Update for Liverpool Law Society by Beth Quinn, Key Account Manager at the Law Society
Press release regarding Queen Elizabeth II, 1926 – 2022
Responding to news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the president of the Law Society of England and Wales I. Stephanie Boyce, said: “On this sad occasion we share in the grief of the nation at the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. On behalf of the solicitor profession, I would also like to offer our condolences to the Royal Family.
“As the holder of a Royal Charter, the Society has been very grateful to the Queen for her role in public life, as a defender of the constitution and source of stability in an era of great change. As our longest serving monarch we’re thankful for the way she dedicated her life to the service of this country.”
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PUBLIC AFFAIRS
New prime minister announced, 5 September
Monday 5 September saw the announcement of the results of the Conservative Party leadership election, with Liz Truss being announced as the successful candidate. The Law Society has put out a press release on this matter.
The Law Society has said the new prime minister will have an opportunity to reset the government’s approach to the rule of law and address the crisis in the justice system. Our president, I. Stephanie Boyce, called on the new prime minister to demonstrate a renewed respect for the rule of law at home and with international partners when she takes office.
She noted that the Bill of Rights in particular needs a complete rethink as the current draft represents a lurch backwards for British justice which would disempower people in Britain while giving the state more unfettered authority.
As our criminal justice system is facing a make-or-break moment with huge backlogs in the courts delaying justice for victims and defendants, while chronic underfunding is forcing solicitors to leave this area of work in droves and leading to the collapse of our vital network of duty solicitor schemes, we call on the PM to immediately implement the minimum 15% criminal legal aid rate increase recommended by Lord Bellamy to ensure the wheels of justice keep turning.
The Law Society has called for:
- Investment to be made available across the entire justice system, including on court buildings, to ensure timely access to justice is available to all
- The PM to take action to address the increasing costs of doing business for solicitors (especially professional indemnity insurance hikes) to ensure that they can carry out their vital work on behalf of others.
- Support for small law firms faced with rising energy costs
REGULATORY
LSB gives green light to modest practising certificate fee increases
Last month, the Legal Services Board (LSB) approved a modest increase to the PC fee for individual solicitors of £20 for 2022-23. The Law Society has acknowledged this decision for the increase, which will underpin support for the profession and better enable us to serve solicitors in England and Wales.
The cost of an individual practising certificate fee will be £286 for 2022-23 and is collected by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and is either paid for by individual solicitors, or by firms on behalf of their solicitors. Most of this income is used to fund the activities of the SRA, with the remainder split between other organisations, including the Law Society.
The cost of an individual practising certificate has either been frozen or reduced over the last nine years. For example, the fee was £266 in 2021, compared to £428 in 2010. Additionally, the Law Society supported the profession when the pandemic hit in 2020 by reducing our share of the PC fee income we received by £3m, and we maintained this level in 2021 as government restrictions continued.
We undertook our largest ever member consultation which revealed 67% of respondents supported the Law Society’s proposal to increase the amount we receive from the practising fee in 2022-23. Our main source of income is the funds we receive from the PC fee, and this determines what we can plan and undertake for you, the profession and wider society. We have ambitions plans for the coming year to deliver more of what our members have told us is of importance to them. This includes:
- Highlighting the enormous contribution solicitors make to society
- Defending the profession from attacks
- Addressing threats to the rule of law
- Making progress on diversity and inclusion, and
- Providing world-class resources to support you and your business to thrive and prosper
- (Including supporting professional excellence through events, e-learning, career development, practice guidance, free helplines, library enquiries and newsletters on a range of practices and topics).
Our new corporate strategy will be published in November 2022 which sets out our new vision, objectives and outcomes for the next three years.
More information is available on our website and you can read the LSB announcement here..
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
New Law Society horizon scanning report: Neurotechnology, law and the legal profession
Our latest horizon scanning report, Neurotechnology, law and the legal profession contends that in the coming years neurotechnology will make an impact on the law thereby creating challenges and opportunities for the legal profession.
Neurotechnology is used to interact directly with the brain by monitoring and recording brain activity or acting to influence it. Advances in the coming decades could lead to lawyers grappling with the human rights implications of brain monitoring and manipulation.
- Read the report in full
- Read a three-page summary of the report
- Discover our horizon scanning series which discusses emerging topics and their possible impacts on the law and legal profession.
- These reports are a part of our wider futures and foresight programme, where we explore drivers of change, emerging signals and ask questions about the future to help our members prepare for longer-term possible worlds.