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Council Member‘s Report A REPORT FROM LAW SOCIETY COUNCIL MEMBER LUBNA SHUJA
The last few months, during which we have had to adapt to different ways of working during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been incredibly challenging and difficult for many members of our profession. I am pleased to be able to report that, although the Law Society moved entirely to remote working, as did most organisations, it was still business as usual with a plethora of support provided to members to help them through these unchartered times. The Law Society Council met remotely on 3 June 2020 and again on 15 July 2020. The Law Society Board and the various Law Society Committees have also continued to meet remotely so work has continued apace despite the lockdown. The Law Society AGM has been deferred to 15 October 2020 when it is hoped (perhaps optimistically) that Council members may be able to meet in person again. I set out below details of the main issues discussed at the Council meetings and the key decisions made. You will be able to find a copy of the CEO’s reports, which contain more detailed information, on our website at www.spg.uk.com.
Covid-19 Response The Law Society responded quickly to the concerns, queries and uncertainties expressed by members about the actual and potential impact on their practices, clients, work, livelihood and wellbeing by providing them with guidance and support all of which is available on the Law Society website. This covers information ranging from a Business Continuity Toolkit, physical safety when attending courts/police stations/ prisons, meeting regulatory requirements, dealing with guidance for practice areas such as conveyancing/Wills which were impacted in relation to electronic signatures and virtual execution of documents, through to a LawTech, Cybersecurity and fraud prevention hub. The Law Society engaged closely and often with the government and other stakeholders, including the SRA and the Bar Council, which resulted in significant wins for the profession.
spg.uk.com
Between 10 March 2020 and 20 May 2020, the Law Society Covid-19 pages received 151,000 unique page views which was testament to the value members had found in the information provided. On 24 March 2020 alone there were 40,000 unique page views of the website.
that you can download to print), information on PII renewals and other Covid-19 related material. There is also guidance on managing cashflow, reducing costs and/or supplementing income. The focus of guidance for members now is the Return, Restart and Recovery Campaign.
It was agreed that a 75% discount would be offered over a period to firms who were renewing their accreditations in the Criminal Legal Accreditation Scheme, CQS and Lexcel if they had a Legal Aid Crime Contract. This applied to more than 1,000 firms and many have taken advantage giving them some relief during a time of financial hardship.
The New Law Society Website and My Law Society
The Law Society also worked hard to scrutinise the impact of emergency legislation and monitored the impact of social distancing on the administration of and access to justice. Changes were made to the Coronavirus Act in the areas of criminal justice, domestic abuse, immigration and the definition of “key workers” as a result of interventions made by the Society. Loans were also made available to firms who had not initially qualified for them, and self employed members could be furloughed and/or be eligible for other benefits. I would urge you all to look at the Law Society website which has a great deal of information that you will find useful. There is a Practical Framework on Return to the Office, a Safe Return to the Office Toolkit for Firms (which contains a risk assessment template and Covid-19 posters
The new Law Society website was launched on 2 July 2020 and is now live. There is a significantly improved search function, redesigned content and new navigation based on member feedback. You will need to register on My Law Society to be able to access the full range of services and benefits available to you as a member. The registration process is simple and I would urge you all to sign up as soon as possible so that you can access and receive regular information on areas that are of interest to you. The website continues to be developed and further improvements will be made over the coming months. This will include the launch of “Law Society Learning”, the new Learning Management System which will host new bitesized e-learning modules as well as full digital courses which will allow members to develop their own learning. There has already been a significant increase in demand for online events and it is likely more webinars will be provided in the future in addition to some face to face events. The lack of a
