Council Member’s Report

REPORT

Council Member’sReport

For Surrey, perhaps the most important event since the last issue has been the decision taken at the AGM, which resulted in the Council Members for the county being reduced from 2 to 1. This despite the fact that there are more solicitors in Surrey than there are in the whole of Wales which carries four seats. Secondly, the AGM decided that there was a limit on the time that members could serve on Council of 12 years which will result in a significant number of existing Council Members having to retire at the end of their terms. This will inevitably cause a loss of corporate memory with many Council Members having played significant roles in the work of the Society over many years; the Executive cannot be expected to retain corporate memory. It is also worth reminding ourselves that only 6.08 % of the membership voted. On the plus side perhaps the younger members of the profession, whose votes secured these changes, will put themselves forward as Council Members.

Meanwhile the Office holders, the Executive and staff of the Law Society have continued to provide the profession with full and timely guidance and advice in relation to the pandemic and the regulations that have been promulgated and the many changes that this brought. The work that they have achieved, whilst continuing to do the normal work of the Society, is astonishing and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. A great debt of gratitude is also owed to the Committee and Chief Executive Officer of the Surrey Law Society for the work that they have done for and on behalf of Surrey lawyers during this period despite the turmoil to their practices and the difficulties of managing a practice whilst in lockdown.

The Law Society has produced or is drafting submissions in relation to a number of important issues. One was the Spending Review, an opportunity to reverse the trends of recent years and make sure that people in England and Wales are able to count on the highest quality of service from our justice system, while unlocking the power of the legal services sector to drive the recovery from COVID-19. Another responded to the HMCTS investment of £1 billion in its seven-year reform programme to modernise the courts and tribunals system and digitise services. A modernised court service would benefit all users, but this must not come at the expense of justice. The Society is engaging with HMCTS to ensure Members and their clients’ needs are considered as well as helping Members to understand and adapt to the changes and advocating for resources and changes that promote and ensure best practice for member safety in court and tribunal buildings. The Society is campaigning for legal aid to be reintroduced for early legal advice, particularly in family and housing law and raising awareness of the negative impact caused by reductions in legal aid funding on all areas particularly the provision of advice and representation in criminal law. The Society’s submissions on the current ‘Respect for the rule of law and its principles’ is vital in safeguarding the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession, and in establishing a reliable and credible judicial system. And looking outwards, the Society’s International Rule of Law programmes are designed to respond to the needs of members and requests for assistance by law societies, lawyers, foreign bars and judges.

Consultation responses have been submitted on issues as diverse as The Independent Review of Administrative Law, Tax treatment of AHCs, weddings, the LSB’s Business Plan, the HMLR consultation on digital identity, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s consultation on a new model for shared ownership, the draft RICS guidance on valuation of multi-storey, multi-occupancy residential buildings with cladding, Hate Crime, LeO’s business plan, communications offences, Women and Equalities Committee inquiry on impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s protected characteristics, the National Data Strategy and the proposed Economic Crime Levy for funding new government action to tackle money laundering. These were all in the last 6 months.

As the independent professional body for solicitors, the Law Society is the voice of solicitors, driving excellence in the profession and safeguarding the rule of law. I urge you to maximise your membership by signing up, if you have not already done so, to My LS which gives you access to the latest news, events, books and resources to help you excel and be informed about the issues that are important to you in your practice.

Finally, a reminder that Sushila and I are always willing to help you in any way we can. ■

Alastair Logan

Alastair Logan