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President’s Jottings
President’s Jottings
SUMMER 2024
It’s been another busy few months at SLS! I would like to extend a warm welcome to Taylor Rose MW who has recently joined the membership. Taylor Rose MW has already got involved in the Sail for a Cure event and we hope to see them at many more events going forward!
In the last edition of the Surrey Lawyer, I advised that SLS had responded to 2 SRA consultations concerning Proposals to change how the English of Welsh language proficiency of qualified lawyers is assured and Changes to the rules on Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) exemptions. The SRA has now published its responses to the following consultations which can be viewed at https://www.sra.org.uk/globalassets/documents/sra/ consultations/consultation-response---changes-to-how-the-english-orwelsh-language-proficiency-of-qualified-lawyers-.pdf?version=496a0e and https://www.sra.org.uk/globalassets/documents/sra/consultations/ changes-to-the-rules-on-sqe-exemptions---consultation-response_final-1. pdf?version=496a0e
Following on from the consultations above and considering the Axiom Ince intervention, which was the biggest intervention ever in England and Wales, the SRA currently have an open consultation regarding their Business plan and budget 2024-25. Part of the Consultation feedback will be used to finalise proposals for the Compensation Fund contributions for 2024-25. The SRA proposes that for each individual the contribution increase from £30 for the 2023/2024 period to £90 for 2024/2025 and for firms from £660 for the 2023/2024 period to £2,200 in 2024/2025. The SRA state the reason for these significant raises is “Exceptional levels of intervention costs and compensation fund claims over the previous financial year have reduced the reserves of the Fund, requiring the increase in contributions this year. We carried out 65 interventions during 2022/23, more than double the number in the previous year. This included two very significant interventions in November 2022 and October 2023 which brought significant costs and payments to former clients of the firms”. In my mind imposing such rises across the board regardless of size of firm is disproportionate and unfair. I have submitted my response to the consultation at https://www. sra.org.uk/sra/consultations/consultation-listing/business-plan-budget2024-25/?s=o#respond and I would urge others to do likewise. I have suggested in my response that the SRA apportions the increases not only based on size/ turnover of firms but also placing a larger liability on those firms with higher claims and complaint rates. This part of the consultation will close midday on Monday 24 June 2024.
On 18th April, I, together with Helen Opie attended the University of Law Awards evening at the Guildford campus. I was delighted to present George Budd with the Surrey Law Society Award for the highest mark in the PgDL/MA conversion (not the only award he took home that evening I hasten to add). I had the pleasure of meeting George before the event and learning he was a former Headmaster, has a particular interest in land law and has secured himself a training contract with the prestigious firm of Farrer & Co. I wish George every success with his training contract.
On 26th April, I hosted the SLS Inaugural ‘Sail for a Cure’ charity event in aid of Cancer Research UK aboard the New Southern Belle in Kingston Upon Thames – what a night it was! I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all who made donations for the raffle/ auction and all those who were able to come. This is a cause which is incredibly close to my heart,
and I am delighted to announce that we raised an impressive £2,500. It also proved to be an incredibly fun evening with several different member firms in attendance and it was great to see the SLS community coming together, uniting for a good cause.
Latest news – the property lawyers amongst us will be aware that the Law Society has advised it will be introducing a new TA6 Property Information Form from 25th June 2024. I have spoken to several of our members, all of whom expressed concern at the introduction of the forms with no consultation from the Law Society. On 22 May I e-mailed several members of the Law Society expressing our collective concerns. I was subsequently contacted by the Property Lawyers Action Group (PLAG) who had made similar representations also to no avail. The only public response from the Law Society being that they should have consulted but nonetheless intended to press on with the introduction of the form, despite the massive opposition by its members. This resulted in PLAG calling for a vote of no confidence in Nick Emmerson the current President of the Law Society and Ian Jeffery the current CEO of the Law Society. The requisite number of signatures was met within 24 hours and a date for the no confidence vote is now awaited. After this Today’s Conveyancer held a 24-hour snap opinion poll to ascertain whether its readership supported this no confidence vote which attracted a massive 90% “yes” result.
On Friday 14th June 2024 the Law Society issued a press release confirming that given the concerns and objections by an overwhelming number of conveyancers the compulsory introduction of the TA6 fifth edition would be postponed for 6 months to allow for consultation to take place. The nature and extent of those discussions is yet to be announced but I am pressing for this to be inclusive and open to all members of the profession. The wording of the Law Society announcement also leaves unclear as to what the outcome of those discussions will be, given its references to the form being “postponed” and its comments “In the meantime, we know some members are using the new form or readying themselves to do so, and we would encourage them to continue in that way”.
Mr Jeffery, CEO of the Law Society, also commented “In the coming weeks we will consult members further about the content of the TA6 5th edition to ensure we understand the full range of member views”. No assurances have yet been given that the form will be abandoned or amended following the consultation and so whilst delayed there is some way to go to achieve resolution.
I have been encouraged by Mark Evans the Deputy Vice President of the Law Society to participate in the forthcoming consultation and I would therefore welcome any comments or suggestions which any of SLS members would like to make. Similarly, if any of our membership would like to be directly involved in the consultation then please let me know. Please feel free to e-mail me d.lawson@nmd-law.com We will continue to represent the views of our members and all updates will be given via the SLS website and LinkedIn.
Finally, if I haven’t seen you before, see you at the Awards and very best of luck to all who have nominated and been shortlisted!
