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Report from Law Society Council Member and Vice President – Lubna Shuja
As I write this report, we have been back to working from home again for the last two months, due to the Omicron variant, but I remain optimistic that it will not be for too much longer. Despite the pandemic setbacks, the Law Society continues to work hard in the best interests of members. The last Council meeting took place remotely on 15 December 2021. Below is a summary of some of the issues currently relevant to our profession. Copies of the reports to Council from the Law Society’s CEO can be found on the SPG website at www.spg.uk.com. SIF@lawsociety.org.uk. The Law Society is strongly encouraging members to respond to the SRA’s consultation (both individually and as firms) to stress that SIF protects clients and to ensure that the views of the profession are as impactful as possible. Responses to the consultation must be submitted by Tuesday 15 February 2022. If you wish to send your own individual response, the consultation documents can be found on the SRA website.
The Solicitors Indemnity FundThere is a full update in relation to the potential closure of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF) elsewhere in SOLO from Clive Sutton. The SRA Consultation closes on 15 February 2022. I can confirm that The Law Society is opposed to the potential closure of SIF and is preparing its own response to the recent SRA consultation. The Law Society position is that SIF and post six-year run-off cover (PSYROC) must be retained to ensure that both consumers and the integrity of the profession are protected.
Conveyancing Solicitors Accusations of solicitors’ involvement in alleged mis-selling of leasehold properties is an issue that the Law Society has been aware of and working on for some time. In the past three and a half years in particular, the Society has had significant engagement with government ministers, officials, and parliamentarians highlighting the important role solicitors play, identifying where the problems lie and promoting proper solutions for leaseholders. In that time, the Society has had significant success in defusing the potential reputational impact of this issue for the solicitor profession. In particular:
and Local Government and the Shadow Housing Ministers and was successful in ensuring that neither the Government, nor the Opposition’s policy proposals on this issue framed solicitors as being part of the problem. • And most recently, the Law Society’s positive engagement with the government saw the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill brought forward. The Society expressed support for the central aims of the Bill, which appears set to pass unhindered through Parliament. In briefings to parliamentarians ahead of the various debates on the Bill the Law Society was positioned as a vocal supporter of the proposed legislation and took the opportunity to highlight not only the role solicitors play in the conveyancing process, but also the problems that emerge from issues that are out of their control (such as the lack of transparency from estate agents and developers over the provision of key lease information).
The Law Society has engaged with the wider profession to develop its response to the consultation to ensure there has been ample opportunity for members to contribute and that the final document is a proper reflection of the views of members. It has held a series of meetings and discussions to engage with different segments of the membership, as well as former members.
• In 2018 the Law Society gave oral evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee directly addressing questions around the conduct of solicitors, with the result that the Committee’s report in 2019 did not reflect the more serious allegations that had previously been levelled at conveyancing solicitors.
Criminal Legal Aid Lawyers On 15 December 2021 a report recommending increased remuneration rates for criminal legal aid solicitors was published as part of an independent review chaired by Sir Christopher Bellamy. The Law Society welcomed these proposals for increased pay for criminal legal aid solicitors as a step in the right direction, following its ongoing campaign work on behalf of members.
Anyone who wishes to feed into the Law Society consultation response is encouraged to send any thoughts to
• In the course of 2019, the Society engaged proactively with both the Ministry of Housing, Communities
The last time pay rates for criminal legal aid lawyers were increased significantly was during the 1990s. Over the last 9 years, the
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