2001: a legal odyssey

The legal universe is set to include new orbits ranging from a criminal law revolution to multi-disciplinary partnerships.

here, the Gazette's team of star-gazers goes to the frontiers of the issues likely to affect the profession

The coming year promises to be one of great change in the legal profession, whether it be for City high-flyers or village sole practitioners.The previous 12 months will be remembered as, among other things, the year in which the Human Rights Act 1998 became law, Clifford Chance became the world's largest law firm, solicitors' indemnity insurance returned to the open market, Claims Direct and its clones popped up on television screens every few minutes, salaries for young lawyers in the City went crazy, and rights of audience opened up fully.As our look ahead at the year shows, one of the most obvious landmarks in 2001 will be the reform of criminal legal aid on 1 April, with the introduction of the criminal contract - assuming the Legal Services Commission can persuade solicitors to sign it - and the pilot Salaried Defence Service.

Lord Justice Auld's review of the criminal justice system is set to report early in the new year.

The Auld review is not the only one to look out for; the reviews of tribunals and company law should keep many lawyers interested, while the Office of Fair Trading's review of the professions could have serious implications for solicitors and barristers alike.April too will bring with it implementation of the Limited Liability Partnership Act 2000.

It could be a big year for partnership with the Law Commission's proposals to reform partnership law and the possible introduction of 'legal practice plus', which will allow law firms to appoint non-lawyer partners.

Government plans to introduce a compulsory sellers' pack, moves towards electronic conveyancing, and the decision by bulk conveyancing firm Marsons to withdraw from residential work, all give high-street solicitors the opportunity to take the initiative in the property selling game.

The National Land Information Service - which will bring all property searches together at the click of a mouse - should start operating in a limited fashion in the next few months.This could lead to a secure communications network between solicitors for the exchange of documents before the end of the year.

And there will be plenty more to tax the mind and the patience such as: the transfer of responsibility for law firms' financial services work from the Law Society to the Financial Services Authority; confirmation that part II of the Family Law Act 1996 concerning no-fault divorce is to be ditched; introduction of the Trustee Act 2000; and the evolution of the conditional fee market.Law Society reform should also be a feature of 2001 once the results of the recent consultation exercise are examined and put before the Society's ruling council.

The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors (OSS) enters a new phase too, having met the government's target of reducing its caseload to 6,000 by December 2000.

But many of these crystal-ball predictions might not happen if there is a general election in the spring and a new government is elected.

Even if the law does not loom large in any campaign, lawyers will, from the top of the government to the president of Plaid Cymru and dozens of ministers, backbenchers and candidates, the profession will continue to make the news.