Join our committees

General information

Our policy advisory committees are specialist sub-committees of the Policy and Regulatory Affairs Committee (PRAC).

Read the committee member role description and terms of reference

Committee membership is a voluntary position. You will be reimbursed reasonable expenses for attending committee meetings in line with our policies on expenses.

Committee members are expected to adhere at all times to our:

• Principles of Conduct for elected and appointed members (PDF) when discharging their committee role, and
• Culture Code in their dealings with each other and with Law Society staff

By applying for a committee role, you confirm you have read both the principles and the code and that you agree to comply with them if you are appointed.

Committee members’ names will appear on our website in connection with membership of the committee.

Matters to be disclosed by candidates

You must disclose details of the following matters in accordance with the decision of the Policy and Regulatory Affairs Committee (formerly Legal Affairs and Policy Board).

Adverse findings by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

Any findings or order of the tribunal which led to you being:

• struck from the roll of solicitors, but only if your subsequent restoration to the roll took place within the 10 years immediately preceding the last date for receiving nominations (the date shown at the head of the form)
• suspended from practice, either indefinitely or for a specified period, but only if the suspension ceased within the 10 years immediately preceding the last date for receiving nominations
• ordered to make payment of a financial penalty, but only if the order was made within the 10 years immediately preceding the last date for receiving nominations
• excluded from legal aid work, either indefinitely or for a specified period, but only if the order was made within the 10 years immediately preceding the last date for receiving nominations, or
• prohibited from being restored to the roll of solicitors without the leave of the tribunal but only if your subsequent restoration to the roll of solicitors took place within the 10 years immediately preceding the last date for nominations

Current or pending regulatory proceedings

Any regulatory proceedings currently taking place against you, or where notice has been given to you that such proceedings are to be taken, before:

• the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
• the Solicitors Regulation Authority, or
• any other regulatory body to which you are subject, and which exercises statutory powers

A condition on your current practising certificate relating to practising only in approved employment

Criminal convictions

Any criminal conviction before a court in the United Kingdom (UK), Isle of Man or Channel islands, other than a conviction:

• which does not, by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, need to be disclosed
• where an absolute or conditional discharge was imposed, or
• which was in respect of a motoring offence, other than one where a sentence of disqualification from driving for more than 12 months was imposed

Current or pending criminal proceedings

Any current criminal proceedings, or proceedings which have been formally commenced (by issue of a summons or other equivalent step) but which have not yet begun to be heard, in any court in the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands.

Current criminal investigations

Any current criminal investigation of which the candidate is, or might reasonably be taken to be, aware, which relates wholly or partly to the candidate, carried out by any police force in the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands or by the National Crime Agency (NCA), previously known as the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).

If you have any questions about how to respond to the declarations in Part 1 or wish to provide any supplementary information, complete the form at appendix 1.

Conflict of interest

You should draw to our attention any potential conflicts with the Law Society's commercial or lobbying interests which could lead you to be influenced, or to be reasonably seen to be influenced, by the possibility of significant personal gain (or loss) of a financial or non-financial nature.

Such conflicts might arise from:

• posts held in the course of employment or practice, including partnerships and directorships
• any contract for goods, services or works between the Law Society and you or any firm or organisation in which you are a partner, director or employee
• any office held in a public or professional body (other than the Law Society or where the appointment is by the Law Society)
• any position in an organisation which might be affected by commercial decisions taken by the Law Society. This includes organisations which provide services which we provide to our members, including publishing, educational courses, training or other commercial activities; and organisations which provide advice or other services in competition with solicitors
• membership of a body whose principal purposes include influencing public opinion or policy in areas relevant to our work
• any significant financial interest relevant to our work
• the interests of a relative or related party, where:
  • you are aware of the interest, and
  • a fair-minded observer might reasonably perceive a conflict of interest

Ordinary professional activities such as attending courses with an education provider other than the Law Society or membership of an accreditation scheme do not create a conflict.

SRA posts

You should draw to our attention if you hold any role with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), including paid, elected and/or volunteer positions, and any role performed for the SRA in an advisory capacity.

If you do, we may need to request further information from you on the nature of the post so we can assess our obligations under the Legal Services Board's Internal Governance Rules 2019.

If you have any questions about the content of these notes, email pracappointments@lawsociety.org.uk.