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Council Members Report
ADRIENNE EDGERLEY HARRIS, Council Member
YOUR VOICE AT THE LAW SOCIETY
Council Members Report
September 2024
Since I last wrote, there has been one Council meeting in July 2024 and then a summer break.
1. Conveyancing- the TA6 form
On 3rd July 2024 TLS President, Nick Emmerson, came to speak to local solicitors in Southampton. Topics included what the Society is doing for members, delays at HM Land Registry and Probate Registry and the background and current state of play with the conveyancing enquiries form, TA6. If you wish to comment or be involved in the consultation now taking place on this, you will have had to register your interest. It’s implementation has been postponed until late January 2025.
A request for a SGM was made to TLS for a vote of no confidence in the President and Chief Executive over the handling of the introduction of the TA6. This took place on 23rd July 2024 and after much debate, the vote was lost so they both remain in office.
2. TLS President’s activities (please see attached report.)
The key points, summarised are:
1. In support of his presidential theme of the legal profession as an economic powerhouse the President had visited Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Visits to the USA and India were in the pipeline.
2. The President had also attended the Inter-Pacific Bar Association Conference and the IBA Bar Leaders Conference.
3. The President had visited Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Exeter and Plymouth to speak with members, students and local law societies.
4. Chancery Lane had hosted a Local Law Society townhall meeting, which brought together law society leaders from across the jurisdiction, at which the President hosted a fireside chat with the Attorney General. The President had chaired an event to encourage greater diversity in judicial applications, particularly from solicitors. He had also hosted senior partners for a roundtable with the Lady Chief Justice to discuss entry routes into the judiciary for solicitors.
3. The next Council meeting is on 8-9 October with the AGM (to which all members are invited) is on the latter day, starting at 2pm and can be joined online.
One of the issues for the agenda will be on whether Council members are to have the yearly allowance reinstated, should they choose to claim it.
I sat on the Working Group looking at the pros and cons of this payment. It concluded that it was an important payment: it acts as an incentive to stand for Council for those whose firms do not support the cost or who are required to take leave to attend. It also covers incidental expenses incurred in carrying out the role which are not covered by the expenses policy (for reimbursement of travel costs for example). A debate and vote will be held on this at the AGM.
4. Council seats: these were reorganised in 2020. The Law Society’s Council currently comprises 97 solicitors, split between seats representing geographical constituencies (41), types of work or professional practice (38), and demographic characteristics (18).
Some of the “characteristics” seats have been renamed to reflect their role as follows:
LGBT+ 1
Solicitors with Disabilities 1 member
Ethnic Minority (of which one is a member of The Black Solicitors Network) 5
Women Lawyers 5
Junior Lawyers (0-6 years Post Qualification Experience)
The various Divisions, such as the LGBT Lawyers Division, have been renamed as Networks.
I have contact details for all the Council members and what area they represent, so please contact me if you would like me to direct an enquiry to them.
President’s report – separate paper.
Adrienne Edgerley Harris
Council Member for the South Constituency 01962 844544
aedgerleyharris@shentons.co.uk
