Dear colleague,
​
Your weekly Law Society update
As the professional body for solicitors, every week the Law Society is working hard to influence the legal and regulatory environment on behalf of our profession and to promote solicitors at home and abroad. We support practice excellence, are an informed source of legal sector news and support members at every stage of their career.

Influencing on behalf of the profession and promoting the profession

The Law Society’s media profile this week: 

Law Society research into the future of the legal workforce was covered by the Gazette, City AM, Legal Futures, Tech Register, Times (£), Global Legal Post, Legal Business, Lex 100, Today’s Wills and Probate, Legal Cheek, Irish Legal News and Scottish Legal News. There was also a subsequent letter responding to our research in City A.M. Our findings show the legal services market will need to adapt to a more deregulated environment, stronger commercial pressures and increasing adoption of technology. Today's Wills and Probate highlighted the Law Society's work to promote women in law.

The Gazette covered news that US-UK talks about post-Brexit trading arrangements included discussions about legal services, attended by the Law Society. The story was also picked up by Practice Source.
 
The latest edition of New Law Journal includes an interview with me. Among the issues discussed was the growing profile of the importance of the rule of law. I suggested this was “not because of my efforts but because there have been so many more challenges to the rule of law, it has accentuated the Society’s relevance”.

Today's Wills and Probate discussed the increasing numbers of solicitors proactively raising the possibility of leaving a legacy to charity in their will.
 
Law Society concerns about the role of unregulated McKenzie friends - who charge litigants in person for legal advice they are often not qualified to give - were covered by Yahoo News and by the Telegraph. The Times (£) and the Gazette meanwhile report on a study by Leeds Law School and Birmingham City University, which has found McKenzie friends often give biased advice. I said: “As legal aid cuts bite deeper and more people are forced to deal with legal problems without a solicitor, unscrupulous McKenzie friends may take advantage of an unmet need.”

The Gazette reports on 100 years of women in the law and how the profession has changed since the passing of the 1919 Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act. Also in the Western Mail.

The immigration committee wrote to the Gazette on the importance of preventing freelancers supervising others, who might not be qualified, to provide immigration advice.
 
A comment piece in the Gazette  discussed the declining number of junior criminal legal aid lawyers and cites Law Society research which shows that in 2018 the average age of a criminal legal aid solicitor was 47.

Head of innovation at Hogan Lovells, Stephen Allen, picks Law Society director of strategic relationships Stephen Denyer as one of the lawyers he most admires, in a profile piece with Global Legal Post.

Mollie Ferguson, a member of our junior lawyers division (JLD), writes for the Gazette on mental health in law firms. She cites JLD research that 1 in 15 junior lawyers had experienced suicidal thoughts.

Wycombe Today celebrates that the town's library now has a copy of 100 Years of Women in Law, thanks to a generous donation by local solicitor and Law Society deputy vice president I. Stephanie Boyce. There is a further story in Wendover News.

A local solicitor wrote a column for the Bradford Telegraph & Argus on the pitfalls to avoid when leasing a property.

Legal Week covered our new lawtech report, which provides a comparative analysis of the UK and other jurisdictions, identifying the top ten emerging cities globally for legal tech innovations.  Our head of commercial and technology law, Alexandra Cardenas, commented on changes driven by jurisdictions like England and Wales allowing non-lawyers to be business owners in law firms: "That's definitely been a model that has enabled different sources into firms and different skills in management and has encouraged innovation."

Don’t forget you can read all Law Society press releases by clicking on this link. For live updates follow us on Twitter.

Justice

Judicial diversity
On Monday 02 December I was accompanied by Richard Miller to the Judicial Diversity Forum, to provide updates on the work we are doing to support solicitors aspiring to judicial appointment, and to discuss measures aimed at improving judicial diversity.

Public Law

Immigration
The Law Society met with the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association regarding the performance of third party contractors (VFS and TLS) providing out of country visa application services. The plans for a second version of VFS’ website, to be launched in 2020, were discussed and UKVI welcomed further feedback from Law Society and ILPA members as this progresses.
 
Regulation
 
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Last Wednesday, Professional Indemnity Insurance Committee chair Nick Gurney-Champion and policy adviser Simon Thomson met with the SRA to discuss PII and the Compensation Fund. We anticipate that the SRA will shortly be publishing their response to their 2018 consultation on client protections. We also agreed to cooperate with the regulator on the issue of orderly closure of firms and messaging around the Solicitors Indemnity Fund, which will close to new claims from 1 October 2020.

Commercial and Technology Law

Women in the Workplace conference
Max Winthrop, the chair of the Employment Law Committee, spoke at the Westminster Business Forum conference on women in the workplace. He spoke on a panel which covered legal remedies for those who face discrimination and harassment, including the use of NDAs to resolve disputes.
 
Lawtech
This week I accompanied our head of commercial and technology law, Alexandra Cardenas, to meet the CEO of Barclays Ventures and his team to discuss LawTech and the Barclays Eagle Lab.

Alexandra also met with Jenifer Swallow, Director of the Executive Delivery Function to the LawTech Delivery Panel to discuss LawTech and the Law Society’s work.

Parliamentary

The Law Society will be approaching appointed/reappointed ministers once announced to discuss the Law Society’s priorities as set out in our manifesto

Speeches
 
Deputy vice president I. Stephanie Boyce gave the opening remarks at the Graham Turnbull Lecture on Tuesday 10 December and at the Law Society’s public seminar for International Human Rights Day on Thursday 12 December.

Our work internationally
 
This week I addressed a workshop on business integrity at the Italian Embassy to mark International Anti-Corruption Day in London with Transparency International. We discussed approaches for anti-corruption, due diligence and reporting with Italian companies comparing Italian and UK anti-corruption laws.
 
This week I agreed a memorandum of understanding with the Warsaw Bar Association of Advocates. The agreement outlines our shared commitment to cooperate in the interests of our members, to raise awareness of our respective legal systems and business environments, to promote vocational training opportunities and work together to promote and protect the rule of law. The event was attended by member solicitors working in Poland and staff from the Polish Embassy in London.
 
On Wednesday 11 December, Helena Raulus, head of our Brussels office, attended the British Chamber of Commerce event: 'I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas' with Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General DG ENV, European Commission

Supporting members at every stage of their career
Judicial appointments: interview training for solicitors - Friday 7 February 2020  
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
In view of increasing competition for judicial appointments, this interactive course will equip delegates with the skills to help enhance your application and interview performance. This workshop has been developed specifically for solicitor applicants but the content is relevant for anyone serious about submitting a credible judicial application.

JLD forum: Helping you to secure a training contract, February 2020, Manchester - Saturday 08 February 2020
Location: The University of Law, 2 New York Street, Manchester, M1 4HJ
The Junior Lawyers Division, in partnership with the Manchester TSG and YSG, is holding a free one-day skills event to assist LPC students and LPC graduates with their search for a training position
Judicial appointments: interview training for solicitors - Friday 7 February 2020  
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
In view of increasing competition for judicial appointments, this interactive course will equip delegates with the skills to help enhance your application and interview performance. This workshop has been developed specifically for solicitor applicants but the content is relevant for anyone serious about submitting a credible judicial application.
Capital markets in the 21st century – Friday 28 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
We are delighted to announce that the sixth Law Society and American Bar Association capital markets conference will take place on 28 February 2020.

Supporting Practice excellence

Compliance forum for COLPs/COFAs: SRA Standards and Regulations - Monday 13 January 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be issuing new Standards and Regulations later this year which will replace the SRA Handbook. It will have a new reduced set of principles, two separate Codes of Conduct - an individual solicitor code and a firm code - and simplified Account Rules. This forum, aimed at COLPs and COFAs, will provide insight into the changes that you need to make.

New SRA Handbook compliance updates – what’s new for in-house lawyers? -Thursday 16 January 2020
Location: Gateley, 29 East Parade, Leeds LS1 5PS
The new SRA handbook brings changes for in-house lawyers. Gain clarity and get an understanding of what these updates mean for you practically. Come with any questions you may have and join us for an interactive session.

Day of the Endangered Lawyer 2020 - Wednesday 22 January 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
Every year the Day of the Endangered Lawyer is organised to support lawyers at risk in a particular jurisdiction. In 2020, the focus will be on Pakistan. During this seminar, we will hear from one of the speakers about his personal experiences of litigating human rights cases in Pakistan.

Advocacy and the Vulnerable Training, 24 January 2020, London - Afternoon session -Friday 24 January 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
The Advocacy and the Vulnerable Training was developed in conjunction with the Bar to help solicitor advocates and barristers strike the balance between advancing their client’s case effectively in court whilst ensuring vulnerable witnesses are not subjected to undue stress.
 
Competition Section Seminar: UNCTAD – contribute to the future International competition enforcement framework, London -Tuesday 11 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
This event will provide an opportunity to learn about the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) future plans for International competition enforcement and its framework. It will provide an opportunity for attendees to feedback on how this might work in practice; helping to shape UNCTAD’s final proposal. It will include a case study of how this might work in practice.

Private Client Section: Older or incapable client double seminars, London – Tuesday 11 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
Focusing on support for your older or incapable clients, we bring you two of the top speakers in Private Client law to help you to support your clients.
 
Private Client Section: Older or incapable client double seminars, Manchester – Thursday 13 February 2020
Location: Manchester - Venue TBC
(See above)
 
Webinars

Risk management for small to medium law firms - 17 December 2019 - 20% discount to Risk and Compliance and Law Management Section members
 
Dubious investment schemes – Avoiding entity and individual regulatory liability -
14 January 2020 - 20% discount to property and risk and compliance 

SRA Standards and Regulations - your obligations in managing risk - 16 January 2020 inclusive to risk and compliance 

Construction law update 2020 – inclusive to property - 04 February 2020

Practising as, and dealing with, unregulated businesses and freelance solicitors -
13 February 2020 - 20% discount to risk and compliance
 
Sexual misconduct in law firms - 20% discount to risk and compliance - 05 March 2020
 
The challenges facing small legal practices – what you need to know - 27 March 2020 - 20% discount to risk and compliance and LMS.
 
Keeping members up to date
 
We have a number of newsletters for members. Below is a list, along with links for signing up to them.
 
Newsletter
Sign-up method

Advocacy Update
Update My Law Society preferences

Anti-money Laundering Update
Law Society newsletter page

City Update
Contact the City relationship management team

Diversity & Inclusion Update
Update My Law Society preferences

In-house Forum
Update My Law Society preferences

International Update
Law Society newsletter page

Junior Lawyers Update
Law Society newsletter page

JLD sign-up page

Legal Aid Update
Law Society newsletter page

Professional Update
Law Society newsletter page

Risk & Compliance Update
Join the Risk and Compliance Service

Small Firms Focus
Contact the Small Firms Division

Solicitor Judges Update
Join the Solicitor Judges Division

Campaigns Update
Sign up to the Campaigns Update newsletter

Parliamentary report
Sign up to the Parliamentary report newsletter

You can also register for the Gazette daily update here.
 
As always, please feel free to share this update with your constituents unless otherwise specified.
 
Kind regards,
 
Simon
 
Simon Davis
President
The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London. WC2A 1P

Dear colleague,

Your weekly Law Society update
As the professional body for solicitors, every week the Law Society is working hard to influence the legal and regulatory environment on behalf of our profession and to promote solicitors at home and abroad. We support practice excellence, are an informed source of legal sector news and support members at every stage of their career.

If you are speaking on behalf of the Law Society, please use our latest position on issues. Click below for this week's.

Influencing on behalf of the profession and promoting the profession

The Law Society’s media profile this week
I appeared on Sky's Ian King Live to discuss our new Jurisdiction of Choice report. King noted English law has been described as one of the UK's greatest exports. We discussed the sustained demand for the services of UK law firms, the attractions of our jurisdiction post-Brexit, and the challenge of ensuring practising rights are included in any future trade deals.

The Gazette led print coverage of the launch of our report. Also in the Solicitors Journal, New Law Journal and Barrister Magazine.
I’m quoted saying I have “full of optimism that England and Wales will continue to flourish as a global legal centre of choice”.

A Newsnight investigation – produced in collaboration with Law Society – looked into Release under Investigation (RUI). Our head of justice, Richard Miller, warned a “major scandal is brewing”.
Richard was quoted extensively in the BBC news story which featured on Radio 4’s PM, News at 10, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 5 live & 12 others. LBC meanwhile interviewed the co-chair of our criminal law committee, Ian Kelcey.
It was also reported in the Sun (£), Telegraph (£), and Yahoo UK & Ireland.
Richard Miller, was then interviewed on BBC Radio Newcastle (06:30) with the issue also mentioned on Look North. 

The Gazette had an article on the solicitor who reported the SRA’s clickable logo to the data watchdog. A Law Society spokesperson said: “As our members would expect, the Law Society of England and Wales is in regular contact with the SRA so we can fully understand what is being done to address the concerns raised about the digital badge.”
The Gazette carried tributes from across the profession to justice campaigners Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, the victims of last Friday's terrorist attack at London Bridge.

Today's Wills and Probate reports on analysis from the Institute of Legacy Management showing a possible knock-on drop in legacy gifts to charities of 6% following delays to probate. The institute says it has been working with the Law Society to pressure HMCTS for a resolution to ongoing delays.

The Gazette covered our LawTech Comparative Analysis, published this week which concludes that, while the UK's position is strong, it will need continual investment to stay on top. I had earlier warned: “Further investment and strategic support will be needed if we are to maintain our competitive edge in the global market.” 

The Yorkshire Times looks at the growing use of the pet-nup and cites our recommendation that custody issues for pets should be included in pre-nuptial agreements.
 
Clarification: Our news summary each week reports coverage that may be of interest to members and reflects diverse views of journalists, commentators and interviewees.  Two weeks ago we listed an article in NRT, ‘The wheels of progress’, which is an interview with judge HHJ Carolyn Hilder and the views outlined are hers.
 
Do not forget you can read all Law Society press releases by clicking on this link. For live updates follow us on Twitter.

Public Law and Justice
Probate delays
Following on from our meeting last week with HMCTS regarding delays to the probate service, the summary of the meeting is now available: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/stories/further-progress-probate-service/

England and Wales: A world jurisdiction of choice
As part of our Global Legal Centre campaign, we've published a report outlining the strengths of the law, jurisdiction and legal professionals of England and Wales, as well as London's advantages as a seat of arbitration. (See Media above)
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/policy-campaigns/campaigns/global-legal-centre/

 
Office of the Public Guardian 
The Law Society met with the newly appointed Office of the Public Guardian (‘OPG’) for a bi-annual meeting. Representatives of the Mental Health and Disability Committee and the Wills and Equity Committee were present to discuss matters relating to Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA). The OPG also provided an update on their work relating to digitising LPA and their plans for reviewing guidance. Another meeting will be scheduled for the middle of next year.

Immigration 
The Law Society wrote to the Legal Services Board to support the decision of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (‘SRA’) to postpone commencement of the parts of regulations 9.5 to 9.7 of the Authorisation of Individuals Regulations that would allow a solicitor to undertake immigration work outside of an authorised body. The Immigration Law Committee previously raised concerns in relation to these regulations with the SRA and the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner and advised that they are not brought into force without the production of SRA guidelines necessitating accountability between a supervising immigration solicitor, the people that they supervise and their clients.
 
Mental Health  
The Law Society met with the Solicitors Regulation Authority to discuss SRA guidance on mental capacity, with members of the Mental Health and Disability Committee providing expertise on ethical issues that solicitors may encounter with regards to assessing a client’s mental capacity.
 
Family 
A new consultation has been released by the president of the Family Division’s Working Group on Medical Experts in the Family Courts. The consultation document confirms the nature and extent of the shortages of medical and other health professional as experts, identifies a wide range of causes and proposes solutions. The Law Society will be responding, with contributions from the Family Law Committee and Children’s Law Sub-Committee. Our response is due on 31 January 2020.
 
Regulation
AML Conference
On 26 November the Law Society hosted its largest ever anti-money laundering conference. The annual event, held at Bishopsgate, attracted more than 475 delegates from across the country and the profession. The programme drew on the expertise of law enforcement, the regulator and those in private practice (especially our Money Laundering Task Force). Delegates were informed about current issues in the law, upcoming enforcement priorities and anticipated legislative changes.
 
Legal Sector Affinity Group
Last Thursday, the Law Society hosted representatives from the supervisors and representative legal professional bodies across the UK for a quarterly meeting on anti-money laundering and financial crime. The focus of the meeting was on the upcoming legislative changes implementing the 5th EU Money Laundering Directive and the implementation of the public-private Economic Crime Plan.
 
Parliamentary
General Election
Ahead of next week’s General Election, the Law Society launched its TLS vision for law and justice and have set up an online tool for members to write to their local candidates about key issues for the profession.
 
The Law Society has also analysed what each of the party manifestos said on law and justice which you can find here. To accompany this we have analysed where the manifestos align with the recommendations that the Law Society made in its vision for law and justice – read this here.
 
Please do feel free to share these documents and initiatives with your constituents.

Speeches
On Tuesday (3 December), I spoke with regard to welcoming remarks at the LawWorks 2019 Pro Bono Awards. On Thursday (5 December), vice president David Greene spoke at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Lawyers with Disabilities Division.

Thought Leadership
On Tuesday I hosted a lecture by the lord chief justice about the future of the judiciary as part of the Law Society’s Future of Law series.

Our work internationally
Tenth Anniversary English Law Week in Russia 2019 
I attended our tenth anniversary English Law Week in Moscow and St Petersburg 11-15 November organised by the Law Society and Bar Council of England and Wales to celebrate a decade of friendships, legal links and business between the two countries. Spending time with our Russian colleagues sharing ideas and expertise is an important example of how the international legal community can develop mutual understanding in the interests of individual and corporate clients. This flagship conference was organised in partnership with the British Embassy in Moscow, the Russian Federal Chamber of Lawyers, the Moscow Chamber of Advocates, the St Petersburg Chamber of Advocates, the Anglo-Russian Law Association, and the British Russian Law Association. More than 340 delegates registered, and many expressed a strong interest in continuing to use English law and jurisdiction for cross-border contracts and disputes despite Brexit. 
 
Read more: https://communities.lawsociety.org.uk/international/english-law-week-in-russia-2019/6000554.article 
 
ILAC delegation to Guatamela 
Lizzette Robleto de Howarth, our international programmes manager, travelled to Guatemala this week on a follow-up visit with a delegation of the International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC) and the Vance Center for International Justice. The delegation met with a range of stakeholders including the British Ambassador to Guatemala and Honduras H.E. Nick Whittingham, the UN High Commission on Human Rights, the Human Rights Ombudsman, Guatemalan lawyers and judges. The outcome of this visit will be a judicial assessment report to be launched in 2020.
 
On Wednesday, Helena Raulus, head of our Brussels office, attended the Inclusive Leadership Roundtable this was co-organised with Robert Biedron, MEP at the European Parliament

On Friday, the Brussels Office co-ordinated an event with ECLA (European Company Lawyers Association) and ACC (Association of Corporate Counsel) at the European Parliament on: Closing the Gap between Artificial Intelligence and Regulatory Challenges. The event was hosted by Geoffroy Didier, MEP. Panellists were: Karen Melchior, MEP; Gregoire Miot, head of new markets Wolters Kluwer and Ilse de Loof, chief legal officer LBC Tanks. We received 65 registrations.

Supporting members at every stage of their career
Graham Turnbull Lecture - Tuesday 10 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
Each year, law students, trainee solicitors, pupil barristers and junior lawyers (current, prospective or in between stages) are invited to enter our annual Graham Turnbull essay competition. The title of the 2019 essay is: 'Has the Rule of Law been replaced by the Rule of Politics?'

Capital markets in the 21st century – Friday 28 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
We are delighted to announce that the sixth Law Society and American Bar Association capital markets conference will take place on 28 February 2020.

Supporting practice excellence
Compliance forum for COLPs/COFAs: SRA Standards and Regulations - Monday 13 January 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be issuing new Standards and Regulations later this year which will replace the SRA Handbook. It will have a new reduced set of principles, two separate Codes of Conduct - an individual solicitor code and a firm code - and simplified Account Rules. This forum, aimed at COLPs and COFAs, will provide insight into the changes that you need to make.
 
A Christmas quiz celebrating 100 years of women in law - Tuesday 10 December 2019
Location: University Women’s Club
Fancy being the next egghead? Test your colleagues’ and friends’ quiz skills and take part in what we’re sure will be a fun evening for all. Join the Junior Lawyers Division and the Young Barristers’ Committee on 10 December to celebrate 100 years of women in law.

International Human Rights Day seminar “The Rise of Authoritarianism: Lawyers Upholding the Rule of Law”- Thursday 12 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
This seminar aims to explore the rise of authoritarianism and how it affects legal practitioners, as well as some of the initiatives of legal practitioners themselves and others to counter attacks on the legal profession
  
New SRA Handbook compliance updates – what’s new for in-house lawyers? -Thursday 16 January 2020
Location: Gateley, 29 East Parade, Leeds LS1 5PS
The new SRA handbook brings changes for in-house lawyers. Gain clarity and get an understanding of what these updates mean for you practically. Come with any questions you may have and join us for an interactive session.
 
Day of the Endangered Lawyer 2020 - Wednesday 22 January 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
Every year the Day of the Endangered Lawyer is organised to support lawyers at risk in a particular jurisdiction. In 2020, the focus will be on Pakistan. During this seminar, we will hear from one of the speakers about his personal experiences of litigating human rights cases in Pakistan.

Advocacy and the Vulnerable Training, 24 January 2020, London - Afternoon session -Friday 24 January 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
The Advocacy and the Vulnerable Training was developed in conjunction with the Bar to help solicitor advocates and barristers strike the balance between advancing their client’s case effectively in court whilst ensuring vulnerable witnesses are not subjected to undue stress.
 
Judicial appointments: interview training for solicitors - Friday 7 February 2020  
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
In view of increasing competition for judicial appointments, this interactive course will equip delegates with the skills to help enhance your application and interview performance. This workshop has been developed specifically for solicitor applicants but the content is relevant for anyone serious about submitting a credible judicial application.

Webinars
Risk management for small to medium law firms - 17 December 2019 - 20% discount to Risk and Compliance and Law Management Section members
 
Dubious investment schemes – Avoiding entity and individual regulatory liability -
14 January 2020 - 20% discount to property and risk and compliance 

SRA Standards and Regulations - your obligations in managing risk - 16 January 2020 inclusive to risk and compliance 

Practising as, and dealing with, unregulated businesses and freelance solicitors -
13 February 2020 - 20% discount to risk and compliance

The challenges facing small legal practices – what you need to know - 27 March 2020 - 20% discount to risk and compliance and LMS 
 
Keeping members up to date
We have a number of newsletters for members. Below is a list, along with links for signing up to them.
 
Newsletter
Sign-up method

Advocacy Update
Update My Law Society preferences

Anti-money Laundering Update
Law Society newsletter page

City Update
Contact the City relationship management team

Diversity & Inclusion Update
Update My Law Society preferences

In-house Forum
Update My Law Society preferences

International Update
Law Society newsletter page

Junior Lawyers Update
Law Society newsletter page

JLD sign-up page

Legal Aid Update
Law Society newsletter page

Professional Update
Law Society newsletter page

Risk & Compliance Update
Join the Risk and Compliance Service

Small Firms Focus
Contact the Small Firms Division

Solicitor Judges Update
Join the Solicitor Judges Division

Campaigns Update
Sign up to the Campaigns Update newsletter

Parliamentary report
Sign up to the Parliamentary report newsletter

You can also register for the Gazette daily update here.

As always, please feel free to share this update with your constituents unless otherwise specified.
 
Kind regards,
 
Simon
 
Simon Davis
President
The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London. WC2A 1P

Dear colleague,

Your weekly Law Society update
As the professional body for solicitors, every week the Law Society is working hard to influence the legal and regulatory environment on behalf of our profession and to promote solicitors at home and abroad. We support practice excellence, are an informed source of legal sector news and support members at every stage of their career.

Influencing on behalf of the profession and promoting the profession

The Law Society’s media profile this week

The Gazette reported demands by an international coalition of legal bodies for the release of Nasrin Sotoudeh, the Iranian lawyer. The call was made by Bar associations and law societies from the G7 countries at the gathering of the CCBE – Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe. I said: “The international legal community has not forgotten. Repeated proceedings against Nasrin Sotoudeh constitute nothing short of judicial harassment.”
 
Coverage of the debate over solicitors' salaries continued this week. The story was sparked by the claim of an audience member on the BBC's Question Time programme that all solicitors earn more than £80,000 per annum. The Daily Mail quoted Law Society figures on the median salary for the profession of £62,000. Legal Cheek had also looked at the claims and cited our research.
 
The Times (£) examined our manifesto for justice as part of its election coverage. We have called for a raise in criminal legal aid fees and the return of legal aid for early advice in housing/family cases. Read the press release here.

The Times (£), the Daily Mail and Sky News all cover the use of pet-nups in divorce settlements. The Law Society is cited saying this can be covered in pre-nuptial agreements “to provide peace of mind”.

Ian Kelcey, co-chair of our criminal law committee, spoke to BBC Essex (2:12:40) about media restrictions and defence arguments in murder cases.

Robert Bourns, former Law Society president and current chair of the Board, received the City of London Law Society Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Legal Awards in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the legal profession. Reported by the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Bristol Business News.
 
I said: “Robert’s award comes as recognition for his considerable contribution to the profession: as an experienced leader in his field, a champion of social mobility and access to justice, and as a distinguished former president of the Law Society.”

Local Government Lawyer reported on the Law Society’s new Practice Note on Legal Professional Privilege.

Litigation Futures discussed the rise of lawtech, noting the Law Society describes lawtech as “technologies that aim to support, supplement or replace traditional methods for delivering legal services, or that improve the way the justice system operates”. 

Chair of our wills and probate committee, Ian Bond, was a guest on the FT Money Show podcast exploring what happens to an individual’s digital assets once they die.  

Nick Gurney-Champion, the chair of our professional indemnity insurance committee, wrote an opinion piece for the Gazette on the top five things to consider before becoming a freelance solicitor. Further coverage of the regulation changes in the Gazette.  
 
The Gazette reported that HM Courts and Tribunals service has said delays in grants of probate will be over by the end of the year – after missing its November deadline. Grants currently take four weeks when they should take just two. Also in Today's Wills and Probate.
 
Do not forget you can read all Law Society press releases by clicking on this link. For live updates follow us on Twitter.

Public Law and Justice

Probate delays
On 27 November we met with HMCTS to review delays to the probate service. There is still a backlog of applications to be processed, but HMCTS state they are working on reducing this, with the bulk of applications being processed within three weeks for professional applicants where IHT forms are present. They have confirmed that all calls from probate legal professionals have been centralised and are now being dealt with by the Birmingham Courts and Tribunals Service Centre. A link to a full summary of this meeting will be available in due course and another meeting will be scheduled for the new year. The information provided in the summary may be limited due to the pre-election period.

Parliamentary
 
A note on communication during the pre-election period 
As you will be aware we entered the pre-election period on Wednesday 6 November. During the election campaign the Law Society will need to be even more careful to ensure our political neutrality in the run up to 12 December. To assist council members and committee chairs, we have attached short guidance on how we communicate during this period
Committee Chair Guidance for the General Election 2019

Commercial and Technology Law
We attended the launch of Richard Susskind’s new book on online courts and the future of the justice system. The Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, was the keynote speaker and made observations on the important contribution of the book when resources of the judicial system are under pressure.

General Election

Political party manifestos released
Ahead of the general election on 12 December, the Law Society has analysed the key justice-related pledges made in the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru manifestos. We have also compared these pledges to the key asks set out in our 2019 manifesto, Our vision for law and justice.

Speeches

I spoke at the discussion at the North East Joint Committee Roundtable on Tuesday (26 November).

Events

The chief executive hosted an event to mark the centenary of the women lawyers.  Lady Hale gave the key note speech followed by a panel discussion with Dana Denis-Smith (founder, First 100), Carolyn Kirby (first female president of the Law Society), Raj Panesar (partner, Cleary Gottlieb) and chaired by Heidi Sandy (chair of the Women Lawyers Division).
 
Our work internationally
 
This week I have been in Paris to meet with our counterparts from G7 countries and discussed priorities and the next steps as we prepare to engage with the next G7 Summit in the US in 2020. I also attended the Paris Bar opening of the legal year and spoke on a panel about legal professional privilege and our recent involvement in a new global report on this topic supported by the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA).

I have also taken part in a new joint action in support of Nasrin Sotoudeh and recorded my #1minute4Nasrin message. I urge my colleagues to do the same.
 
Vice-president David Greene, head of international Mickaël Laurans and head of our Brussels office, Helena Raulus, attended the end-of-year Plenary Session of the CCBE. Given the context of Brexit, we cannot underestimate the importance of maintaining strong relations with European Bars and Law Societies, through the CCBE as well as on a bilateral basis, to further the Law Society’s European and international work and for the benefits of our members.
 
On 26 November, Helena Raulus chaired the British Chamber of Commerce EU committee event with Croatian ambassador Goran Štefanić. 

On 27 November, The Brussels Office hosted the LSEW EU Committee meeting which was followed by an exchange of views with the Brussels Advisory Group and UK Permanent Representation. Guests included:  Alec Burnside from Dechert; Jane Golding from British in Europe; Michael Robinson, head of UK delegation for the CCBE.
 
Supporting members at every stage of their career
 
Graham Turnbull Lecture - Tuesday 10 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
Each year, law students, trainee solicitors, pupil barristers and junior lawyers (current, prospective or in between stages) are invited to enter our annual Graham Turnbull essay competition. The title of the 2019 essay is: 'Has the Rule of Law been replaced by the Rule of Politics?'

Lawyers with Disabilities Celebration reception - Thursday 5 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
This Disability History Month, the Law Society will be hosting a celebratory reception to mark the 30th year anniversary of the Lawyers with Disabilities Division and International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Supporting practice excellence

Compliance support forum for in-house lawyers - Monday 2 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
This popular forum has been updated with new materials to prepare you for the SRA Standards and Regulations which come into force in November 2019. Some of the key themes of this replacement to the SRA Handbook are very relevant to in-house practitioners and we discuss the meaning of effective supervision and management, personal accountability, and the flexibility which comes with new practising styles.

Compliance forum for COLPs/COFAs: SRA Standards and Regulations - Monday 13 January 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be issuing new Standards and Regulations later this year which will replace the SRA Handbook. It will have a new reduced set of principles, two separate Codes of Conduct - an individual solicitor code and a firm code - and simplified Account Rules. This forum, aimed at COLPs and COFAs, will provide insight into the changes that you need to make.
 
Future of Law lecture - The judiciary of the future with the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales - Tuesday 3 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
The Future of Law lecture series is a programme of lectures from experts in their fields on topics concerning the legal profession. The next lecture in the series will be delivered by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Sir Ian Burnett.

Competition Section Seminar: Abuse of dominance – recent developments in the UK and Europe - Tuesday 3 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
There has been an explosion of activity in respect of abuse of dominance. Major 'platform' cases such as Google Shopping, Android, AdSense, Facebook, Apple/Spotify have been in the spotlight in Europe and elsewhere, and raise wider questions about the interaction with regulation. There has been a resurgence of excessive pricing cases (Aspen, Phenytoin etc), with many more cases still before the CMA. The CAT has also heard a major recent appeal (Royal Mail), and considered abuse in a fast-track case (Achilles), and the EU Court judgment in Intel on effects continues to bed down into practice.
 
A Christmas quiz celebrating 100 years of women in law - Tuesday 10 December 2019
Location: University Women’s Club
Fancy being the next egghead? Test your colleagues’ and friends’ quiz skills and take part in what we’re sure will be a fun evening for all. Join the Junior Lawyers Division and the Young Barristers’ Committee on 10 December to celebrate 100 years of women in law.

International Human Rights Day seminar “The Rise of Authoritarianism: Lawyers Upholding the Rule of Law”- Thursday 12 December 2019
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
This seminar aims to explore the rise of authoritarianism and how it affects legal practitioners, as well as some of the initiatives of legal practitioners themselves and others to counter attacks on the legal profession
 
New SRA Handbook compliance updates – what’s new for in-house lawyers? -Thursday 16 January 2020
Location: Gateley, 29 East Parade, Leeds LS1 5PS
The new SRA handbook brings changes for in-house lawyers. Gain clarity and get an understanding of what these updates mean for you practically. Come with any questions you may have and join us for an interactive session.

Webinars

Thriving at work and at home in a 24/7 connected world - 2 December 2019 - free for Junior Lawyers, with a 20% discount to all other section members (postponed from October)

Mediation - 2020 vision / The future for litigators - 4 December 2019 - inclusive to Civil Litigation members

The unrealised risk and the fallout from Data Subject Access Requests - 5 December 2019 - 20% discount to Law Management Section members

Risk management for small to medium law firms - 17 December 2019 - 20% discount to Risk and Compliance and Law Management Section members
 
The challenges facing small legal practices – what you need to know - 27 March 2020 - 20% discount to risk and compliance and LMS

Keeping members up to date
 
We have a number of newsletters for members. Below is a list, along with links for signing up to them.
 
Newsletter
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Advocacy Update
Update My Law Society preferences

Anti-money Laundering Update
Law Society newsletter page

City Update
Contact the City relationship management team

Diversity & Inclusion Update
Update My Law Society preferences

In-house Forum
Update My Law Society preferences

International Update
Law Society newsletter page

Junior Lawyers Update
Law Society newsletter page

JLD sign-up page

Legal Aid Update
Law Society newsletter page

Professional Update
Law Society newsletter page

Risk & Compliance Update
Join the Risk and Compliance Service

Small Firms Focus
Contact the Small Firms Division

Solicitor Judges Update
Join the Solicitor Judges Division

Campaigns Update
Sign up to the Campaigns Update newsletter

Parliamentary report
Sign up to the Parliamentary report newsletter

You can also register for the Gazette daily update here.
 
As always, please feel free to share this update with your constituents unless otherwise specified.
 
Kind regards,
 
Simon
 
Simon Davis
President
The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London. WC2A 1P