- Robert Heslett, President

In turbulent times, the Law Society has more of an obligation than ever to live up to its motto of supporting solicitors. This means:

• securing the business and regulatory environment in which solicitors can practice most effectively;
• providing the tools and advice on best practice to enable them to thrive; and
• promoting the virtues of solicitors to the broader public. 

Over the next twelve months the Society will focus on three areas in particular.

Securing a proportionate regulatory system

It is absolutely essential that the profession should operate within a regulatory system which should be a competitive strength, not a commercial disadvantage. It must also retain the confidence of the people it serves. The new regulatory framework created by the Legal Services Act has provided a platform upon which the profession can help to build a better system. 

Striking a balance will be difficult. The shortcomings of financial services regulation have changed the general terms of regulatory debate and we must acknowledge that the expectations of the public have grown. The independent review into the regulation of the profession by Lord Hunt of Wirral commissioned by the Society will contribute to this process. 

Creating services to meet members’ needs 

It is difficult to over-emphasise the degree of change sweeping across the solicitors’ profession. The revolution heralded by the passage of the Legal Services Act in 2007 has challenged traditional business practices and introduced new models for the provision of legal services. More is yet to come with alternative business structures coming on-stream in 2011.

With so much for solicitors to consider regarding the future, the Society knows the importance of assisting solicitors in surmounting the problems of the present. The Society’s practice notes have become beacons of best practice for all solicitors concerned with navigating new regulatory waters and changing economic circumstances, while the Society’s Practice Advice Service provides invaluable expert advice for all solicitors at the end of the phone. Our special interest groups offer focussed support for practitioners of individual disciplines, and the Society works ever more closely with affiliated groups to ensure that the entire profession is well represented. The Society recognises the need to provide value to its members and member services are the most visible and effective component in fulfilling that aim.

Promoting solicitors as true professionals

It is a major role of the Law Society to promote the value of solicitors to everyday people in everyday life. The Society goes to great lengths to emphasise the signifi cant role that solicitors play in society and the economy. Over the last two years the Society has embarked on a major publicity drive to raise awareness of the importance of using a solicitor, to heighten the profi le of the profession and to emphasise the profession’s role as the guardian of the rule of law. This has never been more important than in a period when solicitors are facing increased competition from beyond the profession. The Society will step up this activity in the coming twelve months. 

The Society has achieved a great deal over the last twelve months, as this report illustrates. There is much more to do however, and the Society will do all it can to give members the advice and support that they need, to prise open new markets and to ensure that the profession’s achievements do not go unnoticed.