New special interest groups launched

We engage with and meet the diverse needs of solicitors through special interest groups. This year two new groups were launched. The Lawyers with Disabilities Division helps people with disabilities to access legal services and facilities, lobbies for legislation to protect their rights and provides a powerful communication channel for solicitors with disabilities. The Competition Section promotes discussion of competition law issues and closer links between the profession and officials in relevant institutions. The Society’s special interest groups are:

• Competition Section
• Civil Justice Section (formerly Dispute Resolution Section)
• International Division
• Junior Lawyers Division
• Law Management Section
• Lawyers with Disabilities Division
• Probate Section
• Property Section.

Practice management and marketing support

The Lexcel scheme offers practices a management framework to support their business. Feedback indicates that the scheme delivers benefits in a range of areas. Personnel management is one - effective communication promotes knowledge-sharing which results in a positive practice culture. A risk management guide helps practices to identify factors that could affect them. Assessment guidelines have been revised to better support practices seeking to retain accreditation. Advice ongaining accreditation is free.  

Lawyers For Your Business helps solicitors to find long-term small business clients. The scheme promotes the value of legal advice to anyone in or starting up a small business.

Information services extended

The library has added LexisNexis and Westlaw to its range of online legal information services. It offers a wide range of statutory material, case law, precedents and journals. Experienced librarians answer more than 2,400 telephone and e-mail enquiries every month.

Seventeen new titles have been published since September 2008 with a further 30 planned through 2009. These include the Solicitors’ Code of Conduct 2007, June 2009 Edition; Solicitors and Money Laundering, 3rd Edition, and the forthcoming Legal Compliance Bulletin. The new bookshop website, launched in June 2008, now offers over 200 titles from a range of publishers. 

The Law Society Gazette has been refocused to give more support to in-house and commercial solicitors than ever before. 

Best practice and guidance

Legal disciplinary practices and alternative business structures

The rules permitting legal disciplinary practices (LDPs) came into effect on 31 March 2009. LDPs offer significant opportunities for the profession. The Law Society issued a practice note on the subject and on the new firm-based regulatory regime. The next step is the move to alternative business structures and the Society will be leading the discussions about this regime.

Other new practice notes covered:

• Disputed wills
• Gifting of assets
• Withdrawing from criminal cases
• Virtual courts
• Judicial review in immigration cases
• Pre-action protocol in mortgage
• repossession cases
• Business continuity
• Information security
• Data protection.

Helplines

The Pastoral Care Helpline, launched in June 2008, helps solicitors with personal, financial, professional and employment problems by referring them to specialist services. 

In March 2009 the Law Society launched Lawyerline, which advises solicitors on client care issues and handling client complaints.

The Practice Advice Service helpline provides advice on matters including anti-money laundering (AML), costs, conveyancing, probate, tax, practice notes and Law Society policy. It is staffed by solicitors and received over 35,000 enquiries in 2008. 

The Junior Lawyers Division helpline is for students, trainees and newly qualified solicitors with pastoral or career related problems. 

Training and careers support

Every year we run more than 200 national and regional conferences, workshops and seminars to update solicitors on legal developments and best practice. The majority attract CPD points. In addition to new downturn-related events, other new events this year covered subjects including: 

• legal aid tendering 
• the legal regulation review 
• changes to the legal practice course.

We held a series of events for black and minority ethnic (BME) solicitors. The Society also ran its fi rst webinars – live online events that solicitors can participate in from their desks. 

Careers events included:

• a mini-conference to help solicitors overcome barriers to progression;
• a career crossroads workshop; 
• an introduction to wills, probate and trusts for solicitors interested in retraining.

We ran events for school pupils and undergraduates aimed at increasing diversity in the profession. A new mentoring scheme was launched in October 2008 to support students, trainees and newly qualified solicitors. Nearly 200 mentees were matched with mentors in the first six months. 

Helping with AML obligations

• We published a practice note on the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Terrorism Act 2000 and Money Laundering Regulations 2007.
• We run 32 money laundering reporting officer (MLRO) networking groups and 40 AML training sessions around England and Wales each year.
• Our Practice Advice Service answers on average 400 money laundering compliance enquiries each month.
• We maintain an online directory of law firms with expertise on AML compliance.
• We secured preferential pricing from two e-verification service providers for our members.

Thirteen new MLRO groups were set up this year to promote good practice and share experiences.

Regional support and networking

We are proud of the strong working relationships we have with practices of all sizes and in all sectors through our Wales office and our regional network in England. In addition a dedicated resource maintains a close dialogue with large corporate firms. We encourage networking through regional and Welsh forums for managing and senior partners. 

By working with Regional Development Agencies and Business Links we have secured funding support for training and consultation for solicitors at a local level, and ensured that the profession is fully integrated in regional and Welsh economic planning. 

We have developed strategic alliances with other professional representative bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to promote members’ business interests and continue to work closely with local law societies.