Annual general meeting 2025

The meeting was a hybrid event. All Law Society members were invited to attend. 

What is an AGM?

Most organisations will hold an AGM once per year, as required by the law or by their constitution, charter and/or bye-laws.

At the Law Society, the AGM happens so that our Council can:

• discuss the governance of our organisation
• report back to our members on our activities
• receive our annual report and approve our accounts as signed by our auditors

Our Council discussed matters related to our strategic direction, and any other business consistent with our charter and bye-laws.

Any motions that were raised by our members ahead of the meeting were also discussed.

Newly elected and re-elected Council members took their seats on the Council at the conclusion of the AGM.

The meeting was chaired by outgoing president, Richard Atkinson.

New members of Council

As well as the activities outlined above, the handover of our office holders took place:

• the president gave his successor, Mark Evans, the president’s badge of office
• the vice president gave his successor, Brett Dixon, the vice president’s badge of office
• the deputy vice president gave his successor, Dana Denis-Smith OBE, the deputy vice president’s badge of office

At the conclusion of the AGM, newly elected and re-elected Council members took their seats.

Changes to SGM threshold

At the AGM on 8 October, members voted on a motion to increase the threshold for Law Society members to call a special general meeting under the Law Society’s bye-laws. 

The motion was narrowly defeated. The president as chair of the meeting directed that the question be referred to a ballot of members as provided by bye-law 34.

Council met on 29 October and reflected on discussions at the AGM. Having done so, it resolved to withdraw its endorsement of the motion, whilst recognising that the motion would nonetheless proceed to a ballot of members given the decision of the AGM.

The ballot will open on 26 November and close at 12 noon on Wednesday 17 December.

All Law Society members will receive an email from UK Engage via no-reply@ukevote.uk with a link to vote.

Members who have not received an email from UK Engage by 27 November may contact ballotrequest@lawsociety.org.uk.

Ian Jeffery
Chief executive of the Law Society of England and Wales