The official celebration of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta will take the form of an international conference to promote Britain’s legal system around the world, the lord chancellor announced today. 

The ‘Global Law Summit’ in February 2015 will bring together the government, legal professional bodies including the Law Society and business, Chris Grayling said. 

In a statement announcing the event, he said: ‘The Global Law Summit 2015 will be a world-class conference showcasing the UK’s unrivalled legal expertise, based on a long history of freedom and justice.

‘I am determined to help UK law firms and lawyers succeed in the global race and develop the business opportunities created by their world-class reputation.

‘We will be working with legal professional bodies and business to champion one of the UK’s greatest exports, our legal system. The summit will also mark 800 years of the Magna Carta, a tradition that still provides the foundation for the best commercial and legal environment for business to flourish.’

Sir David Wootton, Lord Mayor of London 2011-12, will co-chair the event’s organising board with barrister and Conservative MP Henry Bellingham.

Wootton said: ‘The year 2015 represents a unique opportunity to celebrate 800 years of legal history, and the Global Law Summit will be a fantastic way of showcasing the UK as a world leader in legal services and business, and promoting the rule of law.’