One of the key benefits of being a member of the Magistrates’ Association is, through your local branch, being able to meet, collaborate and network with peers, whether this be through conferences and events with guest speakers or trips to other organisations and places of interest. 

Purpose before practicalities 

At the start of your planning process, have a think about exactly what you’d like your event to achieve and who your audience is – are you inviting the whole branch, or is for a specific subset?  

The format, timing and duration, venue layout, catering, and any audio visual kit you’ll need, will all depend on the event’s purpose and intended audience. 

With your purpose defined, you can think about what format will best suit your event. Should you hold a virtual or in-person event? A seminar or a conference with workshops? Perhaps you’d like to take a visit to another legal-adjacent organisation to learn more about their work. 

In July 2025, the Lincoln branch took a two-day trip to London, where they visited The Old Bailey and took part in a Jack the Ripper walking tour. Organiser Raj Dard told Magistrate magazine that he planned the trip because he wanted to get to know the people he was working alongside on his bench. He said: “As magistrates, dealing with stressful and sometimes difficult cases, there needs to be a sense of balance to appreciate that our mental health and grip on normality is maintained in a healthy way.”

Allocate responsibilities and establish budget 

Find out if anyone in your team has experience of event planning and/or contacts that might help you connect with speakers. Remember, you don’t need to limit tasks to the executive committee; other members may be interested in volunteering for one-off events. Once roles have been allocated, consider how you will fund your event. Will you use branch funds, charge for tickets or seek out sponsorship? 

Identify a speaker

If you’d like to invite a speaker (or speakers) to your event, check with your HOLO to make sure they’re happy with your choice and the content. You should also consult our guidance on working with external partners, here. 

Once given the–all clear, you should book your speaker as early as possible. High-profile guests are usually extremely busy, so you may need to be flexible with the date of your event. Make sure you’re clear about the topic you’d like them to speak about, the on-the-day timings, any confidentiality and security requirements they may have, and the expenses and fees you are able to cover. When discussing potential payment, remember that giving a speech is also a good PR opportunity for them or their organisation, and/or that they may be willing to offer their service as a goodwill gesture. Don’t forget to get their phone number for any emergencies on the day itself, and make sure they have yours! 

Secure the perfect location and set a date 

If you’ve decided to make this an in-person event, it’s important that you find an appropriate and affordable space that can fulfil your event’s needs. Here are some places you might consider:

• Courtrooms and local government buildings like town halls and council offices 
• Community centres, libraries, and church halls
• Lecture halls and meeting rooms at universities and colleges
• Hotels and conference centres

Once you’ve put together a shortlist of venues, conduct site visits to assess their facilities, layout, accessibility, and suitability for your event requirements. Even if none of your expected guests have disability requirements, you should still ensure that the venue you book is fully accessible for mobility, hearing or visually impaired attendees. 

If you’re thinking of organising a branch trip, you might consider locations that offer legal, historical, or civic interest. Places that have been popular with branches include: 

• The Royal Courts of Justice 
• Child Contact Centres
• The Old Bailey
• Prisons
• Houses of Parliament
• Stately homes or gardens.

When negotiating costs, don’t forget to use your branch’s charitable status to potentially secure discounts or special rates at various venues.  

Communicate your event 

Send out ‘save the date’ communications via the branch portal as early as possible. We’ve produced a brief video that shows how you can do this. We’d also advise that you choose one key message that succinctly and accurately communicates the unique nature of your event to your audience. 

If you’ve secured a high-profile speaker, make sure you promote this before, during and after the event. Liaise with their assistant in advance to agree what publicity they’re comfortable with. If you think the event may have wider appeal, get in touch with the MA’s communications team , as they may offer to publish an event round-up afterwards on either the website or Magistrate magazine. You could also ask your speaker to send you their speech for you to distribute via your branch newsletter. 

On-the-day logistics  

Things like signposting in the building, attendees wearing name badges, and ensuring that there is an identifiable person to ask for information or assistance on the day itself will make your event feel far more inclusive for all attendees. 

If your event involves a high-profile speaker, delegate someone to meet, greet and offer refreshments to them (and any assistants who might accompany them). Also, allow plenty of time for questions; it’s not every day your members have direct contact with high-profile and external speakers, so build in enough time for questions after the speech and see if your guest would be willing to stay behind to talk further over refreshments. 

In September 2024, the Mid and South Wales branch held an event at the Orbit Centre in Merthyr Tydfil to hear a line-up of leading experts including Director of Intelligence at South Wales Police DS Mark Lewis and Senior Crown Prosecutor Alex Dubljevic discuss the criminal activity of drugs and county lines of the streets of South Wales. The organisers ensured there were breaks during the presentations, so that guests could visit the stands of charities and organisations and find out more.

Gather feedback 

When the event has finished, don’t forget to ask attendees for feedback – this will help you make even better decisions for future events! 

In 2024, members of the North Wales branch visited Wagtail UK, specialists in detection dogs and dog handler training. Reflecting on the visit for Magistrate magazine, Leslie Rosedale said: “The day provided us with a profound appreciation for the crucial work these dogs do and the extensive training that prepares them for their roles… The visit to Wagtail UK was not just a day out, it was an enlightening journey into the capabilities and contributions of detection dogs.”