Interested in becoming a Law Society Council member? Here’s all you need to know… 

Ever wondered what a Law Society Council member does, or considered whether you might like to become one yourself?  

The Law Society is governed by its Council, set up under its Royal Charter. The Council agrees the strategic direction of the Law Society’s work, including the annual business plan and budget, changes to Society policy and rules, and the focus of our efforts on behalf of our diverse membership.

The Council is composed of solicitors and one trainee solicitor. Members sit for four-year terms and may be re-elected. The trainee solicitor sits for a two-year term.  

Council has 100 seats, with 61 members representing 42 geographical constituencies and up to 39 members representing special interest groups and areas of practice (for more information on the role of council and its members, the Law Society Website).  

Three Council members were asked about the role and their experiences. 

Simon Davis, Council member representing the City of London 

Simon davis

Simon Davis is a senior litigator at the London office of Clifford Chance. He joined the firm in 1982 and made partner in 1992. He was the firm’s recruitment partner between 1995 and 2000 and spent two years as president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association. Simon will become Society president in July.  

Why did you join Council?

I was inspired to join having worked with former Council members Nigel Day and Mike Williams on the Society’s civil justice committee. It showed to me that the Law Society has a unique ability to influence government policy to the benefit of the public and the profession. The Council was a natural next step.

What have been your highlights from your time on Council?

Spending time with my fellow members and the full-time team at the Society.  Their experience, expertise and humour are a treat. On the policy front, the work which the Council and its committees and full-time teams have done in fighting for legal aid is difficult to beat.

What are Council’s greatest strengths?

Being the eyes, ears and mouth of the profession. We have under one roof representatives from the smallest firm to the City, from family to commercial, from Wales to the north, south, east and west of England. 

What do think could be improved about the way Council works?

We need to improve our ability to communicate with the membership.

How has your involvement with Council enhanced your career or other aspects of your working life?

It is not healthy for any solicitor to spend all their time focused exclusively on their own firm and their own clients. Debating ideas with those having a varied and different experience in the legal profession makes me look at issues in a more holistic way.  

How did you balance your Council commitments with the demands of your day job?

I balance them by working faster and harder.

Can you tell us something about how you have engaged with your constituents during your time on Council?

I value greatly the input we receive from the City of London Law Society and spending time with in-house and external City constituents in all kinds of formal and informal events.

What is the most rewarding aspect of serving on Council? And is there anything you find frustrating?

I learn something new every time I am with Council. All I ever find frustrating is if someone asks me ‘What does the Law Society actually do?’ The members who have dealings with the Society are impressed. Our challenge is to ensure that we communicate to our profession what value we add, and to the public the importance of the service the profession provides.

What advice would you give to someone considering standing for election?

Come on in, the water’s lovely. 

Beverley Cullen, Council member representing solicitors in local government 

Beverley cullen

Beverley is a solicitor and fellow of the Institute of Leadership & Management/lecturer in law at the University of Central Lancashire. She is a former assistant county solicitor and senior manager at Lancashire County Council specialising in inquests, employment law, social care and civil litigation. Additionally, Beverley is past senior Crown prosecutor specialising in criminal litigation.

Why did you join Council?

To be frank, I did not consider the Law Society to have much, if any, relevance to my area of practice (in house/public sector). It appeared to be an organisation that was unaligned with the day-to-day jobs of solicitors working outside London. When the vacancy arose I applied because I wanted to find out more about what the Society did and, as cliched as it sounds, to make a difference. I believe to initiate change you need to get involved.

What have been your highlights from your time on Council?

Being able to influence and participate in the recent governance changes was particularly rewarding because I believe the Society can be relevant to all solicitors in practice if it operates efficiently. For historical reasons, the relationship between the Law Society and solicitors working in local government has been fractious. In my role as Council member I have impacted on that relationship in a positive way.

What are Council’s greatest strengths?

The commitment of its members. I may not always agree with other members’ views but I know that they have the profession’s interests at heart. Also, the areas of practice and specialist representation are so wide that all areas of the profession are represented.

What do think could be improved about the way Council works?

This is ‘work in progress’ for the Law Society as a whole. The recent governance changes, which are still in their infancy, have allowed Council to focus more on important policy issues and less on detailed operational issues. Greater use of technology would also improve the Council’s efficiency. I would also like to see its make-up reflect the profession in terms of gender, ethnicity, age and social mobility.

How has your involvement with Council enhanced your career or other aspects of your working life?

It provides an insight into the various work streams undertaken by the Society and the opportunities that presents to get involved in new areas. I have established new networks, and made new friends, which have been mutually beneficial, by bringing Society office-holders and staff into contact with local authorities and the profession in the north-west.

How did you balance your Council commitments with the demands of your day job?

This was challenging. The impact of central government spending cuts on local authorities cannot be understated. With severe financial cuts to staff and services, getting time off work to attend meetings was difficult. In the end I attended meetings in my own time by changing my working pattern. It has become easier to attend meetings as the number has reduced under the new governance arrangements and one of the meetings is held over a weekend.

Can you tell us something about how you have engaged with your constituents during your time on Council?

I attend the Lawyers in Local Government board meetings to provide an update on the outcomes of Council meetings as well as sending the written update. As a member of my local law society I brief the committee about Law Society issues and have been an ambassador for local authority solicitors by speaking at the presidents and secretaries conference. When Council was debating the impact of government cuts on access to justice, I ensured that Council and the president were made aware of the calamitous effect these cuts had on solicitors working in local government.

What is the most rewarding aspect of serving on Council? And is there anything you find frustrating?

Being the voice of lawyers working in local government is in itself a reward, together with the feeling of giving something back to the profession. Learning about other roles in the profession and the opportunity to meet lawyers who live and work overseas. The length of time it takes to bring policies to implementation is frustrating; this needs addressing in the governance arrangements. The lack of diversity on Council and the fact that most meetings are held in London.

What advice would you give to someone considering standing for election?

Go for it. If successful, apply to join a Law Society committee. Being a member of the scrutiny review and performance committee gave me an insight into the whole work of the society with an opportunity to observe the Board and committees in action.

Lubna Shuja, Council member representing the Sole Practitioners Group 

Lubna shuja

Lubna Shuja is a sole practitioner and mediator at Legal Swan Solicitors in Birmingham specialising in regulation and mediation.  As well as her role as a Council member, Lubna is chair of the Law Society’s membership and communications committee, which means she also sits on the Law Society Board.   

Why did you join Council?

I had heard of some of the work being done by the Law Society and I was curious to find out more about how Council contributed. I wanted to ensure the voice of sole practitioners was heard at Chancery Lane and that solicitor interests generally were protected. I felt I could make a real contribution by representing a provincial high street practice.

What have been your highlights from your time on Council?

Council often debates the most topical issues of the day and members contribute their opinions on matters affecting the profession. Such discussions have helped to inform the various successful Law Society access to justice campaigns, which have led to real changes. Examples are the reversals of Employment Tribunal fees and the legal aid tender decisions. There is a real sense of satisfaction when the work of Council can be directly seen in positive outcomes for the profession.   

What are Council’s greatest strengths? 

It is diverse in constitution and in views. Members are forthright in their opinions and the best interests of the profession are at the core of every discussion. Members draw matters to the attention of the Law Society by using their experiences in practice, knowledge and expectations of what the Society can do to support solicitors.

How has your involvement with Council enhanced your career or other aspects of your working life?

It has certainly helped me to keep on top of the most topical issues affecting solicitors, such as regulatory changes. This enables me to be better prepared to deal with changes as they arise. It has also given me the opportunity to meet other Council members and share experiences/good practice. 

How did you balance your Council commitments with the demands of your day job?

This is a matter of choice really. Council meets about six times a year and attendance at Council meetings (lasting on average for a day) is the main commitment. Beyond that members can choose how much more time they wish to devote to the work of Council and its various committees. As chair of the MCC and a member of the Board, I spend additional time both preparing and attending those meetings. Most meetings are fixed many months in advance so it is possible to plan ahead and balance Council commitments with work demands. 

Can you tell us something about how you have engaged with your constituents during your time on Council?

I send regular newsletters to my constituents to keep them informed about the work being carried out at the Law Society and they can contact me directly to raise matters of concern. Constituents have contacted me with all sorts of issues ranging from objections to the exclusion of sole practitioners from lender panels, to referral fee payments, objections to reforms from the Solicitors Regulation Authority, problems with professional indemnity insurance, access to justice issues, court fee increases, lack of local courts …. the list goes on and on.

What is the most rewarding aspect of serving on Council? And is there anything you find frustrating?

Council members always have one thing in mind – that the solicitors profession is protected, promoted and supported. This informs all the work that is done on Council and at the Law Society, ensuring the focus is kept firmly on the profession at all times. 

What advice would you give to someone considering standing for election?

Just do it. You will not regret it. Once you join Council, there is a wonderful sense of belonging and you will experience the satisfaction of knowing that you are really making a difference. You won’t look back.

If you are interested in applying for election to the Law Society’s Council, all the information you need (including a step-by-step guide and the nomination forms for completion) is on the Law Society website.

If you would like to speak to a member of the Relationship Management team about applying for a role on Council, please get in touch.