that Brexit has "left the West Midlands in a state of quiet confidence".
I believe that confidence is well placed. Our region is growing.
The Midlands Engine and the Combined Authority are already making a real difference and will provide an excellent platform for further growth.
Birmingham is the largest regional city economy in the UK with an economic output of more than £23bn a year and growing.
Last year, our region was home to more business start-ups than any other UK regional city and was the top European city for attracting inward investment.
Our legal sector matches the confidence and vibrancy shown by our clients.
We can proudly say that Birmingham Law Society's members are some of the best legal practitioners in Europe.
A reader of this year's Legal 500 will very quickly come across descriptions given by clients such as "outstanding", "pre-eminent", "impressive" and "superlative".
Anyone needing high quality, well priced and well delivered legal advice can find it in and around Birmingham.
If they need an advocate to help them in a matter before the Criminal or Civil Courts they have access to lawyers who are reported as being "at the top of their game", "superbly clever", "consistently excellent" and "tactically very astute".
If they need advice on a business transaction then they can find help from teams and individuals that are "practical and commercially minded", "go out of their way to get deals over the line" and "get the job done quickly with no fuss".
An individual needing help in their private matters has access to lawyers who are "pragmatic and efficient", "very approachable" and "great value for money".
There are also very positive signs for the future. Attracting the best young lawyers to Birmingham is vital.
Legal 500 asks trainees to rank their experience of working in law firms in the UK and produces a Top 100 league table.
It is a sign of good things to come that a significant number of our member firms feature in that league table and score satisfaction ratings well in excess of 80 per cent.
Mills & Reeve were consistently ranked in the top 10 across the whole range of satisfaction criteria and Anthony Collins was the highest rated firm in the UK for work/life balance.
Next year Birmingham Law Society celebrates 200 years of proudly representing this region's solicitors and barristers.
We reach that grand old age in the knowledge that our legal community is in excellent heart and confident that it will continue to be so for many decades to come.
