Supporting solicitors
Your Law Society - Annual Review 2009/10
Highlights from the review
- Our responsibility to our members
- Supporting the practice of law
- Supporting legal businesses in challenging times
- Career support and professional development
- Developing new markets and opportunities
- Representing the profession
- Defending legal aid
- Promoting the profession
- Corporate responsibility
- Delivering equality and diversity
- Transforming the Law Society
Download our full review (PDF, 555kb)
Read the annual report and accounts for 2009
Watch an interview with the president
Our responsibility to our members - Linda Lee, president 2010/11
In the current changing times, the Law Society has more of an obligation than ever to live up to its motto of supporting solicitors.
This means:
- creating the environment in which solicitors can best practice
- providing the tools and advice on best practice to enable them to thrive
- promoting the virtues of solicitors to the broader public
Supporting the practice of law
Our new risk and compliance service helps solicitors to understand risk management and develop a robust approach to compliance.
We launched an e-newsletter for in-house solicitors.
Lawyerline was added to our suite of helplines, providing advice on client care and complaints handling.
Our practice note on the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Terrorism Act 2000 and Money Laundering Regulations 2007 received approval from HM Treasury, giving solicitors added protection.
Supporting legal businesses in challenging times
During the last year we have supported solicitors by:
- Negotiating a finance facility to spread the PC fee cost over 10 months
- Providing a comprehensive package of support on PII renewals including a free guide published three times a year
- Administering the Tier 5 scheme for migrant workers
- Negotiating with financial institutions in defence of conveyancing practitioners
- Representing solicitors' views to key stakeholders.
Career support and professional development
The Law Society launched a new CPD Online centre which includes a directory of hundreds of courses from leading providers, a free CPD planning and recording tool and access to Law Society online courses.
The Society ran hundreds of CPD events, including new careers initiatives for solicitors at all stages of their working lives.
We promoted the varied range of opportunities available to solicitors in the judiciary.
Developing new markets and opportunities
We organised inward and outward trade missions and market visits.
Lawyers from over 25 jurisdictions participated in our annual international conference.
We represented solicitors from England and Wales at every important international forum.
Our International Division helps over 130 corporate members to develop their overseas business.
Representing the profession
The Law Society commissioned two independent reviews on the future of regulation - one on corporate legal work, and another looking at the regulation of lawyers generally.
We established a group to develop leading edge thinking about the regulation of legal service providers and implementation of outcomes-focused regulation.
In the lead-in to the general election we sought to influence the election platforms of all the major political parties.
500 international action team members undertook human rights work.
Defending legal aid
The Society fought against the introduction of a proposal for best value tendering for criminal defence services which was eventually withdrawn.
We conducted an Access to Justice Review and published an interim report for consultation with our members.
We continue to campaign vigorously for a properly funded, sustainable system of legal aid and fair remuneration for solicitors engaged in civil and criminal work.
Promoting the profession
Our 2009 press and poster campaign to promote the solicitor brand was seen an estimated 100 million times. Free publicity equalled £1.5m of advertising spend.
Our 2009 Excellence Awards featured more categories, entrants and sponsorship than ever.
We achieved positive media coverage worth over £60m for the Society and the profession.
200 firms took advantage of our new free media training service.
Corporate responsibility
In March 2010 32 law firms and the Law Society unveiled their carbon footprints, revealing a reduction in carbon emissions of 4% among Legal Sector Alliance executive members since December 2008.
The seventh National Pro Bono Week was the busiest ever, with a 55% increase in activities promoting and celebrating the time and professional skills that lawyers donate to their communities.
Through the Law Society Charity the solicitors' profession provides essential funding to many hundreds of projects. During 2008/09* the Charity donated £369,000.
* Latest figures available.
Delivering equality and diversity
The Law Society Diversity and Inclusion Charter is the flagship diversity initiative of the legal profession.
In April 2010 we launched a set of Standards and a Toolkit to help practices of every type and size to get started.
During 2009 we climbed 151 places in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and made it into the legal sector top 10.
We awarded twelve full LPC scholarships to exceptional students facing social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualification as a solicitor.
Transforming the Law Society - Des Hudson, chief executive
The share of the PC fee taken by the representative Law Society was reduced to 22%.
During 2009 we paid close attention to actual expenditure against budget, reducing overall spend.
I am continuing to reshape the Law Society to secure even better value for money, while representing your interests effectively and providing first class services.
The Society was voted the strongest brand in the Association & Accreditation Sector of the Business Superbrands 2010 survey, securing 75th position overall.