While the launch of the junior lawyers division is welcome, the law society faces a testing year on many fronts


This year will be many things. A year of challenges, with the regulatory implications of the Legal Services Act, legal aid, and the testing economic climate sure to dominate the pages of the Gazette and the minds of solicitors. A year of opportunities, not least for new business. And a year of change, particularly at the Law Society, which will become even more member-focused.



Junior Lawyers Division

Coming only six weeks after the launch of our International Division, our new Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) is an exciting development for the Law Society and an example of how we can better represent by better reflecting the profession.



I had the opportunity to say a few words at the launch, which was hosted at Clifford Chance’s magnificent London headquarters, and my message about the importance of the JLD was simple and two-fold. First and foremost, that those taking their first steps in the profession face very different challenges and it’s vital that we reflect that in how we represent them. While the opportunities open today are as wide as they are exciting, from joining the thousands of English- and Welsh-trained solicitors working overseas, to working the burgeoning in-house sector, we cannot pretend that all is rosy.



Too many solicitors decide to leave the profession within their first two years. This is not just bad for the individual, it is also bad for business. There are, of course, many reasons for this but our quality of life survey last year revealed that the macho long-hours culture and stress are par for the course in many firms. We need to put some balance back into the work/life balance and I am confident that, with a potential membership of more than 70,000 solicitors, there will be no stronger voice than the JLD.



The second reason that the JLD is important is for solicitors’ firms themselves. There is no better way to win new business and learn about the profession than through networking. Those involved in the JLD will also acquire new leadership skills – again a win-win situation.



For more information about the JLD, the forthcoming regional events in Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Leeds and Cambridge, together with information about the inaugural national JLD conference in April, see www.lawsociety.org.uk/ juniorlawyers.



Legal aid update

Having worked in the legal aid sector for more than three decades, I understand better than most the immense frustration and anger of not only legal aid practitioners, but all solicitors who believe the government’s reforms will erode access to justice and undermine the rule of law. Will the Winter of Discontent turn to a Spring of Bliss? Will 2008 see the Legal Services Commission perform a welcome U-turn in light of our emphatic win in the Royal Court of Justice in December?



Well, with an economic slowdown widely predicted, and the Treasury coffers bare, it is clear we are highly unlikely to see any added investment from the government. What can change, however, is the commission’s approach to implementation. The day it stops trying to impose fundamentally flawed proposals and is prepared to listen and work collaboratively to find a long-term solution will be the day we forge a sustainable future for legal aid. Times will still be tough for practitioners, but I am hopeful that the commission will join us at the negotiating table.



Trouble overseas

With the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the bloody tail end of 2007 continued unabated with the violence in the wake of the contested election in Kenya. As I write, both countries are teetering on the brink, underlining how precious the rule of law is.



I received a text from the President of the Kenyan Law Society about the brewing trouble before international attention had moved from Rawalpindi. As with anywhere in the world, I told him the Law Society will do anything and everything we can do to help. Sometimes this may be mere solidarity, which costs nothing; sometimes it is making representations and applying pressure through government and other channels; and sometimes we can play a more proactive role, but whatever we do, involvement overseas complements all the work we do domestically.



One area where television pictures are rare, with so many foreign journalists banned, is of course Zimbabwe. Only two months ago we set a target of £100,000 to help our sister law society there help lawyers who are operating under incredibly difficult conditions, and face great danger as they strive to uphold the rule of law in a troubled country.



We hope to provide them with the equipment they need to carry on their vital work – from computer equipment and law books to training and the setting up of five regional offices. The response from the profession in England and Wales so far has been fantastic. We have cleared the £75,000 mark, three-quarters of the way to our target. If you can make a donation, however big or small, please see our website for details.



Andrew Holroyd is President of the Law Society