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:
On 27 December I was interviewed by Radio 4’s Today programme for a special edition guest-edited by retiring Supreme Court president, Baroness Hale. I spoke about the need to improve access to justice following cuts to legal aid, claiming that “we have a system of justice which is in shocking disrepair”.
I also referred to the erosion of trust in the professions and the rule of law. The comments were aired throughout the day on BBC Radio 2 and BBC regional stations. The full interview is available here. (1:14:24 to 1:17:24). Lady Hale voiced concerns about the impact of legal aid cuts for civil cases, highlighting the particular impact on the family courts. She said that many disputes are reaching court which could be settled if legal aid for early advice were available.
Richard Miller, head of justice for the Law Society, argued the cuts represented a ‘false economy’ in an interview for BBC News at Six – comment aired on News at Ten and BBC regional radio: "What we are seeing, as a result of the cuts, is cases that could be resolved - or that should never have been brought - coming into the courts… the savings to be made from this investment are so clear-cut, the case should be overwhelming for early advice to be restored.”
I. Stephanie Boyce, deputy vice-president of the Law Society, was featured in the Sunday Times Style series #StyleLeadingWomen – in which leading women answer career-related questions.
This is Money looked at the rights and financial benefits now available to opposite-sex partners in civil partnerships. Denise Lester, a member of council, says: “Civil partnerships formalise relationships in law. This means you will get certain financial and property protections both during and after death or dissolution.”
Law Society access to justice committee member Jenny Beck spoke to TalkRadio (1200-1230 segment, from 04:50) on what is known as ‘divorce day’ about the importance of legal aid being restored for early legal advice in family law.
The Gazette reported police station detainees had to wait hours to see a duty solicitor on New Years Day after the collapse of the Defence Solicitor Call Centre (DSCC) system.
There was wide coverage of the Law Society's Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) of their campaign to promote responsible drinking cultures in law firms, in the Gazette, Telegraph (£), Legal Futures, Legal Geek , the Daily Star, Sun, Times (£), Independent, Law Careers and on seven local BBC radio stations. The JLD’s blog in the Lawyer also covers the campaign and their resolutions for 2020.
York Press carried a letter picking up on an article by Stephanie Boyce to mark the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919.
Local Government Lawyer reported our response to the government’s proposed changes to the housing possession court duty scheme and cites our concerns over legal aid contracts.
Yorkshire Business reported Leeds Law Society will be holding a women in law event to mark the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act. Former Law Society president Christina Blacklaws said: “Gender equality is not just an issue for half of us, but all of us.”
The Gazette cited our response to the Ministry of Justice consultation on changes to the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme. The Law Society warned that some legal practices are earning as little as £37.50 an hour under the scheme.
Legal Futures looked at new research into law firm ‘onshoring’ – citing Law Society data on the gender split between offices.
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
Family
The renewed Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday 7 January. The previous version of this Bill had already got to this stage prior to the dissolution of Parliament for the general election last year. The Law Society has produced a parliamentary briefing which we will circulate to members of the House of Lords once the date for the Second Reading has been announced.
Immigration
The Immigration Law Committee submitted a response to the independent chief inspector of Borders and Immigration’s call for evidence on the work of presenting officers. The response included experiences of Law Society members working with presenting officers and common problems found in practice that could be addressed.
Parliamentary
We briefed MPs ahead of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill’s committee stage, which ran from Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 January. During the debate, the Law Society’s arguments on lower courts and the role of Parliament were cited by former Justice Select Committee Chair, Sir Bob Neill MP (Conservative), SNP justice and home affairs spokesperson, Joanna Cherry QC MP, and shadow Brexit minister, Thangam Debbonaire MP, with Neill also suggesting the Brexit law committee be consulted by government on proposed changes to the powers of the judiciary. Read the debate here
The Law Society was mentioned during the debate on the Queen’s Speech (home affairs, justice, constitutional affairs and devolved affairs) in the House of Lords. Lord Beecham stated: “The Law Society calls on the government to ensure adequate funding across the whole criminal justice system, not just a few parts of it.”
Our work internationally:
I visited Singapore from Sunday 5 to Tuesday 7 January to attend the opening of the legal year (OLY). As part of the OLY programme, we met with members of the Law Society of Singapore ExCo, attended the ceremonial opening of the legal year, and participated in a discussion with other international bar leaders at a presidents’ roundtable hosted by the Law Society of Singapore. At the roundtable, I co-facilitated a discussion on "future readying the legal profession" with colleagues from the Malaysian Bar Council, Guangdong lawyer’s association and Daini Tokyo bar association.
Both the roundtable and the speeches given at the OLY discussed a number of common issues across our jurisdictions and legal professions. This highlights the importance of our continued cooperation and open dialogue on such matters.
During our visit, we held a roundtable with member firms where we discussed developments in the legal services market and how the Law Society can best provide support. Also in attendance was the British high commissioner, Kara Owen, and first secretary and deputy-director, Justinian Habner. We then met with the High Commissioner separately afterwards to identify areas of collaboration. I met with the deputy trade commissioner for South East Asia to discuss our regional strategy.
To further our strong collaboration with the region, I also met with the Ministry of Law and the president of the Law Society of Singapore where we discussed a number of developments including lawtech in both England & Wales and Singapore. I look forward to continuing these discussions and working together throughout the year.
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
Solicitor Judges and Advocacy Networking Drinks 2020 - Thursday 27 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
Join us for The Law Society's annual Solicitor Judges and Advocacy Networking Drinks 2020; an excellent opportunity to meet solicitor advocates and solicitor judges.
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
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.
In-house Division Seminar: How to get the in-house career you want - Tuesday 11 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
This event is focused on how you can get the in-house career you want.
Webinars
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 - 04 February 2020 inclusive to property
Money Laundering Regulations 2020 - 11 February 2020 20% discount to risk and compliance
Practising as, and dealing with, unregulated businesses and freelance solicitors -
13 February 2020 20% discount to risk and compliance
New Accounts Rules – How is it for you so far?- 20-February 2020 20% discount to risk and compliance
Sexual misconduct in law firms - 05 March 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
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:
On 27 December I was interviewed by Radio 4’s Today programme for a special edition guest-edited by retiring Supreme Court president, Baroness Hale. I spoke about the need to improve access to justice following cuts to legal aid, claiming that “we have a system of justice which is in shocking disrepair”.
I also referred to the erosion of trust in the professions and the rule of law. The comments were aired throughout the day on BBC Radio 2 and BBC regional stations. The full interview is available here. (1:14:24 to 1:17:24). Lady Hale voiced concerns about the impact of legal aid cuts for civil cases, highlighting the particular impact on the family courts. She said that many disputes are reaching court which could be settled if legal aid for early advice were available.
Richard Miller, head of justice for the Law Society, argued the cuts represented a ‘false economy’ in an interview for BBC News at Six – comment aired on News at Ten and BBC regional radio: "What we are seeing, as a result of the cuts, is cases that could be resolved - or that should never have been brought - coming into the courts… the savings to be made from this investment are so clear-cut, the case should be overwhelming for early advice to be restored.”
I. Stephanie Boyce, deputy vice-president of the Law Society, was featured in the Sunday Times Style series #StyleLeadingWomen – in which leading women answer career-related questions.
This is Money looked at the rights and financial benefits now available to opposite-sex partners in civil partnerships. Denise Lester, a member of council, says: “Civil partnerships formalise relationships in law. This means you will get certain financial and property protections both during and after death or dissolution.”
Law Society access to justice committee member Jenny Beck spoke to TalkRadio (1200-1230 segment, from 04:50) on what is known as ‘divorce day’ about the importance of legal aid being restored for early legal advice in family law.
The Gazette reported police station detainees had to wait hours to see a duty solicitor on New Years Day after the collapse of the Defence Solicitor Call Centre (DSCC) system.
There was wide coverage of the Law Society's Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) of their campaign to promote responsible drinking cultures in law firms, in the Gazette, Telegraph (£), Legal Futures, Legal Geek , the Daily Star, Sun, Times (£), Independent, Law Careers and on seven local BBC radio stations. The JLD’s blog in the Lawyer also covers the campaign and their resolutions for 2020.
York Press carried a letter picking up on an article by Stephanie Boyce to mark the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919.
Local Government Lawyer reported our response to the government’s proposed changes to the housing possession court duty scheme and cites our concerns over legal aid contracts.
Yorkshire Business reported Leeds Law Society will be holding a women in law event to mark the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act. Former Law Society president Christina Blacklaws said: “Gender equality is not just an issue for half of us, but all of us.”
The Gazette cited our response to the Ministry of Justice consultation on changes to the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme. The Law Society warned that some legal practices are earning as little as £37.50 an hour under the scheme.
Legal Futures looked at new research into law firm ‘onshoring’ – citing Law Society data on the gender split between offices.
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
Family
The renewed Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday 7 January. The previous version of this Bill had already got to this stage prior to the dissolution of Parliament for the general election last year. The Law Society has produced a parliamentary briefing which we will circulate to members of the House of Lords once the date for the Second Reading has been announced.
Immigration
The Immigration Law Committee submitted a response to the independent chief inspector of Borders and Immigration’s call for evidence on the work of presenting officers. The response included experiences of Law Society members working with presenting officers and common problems found in practice that could be addressed.
Parliamentary
We briefed MPs ahead of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill’s committee stage, which ran from Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 January. During the debate, the Law Society’s arguments on lower courts and the role of Parliament were cited by former Justice Select Committee Chair, Sir Bob Neill MP (Conservative), SNP justice and home affairs spokesperson, Joanna Cherry QC MP, and shadow Brexit minister, Thangam Debbonaire MP, with Neill also suggesting the Brexit law committee be consulted by government on proposed changes to the powers of the judiciary. Read the debate here
The Law Society was mentioned during the debate on the Queen’s Speech (home affairs, justice, constitutional affairs and devolved affairs) in the House of Lords. Lord Beecham stated: “The Law Society calls on the government to ensure adequate funding across the whole criminal justice system, not just a few parts of it.”
Our work internationally:
I visited Singapore from Sunday 5 to Tuesday 7 January to attend the opening of the legal year (OLY). As part of the OLY programme, we met with members of the Law Society of Singapore ExCo, attended the ceremonial opening of the legal year, and participated in a discussion with other international bar leaders at a presidents’ roundtable hosted by the Law Society of Singapore. At the roundtable, I co-facilitated a discussion on "future readying the legal profession" with colleagues from the Malaysian Bar Council, Guangdong lawyer’s association and Daini Tokyo bar association.
Both the roundtable and the speeches given at the OLY discussed a number of common issues across our jurisdictions and legal professions. This highlights the importance of our continued cooperation and open dialogue on such matters.
During our visit, we held a roundtable with member firms where we discussed developments in the legal services market and how the Law Society can best provide support. Also in attendance was the British high commissioner, Kara Owen, and first secretary and deputy-director, Justinian Habner. We then met with the High Commissioner separately afterwards to identify areas of collaboration. I met with the deputy trade commissioner for South East Asia to discuss our regional strategy.
To further our strong collaboration with the region, I also met with the Ministry of Law and the president of the Law Society of Singapore where we discussed a number of developments including lawtech in both England & Wales and Singapore. I look forward to continuing these discussions and working together throughout the year.
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
Solicitor Judges and Advocacy Networking Drinks 2020 - Thursday 27 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
Join us for The Law Society's annual Solicitor Judges and Advocacy Networking Drinks 2020; an excellent opportunity to meet solicitor advocates and solicitor judges.
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
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.
In-house Division Seminar: How to get the in-house career you want - Tuesday 11 February 2020
Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL
This event is focused on how you can get the in-house career you want.
Webinars
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 - 04 February 2020 inclusive to property
Money Laundering Regulations 2020 - 11 February 2020 20% discount to risk and compliance
Practising as, and dealing with, unregulated businesses and freelance solicitors -
13 February 2020 20% discount to risk and compliance
New Accounts Rules – How is it for you so far?- 20-February 2020 20% discount to risk and compliance
Sexual misconduct in law firms - 05 March 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
RSS Feed
