Regulatory reforms
Law Society president Nick Emmerson writes in the Times (£) about the proposals for the Chartered Institute of Legal Services (CILEX) to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
“Ultimately if legal executives change the regulator, consumers will suffer,” he said.
“They will see no tangible benefit, have less protection and will be left confused.”
Reoffending statistics
Yahoo UK, Luton Today, Milton Keynes Citizen, Doncaster Free Press, Cambrian News, Stourbridge News, Barnet Post, Dudley News and several other regional outlets continue coverage of new findings on the number of young people with criminal records that reoffend within a year.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “Reoffending is yet another issue that is impacted by systemic underfunding of the criminal justice system.
“To succeed in reducing reoffending rates, there needs to be investment in rehabilitation, particularly in relation to literacy and addiction, and support for those who have offended because of reasons connected with their mental health.
“This investment is likely to pay for itself in terms of reduced crime, reduced numbers of cases coming into the courts and reduced pressure on prisons. It needs to be one part of an overall strategy of investing effectively throughout the system to create a justice system fit for the 21st century.”
Solicitors may pay for Axiom Ince fallout
New Law Journal and City A.M. cover the Law Society’s concerns that solicitors may have to pay for the fallout of Axiom Ince.
We call on the SRA to consult the solicitor profession before deciding that solicitors must pay a one-off levy.
Law Society chief executive officer Ian Jeffery said: “As the representative body for the solicitor profession, we are of course greatly concerned that our members could be asked to plug a gap of many millions of pounds in the Compensation Fund arising from the collapse of just three law firms, which were set up under atypical business models and with their own clear and inherent risks.
“We would expect the solicitor profession to be consulted before any decision is made by the SRA on its approach to these exceptional compensation questions, given that our members would be required to pay for it and it is their collective reputation at stake.”
Role of AI in legal profession
Today’s Family Lawyer, Today’s Wills & Probate and Today’s Conveyancer report the Law Society’s artificial intelligence regulation recommendations, as the government’s AI Safety Summit begins.
President Nick Emmerson said: “As the government prepares for its summit on AI, we are working with our members to show the benefits of AI for the legal profession.
“The legal profession plays an integral role in shaping the future of AI regulation. We recognise AI’s potential to transform lives, boost the economy and increase access to justice. However, our members need further clarity on legislation, procurement practices and how discrepancies across sectors will be mitigated to enable the profession to make the most of these technologies.”
Unbundled legal services
The Law Society is calling on our members to tell us about their experience of offering unbundled legal services – which reduces overall cost but enables access to expert advice at critical stages.
We encourage interested members to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 17 November. A roundtable will also be held in the New Year to gather more views.
President Nick Emmerson tells New Law Journal: “Recent research has highlighted the benefits of unbundling for consumers. As such, it is important that the Law Society better understands how members are delivering unbundled services and the risks and benefits.
“We are particularly interested in how they are managing their liability and the extent to which these services are expanding their client base and increasing revenue.
"We encourage members to share their views to help us understand how we can best support them in delivering unbundled services going forward.”
Global legal centre report
New Law Journal and Global Legal Post cover the Law Society’s recent report which has found that London is the most attractive centre for commercial litigation and international arbitration.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “The UK is currently the second largest market for legal services globally. It is recognised and respected the world over because of the stability and quality of our courts, our laws and legal professionals.
“Our report shows that in an increasingly competitive global market, London’s commercial courts continue to thrive. English law is the governing law of choice in international transactions and a vital asset to the UK’s economy.”
Llanelli police station fee uplift
Solicitors Journal and West Wales Chronicle report the Ministry of Justice have approved a police station fee uplift for criminal legal aid solicitors in Llanelli, Wales, after the fees for four major legal aid firms were slashed by 25% overnight last month.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: “We are pleased to see that the Ministry of Justice has responded to our calls to restore fees to their previous rates for the four affected law firms.
“Duty solicitors work hard with very little resources to help people at crisis point. We were concerned the arbitrary cuts to their fees would be the death knell for legal aid in an area that has long been considered an advice desert for criminal practitioners.”
Criminal legal aid
The Times Brief mentions our legal challenge over the government’s refusal to increase criminal legal aid rates for solicitors in line with the independent review recommendation.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Immediate past president Lubna Shuja is awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Westminster Alumni Awards 2023, as reported by University of Westminster.
Property exchange protocol
Philip Freedman, a member of our Conveyancing and Land Law Committee, writes in the Gazette about the launch of our consultation on property exchange protocol.
“Being able to exchange digitally could benefit solicitors and clients dealing with both residential and commercial properties transactions across the UK. It should facilitate and speed up the exchange process,” he said.
Saudi Arabia launch
The Law Society is mentioned in a Global Legal Post piece about Mishcon de Reya applying to open an office in Riyadh.
Also worth a read:
- Absence of strategic leadership at the MoJ – Legal Futures
- More court closures due to RAAC – Gazette
- Legal profession dominates the latest social mobility rankings – Legal Cheek
- Prisoners released early to ease jail overcrowding – Telegraph (£)
- MPs launch county court inquiry – New Law Journal